Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, in-person district and council meetings, activities, and events are canceled through June 14th; council camps are closed through June 30th. The council office opens on May 4th and Scouts Shops open May 11th with limited staff and social distancing protocols. Learn More.

Digital Safety and Scouting at Home

Many units and families are discovering creative ways to have fun Scouting at home. When using digital and online resources, there are some important guidelines from the National Council about youth protection, safeguarding personal information and recording online meetings.

Across the nation, Scouters are finding ways to help keep their youth members engaged and Scouting. These out-of-the-box, in-home activities are centered around providing advancement-related content to help keep kids safe, engaged and to help them make the best of home time.

Digital Safety       Scouting at Home       COVID-19 Updates       Advancement Update

Phoenix Newsletter

The Phoenix roundtable newsletter is a monthly newsletter that contains information about upcoming district and council events and activities and is sent the first Thursday of the month. The electronic newsletter is sent on a weekly basis and is in addition to the roundtable newsletter. Follow the district Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PhoenixDistrictSHAC.  

 Sign up for our newsletter

Phoenix District Roundtable

August 6, 2020   |   7:00 pm  |  Virtual

Stay Informed, Attend Roundtable graphicRoundtable is a district monthly meeting typically held the first Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm to help unit leaders plan and carry out their own program. Roundtable is a form of supplemental training for volunteers.

The objective of roundtable is to give leaders program ideas, information on upcoming events and trainings, and an opportunity to share experiences and enjoy fun and fellowship with other Scouting leaders. As a result of the roundtable experience, unit leaders will be inspired, motivated, informed, and able to provide a stronger program for their Scouts. 

Roundtable breakouts are a great place for leaders and parents to come together to share what you know so we can all learn more about Scouting. Interactive and interesting… it’s designed for you. Units will be all the better for your time spent… promise! 

Cub Scout breakouts are focused on the needs of leaders and volunteers in packs. You're not on your own out there and you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Come to a meeting to find out how much work has already been done for you. There are tons of resources available to help you put together a top-notch program. 

Scouts BSA breakouts are focused on leaders and volunteers in troops, crew, ships to share quality resources, knowledge, and skills that enable and motivate leaders to deliver an outstanding program. Parents and leaders of Webelos Scouts crossing over into troops are also invited to explore Scouting.  

Please register in advance and add your unit type and number after your last name when registering. By doing so, you will help the roundtable team to quickly move you to the correct breakout room after district announcements.

Scouts BSA Merit Badge Days

July 11, 12, 18, 19; August 1, 2, 8, 9

merit badge sash

Scouts in troops can participate in one-day merit badge classes held at Tellepsen Scout Camp on Saturdays and Sundays in July and August.

Classes will be held from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.  State of Texas and Center for Disease Control requirements will be followed and class sizes will be limited. Classes will stay together for the day and will not mix with other groups. Parents will drop off and pick up their Scout at the merit badge class. Scouts will go through a medical screening up arrival.

Learn More and Register

Cub Scout Virtual Day Camp

July 13-17 or July 20-24, 2020

Day camp is going virtual. Get ready to grab your electronic device this summer for some virtual Cub Scout camp fun! Even though the camp is virtual, it is also intended to be a chance for the Scouts to get up, create things, get moving and do activities outdoors again. 

The free virtual Cub Scout camp is a council-hosted event for Cub Scouts entering 1st through 5th grade for the 2020-2021 school year. There is no registration fee.

Cub Scouts can work on three rank specific adventures or electives on Monday through Friday from 8:00 am - 8:00 pm. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, live events will be held from 1:00 - 2:00 pm with ceremonies, special guests and a service project. 

Learn More and Register

Help Us Help You

The Sam Houston Area Council is conducting a survey of parents and leaders of Scouts BSA to help our volunteers determine what additional activities and events are needed to help Scouts earn their rank, keep their Scouting skills sharp, and have fun learning at home.

Cub Scout Survey          Scouts BSA Survey         Volunteer to Help           

Scouting at Home Activities

Communication #9 for COVID-19 Response

(6/2/20) The leadership of the Sam Houston Area Council would like to present this, our ninth update, on our response to the COVID-19 outbreak and protocols for Scouting operations going forward. We appreciate your continued patience as we navigate this situation as best we can. 

