Teachers Quorums and the Varsity Scouting Program

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Teachers Quorums and the Varsity Scouting Program
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Varsity Session Objectives
Learn

1. Explore the needs of Teacher-aged young men.
2. Discuss how Varsity Scouting can help meet those
   needs.
3. Understand the importance of adult leaders
   getting trained.

Act
Write down the steps you plan to take to better
meet the needs of the Teacher-aged young men
through the Varsity program in your ward or stake.
Share
Share your thoughts and impressions that you have
felt here today and your plans for improving the
Varsity program in your ward or stake, especially
with those who can help you achieve this
objective.
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Varsity Program for The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints
Congratulations! You have been called to serve
one of the greatest and yet most challenged age
groups. These 14- and 15-year-old young men
need valiant role models who, in addition to
their own fathers, can guide them as a shepherd
and mentor as they face physical, emotional,
social, and spiritual challenges. Duty to God
and the Varsity program will help young men
become self-reliant and meet their challenges.
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What does a Young Man need from the Varsity
Program?

• Healthy interaction with others
• An opportunity to talk
• Self-discipline, Self-reliance
• Self-esteem, Self-confidence
• Sense of belonging
• Achievement and recognition
• Personal spiritual experience

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Unique Characteristics of Varsity Age Young Man

• Physically becoming a man
• Thinking about the fumes/3 Ps
• Cars (petroleum)
• Girls (perfume)
• Sports (perspiration)
• Friends becoming more important than family

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This is a Critical Time

• Anxiety about the future (college, career,
  mission)
• Questioning personal confidence and esteem
• They are trying to fit in
• Tempted to experience things that conflict with
  morals
• Forming a belief system
• Media, music, cell phone become important
• Beginning to question the Church
• They are busy, dont waste their time
• Pressure from school work, extracurricular
  activities

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The Varsity Program Fields of Emphasis

• Personal Development
• High Adventure
• Team Sports
• Service
• Special Programs Events
• Advancement

The Varsity program is designed to be flexible.
Adapt the leadership to function based on the
number of squads or the number of young men in
the team. The fields of emphasis can be reduced -
or divided into as many as six fields of emphasis
- to fit the size of the quorum.
Source 2013 Philmont Varsity Syllabus
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Varsity Scout Team Organization
The quorum presidency makes the decision to
either assign themselves or other quorum members
to be program managers, based on the size of the
quorum. Each quorum member should have regular
opportunities to fulfill assignments from his
quorum presidency.
Source 2013 Philmont Varsity Syllabus
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Keys to Success for the Varsity Coach

• Maximize time with the youth
• Shadow leadership
• Leverage your Scout Committee
• Be fully trained
• Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and
  to act in the office in which he is appointed, in
  all diligence. DC 10799
• Annual program calendar planning
• Do it early
• Follow the plan
• Seek testimony-building experiences
• Targeted team-building events
• Meaningful high adventures

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Shadow Leadership
The role of the teachers quorum adviser and
Varsity team coach is to coach the quorum
president as he administers the Varsity team
program. The quorum president needs guidance
to enlarge his vision in reaching out to all
young men who live within the ward boundaries.
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Lord Baden Powell
Young Men Run the Team

• Training boy leaders to run their troop is the
  Scoutmasters most important job Train Scouts to
  do the job, then let them do it.

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Leverage your Scout Committee
Additional mentors from Scout Committee
Additional mentors from Scout Committee
Additional mentors from Scout Committee
Each program manager works with an adult mentor
who has been assigned to assist him in
accomplishing the work of the quorum and team.
These adults may be members of the team committee
or specialists who help with a single event.
Source 2013 Philmont Varsity Syllabus
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The Team Committee

• Record keeping Re-charter
• Fund Raising
• Shadow Leadership
• Boards of Review
• Equipment Management

• What do they do?
• How do they support the Team?

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Organizing a Team Committee

• A Scout committee assists the bishop and Scout
  advisers in organizing and carrying out Scouting
  activities.
• One committee can serve the unit Troop, Team, and
  Crew.
• The organization of Scout committees can and
  should be flexible.
• Scout committees may include multiple wards.
• Scout committees can effectively involve parents
  individuals of other faiths.

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Be Fully Trained
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Training Continuum for Varsity Coaches

• New Leader Essentials
• Varsity Fast Start Video
• Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills
• Varsity Coach Leader Specific Training
• Youth Protection Training (YPT)

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Supplemental Training

• Skills Training
• Roundtables
• University of Scouting
• Powder Horn
• Wood Badge

http//www.samhoustonbsa.org/
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Varsity Specific Training
Saturday September 28, 8am-12Noon Kingwood
Stake/Flamingo Arrow District LDS Atascocita
Chapel 19618 Atasca Oaks, Humble, TX Contact
edward.v.tucker_at_gmail.com
Saturday October 26, 8am-12Noon Cypress
Stake/Soaring Eagle District LDS Cypress Stake
Center 12310 New Hampton, Houston, TX Contact
rogerpruitt_at_gmail.com
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Five Steps of Annual Team Program Planning
Annual Program Calendar Planning

1. Do your homework.
2. Get the input of Varsity team members.
3. Hold a program planning clinic.
4. Consult with the team committee.
5. Announce the plan.

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Planning Items to Consider

• High Adventure
• Monthly outings
• Service Projects
• Regional sporting events/super activities
• Church activities
• Ward activities
• Stake activities

• District Council events
• Scout Fair
• University of Scouting
• Wood Badge Training
• Camporees
• Courts of honor
• Team junior leader training

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Targeted Team Building Events
Regional Varsity Rock Climbing Activity Sponsored
by the Houston Region LDS Scout Council
Where Stone Moves Rock Climbing Gym 6970 FM
1960 West Houston TX 77069 When Saturday,
November 9th, 2013 800 am Noon
Check-in begins at 730 am How Register
online at NorthStake.org. Who All Varsity
Scouts and their leaders What All climbing
gear will be provided. Note Each participant
will need to have a signed waiver when they
arrive. Waivers can be printed from the website,
NorthStake.org.
Space is limited, only the first 150
participants that register will be accepted,
so be sure to sign up fast!!! Adults need to
register too!
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Meaningful High Adventures
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Implementing the High Adventure Plan

• Conduct an annual Fall Planning Conference
• Prepare high level outline/plan
• Finalize High Adventure selection
• Seek endorsement of the Chartering Organization
• Incorporate preparation activities into the
  annual Team program calendar

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Incorporating High Adventure into the Annual Team
Calendar
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The quality High Adventure is

• Challenging not just another family vacation

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The quality High Adventure

• Develops Leadership allows boys to take
  responsibility

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The quality High Adventure is

• Fun something that boys will want to do

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The quality High Adventure

• Builds unity strengthens the Team

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The quality High Adventure is

• Inspirational
• It draws a boy closer to God

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The quality High Adventure is

• Planned well in advance
• allows for preparatory activities

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Doctrine Covenants 43
Learn
8 And now, behold, I give unto you a
commandment, that when ye are assembled together
ye shall instruct and edify each other, that ye
may know how to act and direct my church, how to
act upon the points of my law and commandments,
which I have given. 9 And thus ye shall become
instructed in the law of my church, and be
sanctified by that which ye have received, and ye
shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness
before me.
Act
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