About Troop 5

Overview

Troop 5 is a friendly, medium-sized troop with a strong outdoor program, active scouts and involved adult leaders. It was established in 1961. It's chartering organization is the Rotary Club of Palo Alto.

Most Troop 5 scouts attend Palo Alto schools - Greene, JLS and Fletcher Middle Schools and Palo Alto and Gunn High Schools. Former Cub Scouts generally come from Pack 6, Pack 14, and Pack 52.

Troop Goals

The three aims of Scouting are the development of character citizenship, and fitness. The Principles of Scouting are stated in the Scout Oath, Scout Law, Motto, and Slogan.

Troop 5 is committed to creating an environment where scouts have fun, grow, learn leadership skills and develop an appreciation of the natural world.

Leadership

Troop 5, like most Scouts BSA Troops, is run primarily by the Scouts with guidance from the adult leaders. Scouts in the troop elect the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL), who heads the Patrol Leaders’ Council. The SPL, with the help and advice of the Scoutmaster and elected Patrol Leaders, appoints one or more Assistant SPLs, Instructors, Troop Guides, Scribe and other troop Officers.

Outings

Troop 5 has a very active outdoor program with nearly 30 nights of camping every year. Annual activities typically include camping, backpacking, a winter campout, day hikes, orienteering, rock climbing, bicycling and kayaking or white water rafting. The troop participates in District and Council activities such as the Gold Rush and the Spring Camporee.

In July the troop spends a week at Camp Oljato, the council's Sierra summer camp. Every summer older scouts participate in an 8-12 day High Adventure. Recent High Adventures have included backpacking at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, canoeing in the Minnesota-Canada Boundary Waters and backpacking in the Sierra.

A trip fee is generally charged for each activity to cover the expenses incurred for that outing. The fee covers the cost of transportation, meals, campground fees, etc.

View the Troop calendar and Outing Photos to see the many outings and activities enjoyed by Troop 5 scouts.

Community Service

Troop 5 participates in a number of community service projects each year including Scouting for Food, Memorial Day Flag placement at the National Cemetery in San Bruno and scout Eagle Projects.

Recent Eagle projects include building fencing at the Baylands Ranger Station, constructing story kits for a preschool literacy program, refinishing a deck at Hoover Elementary School in Palo Alto, building and installing benches at Foothills Park and producing a holiday performance at a senior center.

Troop Meetings

Troop 5 meets most Mondays at Palo Verde School at 7:30 PM in the Multi-purpose Room. The troop does not meet on Monday holidays or in mid-summer when the troop is away at summer camp or on the summer High Adventure outing.

Advancement

The troop encourages and supports scouts in their advancement through the ranks of scouting. Troop outings and troop meetings regularly incorporate the skills and activities required for advancement. Scouts who are active in the troop’s program will advance smoothly. A large fraction of the Troop 5 scouts achieve the Eagle rank.

Adult Roles

The troop is an all volunteer organization that depends on active parent participation. Each family must volunteer for either one long term or two short term jobs each year. Long term jobs include being a Troop Committee member, Assistant Scoutmaster or Merit Badge Counselor. Short term jobs include coordinating special events or serving as a Board of Review member.

The troop encourages each family to support our local BSA council – Pacific Skyline – in their annual Friends of Scouting drive. The council provides essential services to all the troops in the area such as the Scout Store, Camp Cutter and Camp Oljato.