Apple Valley Troop 292 is a Boy-Led Troop, with a history of 15 years, that is chartered to Spirit of Life Presbyterian Church.  Currently, Troop 292 has 25 boys in the Troop.

Troop 292 meets on Tuesday evenings, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, in the upstairs meeting room at the Spirit Of Life Presbyterian Church, our charter organization, located at 14401 Pilot Knob Road in Apple Valley. Meeting activities include learning and practicing Scouting skills, working on merit badges, planning trips, working on camping equipment, or participating in fun and games.

Cornerstones of the Troop 292 Program

	Scout Oath and Scout Law
	Monthly Outings and Activities
	Building Boy Leadership
	Advancement
	Fun at Summer Camp

Building Boy Leadership

Troop 292 is divided into patrols, usually consisting of 4 to 8 boys in each patrol. If enough Webelos Scouts join the troop at one time, they will form a new patrol with an older Scout serving as a Troop Guide to help them work on basic Scouting skills, advancement, and leadership skills. Each patrol elects their own Patrol Leader who participates in and represents the patrol at the Patrol Leader's Council (PLC) along with other Patrol Leaders, the Senior Patrol Leader, the Scoutmaster, and other senior and adult Troop Leaders to plan meetings and outings for the entire troop once a month. The Patrol Leader is also in charge of his own patrol and works with other members of his patrol on a weekly basis to help them plan events and learn the skills they will need to advance in rank.

New Scouts start out with small jobs and are given more responsibility as their Scouting skills and knowledge improve, and they advance in rank. The Senior positions in the troop, such as the Senior Patrol Leader, are generally held by older Scouts with more Scouting experience and knowledge. As each Scout participates in the troop meetings and camp outs they have the opportunity to learn the skills needed to become leaders. In addition, there is an opportunity for the Scout to participate in Junior Leader Training and a more advanced Grey Wolf Training that helps teach the Scouts the skills needed to become effective leaders in their troop.

Monthly Outings

Troop 292 has an active outdoor program that consists of year around camping and other events designed to teach new skills and meet the requirements for rank advancement, and to have a good, fun time. The Scouts will learn skills in cooking, camping, hiking, orienteering, backpacking, and wilderness survival. Many of these skills can and will be used to earn merit badges for rank advancement. The troop also plans and offers a high adventure program for the older Scouts once a year, such a trip to the Boundary Waters, backpacking in mountains of Wyoming, or the Philmont Scout Ranch in the mountains of New Mexico.

Summer Camp

Every summer Troop 292 goes to Tomahawk Scout Reservation on Long Lake in northwestern Wisconsin for one week during the last week of June or first week of July. Summer camp provides an opportunity for new Scouts to learn the basic skills needed for Scout rank advancement. Summer camp also provides them with an opportunity to try out many new activities they may never have had an opportunity to try before, such as canoeing, rifle shooting, archery, shotgun shooting, rappelling, sailing, and more. For older Scouts it provides an excellent opportunity to earn merit badges such as Environmental Science, Orienteering, Wilderness Survival, Swimming, and others which would be harder to get in other settings.

Advancement

Simply put, Advancement is not the sole purpose of Scouting.  Locally, 6 percent of registered Scouts achieve the rank of Eagle Scout in a given year.  The adult Troop leaders are volunteering their time to offer the "Promise of Scouting" to all Troop 292 boys, and Advancement is only one technique of Scouting.

On the troop trailer are the names of 9 Scouts who have achieved the Rank of Eagle Scout.  All past Troop 292 Scouts, including these nine young men, will fondly remember their days (and nights) of Scouting.  Troop 292 has 11 scouts in a position to earn this prestigious rank over the next two years.

What does Scouting do for a boy?

Partially quoted from Navigator, the Northern Star Council newspaper ...  After achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, a boy ...

Has pledged himself on his honor, and understands what this means,

	to allegiance to the flag of the U.S.
	to help other people at all times
	to do his duty to God and Country
	and his duty to himself — physically, mentally, and morally

Has learned more than 115 skill sets in outdoor skills, cooking, camping, knot tying, plant and animal identification, trip planning, and first aid.

Knows at least 36 basic first aid and lifesaving techniques, including CPR and spinal injury management.

Has met with a community leader to discuss his rights and obligations as a citizen, has written letters to local and national elected officials to address issues of interest to him, and has researched and volunteered for a local community service organization.

Has served in a direct leadership position among his peers for at least 14 months.

Has worked with adult mentors in at least 21 subjects which constitute career paths, lifelong avocations, and fields of science.  Has met with a mentor to discuss his future and the way he is living his life at least 7 times.

Has appeared before a group of adults for a review of his actions 6 times, and been recommended by that group for recognition.

Has performed between 21 and 200 (and sometimes more) hours of community service, and has identified a need in his community, developed a plan, and led a group of others in a project to meet that need.