Venturing
Venturing is a youth-led program all about building adventures with your friends. Choose to do activities that matter to you and develop essential skills like leadership, event-planning, organization, communication, and responsibility while having a blast!
Everyone has that moment that opens their eyes to a bigger world than they ever imagined. It might happen while paddling a quiet lake, bonding with new friends around a beach bonfire, or rising to the challenge of leading an exhausted crew to the edges of adventure. Venturing empowers you to create your own experiences while bringing Scouting values to life through high adventure outdoor activities and challenging real-world projects.
Venturing is an inclusive program through Scouting America for males and females aged 14-21 (or 13 and completed the 8th grade). It’s operated through Venturing Crews, units of youth and advisors that meet on set schedules and plan activities and events for youth like you!
Ranks
The first step in any journey is the courage to begin. At this level, the new crew member makes a commitment to join and move forward into the experience of Venturing
The adventure of participating with the crew unfolds, and each Venturer begins to discover his or her interests and talents. As the Discovery recipients develop new skills and competencies, their eyes are opened, and the world expands for them.
The Venturer’s capabilities and skills expand, and with them come increased responsibility for defining their own way forward in life, service to others, and formal planning and leadership of the crew toward its goals.
The highest rank of Venturing, the Summit Rank, goes to those Venturers who have matured in their personal direction, skills, and life competencies, and who have accepted the responsibility to mentor others and serve their communities in a lasting way.
Kelly J.
Venturing President
2026
Donnie Parker
Venturing Officer Adviser
2026
VENTURING OFFICERS’ ASSOCIATION
The Great Smoky Mountain Council Venturing Officers’ Association is composed of a team of youth officers from the council’s Venturing Crews and is supported by advisors. The VOA is largely responsible for strengthening the Venturing in the council, planning events, coordinating Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews training sessions, and more. The VOA also carries out service projects for the council.
VOA provides opportunities for adventure, leadership, personal growth, and service. It also opens the door to service to the VOAs and Sea Scout Quarterdecks of our NST, our Region, and the Nation.
Venturing Leadership Award
Annually, the VOA recognizes Venturers and Venturing Advisors who have made exceptional contributions to Venturing and who exemplify the Scout Oath and Law with the Council Venturing Leadership Award. Nominations are made each year between January and mid February.
Do you know someone who is worthy of this great award?
Click HERE to for more information!
Interested in Being Part of the VOA?
Would you like to serve the Great Smoky Mountain Council VOA? Or do you know someone else who would be great as an officer?
Previous Officers
2025 – Kelly J.
2024 – John C.
The ALPS Model
Getting the most from your adventure is not always easy. To help you succeed, Venturing uses four areas of emphasis to help the crew plan and carry out its program. Venturing’s areas of emphasis are the four pillars around which the crew will construct a fun and rewarding program.
What is ALPS?
The Venturing acronym for the areas of emphasis is A-L-P-S: Adventure, Leadership, Personal Growth, Service. The Venturing ALPS model is a guide to getting the most out of your adventures as you prepare for your future, regardless of if that may be in college, the workforce, or elsewhere.
Adventure is the key to Venturing, and developing outings with a sense of adventure is the key to the crew having fun and learning something new about themselves. As a Venturer, not only will you participate in outings and adventures, but you will also lead them. As your leadership skills develop, you will become a mentor to other Venturers as they take on the role of leading an adventure or activity. What the adventure looks like is up to you and the crew.
Leadership is the tool you will use as you help the crew plan its adventures. As a Venturer, you will learn to lead the crew through the adventures of their choice. Leadership in Venturing is not just a position— it is an action, captured in the Venturing motto, “Lead the Adventure”. Even as you begin your Venturing experience, you learn leadership skills by observing crew officers and more experienced members of the crew as they lead the adventure.
Personal Growth comes when you learn from your experiences as a Venturer. Conversations with crew members and your Advisor will help you appreciate what you have learned. Personal growth helps you identify and develop your talents and abilities so you can be prepared for life’s challenges and opportunities.
Service is the gift we give to others. It allows us to sustain our communities by identifying needs and targeting them. Venturing’s commitment to community service will allow your crew to develop a program full of opportunities to serve others— and to have fun while doing so!