Prospective Parents    |    New Parents    |  Veteran Parents

Learn About the Scouting Programs

There are five branches in the Scouting family tree.  Each branch is designed to provide leadership and life skills to boys and girls of specific ages.

Cub Scouts (K-5th grade)

We provide ready-made opportunities for your family to do fun things together—because together—we can all grow into our very best future selves!  Cub Scout activities are centered around earning badges that are specific to each elementary school grade level.

We’re all about encouraging boys and girls to make friends, be helpful to others, and do their very best no matter the outcome. With the help of powerful learning projects and exciting outdoor activities, we aim to teach children that doing their best can be a fun and rewarding experience—no matter the difficulty of the challenge.

Scouts BSA (5th grade to 18 years of age)

Scouts BSA is the traditional Scouting experience where boys and girls can have their share of adventure in the great outdoors. Develop a love of service by volunteering in your community, boost your leadership skills through fun and exciting challenges, and create memories of a lifetime with no prior Scouting experience required! For over 100 years, our program has helped create generations of leaders and outstanding citizens by allowing boys and girls to explore their interests, serve their communities, and discover their talents through youth-led activities like hiking, camping, and volunteering!

Exploring (14 to 20 years of age)

Exploring’s purpose is to provide experiences that help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults. Explorers are ready to investigate the meaning of interdependence in their personal relationships and communities.

Exploring is based on a unique and dynamic relationship between youth and the organizations in their communities. Local community organizations initiate a specific Explorer post by matching their people and program resources to the interests of young people in the community. The result is a program of activities that helps youth pursue their special interests, grow, and develop.

Exploring programs are based on five areas of emphasis: career opportunities, life skills, citizenship, character education, and leadership experience.

Venturing (14 to 20 years of age)

Venturing is a youth-led program that’s all about building adventures with your friends. Choose to do activities that matter to you and develop essential skills like leadership, event-planning, organization, communication, and responsibility while having a blast!

Everyone has that moment that opens their eyes to a bigger world than they ever imagined. It might happen while paddling a quiet lake, bonding with new friends around a beach bonfire, or rising to the challenge of leading an exhausted crew to the edges of adventure. Venturing empowers you to create your own experiences while bringing Scouting values to life through high adventure outdoor activities and challenging real-world projects.

Sea Scouts (14 to 20 years of age)

You and your shipmates lead your Sea Scout program, so you make it what you want. In Sea Scouts you may cruise the San Juan Islands or Scuba dive in the Florida Keys. You might paddle down a local river or day sail on the lake. You may cruise aboard “America’s Tall Ship” the USCG Barque Eagle. In Sea Scouts, you build your own adventure! Sea Scouting provides limitless opportunities and exciting challenges that you won’t find anywhere else. It is a place to grow and learn, find adventure, and build long-lasting friendships.

Join Scouting Nights for Cub Scouts

Did you learn about Cub Scouts through your child’s school?  Maybe you attended a Join Scouting Night (JSN) event, and maybe you weren’t able to squeeze it into your schedule.  We’ve pulled together some essential Cub Scout resources that we had available at your school’s JSN.  These resources are available in English and Spanish.

The Language of Scouting

Chances are, you’ve heard some lingo recently that you don’t yet understand.  Don’t worry – sometimes we get very excited about our programs and forget there are prospective and new families that don’t know what makes a Pack and a Troop different, what YPT (Youth Protection Training) stands for, or even who the HOVC (Heart of Virginia Council – that’s us) is.

Here are a few terms you’ll read and often hear as you become more familiar with our program.

We are so glad you’re here!

Welcome!  You have officially joined a unit and your Scout is ready to begin their big adventure.  What do you do next?

Visit the Scout Shop!

The Heart of Virginia Council Scout Shop is conveniently located at 8090 Villa Park Drive in Henrico, Virginia.  They are open Monday through Saturday and have everything you need to outfit your Scout.  From uniforms and program handbooks to fun stuff like tee shirts and camping equipment, they have it all, and our friendly Scout Shop Team is readily available to help you find it.

We are also pleased to offer an online Scout Shop experience, along with patch sewing and hemming services!

Events Calendar

The Heart of Virginia Council maintains an Events Calendar to help parents, unit leaders, and youth leaders plan for special events, training opportunities, and office closures.  This calendar is regularly updated with new and exciting program opportunities, so make sure you visit it often and subscribe to stay up-to-date on what’s available.

Weekly Newsletter

We compile the most important news stories that affect or might interest you, and deliver them to you via email every Friday at noon.  The Friday 5 consists of five short stories that we feel are most important for the week, and a monthly Courier the last Friday of the month that’s full of 50 or more pieces of news that you need to know.  Follow the link to view the archives and subscribe.

