Navigators (6th-8th Grades)
Proverbs 24:3-4 (Understanding)
The Navigators Program is a three-year program designed for young men of middle-school age (ages 11-13 years). The Trailmen are eager to move up from Woodlands Trail and take the outdoor program to the next level.
Navigators will start to participate in the planning process of activities and campouts, including the patrol method and core skills. They learn much from the decisions made by adult leaders, but even more from the reasoning behind the decisions.
Navigators participate in a true outdoor program with hiking, camping, and other activities on a more frequent basis. They are in full learning mode, developing their core skills with adequate supervision, experiencing important life lessons in character development and easing gracefully into camping by patrols. As they climb through the ranks of Recruit Trailman, Able Trailman, and Ready Trailman, they will put down a foundation for the challenges of the Adventurers Program. Their increasing rank represents a growing ability to operate comfortably, safely, and confidently in the outdoors.
You will notice fantastic personal growth in these boys as they progress in this age range and move towards exploration of new Frontiers which are the transition from Branches established in Woodlands Trail. They will become competent in the outdoor program through earning the nine Ready Trailman required Trail Badges and various elective Badges. They have great prospects for accomplishment and maturity if their energies are properly focused.
Navigators have a simple patrol structure. A youth leader serves as Junior Patrol Leader, and members are called upon as needed to step up and handle certain jobs during meetings or activities according to the duty roster. They should camp, cook, and eat by patrol during outings whenever practical. Junior Patrol Leaders should maintain order with support from the Trail Guide or Trailmaster only when absolutely necessary.
CORE SKILLS RANKS
Navigators begin advancement through three ranks: Recruit Trailman, Able Trailman, and Ready Trailman.
RECRUIT TRAILMAN
The Recruit has taken his first big step as a Trailman. He is starting out on the trail with a can-do attitude that will help him meet the challenges ahead. This is a joining rank that concentrates on being safe and knowing how to plug in to all the resources available in one’s troop family. The Recruit attends his first hikes and campouts, and makes new friends in his troop.
ABLE TRAILMAN
The Able Trailman is truly an able man. He knows how to hike safely and comfortably and handle a lot of situations that might come up. These skills are the foundation for the next ranks. This rank concentrates on being comfortable in the outdoors. The Able Trailman learns a number of things that a Trailman is expected to know about nature, America, and leadership. Upon completion of this rank, a Trailman may receive the Troop Standard. The Troop Standard is the primary way to display badges and rank awards.
READY TRAILMAN
The Ready Trailman is ready for whatever happens. He has a full set of camping skills and does his fair share of the work as well as the fun. This rank concentrates on making a boy a useful fellow to have around camp. A Ready Trailman is competent in his outdoor skills and prepared for a variety of outdoor adventures. He will learn many things that will make him handy to have around. People expect a competent outdoorsman to have a successful attitude about most things in life, and the pathway to Ready Trailman will help him develop that attitude. 
WORTHY LIFE AWARD
The Worthy Life Award is an integral part of the overall Trail Life discipleship process in the Trail Life program. A Trailman is eligible to receive his silver cross at the Navigator level by completing the following activity requirements in four categories:
- Devotional – Engaging with spiritual truth in a regular transformative manner.
- Discipleship – Living your faith through service and learning about how others have done so.
- Discipline – Practicing intentional activities that result in spiritual growth like regular prayer, fasting, journaling, memorizing Scripture, attending church services, giving, and serving.
- Demonstration – Evaluating and sharing Worthy Life experiences with parents, Troop, and/or church.
For older boys in the Navigators and the Adventurers programs, focus moves from creating foundational knowledge to helping internalize his faith, integrate it as his worldview, live with integrity, share with intentionality, and use his spiritual gifts to impact others through service.
To learn more about the requirements for this award, click here.
RIDGELINE AWARD
The Ridgeline Award is the capstone award for the Navigators program. It is awarded to the Navigator Trailman who earns the Ready Trailman Rank, completes a community service/Area project, and earns the Navigators Worthy Life Award. It can permanently be worn on his Troop Uniform.
