Cub Scouting is a year-round program for boys and girls in kindergarten through 5^th grade. The program is uniquely designed to meet the needs of boys and their families through fun and challenging activities promoting education, character development and physical fitness. Members meet weekly in small groups called dens. Once a month, all the dens meet together as a pack. Cub Scouts work on award requirements at meetings and with their families. Many Cub Scout packs schedule camping trips or attend summer resident camp at Bovay Scout Ranch. During the summer, many individual Cub Scouts attend a district day camp
 

Scouts BSA is an exciting leadership and character development program for young men and women who are at least 10 years old and have completed the fifth grade, or who are 11, but not yet 18 years old. With the support of adult leaders, youth learn self-confidence and develop personal values guided by the ideals found in the Scout Oath and Law. The merit badge program develops skills in addition to and beyond the classroom. Members usually meet once a week as an entire troop, and then have a group activity once a month – typically a weekend camp-out. Scout troops are encouraged to attend a week of summer and winter camp each where they work on merit badges and enjoy other activities. Scouts also organize and take part in community service projects, benefiting neighborhoods, schools, churches and more.

Venturing is a program for young men and women 14 years of age, or 13 years of age and have completed the eighth grade, and are under 21 years of age. Through this youth-led program, members enjoy wilderness survival camping, emergency preparedness, high adventure camping, search and rescue training and more. They work in groups to learn teamwork, leadership, respect and responsibility. Sea Scouting is organized to promote better citizenship and to improve members’ boating skills and knowledge through instruction and practice in water safety, boating skills and service experiences. Typically, a Venturing crew or Sea Scout ship will meet at least once a month, along with a monthly event or trip.

Exploring is a worksite-based program for young men and women ages 14 through 20. Exploring units, called posts, usually have a focus on a single career field, such as law enforcement, and may be sponsored by a government or business entity. This program, which gives youth a practical learning outlet, aligns Scouting closely with the business community in law enforcement, medical, fire fighting, engineering, aviation, science, law, government and public service.

Reaching More Lives

ScoutReach is the Sam Houston Area Council's initiative to provide an opportunity for all young people to join Scouting, regardless of their circumstances, neighborhood, or ethnic background. The programs include Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, and Venturing. ScoutReach gives special leadership and emphasis to economically challenged youth via non-traditional methods. Through caring, well-trained, paid leadership, and with neighborhood partners who will provide a safe, regular meeting place, ScoutReach delivers a Scouting program to our most needy youth in the inner-city neighborhoods of Southeast Texas.  This program encourages parental involvement but is fully subsidized through the council's annual operating budget. In 2023, this amounted to a total of $894,951.

Camp Strake is a first-class and state-of-the-art facility for Scouts and their leaders. Program areas include shooting sports, climbing, rappelling, boating, swimming, ATV riding, ziplining, and more.

1,825 Scouts attended summer and winter camp at Camp Strake in 2023.

• Summer camp is a week-long council-organized overnight camp for Scouts BSA that operates under council-retained leadership. The program provides opportunities for Scouts to earn merit badges along their advancement trail.

• Winter camp is held between Christmas and New Year's Day. Merit badge classes are taught by Scouters with real-life experiences in the field. Over 80 merit badge classes are offered.

• STEM Camp is a new camp held over Thanksgiving break and is an opportunity for Scouts to engage in hands-on learning and explore exhilarating STEM-related merit badges, programs, exhibits, and activities. 

• Full Throttle is a weekend event for troops, crews, and ships. Scouts could participate in multiple program areas such as shooting sports (rifle, shotgun, archery), climbing, COPE (high-ropes course), swimming, ziplining, boating (canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, rowboats), and ATV riding. Camp staff provides specialty program leadership.

• Many district trainings and camporees and council events such as University of Scouting, Venturing Challenge, Sea Scout events and Order of the Arrow Fall PowWow are held at Camp Strake.

Bovay Scout Ranch 

Bovay Scout Ranch is located three miles south of Navasota. The 1,488 acres are a natural paradise for plants and wildlife with several lakes teaming with a variety of fish. Nature study, bugs, animal tracks and conservation are vital elements of the camp program. George Lake offers paddle boating, sailing, canoeing, and rafting. The water park is the center of swimming and fun activities. Scouts also enjoy field sports, BMX, archery and rifles. Programs include:

• Resident camp is a three-night campout for Cub Scouts and includes activities such as riding BMX bikes, shooting archery and BB guns, playing sports, canoeing, fishing, making crafts, learning about STEM, exploring nature, stargazing, branding, and splashing in the pool.
   
• Adventure camp is an overnight, full program camp for all family members and includes an exciting variety of activities at several program areas and food service in the camp’s air-conditioned dining hall. Staff members provide program supplies and assist parents in leading the activities.

Tellepsen Scout Ranch

Tellepsen Scout Camp is located at Bovay Scout Ranch and has eight campsites. Each campsite has a pavilion and one shower and restroom facility for every two campsites.

The rifle range consists of four 50-yard high-powered rifle stations, four 100-yard high-powered rifle stations, a five-station shotgun trap range, eight shooting stations for .22 rifles and pistols and an archery range. The climbing tower has four rappelling stations of 11 feet, 22 feet, 32 feet, and 41 feet. Programs include:

• Weekend camping for troops, ships and crews. 
   
• District camporees and trainings

Camp Brosig

Camp Brosig is available for weekend camping year-round. With 20 campsites, a large covered pavilion and meeting room are available and are used regularly for district camp-outs. This 92-acre property is located six miles north of Sealy, Texas in Austin County. Programs include:

• Weekend camping for troops, ships and crews. 
   
• Districts trainings and events such as Webelos Woods and camporees.
   
• Overnighters are available to packs or Webelos dens. Groups plan their own activities and cook their own food. Campsites, restrooms, and showers are available.

Day Camps

Cub Scout day camps are held throughout the council in June. The camps depend heavily on parents and volunteer leaders to spearhead the programming. Cubs Scouts participate in shooting BB guns and archery, playing sports and games, making crafts, learning Scout skills, participating in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities and earning rank advancements.

The Sam Houston Area Council is grateful to our over 10,000 volunteer adult leaders. The Sam Houston Area Council presented the Silver Beaver Award, the highest recognition a council can bestow on an adult volunteer leader before the annual Key Leaders Conference.

Silver Beaver Award

The Silver Beaver Award was introduced in 1931 and is a council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Recipients of this award are registered Scouters who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council. This is the highest recognition a council can bestow on an adult volunteer leader.

2023 Silver Beaver Recipients: