Embedded Files
Troop 33’s mission is to enable youth of all genders to have fun in scouting within a supportive parent community.
The troop has met at the Los Altos United Methodist Church since it was chartered in 1951, and is sponsored by the American Legion Post 558. We welcomed girls in 2019, the first year BSA permitted doing so. Our program remains strong — regularly earning “Gold” recognition from the national program, and we are ranked in the top 10% of troops, nationally. In recent years, we’ve had around 24 new youth join the program each spring. Our roster of active scouts is usually around 100, of which 10-12 become Eagle Scouts annually.
Our community is diverse, drawing from many different schools and packs within the area. Youth love our scout-led program because of our outings, the opportunity for service, as well as the friends they meet in the program. Our “Firsties” First Year Program is unique and very successful at building community and culture; teaching skills; and establishing a love of scouting.
Programming
Programming
"Scout led" means that the scouts (not the adults) plan and run the meetings and the outings. Scouts get an opportunity to plan, prepare and implement the troop's activities, with some guidance from the adult leaders and parents. The troop firmly believes that learning leadership skills is a key aspect of the scouting experience.
The troop goes on ~10 campouts a year (once a month during the school year) with an additional high adventure trip every other summer (usually to Philmont or Northern Tier).
We offer 1-2 weeks of summer camp each summer; one in-council (Camp Oljato) and one out-of-council every other summer (usually Emerald Bay)
Our Scouts have attended the National and International Jamborees.
We have an impressive offering of service projects, activities, and outings and we have an active high adventure program.
First-Year Program
First-Year Program
New scouts coming into the troop are able to focus on building their scout skills and bonding with each other in this structured program that starts in March and continues to February. The "firsties" transition to the main troop during the winter. The program also allows for older scouts to exercise their leadership skills by serving as Troop Guides and Instructors to the new scouts. The First Year program enables new scouts to advance quickly through the early ranks - Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, to First Class.
Parent Community
Parent Community
Parent participation is required at Troop 33 - We believe in leading by example and teaching the joys of civic engagement. So our parents are highly involved and supportive - some of their activities include, serving on the Troop Committee, helping plan and organize outings, leading merit badge classes, handling a variety of troop communication and administration, etc. Scouts count on the parent community to enhance the whole scouting experience. We have also learned that when parents are engaged their children also tend to go further and get more out of Scouting.
Communications
Communications
We have a robust members-only website specific to T33 scouts and parents that acts as our central repository for all documents, policies, rosters, activities, leadership, calendars, photos, history, etc. We use Google Groups, linked to our website for emails to our scouts and parents (lists for the main troop, the first-year program, and the adult leaders). We send weekly "Blast" emails which consolidates communications.
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