Boy Scouting is an educational program filled with fun and adventure that appeals to boys. Boys must be at least 11 years of age or have completed the fifth grade, or have earned the Arrow of Light Award and, in any case, not have reached age 18. The Scouting program has three specific objectives, commonly referred to as the Aims of Scouting. They are character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness. These aims are embodied in the Scout Oath and Law.

The methods by which the aims are achieved are listed below in random order to emphasize the equal importance of each.

Patrols. The patrol method gives Boy Scouts an experience in group living and participating citizenship. It places responsibility on young shoulders and teaches boys how to accept it. The patrol method allows Scouts to interact in small groups where they can easily relate to each other. These small groups determine troop activities through their elected representatives.

Outdoor Programs. Boy Scouting is designed to take place outdoors. It is in the outdoor setting that Scouts share responsibilities and learn to live with one another. It is here that the skills and activities practiced at troop meetings come alive with purpose. Being close to nature helps Boy Scouts gain an appreciation for God's handiwork and humankind's place in it. The outdoors is the laboratory for Boy Scouts to learn ecology and practice conservation of nature's resources.

Advancement. Boy Scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps in overcoming them through the advancement method. The Boy Scout plans his advancement and progresses at his own pace as he meets each challenge. The Boy Scout is rewarded for each achievement, which helps him gain self-confidence. The steps in the advancement system help a Boy Scout grow in self-reliance and in the ability to help others.

Personal Growth. As Boy Scouts plan their activities and progress toward their goals, they experience personal growth. The Good Turn concept is a major part of the personal growth method of Boy Scouting. Boys grow as they participate in community service projects and do Good Turns for others. Probably no device is so successful in developing a basis for personal growth as the daily Good Turn. The religious emblems program also is a large part of the personal growth method. Frequent personal conferences with his Scoutmaster help each Boy Scout to determine his growth toward Scouting's aims.

Leadership Development. The Boy Scout program encourages boys to learn and practice leadership skills. Every Boy Scout has the opportunity to participate in both shared and total leadership situations. Understanding the concepts of leadership helps a boy accept the leadership role of others and guides him toward the citizenship aim of Scouting.

Uniform. The uniform makes the Boy Scout troop visible as a force for good and creates a positive youth image in the community.

Boy Scouting is an action program, and wearing the uniform is an action that shows each Boy Scout's commitment to the aims and purposes of Scouting. The uniform gives the Boy Scout identity in a world brotherhood of youth who believe in the same ideals. The uniform is practical attire for Boy Scout activities and provides a way for Boy Scouts to wear the badges that show what they have accomplished.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Verdugo Hills Council operates and maintains an active outdoor program, and Scouts from our council attend any one of the many camps maintained by our neighboring councils. The National Council operates high-adventure bases at Philmont Scout Ranch, New Mexico; Northern Tier National High Adventure Programs, Minnesota and Canada; and Florida National High Adventure Sea Base. A fourth base, the Summit Bechtel National Scout Reserve in West Virginia, is scheduled to open in 2013 in time to host the next National Scout Jamboree.

The BSA conducts a National Scout Jamboree roughly every four years and participates in world Scout jamborees (also held at roughly four-year intervals). Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, has been the site of the the past several National Scout Jamborees, including the most recent held in 2010.