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About Troop 97

Why Choose Troop 97?

Sailing in the British Virgin Islands

Caving by Lantern Light in South Dakota

The Troop 97 Program of Adventure

Centers on adventure for the full Scout age-range (11-18)
Special adventures for senior scouts
Active, ambitious outdoor program for all Scouts
Scouts learn leadership by leading, not by watching
Outdoor program and advancement are tools to teach Scouting

2023 Summer Camp Summary
BSA Camp Alexander in Colorado's Elevenmile Canyon

6 days of swimming, pioneering, nature, rifle & shotgun, and many other activities, starting in heavy rain, but mostly sunshine
31 Scouts (boys & girls) and 15 adults

2023 Annual High Adventure "Trek" Summary

10 Scouts & 7 adults paddled and portaged 30 to 47 miles in two crews in Ontario's Quetico Provincial Park (the Canada side of the US Boundary Waters).

Value of Parent Involvement

Why do we strongly encourage parental involvement? Because our experience tells us that Scouts with involved parents are more likely to be successful in Scouting and in life.

Do we kick out Scouts whose parents cannot be involved or choose not to be involved? No, of course not (they need Scouting all the more). And we rejoice when Scouting helps them along. But it is also disheartening to see unrealized potential that only a parent's loving involvement can bring out.

Our experiences with over 600 Troop 97 Scouts since 1978 shows a Scout will accomplish the following on average:

If one parent is a uniformed leader or active committee member, the Scout will:

camp 59 nights
stay in 4.7 years
go to 3.5 week-long summer camps
go on 1.6 challenging one- or two-week High Adventures
43% of such Scouts will earn the Eagle Scout award

If his parents are less involved, the Scout will:

camp 31 nights
stay in 3.2 years
go to 2.2 week-long summer camps
go on 0.6 High Adventures
17% of such Scouts will earn the Eagle Scout award

"Why I Like Troop 97" (a brief story written by a 12-year-old Scout; PDF)

TROOP 97 FACTS