About

A Few Facts

We're a large troop of roughly 120 Scouts of all genders, including 24 first-year Scouts. We've been around for over 65 years! Our Chartering organization is American Legion Los Altos Post 558. Los Altos United Methodist Church provides the facilities that we meet in. Average attendance at any one meeting is about 70 scouts plus parents.  Approximately 15% of our scouts achieve the rank of Eagle.

Membership

We balance activities with advancement to create a fun and well-rounded program for Scouts. Our activities are funded on a pay-as-you-go basis. Annual Troop dues cover Council fees and insurance, Troop supplies, rank and merit badges, recognition awards.  We do an annual fundraising activity, selling Christmas Wreaths, which allows the Scouts to work on the Salesmanship Merit Badge and raise funds for Troop activities.  

Our scouts usually come from the many Cub Scout packs in and around Los Altos: Packs: 33, 36, 74, 76, 77, 78, 80, 84, 105, 426, 453, and 501.  That said, participation in Cub Scouts is not required to join Troop 33 or Scouting.

Troop Specifics

"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.

• • Our troop was chartered in 1952 and has served boys uninterrupted since. We admitted girls in 2019, the first year BSA permitted doing so.

  • Troop 33 is all about having fun while following the Aims & Methods of Scouting within a supportive parent community.

  • The troop goes on 9-10 campouts a year (once a month during the school year) with 1-2 high adventure trips in the summer (usually Philmont or Northern Tier).

  • We offer 2 weeks of summer camp each summer; one in-council (Oljato) and one out-of-council (usually Emerald Bay or Wente)

  • 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

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 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

We have a robust "Intranet" (password protected website specific to T33 scouts and parent "Members") that acts as our central depository 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 and keeps things more orderly.

Meetings

We meet weekly on Tuesdays at the Los Altos United Methodist Church, Creekside Center, from 7:30-9:00 pm.

Interested in Joining?

Youth can join Scouts BSA if they are at least 10 years old, currently in the fifth grade and register on or after March 1st; OR have earned the Arrow of Light Award and are at least 10 years old, OR are age 11 but have not reached age 18. Scouts experience a vigorous outdoor program and peer group leadership with the counsel of an adult Scoutmaster to achieve the BSA's objectives of developing character, citizenship, and personal fitness. Camping, fun with friends -- and more. It’s the adventure of a lifetime.  Give your child a valuable gift by encouraging them to join Scouting today. The time you invest in them today will make a difference in the person they become tomorrow.

Click here to learn how to join Troop 33 or email questions to info@troop33.org

Adult Leadership

Scoutmaster: Adam Braun

Committee Chair: Alan Cyron

Assistant Scoutmasters

Brent Browning

Jeff DeAngelis

Ron Gross

David Louie

Jun Kim

Cameron Oates

Mathew Strum

Alice Tong

Peter Stanley

Dieter Vook

Chris Webb

Brian Webb

Emily Webb