WHAT IS ROCKET INTO SCOUTING? THE CONCEPT

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1 WHAT IS ROCKET INTO SCOUTING? The Rocket into Scouting program is designed to take our Council s recruiting efforts to new heights. With a focus on fun, this program invites families to experience the adventures that only Scouting can offer. The program leverages an activity that kids love (building and launching rockets) while showing parents that Scouting will foster their child's creativity, initiative, and sense of wonder. THE CONCEPT Pack recruitment nights, also known as "Sign-up" nights have been a keystone for Boy Scout recruiting for years, and for good reason: They work! Sign-up nights give parents and youth an opportunity to get to know Scouting at a personal level, face-to-face. Questions are answered, interest is built, and parents see how Scouting is for families like theirs, no matter what that family may look like. Families often enroll their boy s right there on the spot. It s a win-win situation. This year we ve added a few new twists to the traditional sign-up nights: All traditional Cub Scout Pack Sign-Up will be concentrated into a 1-week period Sept 11-16, 2016 During Pack Recruitment Events, new Cubs will make a simple soda-bottle rocket to launch at an Area Recruitment Event. A Rocket Launch Area Recruitment Event will be held in on Saturday, September 17 (rain date September 18 th ) at various outdoor locations. As in previous years, each Cub Pack will need to hold a "Sign-up" night at a prominent location in the community. At this sign-up night, each pack will provide basic information about what Scouting offers youth and families in the area. The important thing is to get the family's attention and let them see what Scouting is all about. The major addition to this annual event is for packs to provide materials for parents & youth to design & build their own rockets per the general specifications (to be provided later). The district will plan & host an area Rocket Launch event at several (outdoor) locations in each district, on September 17 th (rain date September 18 th )where the new Scouts can launch their rockets. This playbook will act a as guide for planning, promoting, and carrying out both the pack Sign-Up Nights & the new area Rocket Launch Events.

2 DETAILS Pack Recruitment Event Sign-Up Night The Pack Sign-Up Night should be similar to previous year s recruitment events, with the major addition of building Soda Bottle Rockets to launch at Area Rocket Launch Event. As a refresher: Pre-Planning the "Sign-Up Night Event STEP 1 - Get Help! Many hands make light work, so if you haven't done so already, assigning a unit Membership Chair and pack Sign-Up Coordinator is a great first step to a successful recruiting season. Please see the attached Membership Chair and Sign-Up Coordinator position descriptions. STEP 2 - Set Goals! Work with your units committee to discuss Cub Scout sign-up plans and set goals for your pack. How many youth and families do you want to sign up for Scouting? How will you do that? STEP 3 - Get Trained! If you are reading this playbook, you probably have already completed this step! Congratulations!!! However if you haven't attended your District's Fall Membership Recruiting Campaign Kick-off please make an effort to attend. Information to follow. Need TRAINED in your Scouting position? Please log onto myscouting.org, setup an account and get started learning today! STEP 4 - Reserve Your Spot! Pack Sign-Up events have typically been held at a school. Typically, the school's scheduled back-to-school night/open house is where you will be able to meet with the most families. Contact your local school principal to discuss your Cub Scout Pack attending and setting up an informational display. This is a great night to pass out sign- up night flyers and get parents and potential Scouts interested in joining. However, increasingly we have been locked-out from holding these events at schools for various reasons. So, Cub Pack s need to be creative with finding alternative locations for this event. Consider churches, American Legion or VFW Halls. STEP 5 - Align your Pack with the Rocket into Scouting Theme Having a theme and incentive for a sign-up event is a great way to capture the attention of parents and motivate incentivize them to sign up on the spot. Studies have shown that new Scouts who have a fun, outdoor activity to look forward to very soon after joining will join & become/stay active in the program. Additionally, those who are on the fence might come to the Rocket Launch activity & sign-up there. STEP 6 - Organize Volunteers Your Pack Sign-Up Night Coordinator should organize the sign-up event team for your unit, usually five to six people to act as "station chiefs." These are simple jobs that anyone can fill, but it's best to use parents of current Cub Scouts who can talk from the heart about what Cub Scouting means to their family and their kids. STEP 7 - HAVE FUN! Keep the event fun and exciting. This not only makes it better for the parents attending, but will also make it easier for you, the organizer. Speak from the heart, don't stress, and just enjoy the opportunity to introduce new parents to Cub Scouting.

