Scouts BSA Troop 457 > FAQs

How do I complete the BSA Youth Protection Training?

The Boy Scouts of America places the greatest importance on creating the most secure environment possible for our youth members. To maintain such an environment, the BSA developed numerous procedural and leadership selection policies and provides parents and leaders with resources for the Cub Scout, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Exploring programs.

  • CLICK HERE learn more about the Boy Scouts of America’s Youth Protection policies.
  • Visit My.Scouting  and create an account.  Once you have an account you can access online training.
  • Take the BSA Youth Protection training.
  • Once you have completed the training, please print out the certificate and include the print out with your application.
  • CLICK HERE to learn about the training you must complete if you are a registered adult member of Scouting.

How do I complete the BSA Adult Volunteer Application?

  • Download the BSA Adult Volunteer Application
  • The file is a fillable PDF.  We recommend typing your responses directly into the PDF before you submit it.
    • On Page 3: Complete all fields ABOVE the line marked “To be completed by Unit”
    • On Page 6: Complete the Authorization section in the middle of the page.
  • Print the document and sign and date pages 3 (Signature of Applicant) and 6 (bottom of the page)

How do I update advancement records in TroopTrack?

The official record of a Scout’s advancement is their Handbook (see Scouts BSA Rank Requirements section starting on page 440). However, this type of reporting does not provide our leaders with an overview of all our Scout’s advancement for planning purposes.  That’s why we encourage periodically updating a Scout’s advancement record in TroopTrack.

Who should update TroopTrack?

Periodically, one of our Scout leaders (youth or adult) will ask to review a Scout’s handbook and update TroopTrack to reflect their advancement progress.  This can also be done by the Scout or an adult member of their household.

We encourage updating a Scout’s TroopTrack records at least monthly before the PLC meeting.

How to update TroopTrack

There are two ways to update a Scout’s advancement information in TroopTrack.  Option A is the easiest to perform.

OPTION A: Record Progress

  1. Login to TroopTrack and navigate to the dashboard.
  2. Locate the Youth Summary card (when logged in as a Scout) or the Household card (when logged in as an Adult)
  3. Click the Record Progress link next to the name of the Scout whose records you wish to update.
  4. You will be presented with a list of Ranks and Merit Badges (previously completed advancement will be marked as Completed).  Locate and click on the Rank / Merit Badge for which you wish to record progress.
  5. You will then be shown the list of requirements on the right side of the page with spaces to track when the requirement was Completed On and any relevant Notes.  Add the date from your Handbook into the Completed On field and (optional) the name of the individual signing off the requirement.
  6. Click the Save button at the bottom of the page to submit the progress for approval.

The Completed On field at the top of the page (before the requirements) should not be populated by Scouts or their parents.

 

OPTION B: Update Achievements

  1. Login to TroopTrack and navigate to the Scout’s profile.
  2. Click on the Achievements tab.
  3. Click on the sub-tab representing the advancement the Scout is working on (i.e. Ranks, Merit Badges, Other)
  4. Click the Actions button next to the achievement you’d like to update.  (If the Scout is working on a Merit Badge that does not appear in the list, contact the Scoutmaster to confirm they are authorized to start working on the badge and to update the Scout’s TroopTrack records.)
  5. Locate the requirement(s) that the Scout has completed and enter the date the requirement was completed in the Completion Date field for that requirement.

The overall Completed, Awarded, and Reported to Council On and Recognized / Purchased fields should not be completed by anyone other than a registered adult leader or the Advancement Coordinator.

Scouts and members of their household may enter Completed on dates into TroopTrack but these records must be approved by an authorized adult leader before they are considered officially complete.

When should I wear my merit badge sash?

The Merit Badge sash is typically worn during special events like Scoutmaster Conference, Boards of Review, and Courts of Honor.  Scouts attending Summer Camp should also bring their sash with them to camp.

Who can Attend Troop Activities?

“Who can attend Troop activities” is probably one of the questions most frequently asked of our Adult Leaders.  The answer to that question is determined by the Guide to Safe Scouting, which establishes the official BSA rules and policies for Scouting activities.

The Troop must comply with these policies, not only for the safety and security of our Scouts, adult leaders, and event attendees; but also to ensure the event is covered by BSA insurance policies.

ADULTS

Parents and guardians are always welcome to attend and participate in Troop activities.

