As 2023 comes to a close, we're focusing on unit holiday parties, advancements, and of course, recharter. In all the hustle and bustle, units often forget one of the most powerful planning tools that we have in our Scouting arsenal - Journey to Excellence.
Journey to Excellence (affectionately known as JTE) is the Boy Scouts of America program to help units plan, monitor and evaluate their performance and their ability to serve youth. There are specific criteria for the unit to plan and accomplish. These performance measurements are known to make for a successful Scouting program. It is designed as a planning tool.
There are four major areas that Journey to Excellence focuses on: planning and budgeting, membership, program, and volunteer leadership. Each of the four major areas has specific and measurable objectives.
Each objective has a point value and uses a balanced scorecard approach. This allows for excellence in some areas and effective in others and still have an excellent program. Adding up all the points for the performance standards gives you overall total points that equal the three levels of achievement - Bronze, Silver, or Gold.
Achieving bronze is delivering an effective program and should be celebrated. Silver is considered to have an excellent program. Gold is exceptional and is difficult to achieve year after year.
Completing Journey to Excellence for your unit is a simple process - simply fill out the appropriate scorecard, and turn it into our District Commissioner, Jess Speaker! You can give it to him in person, or email it to him at districtcommissioner@silvercometdistrictbsa.org.
What's in it for you (I'm sure you're asking)? Click here for more info.
And of course, we wouldn't ask you to fill out forms if there wasn't bling involved! That's right! Each unit attaining Bronze, Silver, or Gold for 2023 will be recognized at our annual Leader Recognition Banquet in March 2024 with a Pack Ribbon for their flag. There's a patch too!
Help us recognize the amazing things your unit and leadership are doing. Complete your JTE form today! Scorecards and instructions can be found at https://www.scouting.org/awards/journey-to-excellence/
Comments