Guiding Principles

Scouting for Everyone: The outdoors are meant for every person, and so we gather to enjoy nature and learn from nature.

Service First: A scout serves others, and we will always seek opportunities to engage in service events and fundraisers.

Inclusive and Accessible: When a tradition, including an advancement requirement, excludes people unfairly or makes scouting financially burdensome, we reject the tradition.

No Curmudgeons: We embrace this as a new approach to scouting. “We’ve always done it that way” is no argument to favor an idea or approach, and we will embrace the new ideas of others.

Make It Work for Us: We as a Group get to decide our journey, while following the policies of Outdoor Service Guides. From uniforms to events to what counts as “camping”, we always embrace discussion about what it means to be part of the 919th Granite.

Everybody Leads: We expect and require every person involved, from the youngest child to the laziest adult, to be involved in leadership and decision-making. Youth interest must guide our program; the involvement of every adult must power it.

Experiential Learning: Scouts learn by exploring their interests and mastering skills organically rather than following a detailed curriculum.

Multi-Year Sections: All sections have multiple years to complete requirements for ranks. There is no “annual deadline” and, besides, no “OSG police” to say when a scout must move up. We embrace the needs of each scout.

Financially Accessible: We aim to always keep membership fees and other required costs low. Our membership fees are currently pay-what-you-can from $35 to $65 annually. Our uniforms are solid-color shirts of any make. There are no uniform pants/skirts.

Siblings in Scouting: The 919th Granite acts as an alternative or complementary space for families seeking a different Scouting rhythm, not a direct competitor to other Scouting programs.