Excerpts from Royal Rangers National Network article:
Training & Programs Gearing Up by Brian Hendrickson

The Mississippi District Staff are making preparations to attend the 2002 National Royal Rangers Council to be held in Springfield, MO, on March 21st-23rd. This much anticipated council will feature the launch of the new Ranger program. The upcoming council will be an exciting time as the National Staff unveils not only part of the new program, but also the new training designed to revitalize and promote the retention of leaders.

This council will begin to prepare leaders for the changes coming to Royal Rangers over the next year. Friday and Saturday will consist entirely of training on the new program. The new program will be phased in beginning with Ranger Kids. In August the Ranger Kids materials will be ready for purchase in time to be implemented in September. In March 2003 the Discovery and Adventure Rangers materials will be ready for purchase, followed shortly thereafter by the Expedition Rangers. In the meantime, the Junior Training Camps have already begun the process of redesign in preparation of the new Royal Rangers program.

The most important item of concern for the next few months is the need to transition the boys fro the old program into the new one. In preparation for this, the national office and GPH have developed brochures and made them available to assist the local commander. Each brochure describes in detail the method and means to transition the boys in preparation for the release of the new materials. These brochures will be ready by March council and be available to be ordered GPH.

Ranger Kids, the first group to be introduced, has been especially developed for the needs of boys in kindergarten, first and second grades. Therefore, since Ranger Kids is starting in September, do not move boys up from Rainbows when they turn 5, but rather wait until they enter kindergarten. Rainbows has a third year of curriculum to meet the needs of our future Royal Rangers until they enter kindergarten. Each grade has a specific Advancement Trail to pursue the ultimate goal of obtaining the large Trail patches: Elk, Wolverine, and Cougar. The boys will earn these patches after they have earned the four quarterly patches for each Trail.

Training for leaders will be enhanced not only by the Ranger Basics course but also with Leadership Training Academy modules specifically designed for Ranger Kids commanders. This year the national office will also unveil the new Ranger Kids Training Conference, RKTC. This conference will be held in various locations around the United States. The dates and locations for these conferences can be found on the national web site or in the Winter 2001 issue of High Adventures, Leader’s Edition released this past December.