  • As an alternative to summer resident camp, members of Scouts BSA now have the opportunity to register for Merit Badge Days that will be held at Tellepsen Scout Camp on Saturdays in July and August. More information, including how to register, may be found here.
  • Cub Scouts will have two opportunities for day camp programming this summer:
    • Virtual Day Camp will be conducted during two sessions in July, free of charge. More information, including how to register, may be found here.
    • Outdoor Sports Days will be conducted at Camp Brosig and Bovay Scout Ranch in late July and early August. Activities will include BB guns, archery, water activities, fishing and a closing ceremony. More information can be found here, and registration will be open soon.
  • The Cockrell Scout Center remains open for drop off only with hours of 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday.
    • Any interaction needed with staff members must be conducted through phone and email. If you need assistance determining the appropriate person to contact, please refer to our updated “who to call directory,” or contact the receptionist at (713) 659-8111 during our office hours to be directed to the appropriate person.
    • Field-based staff (District Executives) will be working remotely during this time and are available by phone and email.
  • The 5 Scout Shop locations are open to limited retail traffic. Please visit here for more store information, including updated store hours..
  • All council camping facilities will be closed through June 30th.
  • All district and council meetings, activities, and events through June 14th are cancelled or postponed unless conducted over teleconference or online.
  • The Scout Fair Coupon Book Sale for 2020 is now closed. For information on closing out your unit, please contact your District Scout Fair Chair or District Executive. Commission checks will begin being processed for units that have closed out their sale when the Cockrell Scout Center reopens.
  • The online popcorn sale is open. The online popcorn sale is a great opportunity to raise funds for your unit’s Scouting program virtually – all while keeping social distancing intact. For more information on how to participate, please contact Mary Welch (mary.welch@scouting.org).
  • Units should continue to consult with their chartered organizations to determine the best path forward for their Scouting programs.We strongly encourage units to comply with all current recommendations of the CDC, the White House, and local jurisdictions. There are a number of great resources available regarding Scouting program during this period of social distancing:

In addition to these local updates, the council has received information regarding an updated fee structure from National BSA. Our team is putting together an FAQ and additional information that will be sent out in tomorrow’s (June 3) e-Scouter newsletter.

Our Enterprise Risk Management Team is working regularly and diligently to determine our plans going forward. If you have any questions regarding the COVID-19 response for the Sam Houston Area Council, please contact Thomas Franklin, Deputy Scout Executive, at thomas.franklin@scouting.org. The council remains committed to keeping our constituents updated regularly with new information as we have it. We will continue to communicate through three main mechanisms – Facebook, Email, and Council Website. Please consult these regularly for updates.

As this is a constantly evolving situation, please regularly monitor our standard means of communication (Facebook, Email, and Council Website) for updates. 

Learn More

The Scouting Trail

The Scouting Trail is a monthly handout provided to units at roundtable describing upcoming council events for the next quarter. This is a great resource for Scouters and parents.

The Scouting Trail: May 2020

Rank Advancement Update

Cub Scouting / Scouts BSA / Venturing / Sea Scouting Rank Advancement and the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Questions regarding advancement have arisen as we deal with closures, cancellations, or other issues caused by the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Although there are difficulties and constraints, advancement can continue. Youth, parents, and leaders should work together to implement creative, common sense ways to facilitate advancement while adhering to the Guide to Safe Scouting and following the rules of youth protection.

Learn More (link update frequently)

National Scout Jamboree

July 21-30, 2021 (plus travel days)

Scouting’s flagship event is one-of-a-kind. It’s a gathering of approximately 40,000 Scouts, leaders, and staff that showcases everything that is great about the BSA and its members. Over the course of 10 summer days, once every four years, the Boy Scouts of America comes together. The result is the national Scout jamboree. Scouts and Scouters will explore all kinds of adventures—stadium shows, pioneer village, Garden Ground hikes, adventure sports, patch trading, and more—in the heart of one of nature’s greatest playgrounds. With 10,000 acres at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in West Virginia to explore, there’s no shortage of opportunities to build Scouting memories. The jamboree is the best of Scouting rolled into 10 days of fun, friends, and adventure. You won’t want to miss out on this incredible Scouting experience. Qualified adult leaders are needed to serve as jamboree troop Scoutmasters, assistant Scoutmasters and crew Advisors. Qualified youth can attend the jamboree with the council contingent. 

Learn More and Register

New Scouts BSA Brand Guidance Training

As the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) welcomes girls into Cub Scouts and older girls into the Scouts BSA program starting on February 1, it is important that families understand the program or organization they are joining.

There have been some instances where our volunteers may have inadvertently used the name or trademarks of the Girl Scout of the USA (GSUSA) brand in spreading the word that girls are or will soon be part of all BSA programs. GSUSA recently have filed a lawsuit asserting that these instances have caused confusion. While we don’t believe there has been any such confusion, we respect and support the GSUSA and their rights to their brand.

To ensure that we promote our programs in a clear and Scout-like manner, we have developed resources to make sure our leaders are aware of the do’s and don’ts in promoting BSA programs.

The Scouts BSA Brand Guidance Training is one of the efforts underway to be sure Scouters have a clear understanding of what they can do. This builds on the infographic, and the guidance provided to councils in April.

Scouts BSA Brand Guidance Training     Infographic 

This training should be shared with all volunteers to bring this understanding to all parts of our community. While our goal is to encourage youth to join our program, we must always be clear in our communications about the program they are joining.

  • We are The Boy Scouts of America.
  • The Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA are different organizations.
  • We support all other youth organizations and do not disparage them.
  • We encourage parents to enroll all youth in a character development program that meets their needs – and the BSA is certainly ready to welcome them.

To aid you in this effort, councils and volunteers are encouraged to use these intro talking points as you host info sessions and launch efforts for Scouts BSA. Additionally, please use this resource to help address any questions you might get in the community about this matter.

Learn More