Boards of Review

Tenderfoot to First Class

Don't Forget the 4 Steps in Advancement

• A Scout LEARNS
• A Scout is TESTED
• A Scout is REVIEWED
• A Scout is RECOGNIZED

Tenderfoot to First Class
The Boards of Review for our youngest Scouts must be focused on personal growth and encouragement. Remember that a Board of Review is not a time to "test" a Scout so it would be completely inappropriate to ask him to tie a bowline or demonstrate basic first aid. It is far more important-and is in keeping with the ideals of Scouting and the goals of the advancement method-to ask him what he learned while learning to tie a bowline or how he might see himself utilizing first aid skills in his day to day life. NO Board of Review should EVER look like an "inquisition" but especially not those for the first few ranks. Remember, we want to encourage a young man to grow through the advancement program and, if he has a bad experience* at his first Board of Review, he may never want to earn another badge so he won't have to go through it again.

*a "bad experience" usually comes from poorly trained board of review members that feel like a Scout must "prove himself worthy" of the rank so they grill him on details of the badges he's earned or work he's done so far. Click on the following link for "Good and Bad Approaches to a Board of Review" for some sample techniques to use and some to avoid.

The Board of Review

“After a Scout has completed all of the requirements for any rank…and has had a Scoutmaster conference for that rank, he appears before a board of review…”

“The purpose of the board of review is not to retest a Scout, but rather to ensure that he has completed all of the requirements, to determine the quality of his troop experience, and to encourage him to advance toward the next rank. Each review should include a discussion of ways in which the Scout sees himself living up to the Scout Oath and Law in his everyday life.”

From SCOUTMASTER’S HANDBOOK, page 121-122

Sample Board of Review Questions for the Scouts who are NOT advancing.

This is just as important as reviewing the Scouts who are ready to advance but troops rarely do it.  Consider these ideas:

“Scouts who are not advancing should also come before the board of review. The board should show interest in these Scouts’ rank progress. Ask the kind of questions that may reveal why they are not advancing."

• Do you enjoy the outings/troop meetings?
• Which of the requirements are most difficult for you?
• Do you find that school activities are taking more of your time? Which ones?

From TROOP COMMITTEE GUIDEBOOK, page 30