3 Rocket into Scouting Pack Sign-Up Night Coordinator Duties & Timeline July - "Start Building the Buzz" Have your Pack calendar, fee schedule, leaders' list and meeting times/dates/locations prepared. Secure sign-up night date, location, time, and leader contact information and turn in your sign-up night flyer request form to the Council Service Center. (by August 1) August Plan Event Recruit & meet with station chiefs & those who will be participating in the Sign-Up Night Event (who are outgoing, knowledgeable, organized, friendly, and responsible). See below for more information on the stations Review responsibilities with each station chief. Coordinate with Area Sign-Up Coordinator, District Membership Chair and District Executive as needed. Confirm sign-up night location will be open, facilities to be used. Week of September 16 - Sign-Up Night Arrive one hour early. Make sure station chiefs have their stations set up. Act as a "greeter and floater" during sign-up night window. Be available to answer questions. Play traffic cop -direct families to next available station. If back-up occurs, use your best judgment. Coach station chiefs if they are keeping families at their stations too long - process is meant to be completed in 30 minutes or less. Make sure station 4 (check out) does not get backed up. Sign-Up Night Conclusion Help Station 4 chief get Cubmaster signature on all applications. Assist Station 4 chief in separating "Local Council Copy" from applications and record dollar amount for fees and form of payment on each application (check #, etc.). Gather sign-up night materials. Make sure room is left better than you found it. Contact District Membership Chair and District Executive immediately following sign-up night to report your success and make arrangements for pickup/drop-off of applications and fees. Post Sign-Up Night Make sure EVERY FAMILY receives a welcoming phone call from their Den Leader, Cubmaster, Committee Chair, or your Unit Membership Chair. Remind parents of new Scouts of upcoming Pack & Council-wide activities Webelos STEM weekend & Harvest Fest.

4 Promoting the Pack Sign-Up Night Families today are overwhelmed with advertising and marketing messages. To ensure families get the message that it's time to sign up, use various methods of communication seen below and be sure to follow the plan. You should start to build the buzz at least six weeks out from your sign-up event. The majority of your success will come from unit marketing. How much access you have to promote Scouting in your schools will help you decide the best ways to market your sign-up event. Here are some suggestions - but these are just thought-starters. Don't limit yourself. The more ways you reach parents, the more success you'll have. In-School Promotion If you have full access to promoting your event at the schools, you can employ any of the following best practices by working with your District Executive: Distribute sign-up event fliers the week before the sign-up event Posters and yard signs around school School rallies or boy talks at the school Back-to-school open house events, school carnivals, and conferences Invite current youth and parents to attend lunch at school in uniform Videos on in-school video networks School newsletter, website or marquee signs Boy Talks Boy talks can make a huge difference when signing up new Cub Scouts! Schools that provide access to boy talks are the way to go. A Boy Talk is simply visiting each classroom and getting the boys excited about Scouting. The boy talk is where youth excitement is created! Boy talks work best by going class- to-class and giving a five-minute promotion on the fun that Scouting has to offer. If this scenario is not feasible, then a school assembly will work; however, classroom talks are best. When speaking with the school, thank them for working with us in the development of youth and their community. These energetic in-school presentations will dramatically increase the success of your recruitment! Out-of-School Promotion Here are several ideas for promoting the event outside of the schools. These tactics can be done either in tandem with your in-school promotions or on their own if you are not able to get full access to the schools. Ask current members to use social media to let their friends and family know about sign-up nights. Create a 30 sec. You-Tube video that focuses in on the touching moments of Scouting in your Pack and share it with all families in your Pack. Create a Pack Facebook page and post a minimum of 3 - Scout action pictures, and 2-15 sec. video's, share with 10 people and create an online dialogue in the comment section with others users Create your own Cub Scout Open House Peer to Peer recruitment invitation and pin it to the Pack's Pinterest account. Use the invitation to invite Scout's friends to the open house. Post action photos of your Pack's Cub Scouts in uniform or class B shirts to lnstagram Tweet live from your next Pack outing/event using your Pack's twitter account Personalized invitations, s, and personal phone calls to prospective parents Door hangers and door-to-door invitations Fliers and boy talks at after-school programs or churches in the community Church and community websites, calendars, and bulletins Press releases Billboards, posters, and yard signs in the community (businesses, churches, etc.) Community fairs, parades, and other events For BSA brand assets please visit:

5 The Sign-Up Night Event There are many different ways to organize & operate Sign-Up Night Events. Many Packs are now holding come-and-go events, which are strictly sign-up events. These are faster for today's busy parents. The key to making them successful is preplanning. Make sure that the events are FUN! & that the parents & potential new scouts are engaged! As an example, below is an outline of how to execute a Station Night event. This model features six stations that give parents information about Cub Scouting, get them signed up, and provide everything they need to know, including when the first meeting is, who the leaders are, and more. Sign-Up Night Stations Station 1: Welcome/Sign In Station 2: What We Do Station 3: Build a Rocket Station 4: Registration Form Station 5: Check Out (complete applications) Station 6: Den Leader Q&A Station 1 - Welcome/Sign-In This is the first place potential Cub Scouts and their parents will stop. Here they sign in while the greeter provides a brief overview of the process. Greet every family that comes to your station and ask them to sign in. Provide them with a "Welcome to Cub Scouts" brochure MAKE SURE YOU GET CONTACT NAMES, ADDRESSES, PHONE NUMBERS, etc, for future follow-up, even if they don t sign up that night. Tell each family that there are six stations that they will visit to complete the sign-up process and that it will take minutes Materials: o Station 1 sign and "Welcome" sign o "Welcome to Cub Scouts" brochure o Sign-in sheets, pen Station 2 - What We Do This is where you will share the excitement of Cub Scouting and your Pack activities. Introduce the leaders and talk about what makes your pack special. Leave plenty of time and be prepared to answer any questions. Materials o Station 2 sign o Pack calendar and event fliers o Handout with meeting times and locations o Listing of pack and den leaders with contact and phone numbers. o Scout Shop Guide to the Uniform o Boys' Life mini mags Station 3 Build a Rocket This is the station where the new potential Scouts build the soda-bottle rocket. Make sure that you have plenty of clean empty soda bottles & decoration materials on hand for this activity Materials o Station 3 sign o Clean, empty soda bottles o Decorating materials cardboard, tape, glue, markers, etc.

6 Station 4 - Registration This is the sign-up station where the station chief helps parents complete the actual application. Have BSA Youth Application forms ready to be completed and have pens available. Have copies of "What Other Costs Are There?" and give these out. Be prepared to answer questions about Pack fee payment plans and/or financial assistance. Materials: o Station 4 sign o BSA Youth Applications and pen o Pack leadership handout o "What Other Costs Are There?" handout Station 5 -Check Out Leaders at this station are responsible for final "check out," including payment. Make sure the applications are properly completed. Collect the proper fee amount for BSA membership fee and Boys' Life (if added). Forms and payments should be collected, signed by the Cubmaster, and put in the envelope. Remind parents of Rocket Launch Event Date / Time Materials: o Station 5 sign o Calculator o Envelope for applications and fees o Flyer for Rocket Launch Event Station 6 - Den Leaders/Questions & Answers Leaders at this station make sure parents know when and where the first meeting is and answer any other questions parents may have. Make an effort to have as many den leaders and assistant den leaders on hand to talk about their dens and give families a chance to get to know them. Answer questions about the type of activities their child will be doing. Materials: o Station 6 sign Sign-Up Night Follow Up Turn in the applications and money. Unit leaders and the Join Scouting coordinators should review and complete applications after the Join Scouting event. Applications, registration fees, and one copy of the attendance roster are to be turned in to the District Executive within 24 hours of the event. If at all possible, call your new families and members within the week of the Sign-Up night. Don't wait! Be sure to remind all families to attend the Area Rocket Launch Event and invite them to their first den meeting and Pack meeting and/or events. These meetings are a chance to make a great first impression, have fun, and involve new parents in the life of the Pack. Den leaders should make welcome phone calls to the parents of the new Cub Scouts and/or send welcome messages with meeting dates, location, pack calendars, and any other important information. Follow up with those families who did not sign up. This is where the sign-in sheet comes in handy. Check your applications against the sign-in sheet and call those families that did not join. Address any concerns the person may have and offer to drop an application by their home, or invite them to the first meeting or the area Rocket Launch event so they can see Cub Scouting for themselves.

