Troop 97 FAQ

Question #5—Why doesn't T97 attend our local Scout summer camp every year?

We believe that attending a variety of summer camps, rather than the same one year after year, keeps summer camp new and interesting, even a little mysterious, to the Scouts. A Scout who attends one camp as an 11-year-old, may not go back to the same camp until he is 14 or 15, when that camp will be a new experience to him. This is important in our efforts to provide the best quality Scouting program for our Scouts.

Our attendance bears out our practice. For over 30 years, our camp attendance has averaged 82% of our Scouts (nearly double the national average), even though we have many more high-school-aged Scouts than most troops. And it is common for older Scouts to go to summer camp 4 or 5 times or more. Scouts who go to summer camp develop teamwork and leadership, and they advance.

This all ties in with several of Scouting's eight 'Methods', particularly the Advancement, Outdoors, and Leadership Development methods.