Annual Health and Medical Record (AHMR)

The Scouting adventure, camping trips, high-adventure excursions, and having fun are important to everyone in Scouting—and so is your safety and well-being. Completing the Annual Health and Medical Record is the first step in making sure you have a great Scouting experience.

Each participating member of your family needs to have a completed AHMR on file with their unit leadership team in order to participate in any Scouting adventures, including regular unit meetings.  Follow the link to download a copy based on your adventure needs.

Popcorn & Peanut Fundraiser

August through November, we offer Scouts the opportunity to participate in our Popcorn & Peanut fundraiser, which helps them pay their way!  Chances are good that your new unit participates in this fundraiser, so you should reach out to them first about participating, but you can learn more by following the link.

Camp Card Fundraiser

In the Spring, we offer Scouts a second fundraiser to help pay for summer and fall camping programs.  Camp Cards are a great, risk-free way to raise a lot of money in a short period of time.  Follow the link for more information.

Youth Protection Training (YPT)

This BSA emphasis fights child abuse by teaching youth the “three R’s”: Recognize, Respond, and Report child abuse; by helping parents and Scouters learn to recognize indications of child abuse and situations that could lead to potential abuse; and by teaching them how to handle child abuse situations or reports. Youth training is called personal safety awareness. For all registered adults (volunteer and professional Scouters), Youth Protection training is mandatory.  Parents are welcomed and encouraged to create an account on My.Scouting.org and complete YPT, as well.

Camp T. Brady Saunders

Founded in 1964, Camp T. Brady Saunders (TBS) is part of our 604 acre Heart of Virginia Council Scout Reservation, and provides camping and diverse programming for Scouts BSA Troops, Venturing Crews, and Explorer Posts.  TBS boasts one of the finest STEM and outdoor leadership offerings in the region, and remains a bustling hub for year-round Scout adventures.  With range and target sports, our COPE Challenge Course, climbing and rappelling tower, and stunning Lake Dillon waterfront activities, TBS has something for everyone.  Come out for summer and winter camp, attend a Council Camporee, or just fish for the day.

Cub Adventure Camp

Founded in 2002, Cub Adventure Camp (CAC) is part of the Heart of Virginia Council Scout Reservation.  CAC is built with Cub Scouts in mind, offering year-round camping and outdoor programming that includes range and target sports (bb, archery, and slingshot), sports, nature, swimming, fishing, STEM, and more!  Each year, CAC hosts seasonal camping and activity events, such as traditional overnight summer camp, a spooky fall-themed camporee, and a daytime rally for our newest Cub Scouts geared toward introducing families to our beautiful property.

Scoutbook Advancement Tracking

The Heart of Virginia Council uses Scoutbook to track the advancement of the Scouts we serve.  Unit leaders will work with your Scout to ensure their advancement and awards records are properly maintained.  Each month, or on a schedule that better suits the needs of your unit, your unit’s Advancement Chairperson will use Scoutbook to print reporting that is then used to build purchase orders that are fulfilled at our Scout Shop.  These orders include Cub Scout Adventure beltloops, merit badges, special awards, rank patches, and more.  Parents are not able to purchase advancement for their child at the Scout Shop – this is a duty performed by your Advancement Chairperson or another designated member of your leadership team.  Parents are, however, able to update their own Scout’s advancement records in Scoutbook.  If your Cub Scout completes a requirement at home, go ahead and log it in Scoutbook.  You can also review your Scout’s advancement records at any time.

New parents will likely receive an email from their unit leadership team inviting them to Connect with their Scout in Scoutbook.  Please accept that invitation at your earliest convenience.  If you do not receive an invitation to Connect, please reach out to your unit leadership team.

Become a Registered Leader

There’s something special about wearing the tan shirt and olive pants that have become synonymous with Scouting.  Becoming a registered adult leader is a big and important step, and one that we’re excited for you to consider.  There are many opportunities for you to join your Scout on this adventure, and your Pack, Troop, Crew, or Post has just the right job waiting for your time, energy, and talents.  From Den Leader to Merit Badge Counselor, the opportunities are endless.

Good to See You!

Welcome back to the Parent Portal – how have you been?  Here are a few special resources we think you’ll enjoy.

Eagle Resources

Learn about scholarships, the National Eagle Scout Association, the Adams Scout Service Project of the Year Award, the Eagle Challenge Brick, and more!

Eagle’s Nest

The Eagle’s Nest celebrates those Scouts who have earned the rank of Eagle by noting the date of their Eagle Board of Review (EBOR), unit information, and a brief description of their Eagle Scout Service Project.  It’s always nice to see who has been welcomed into the Nest, and how they got there.