7 Area Recruitment Event THE ROCKET LAUNCH Event to be staged on September 17, 2016 (rain date September 18 th ) - morning or afternoon Area Event Organizer s / Packs choice. Packs will be grouped into geographical areas within the district for the Rocket Launch on September 17. Primary activity to be launching of Soda Bottle Rockets made during the Pack Sign-Up Night Recruitment event prior that week. Secondary event(s) to be demonstrations by Scout Troops / Cub Packs. Ideas include: o Pinewood Derby Track o Model Campsite o Cooking demonstration o Lashing / knot tying o Nature / animal exhibits o Bean-bag toss o Other active games o Other be creative! Each pack should have a signup tent/table with information (handouts) about their specific pack s program Blank Youth & Adult Applications should be available. Have extra materials available for making and/or repairing rockets Lunch or refreshments would be a nice touch! (simple: hot dogs / drink) Walk-ins WELCOME!

8 Planning the Activity Just as with real rockets, being prepared is key for asuccessful launch. Fortunately, this program isn't actual rocket science. This is meant to be a fun, easy to implement community event. But there are a few things you will need to have in place beforehand, so here are some suggestions to get started. Reserve a Venue Select a family friendly, open location to host the event. A city park, local nature center, or even Scout camp (as long as it's close by) are all great options. The most important things are that it's easy to get to and that the venue has plenty of space for those who attend and for all of the rockets that will be launching. This generally requires a large open space. Be sure to reserve the venue months in advance. And also be sure to check with your local city or county to be sure there are no restrictions on launching rockets (such as fire restrictions or noise ordinances). Organize Staff and Volunteers Like most things in Scouting, this event will only work with the help of our dedicated volunteers and professional staff. This is a great opportunity for parents, alumni, and donors to get involved. Be aware that your staffing needs will vary depending on how many people show up to the event. Try to recruit at least one member from each pack in assigned area to be on the committee for the event. Secure Materials A shopping list of potential materials is available, but your most basic need will be a rocket launcher & parts to make extra rockets for each of the youth attending the event. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to order certain items to ensure you have everything needed prior to the event. Secure Food for Lunch / Refreshments Plan to have a meal service run throughout the event. Plan on having a designated lunch time, but also keep in mind that depending on when families show up, some may want to eat before launching rockets and some after. Be flexible. Choose something simple such as hotdogs and snacks. Promoting the Activity It doesn't matter how fun the event is if nobody shows up. Here are a few tried and true tactics you can use to get the word out. Remember to think outside the box and apply them to your community's specific situation. Customizable assets to fit your individual needs that can be found by accessing the BSA Brand Center. Current Members Be sure your current parents and volunteers are aware of the event and are invited to participate. This is a recruiting event, and our best recruiters are those who are currently in Jove with our programs. A Scout family that brings their friends to an event is one of the most powerful recruiting tools we have. Social Media Be sure to promote the event on your council's social media channels. Encourage parents and adults to share photos from the event on their Facebook, lnstagram, and Twitter accounts. Often, any local businesses you partner with will be willing to share the event with their online communities as well. Reach out to your network digitally by sending them an that promotes the event and includes links to learn more about Scouting in their community.

