Venture Crew 190 - Venturing Awards

Venture Awards

Introduction

The Venturing Silver Award is available to all youth Venturing members of the Boy Scouts of America. The purpose of the Venturing Silver Award is to:

- Provide a pathway for personal development.

- Encourage Venturers to learn, grow, and serve.

- Recognize the high level of achievement of Ventureres who acquire Venturing skills.

- Identify trained and highly motivated Venturers who will be a training, leadership, and program resource for other Venturers, Scouts, organizations, and the community.

- Help define Venturing.

Background

     Even though your crew's program may be different from another crew's, you share some similarities with other Venturers. First is your age, since all Venturers must be 14 years old (14 year olds must have completed the eigth grade) and not yet 21. Next is your curiosity and desire to learn more about life and the things around you. You probably like exciting, informative programs and activities at your crew meetings. You want to aquire new, usable skills that make you feel like you are really growing in your life. You like a challenge. And, you like to be recognized for your hard work and achievement.
     Venturing should be an exciting, advanced-level program where you learn and use advanced skills for your own enjoyment and growth, as well as to benefit others. Life is a series of experiencesm and the Venturing Silver Award is similar. It will lead you on a pathway of exciting experiences that will guide you to become a skilled Venturing Leader.
     Earning the Venturing Silver Award will identify you as a Venturer who:

has direction in his or her life,
knows how to plan and accomplish goals,
is skilled,
lives the Venturing Oath,
is a leader,
is willing to serve others, and
is one of the proud few to wear the
Venturing Silver Award.

How to Earn the Silver Award

Like any high, worthwhile recognition, the Venturing Silver Award will be challenging and will take time to earn. It will take you at least 12 months, but there is no limitation on the maximum amount of time other than you will need to complete all work before your 21st birthday.

Requirements (overview). These are requirements that all Venturing Silver Award candidates must complete.

1. The Venturing Gold Award requires earning one Venturing Bronze Award.

2. Eraning the Venturing Gold Award, which includes knowing and living the Venturing Oath, service, personal development, and 12 months tenure.

3. Be proficient in emergency prepardness, including earning Standard First Aid and CPR certification, and knowing and using BSA Safe Swim Defense.

4. Demonstrate leadership, including successfully completing the Venturing Leadership Skills Course.

5. Participate in the Ethics in Action program, including Ethical Controversies activities and Ethics Forum.

6. Show a crew review committee you have met the requirements for the Venturing Silver Award.

     First, sit down with your Advisor to make a plan of action on how you will earn the Venturing Silver Award. On many of the requirements you will work on your own, while some you will work on with other Venturers. Many requirements will require contacting and working with a specialty consultant, someone who has extensive knowledge and skills in a particular area.
     Wou will learn a skill from this person, and the specialty consultant will determine your proficiency in that skill. You might find it more convenient to work with several other Venturers at the same time with this specialty consultant. Many requirements involve a time element, such as working as a volunteer for three months. Take this into consideration when you are planning. You should probably work on several requirements at the same time, such as serving as a crew leader while working on a Venturing Bronze Award requirement.
     You can receive dual credit for work required in different places. Examples: If you get certified in Standard First Aid, you can use this credit toward Silver Award requirement No. 2, Ranger Award core requirement No. 1, and Youth Ministries requirement No. 8.
     When you have completed a requirement have either an Advisor or a specialty consultant initial and date your track sheet to confirm your completeion of that requirement.
     When you have completed all Silver Award requirements, ask your Advisor or crew president for a Silver Award review. The review committee will be made up of Venturers and adults. They will determine if you have successfully completed all requirements, and then recommend to your BSA local council that the council, representing the National Court of Honor, present you the highest Venturing Award a Venturer can earn -- the Venturing Silver Award

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