Mission Statement

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Purpose

The purpose of the Boy Scouts of America, incorporated on February 8, 1910, and chartered by Congress in 1916, is to provide an educational program for young men and women to build character, train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develop personal fitness.

Chartered Organizations

The Orange County Council received its charter in 1920 to provide the Scouting programs here locally. Community groups receive national charters to use the Scouting program as a part of their own youth work. These groups, which have goals compatible with those of the BSA, include religious, educational, civic, fraternal business and labor organizations, governmental bodies, corporate, professional associations and citizens’ groups. Over 100,000 youth are served annually in Scouting programs in Orange County.

Programs

Tiger Cubs: A one-year program for first-grade (Age 6) boys and their adult mentors that stresses leadership, teamwork, community service and family understanding in den meetings and enjoy Day Camp.

Cub Scouting: A family program for boys in second through fifth grade (Ages 7-10). Cub Scouting’s emphasis in quality programming at the local level. Fourth and fifth grade boys are called Webelos (We’ll be loyal Scouts) and participate in more advanced activities that prepares them to become Boy Scouts. Cub Scouts enjoy overnight camp as Bears and Webelos.

Boy Scouting: A program for boys (Ages 11-18) designed to achieve the aims of Scouting through a vigorous outdoor program and peer group leadership with the counsel of an adult Scoutmaster. Boys set goals, experience the challenge of achieving goals and the triumph of success. (Boys also may become Boy Scouts if they have earned the Arrow of Light Award or have completed fifth grade.)

Venturing: Venturing is a co-educational program of the Boy Scouts of America. Venturers range from 14 to 20 years of age. The program is designed to help young men and women develop skills in areas of high adventure sports, arts, hobbies and Sea Scouting as well as learn positive leadership and ethical values from both adult and peer leaders. The result is a program of exciting and meaningful activities that helps youth pursue their special interests, grow, develop leadership skills and become good citizens.

Varsity Scouting: An active, exciting program for young men (Ages 14-18) built around five program fields of emphasis: advancement, high adventure, personal development, service and special programs and events.

Learning for Life: A subsidiary corporation of the Boy Scouts of America, Learning for Life is a co-educational program designed to meet the needs of elementary and high school aged youth. It helps youth meet the challenges by teaching character and good decision-making skills. The Learning for Life program components provide a structure through which youth learn the value of respect and responsibility, so they can achieve their full potential.

Exploring: A co-educational, work-site based program, Exploring gives youth an opportunity to visit community organizations and explore the dynamics of various careers. Local community organizations initiate an Explorer Post by matching their people and program resources to the interest of young people in the community. The result is a program of activities that help youth pursue their special interests, while discovering a world of career possibilities.

Outdoor Facilities

SCHOEPE SCOUT RESERVATION AT LOST VALLEY: Is located in the Warner Springs area of San Diego County. It is a rustic wilderness camp with 1,400 acres of Oak, Pine and Chaparral bordered by the Cleveland National Forest. The camp has 22 new cabins, two swimming pools, a three acre lake, rifle, archery and shotgun ranges, horse stables, a mountain bike center, an observatory, two handicraft centers, an Indian Village with an active archeological dig and a nature center. Two dining halls, Beckman Hall and Casey Lodge, provide Scouts with meal service. Scouts can also participate in High Adventure programs with challenges ranging from rock climbing and rappelling to black powder and COPE.

NEWPORT SEA BASE: Since 1937, the Sea Base has provided fun and valuable educational maritime-based programs to youth from all over the country. Year-round, youth can participate in oceanography, marine biology, environmental science, boating safety, canoeing, kayaking, rowing, dinghy and keelboat sailing, motor boating, and other aquatics-related programs and activities. It is also home to three Sea Scout Ships: Del Mar, Renegades, and Triton as well as the Chapman University Crew Team. New classrooms, along with a library, amphitheater, conference room, crew center, and picnic area are all part of the recent renovation of the Newport Sea Base.

OSO LAKE: Located in Rancho Santa Margarita on the boarder of Mission Viejo, Oso Lake is easily accessible to all units. The camp features a 100-acre lake, 15 acres of land and is surrounded by O’Neil Regional Park. The Oso Reservoir is the perfect venue for Scouts to enjoy catch-and release bass fishing, canoeing and rowing. The facilities feature a small archery range, large camping areas, a multi-level pavilion and amphitheater.
Proximity to O’Neil Regional Park provides ample hiking and orienteering opportunities and the campsite areas are perfect for first year campers to practice their skills.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER: Located near Irvine Regional Park, the 210-acre camping oasis will serve as the gateway to the great outdoors for youth groups, organizations, schools, families and Scouting programs. Young campers and adventurists alike will be able to explore rugged terrain, visit an orange grove, pan for ore in a mine or take aim at archery. Other camp features include an amphitheater, astronomy/space camp, ranch camp, mining camp and aquatics center. The Outdoor Education Center will meet a long-standing need in the community for kids to experience nature’s best playground in their own backyard.