BSA Adopt-a-School
BSA Adopt-a-School Program
The hope at the heart of the BSA Adopt-a-School program is to build strong, sustaining relationships with your local schools, creating thousands of lasting community partnerships across the U.S. Through committed volunteer efforts — from school cleanup and landscaping to Scouts’ active participation in school events throughout the year — the BSA® will become a defined presence in improving our nation’s schools.
About
The BSA® Adopt-a-School program is an exciting and comprehensive undertaking that will connect Scout packs, troops, and crews across the country with schools in their communities. Participating Scouts then work, within clearly defined guidelines, to partner with school administrations and offer the volunteer services that most effectively meet their school’s needs. With each unit offering their school a minimum one-year commitment, meaningful community relationships are built and significant changes will happen in the schools. Units may use their service hours to count toward Journey to Excellence progress.
Project Scope
BSA Adopt-a-School is a project designed to begin to proactively address our community/school relationships. Often we are made aware of councils and districts with significant access issues related to promoting and recruiting youth from within specific school systems. When the proverbial doors are closed, we accept it and try to figure out additional means for youth recruitment, often at considerable expense to the local council.
BSA Adopt-a-School is a process by which we can begin to address the breakdown in relationship between Scouting and the school systems weserve. This process is where true community development work can begin. It truly is a win-win situation for both Scouting and our schools-
Volunteer Ideas
Grounds Beautification
Building Improvement
Giving Tree Coordination
Helpers during Festivals
Book Drive Coordination
Food Drive Coordination
Green Effort Coordination
Literacy Program
Teacher Appreciation
Cleaning up after School Events
Council and District Commitment
Promote and encourage units to begin adopting schools and submitting their commitment forms.
Units should target all schools to build stronger relationships. Remember, it is not essential that the school desire or initially acknowledge that it is in fact adopted.
Council and district membership chairs recruit a volunteer to handle and promote the BSA Adopt-a-School program.
Secure commitments from schools to be adopted.
Assist us in gathering success stories we can use to create marketing materials for this program.
Frequently Asked Questions
We request a year’s commitment, but our hope is to build strong, sustained relationships with these schools.
Your pledge would be to complete one project per year, but if you would like to do more, that would be encouraged and supported.
We expect the school representatives to be cooperative in identifying their needs and in helping to outline the projects that will best satisfy those needs.
Here are a few potential project ideas to get you started, but our priority remains to let your school’s specific needs determine how you serve.
Grounds beautification, Building improvements, Giving tree coordination, Teacher appreciation, Helpers during festivals, Book drive coordination, Cleaning up after school events, Green effort coordination, Literacy program and Food drive coordination
It might be a commissioner, a district executive, or a Scout leader, but we recommend that your contact person be the person who has the strongest connection to a local school.
We would encourage you to contact the principal first, then involve teachers and the PTA on an as-needed basis.
Yes, but we hope both parties will do everything possible to honor the one-year pledge.
Service in this program is completely voluntary.