9 Printed Materials Fliers, posters, yard signs, etc. are great ways to drive awareness and promote the event inyour localarea. Professionally designed assets have been created for you to leverage during your recruiting efforts. School Outreach School outreach is a great opportunity to promote your Rocket into Scouting event. Back to School recruiting nights provide an opportunity to invite new Scouts to the event and allow boys who are not signed up yet to see Scouting in action. For new Scouts that sign up at the back to school night, a rocket kit could be provided to them as an incentive for signing up. Daily morning announcements, take home mail, and weekly s to parents are also great options to explore. Public Relations / Earned Media Reach out to your local newspapers and news stations and invite them to attend the event and do a story. Local news organizations usually appreciate advanced notice so be sure to let them know at least a week or two in advance. Additionally, consider inviting a local blogger as well. Community Partnership Work with local businesses to have them provide prizes for the kids. Partner with churches and other local nonprofits (such as a science center or kids club) and invite them to participate as well. In addition to taking flyers to community centers, make sure it ends up on their online calendars. - See Promoting the Pack Sign-Up Night for more ideas to promote this event

10 Holding the Activity The event itself is organized into four different stations that families and their Scouts will move through. Station 1- Check-in / Check-out At the check-in station, each Scout and family should checkin with their rocket and find out the agenda for the day. At the check-in station, families will also be able to ask questions and receive additional information about Scouting. Station 2 Re-Design and Re-Assembly At the re-design & re-assembly area, families can build (if not already done so) a new rocket or perform repairs or modifications to the rocket that they brought with them. Make sure you have plenty of staff and volunteers on-site to assist families with any questions or help needed assembling the rockets. This station should have all necessary supplies for building & assembling the rockets. Awards Station 3 - Launch After the rocket has been assembled, families will then go to a designated launch area that is very open and safe for a rocket launch. Plan to have designated staff and volunteers in this area to help Scouts safely launch their rocket. This is also a great spot to take pictures! Station 4 - Refreshments / Lunch Lunch / refreshments should be available all during the event. Keep it simple. After launching their rockets, the Scout and family will be given their awards and prizes. This could even be organized as an award ceremony. Be creative with the awards!! Not just Highest Flying, but consider others like Best Decorated, Most Creative or funny awards like Failure to Launch! Recruiting at the Event Recruiting at the event itself should occur naturally and organically. When parents and youth have the opportunity to participate in Scouting and see what it's all about, they tend to be much more responsive to recruiting messages. Be sure to have plenty of recruiting material on-hand and provide opportunities to sign up, but remember to keep it light and informal. Families came here to have a fun time, not to hear a sales pitch. Follow Up After the event, it is appropriate to follow up with the parents and families that attended and include them in future council communications. Send an to new families thanking them for their time and sharing photos or recaps from the event. Include an invitation to join a local pack if they haven't already. The important thing is to follow up and ensure that those who have a desire to become part of Scouting are able to do so.

11 Area Recruitment Coordinator Responsibilities Sign-Up Night (Pack Recruitment) Events Confirm that each assigned pack has arranged and planned a Pack Recruitment Event Confirm that each assigned pack has provided location/time/date of Pack Recruitment event to District Executive for publication of flyers Provide assistance as needed to each assigned pack to plan & execute the Pack Recruitment Event Rocket Launch (Area Recruitment) Events Coordinate all of the following events with Packs in assigned area: (Consider forming a committee with at least one representative form each pack.) Pick / secure location for Area Recruitment Event Secure materials / arrange for building of rocket launcher Secure materials for extra rockets to be on site on day of event and/or repairs Secure troops / packs to put on activities and/or demonstrations Secure extra blank Youth & Adult Applications Make sure all Packs are represented at event & have tents/tables & information handouts Secure food for refreshments / lunch Publicity get word out! Flyers posted around neighborhood, chartered organization bulletin boards, etc.