Scout units and priesthood quarums

[NadiaStar]

So the ward split some time back, I'm on the Scout committee, and we're still trying to put things together Scouting-wise.

How common is this arrangement?

Scouts: ages 11-13
Varstiy: ages 14-15
Venturing: Ages 16+

Especially if the Varsity and Venturing programs aren't being run and it's all just Scouting? What's the point of that? It's like we're bending over backwards to move boys every two years when they won't be doing anything different. I can't find the age thing in the lds scouting handbook.

[rameumptom]

11 year old Scouts should be in their own program. They will focus on becoming First Class/Star in their first year. They are not allowed to do campouts with the older boys, along with other major activities.

Boy Scouts of America run them slightly different than LDS BSA units (mostly age differences, and non-LDS Venture Crews are co-ed).

12-13 Scouts should be focusing on earning their Eagle Scout.

14-15 Varsity Team can work on merit badges and advancement, but focus on team building. They set up a program for each 3 month period, in which they learn things that culminate in a major activity (often sports).

16-17 Venture Crew usually does little in regards to advancement. They focus on life skills, leadership, etc. They will often plan programs regarding different careers, college, etc., preparing them for adulthood.

Varsity and Ventures will have more high adventure activities.

We're finding that older boys are less interested in regular Scouting. If they don't have their Eagle (or most requirements) by the time they are 14, chances are they won't reach it. We are trying to provide older boys activities that are of more value to them at this point. You will often see that if you try a regular troop for all of them, your older boys will stop attending and find high school or other activities to do instead.

[NadiaStar]

The thing is, our ward doesn't bother with any of that stuff for the older boys. We have a bunch of people whining about transferring the boys to the next unit when there is absolutely no difference in programs. In my view, we should either drop the fascade of having Varsity and Venturing or actually bother to make them separate. We don't even separate the boys, except for the 11-year-olds. It's just one big group of boys doing the same things. Are we required to register a Varsity and Venturing group?

[Backroads]

As far as I can tell, the age arrangement you mentioned is unofficial, just as very popular tradition-rameumptom outlined the theory behind it. However, in my line of work with the BSA I've seen too often where the theory is forgotten and the Scouting program winds up as the one you described. At that point, I personally find it all silly. If you're just going to be doing Scouting without any nuances in the age groups, there is no point in bothering with a Venturing or Varsity program because you can keep all the boys registered in a Scout Troop until they are 18.

Have you brought up the fact that no one is doing Varsity or Venturing programs? I've noticed that plenty of people in LDS Scouting don't realize Varsity and Venturing are separate programs--once they know there are things to be doing besides merit badges, people jump on!

I recommend going that route because if you try to dissolve the team and crew, your council people might be sad... they lose out on numbers that way.