RULE CHANGE Effective September 1, 2023
In February 2023, the BSA updated the Guide to Safe Scouting to require that any Adult participating in an overnight activity must be a registered, fee-paid Adult Leader.  This ensures all overnight participants have the appropriate background checks, clearances, and Youth Protection training.

Parents/Guardians may still participate in events during the day, but may not spend the night unless properly registered.  LEARN MORE

Other adult attendees may be accommodated with approval from the Committee Chairman and Scoutmaster.  Please request approval at least one week prior to departing for the event.

YOUTH

Youth members of the Troop may participate in Troop activities as long as they meet pre-established participation requirements.

EXAMPLE
Participation in BSA High Adventure Expeditions requires Scouts to be at least 13 years of age.

Youth who are not registered in the unit may not accompany parents or siblings in camping programs of Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Sea Scouting.BSA Guide to Safe Scouting

LIMITED EXCEPTIONS

Concurrent Participation

Families of Troop members may participate in similar activities concurrent with Troop events (e.g., biking on the Marine State Park bike trail or visiting a museum at the same time as the Troop).  These individuals are not participating as part of the Troop event and are not covered by BSA insurance coverage.

Adults who are solely responsible for non-registered youth cannot be adult leaders / participants in the Troop activity and do not count towards two-deep leadership / youth protection requirements.

EXAMPLE
An adult leader, their spouse, and a non-registered youth are participating in an activity concurrent to the Troop event.  The Adult leader CAN be a part of the event and count toward YPT requirements as their spouse can be responsible for the non-registered youth.

Conversely, if the Adult leader and non-registered youth are participating in a concurrent activity without a spouse/other adult, the Adult leader is not a part of the Troop event and does not count toward YPT requirements.

Group Ticketing

Occasionally, the Troop will receive discounted group admission / tickets for an activity.  The Troop will extend those reduced admission / ticket prices to families of Troop members if permitted by the source organization.

If families take advantage of the discount, non-members are participating in the activity concurrently and ARE NOT considered to be a part of the Troop activity.

Family Events

Occasionally, the Troop may hold events opened to our members and their families (“Family Events”).

  • BSA rules (e.g. Youth Protection, Buddy System, SAFE Swim rules) will be followed at Troop Family Events.
  • However, Family Events are not considered official Scouting activities and are not covered by BSA insurance.
  • Parents/guardians are responsible for the health and safety of their family members during these events.

Family events will be clearly designated in the description of the event in TroopTrack.

REFERENCE INFORMATION

How do I add my vehicle information to TroopTrack?

The Troop relies on our parents and guardians to help transport Scouts to and from Troop events using their personal vehicles.

The BSA Guide to Safe Scouting requires that “all vehicles transporting Scouts to or from Troop events be covered by automobile liability insurance with limits that meet or exceed the requirements of the state in which the vehicle is licensed. It is recommended, however, that coverage limits are at least $100,000 combined single limit. Any vehicle designed to carry ten or more passengers should have limit of $1,000,000.” (For insurance information refer to the Insurance section in the Guide to Safe Scouting.)

Parents/Guardians are asked to add information about their vehicles and their insurance coverage to their TroopTrack profiles.  This helps our leaders’ plan for the Troop’s transportation needs and ensures vehicles have the required insurance coverage to comply with the Guide to Safe Scouting.

This information can be added to your profile by:

  1. Login to your TroopTrack Dashboard
  2. Access the profile of the individual you wish to add drivers license information.  (Adults who are not registered leaders have access to update the profiles of other members of their household.)  You can access a profile by:
    • Clicking on the Profile link next to your name in the Profile card on your dashboard.
    • Clicking on your Name in the tan bar at the top of any page and selecting My Profile in the dropdown.
    • Searching for the adult’s name in the Power Search field at the top of any page.
  3. Once on the adult’s profile page, you will see a series of tabs below your name:
  4. Select the Vehicles tab.  (You may need to scroll to find this tab.)
  5. To add a new vehicle, click the New Vehicle link in the light tan bar at the top of the page.
  6. This will open the Vehicle Details where you will enter information about the vehicle’s make, model, license plate and safety information.  You are also asked to provide insurance information to ensure the Troop is in compliance with the Guide to Safe Scouting and to ensure adequate coverage is in place in the event of an accident.
  7. Click the Save button to save the vehicle to your profile.

How do I add my driver’s license to TroopTrack?

