Troop 282 - How To Join/About Us

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How To Join

Thank you for your interest in joining Troop 282!

Eligibility:
You must be at least 11 years old.
OR
Completed the 5th grade.
OR
Earned The Arrow Of Light in Cub Scouts.

Registration:
To register, the parent or guardian of the boy who wants to join must:
Fill out a Boy Scout Application.
Fill out a medical release form for outings.
Write a check for $25 made payable to Boy Scout Troop 282
(for registration fee, a one- year subscription to Boy's Life Magazine, and first month's dues)
Give all of the above to the Scoutmaster.

Buy a Boy Scout Handbook
The handbook describes all of the outdoor skills you'll get to learn. The troop will give you a binder to keep all of the badges you'll earn. Later, once you've settled into the troop, your parent can buy you a Scout shirt. The troop will give you a neckerchief and all of the patches for the shirt.

About Us

Scouts
Troop 282 draws scouts from a variety of packs and schools in Pleasant Hill, Martinez and Walnut Creek. Typically, boys come from Pleasant Hill Elementary, Strandwood, Valhalla, and Buena Vista. Older scouts come from Walnut Creek Intermediate, Pleasant Hill and Valley View Middle schools, and Las Lomas and College Park high schools.

Meetings
Troop meetings are held twice a month and are run by scouts in leadership positions. During the school year, scouts meet in the multi-use room at Strandwood Elementary School (directions). During the summer, the boys meet at a variety of places for different activities. During troop meetings, scouts teach or learn skills theyll need for camping, hiking, cooking, orienteering, and cycling, to name a few. Many of the skills are reinforced in the activities and games the scouts play at the meetings. Often the skills tie in to an upcoming event or activity.

Outdoor Fun
At the heart of the Boy Scout program is outdoor fun. Troop 282 scouts are very active throughout the year. The boys decide which trips will be fun to do and plan at least one overnight, hike, or an extended campout each month. The scouts learn how to plan, organize, and work as a team. See Outings for a list of trips.

Leadership
Troop 282 is a boy-run troop. This means that boys in leadership positions plan the outdoor program, the troop meetings, and the award ceremonies. In turn, these scouts pass on their leadership skills to the younger boys. Scouts hold elections every six months for patrol leaders and the senior patrol leader. Each scout is given a position of responsibility, small or large, depending on his level of maturity. Leadership is one of the most important aspects of being a boy scout.

Service
As a scout, a boy learns to make a difference in his community. Troop 282 scouts serve in a vareity of ways. They help with conservation projects, collect food for the needy, and participate in their community.

Recognition
An integral part of the Boy Scout program is to recognize achievement. As a boy masters skills, he earns appropriate merit badges. The more advancement he achieves, the higher his rank in the troop. Troop 282 gives formal recognition to the scouts for their skills, leadership, and service by holding Courts of Honor every three or four months. These award ceremonies are eagerly anticipated by the scouts. Consistent recognition builds a boy's self-esteem.

Parental Involvement
Our parents provide resources and guidance. A Parents Committee meets once a month to discuss finances, transportation, and safety.