Purposes of Boy Scouting Since 1910, the Boy Scouts of America’s mission has beeen to prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
Troop 153 Our troop meetings are both planned and led by Scouts. The adult role in scouting is to act as a mentor and encourage each boy to become independent and accountable for his own advancement. An elected Senior Patrol Leader and his assistants run the troop. The rest of the troop is divided into patrols, each with its own elected Patrol Leader.
Meetings Our troop meets weekly on Mondays from 7-8 p.m. at Mission Valley Elementary School at 41700 Denise St., Fremont, CA 94539-4562 in the Multi-Use Room in the back of the school. Meetings are held only when school is in session -- not on holidays, breaks, or over the summer. We work on scouting skills, plan upcoming trips, or just have fun playing games. Patrols meet independently for team-building and event-planning.
Outings Our troop does at least one outing each month. Scouts can choose whether to participate or not. However, these outings are important for the full scouting experience and are required for rank advancement. All meals are planned by patrol, and cooking is done by the scouts. An abbreviated portion of our calendar can be viewed on the public website.
Summer Camp The troop offers several options for long-term camps in the summer. We attend two different standard camps: one shortly after school ends and one in early August. We rotate among four different camp locations. The scouts have a great time and earn many items needed for rank advancement. We also offer High Adventure options for older scouts. We attend at least one of the National High Adventure camps each year: Philmont, Florida Sea Base, or Northern Tier. We also offer National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) through the District as well as the National Jamboree and the World Jamboree in 2015.
Rank Level Advancement. First is the Scout or "joining" rank. The next three ranks, Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class, concentrate on basic scouting skills. Scouts work at their own pace, but as part of a patrol, to achieve these ranks. Our goal is for most scouts to reach Tenderfoot in the first four months and First Class in the first 18 months. Attending outings, especially summer camp is critical for this. The next three ranks, Star, Life and Eagle, emphasize merit badges, leadership, and service projects. It takes an average scout five to six years to advance through all the ranks. Each scout works at his own pace. Rank advancement and merit badges are presented three times a year in a Court of Honor ceremony. Parents and scouts are recognized at these ceremonies.
Equipment Our troop has tents and cooking equipment. Each scout will need to immediately buy a Boy Scout uniform, a handbook, and basic camping equipment (sleeping bag and pad, mess kit, backpack). A new scout will want to accumulate proper outdoor clothing within the first year as well. These items include: waterproof top and bottom, fleece top and bottom, wicking shirts and sox, gloves and cap. Some outings (ski trip, boogie boarding) will require special equipment that can be rented.
Costs Annual dues are ~$160. On monthly outings, the troop pays for campground fees, while the scouts split the cost of food and transportation and pay for any special expenses (such as lift tickets). Summer camp costs between $325 – $760, depending on the camp, and up to thousands of dollars for the National or World Jamboree. Funds are available from the troop committee to supplement the cost of scouting on an as-needed basis.
Parent Involvment We expect parents to be involved. All scout activities (monthly outings, summer camps, meetings) must be supervised by at least two adults. Parents volunteer as Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, Committee Chair, Treasurer, Camping Chair, Rank Advancement Chair, Secretary, Chaplain, Merit Badge Counselors, Individual Outing Leaders and Drivers. The troop committee meets each month durring one of the regular troop meetings. This is an excellent way to learn more about the troop and how you can help.