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Scouts BSA Sign, Salute, and Handshake
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Arrow of Light – 5th Grade
Bobcat Arrow of Light
Character & Leadership
Required
Requirement 5

Scouts BSA Sign, Salute, and Handshake

Arrow of Light – 5th Grade
Bobcat Arrow of Light
Character & Leadership
Required
Requirement 5

Scouts BSA Sign, Salute, and Handshake

Snapshot of Activity

Cub Scouts learn the Scouts BSA sign, salute, and handshake and how each is used.

Indoor
2
2
2
If you want to know more about The Adventure Activity Key click here.
  • Six index cards 
  • Pen or marker 

Before the meeting: 

  1. Become familiar with the Scouts BSA sign, salute, and handshake. 
    • Scouts BSA sign – raise your right arm to shoulder height with your elbow bent at a right angle. Cover the nail of your pinky with your thumb and hold the three middle fingers of your hand upward and together. Your thumb and little finger touching represent the bond Scouts have throughout the world. The three fingers stand for the three parts of the Scout Oath: duty to God and country, duty to others and duty to self.  Like the Cub Scout sign, when the sign is raised, it’s a silent reminder to follow the Scout Oath and the Scout Law by respectfully quieting down and listening. Nobody needs to yell, “Signs up!” The sign says it all.  From this point forward Arrow of Light Scouts give the Scouts BSA sign and not the Cub Scout sign. 
    • Scouts BSA Salute – Form the Scout sign with your right hand, then finish the salute by bringing that hand up, palm down, until your forefinger touches the brim of your hat or the tip of your right eyebrow. The Scout salute is a form of greeting that also shows respect. Use it to salute the flag of the United States of America. You may also salute other Scouts and Scout leaders. 
    • Scouts BSA Handshake – This is a regular handshake but done with the left hand instead of the right.   Learn more about this tradition by reading Aaron on Scouting blog “Why is the Scout handshake done with the left hand?” 
  2. Identify a safe area free of obstacles to conduct a relay race. 
  3. Write each of the following on two of the index cards so that you’ll have two sets of three cards each. 
    • Scouts BSA Sign 
    • Scouts BSA Salute 
    • Scouts BSA Handshake 

During the meeting: 

  1. Explain to Cub Scouts that the sign, salute, and handshake for Scouts BSA is different than for Cub Scouts and today they will be learning a practicing.  
  2. Give the Arrow of Light patrol leader the six cards and have them stand 60 feet from the starting line. 
  3. Divide Cub Scouts into two teams and have them gather behind a starting line  
  4. Tell Cub Scouts that when you say go, they will take turns running over to the Arrow of Light patrol leader. The Arrow of Light patrol leader will hold up one of the cards and Cub Scouts will demonstrate what is written on the card. After they have correctly demonstrated it, they will run back and tag the next person on their team. 
  5. Continue playing the game until all Cub Scouts have had a turn. 
  6. The team that finishes first will be the winner. 

Bray Barnes

Director, Global Security Innovative
Strategies

Bray Barnes is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Silver
Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Learning for Life Distinguished
Service Award. He received the Messengers of Peace Hero award from
the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he’s a life member of
the 101st Airborne Association and Vietnam Veterans Association. Barnes
serves as a senior fellow for the Global Federation of Competitiveness
Councils, a nonpartisan network of corporate CEOs, university presidents, and
national laboratory directors. He has also served as a senior executive for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading the first-responder program
and has two U.S. presidential appointments

David Alexander

Managing Member Calje

David Alexander is a Baden-Powell Fellow, Summit Bechtel Reserve philanthropist, and recipient of the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the founder of Caljet, one of the largest independent motor fuels terminals in the U.S. He has served the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, Teen Lifeline, and American Heart Association. A triathlete who has completed hundreds of races, Alexander has also mentored the women’s triathlon team at Arizona State University.

Glenn Adams

President, CEO & Managing Director
Stonetex Oil Corp.

Glenn Adams is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the former president of the National Eagle Scout Association and established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. He has more than 40 years of experience in the oil, gas, and energy fields, including serving as a president, owner, and CEO. Adams has also received multiple service awards from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.