The BSA Guide to Safe Scouting requires that drivers transporting Scouts to and from events have a valid driver’s license that has not been suspended or revoked, including a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) when required. Additionally, some Troop events (i.e. visiting military installations) may require adults to provide their drivers license information to comply with security rules.

Adult’s drivers license information can be tracked in TroopTrack to ensure that the information is available when needed.  All adult members (both registered leaders and parents/guardians) are encouraged to add this information to their profile by doing the following:

  1. Login to your TroopTrack Dashboard
  2. Access the profile of the individual you wish to add drivers license information.  (Adults who are not registered leaders have access to update the profiles of other members of their household.)  You can access a profile by:
    • Clicking on the Profile link next to your name in the Profile card on your dashboard.
    • Clicking on your Name in the tan bar at the top of any page and selecting My Profile in the dropdown.
    • Searching for the adult’s name in the Power Search field at the top of any page.
  3. Once on the adult’s profile page, you will see a card titled Driver Info.  Click on the card’s Edit link to add or update your Drivers License information.
  4. On the Screen, you will be prompted to enter your Drivers License State and Drivers License Number.
  5. Click the Save button to add this information to your TroopTrack profile.

How do I generate a permission slip from TroopTrack?

The Troop requires youth have a completed permission slip (completed by the Scout’s parent or legal guardian) when attending any outdoor activity.  A blank version of the form can be downloaded from Scouting.org or a partially populated version (including your Scout’s name, address, and birthday as well as the Event name and adult coordinator) can also be downloaded from TroopTrack.

  1. Go to: https://Troop457Zelie.trooptrack.com/plan/permission_slip
  2. Select the event name from the Event dropdown and the Scout’s name from the Member dropdown.
  3. Click Print to generate the partially populated form.
  4. The Scout should sign and date the form in the spot marked “Participant Signature.”
  5. A parent or guardian’s name, phone number and email address should be written in the appropriate spots
  6. A parent or guardian must sign and date the form in the spot marked “Parent / Guardian Signature”
  7. Review the rest of the form and complete any additional blank spots. Use the Scoutmaster’s name and contact information if it is not populated at the bottom of the form.

It is recommended that parents keep a copy of the form and contact the tour leader in the event of any questions or in case emergency contact is needed.

Of course, our goal in all of this is to make sure that parents are aware of the kind of activities their youth will be participating in. So thank you.

How and Why Should I add a Mobile Number to my TroopTrack Account?

The Troop can send text messages from TroopTrack to alert you to urgent updates or important reminders (i.e., late changes to meetings, when we expect to return to ELC after a campout). To receive these messages, you must add your mobile number to your TroopTrack profile:

  1. Login to TroopTrack.com
  2. Click on the Profile link next to your name (left hand column)
  3. In your profile, click on the Edit button in the top right of the Contact Info card (center column)
  4. Enter your mobile number into the Cell phone field and select the name of your carrier in the Cell carrier field.
  5. Click the Save button.

The Troop will only use Text Messaging for urgent, time-sensitive communications.

How to complete Scout Requirement #6 and Star Requirement #6 (Protect Your Children from Child Abuse and CyberChip / Personal Safety Awareness)?

On January 1, 2023 the BSA revised Scout and Star rank requirements (#6) as follows (edits in red):

With your parent or guardian, complete the exercises in the pamphlet How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide and earn the Cyber Chip Award for your grade or view the Personal Safety Awareness videos ( with your parent or Guardian’s permission)

There are two components of this requirement.

How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parents Guide

Parents and Scouts should read the Youth Protection pamphlet that is included at the front of your Scout’s Handbook. (An online version is available here.)

Discuss the questions at the end of the pamphlet and make sure everyone understands what the BSA’s policies are regarding youth protection.

Cyber Chip / Personal Safety Awareness videos

The BSA is phasing out the Cyber Chip program in favor of the Personal Safety Awareness videos so the Troop encourages our Scouts to watch these videos on Scouting.org.

The Troop typically spends one or two meetings each year for Scouts to watch the Personal Safety Awareness videos.  If a Scout misses one of those meetings, they can watch these videos on Scouting.org.

After Completing These Activities

Once a Scout has completed the pamphlet exercises and watched the Personal Safety Awareness videos, parents should email the Scoutmaster to inform him the Scout has completed the requirement.  At our next Troop meeting, the Scoutmaster or other leader may ask some quick questions to confirm understanding before approving the requirement.

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