From Cub Scouts to a Strong Scout-Led Troop: A Journey of Growth Question

By David Foote Edited by Talon Silvia

When my son first crossed over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts, I honestly had no idea what to expect. He had only been in Cub Scouts for about a year and a half, and moving into Troop 161 was a completely different experience.

At that time, Troop 161 looked very different than it does today. There were maybe a dozen boys total. Many of them were older Scouts, and while they had fun, there was also a lot of mischief. Some of the younger Scouts—including my son—picked up on that behavior.

On the adult side, there were really only two or three leaders involved. There wasn’t much adult guidance or structure. The Scouts still did some cool things and enjoyed themselves, but there was no strong framework holding everything together.

Fast forward to today, and the transformation has been incredible.

Leadership Makes the Difference

Over the years, I’ve worked with five different Scoutmasters, including our current Scoutmaster, Mr. Scherer. With each Scoutmaster, the troop has continued to improve—and a huge part of that success comes from the adult committee.

For those who may not know, the committee is made up of about 12 adults you see regularly around the troop. We meet once a month and discuss everything that keeps the troop running smoothly: trips, equipment, leadership training for both adults and youth, patrol organization, and how the Scouts are working together. We also talk about what’s going well and what could be improved.

Without a strong committee, you simply don’t have a strong troop.

When I first joined, Mr. Simpson was essentially the only committee member, and he held things together as best he could. When Mr. Peck took over, things improved a bit. Then Mr. Sutter stepped in, with Mr. Ouellette becoming committee chair, and things improved even more.

When Mrs. O became committee chair, she truly built the committee into what it is today. Now we have 12 to 14 active adults who are deeply involved in supporting the troop. With Mrs. Rainville as our current committee chair, that strength and stability have continued.

### Learning Along the Way

When I first joined the troop, I knew almost nothing. I often had to look outside the troop to find answers to my questions. And like most things in life, you don’t even know what questions you have until a situation comes up.

I started attending adult leadership courses through the Boy Scouts. As I met leaders from other troops, I brought ideas and best practices back to our troop and slowly helped implement them. As more adults joined, I encouraged and helped organize leadership training for them as well.

I’ve been an Assistant Scoutmaster since the beginning, and for about 10 years I’ve also served as the New Parent Coordinator. Helping parents understand how the troop works and answering their questions has probably been one of the biggest positive changes I’ve seen over the years.

A Scout-Led Program

One thing that has always stayed the same is our belief in a Scout-led program. The older youth run the meetings, lead activities, and take responsibility for the troop. Adults work quietly in the background, making sure the Scouts have the tools, guidance, and support they need to succeed.

Watching this troop grow—from a loosely structured group into a strong, organized, Scout-led program—has been incredibly rewarding. It didn’t happen overnight, and it took dedication from many adults and Scouts along the way. But the result is a troop that truly helps young people grow into capable leaders.

I hope this helps explain not just how far Troop 161 has come, but why strong leadership, training, and teamwork matter so much in Scouting.

— David Foote