Venturing Advancement

Bronze Award
One of the strengths of the Venturing program is its ability to meet the  interest of all Venturers.  Sometimes Venturers like to investigate new, different areas.  Variety in a crew always seems to make it more fun to go to meetings and outings.  Also, Venturers probably have many interests or  would like to have more.  Because of that desire, and to provide a pathway to many different experiences, the Venturing Bronze Awards Program is offered.   Venturers can earn their crew's specialty Bronze Award or all five Bronze  Awards.

The five different Venturing Bronze Awards are Arts and Hobbies, Outdoor, Sea Scouting (Ordinary Award),  Sports, and Youth Ministries.  All five Bronze Awards contain the common  elements of experience, learning a skill, and sharing your experiences and skills with others.   Earning at least one Bronze Award is required for the  Venturing G.O.L.D. Award.  The Bronze Award is designed as the entry-level award for a Venturer so that they can acquire usable skills that  will carry them  along the trail to the Venturing Silver Award.

Gold Award
The Venturing Gold Award replaces the Exploring G.O.L.D. Award that was  introduced in 1996.  It was extremely well received and valued by those who  earned it.  One new requirement has been added to create the new Venturing Gold Award.  That requirement is to earn the Venturing Bronze Award.

The Venturing Gold Award program was developed to recognize the significant accomplishment in a Venturer's life  as he or she has proven outstanding performance in a broad spectrum of activities.  These activities relate to Venturing's six experience areas of  leadership, citizenship, social, outdoor, service, and fitness.  It will challenge and motivate Venturers over an extended period.

It will provide a favorable image  of the Venturing program among youth, parents, schools, and our communities.   It will offer challenging and stimulating opportunities for Venturers to develop  and achieve personal goals in the areas of leadership, character development,  and personal fitness.

Silver Award
Advancement has been an important part  of the Boy Scouts of America since the issuance of the first twelve merit badges in 1911.  When the Boy Scouts of America introduced the Exploring program (predecessor to Venturing) in 1950, the Silver Award program was also released as the advancement program for  older Boy Scouts.  From 1950 through 1966, 18,256 Silver  Medals  in general, i.e., Wolf, Antelope, Beaver, etc., were earned.

The new Venturing Silver Award is  available to all Venturing youth members of the Boy Scouts of America.  Its  purpose is to provide a pathway for personal development; encourage Venturers to  learn, grow, and serve; and recognize the high level of achievement of Venturers who acquire Venturing skills.

Ranger Award
Outdoor/high adventure is the largest and fastest growing interest in the  Boy Scouts of America.   High adventure and the outdoors have always been of  interest to young Americans as well as an important part of the BSA program.   Because of the  attraction of high adventure, the Ranger Award is available to Venturing youth members of the Boy Scouts of America.

The purpose of the award is to:  encourage Venturers to achieve a high level of  outdoor skills proficiency;  recognize achievement of this high level of outdoor skills proficiency; provide  a path for outdoor/high adventure skills training;  establish Rangers as a highly  trained leadership resource for crews, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and the  community.

The Ranger Award exemplifies a challenging high-level outdoor/high adventure skills advancement program.  Once earned, it will identify a Ranger as an elite outdoorsman who is skilled at a variety of outdoor sports and interest, trained in outdoor safety, and ready to lead or assist other in activities.  Rangers can be great program asset  to Cub Scout packs and Boy Scout troops.