Venturing Update October 2013

There's an all-too-common misconception among members of the LDS Church, including Bishops and YM Presidents, that the Venturing Program is a BSA contrivance and that it is therefore "optional" at best in terms of dedication and following of the program.  Nothing could be further from the truth:  Seeing a need for a Scouting-style program for older boys, in 1928 the Church created an advanced curriculum called "Vanguard" Scouting.  Five years later the BSA asked for and received permission to use the Church's curriculum for older youth which it renamed "Explorer" and folded it into their "Senior Scouts" program. On Feb 9, 1998 the awards for the "Explorer" program were refined and the name was officially changed to "Venture Scouting", yet the core curriculum first created by the Church remained intact. It's important to note that it was the Church that initiated, created, and most greatly influenced this advanced program for older youth.  At no time since it's foundation has the Church dropped support for the "Venturing" program.  If you are not following the Venturing Program, you are doing it by "some other way" (D&C 50:18).