The Boy Scout Troop 776 is a youth organization that aims to transform youth into young adults with high character and strong leadership. It is chartered by St. John the Evangelist Church in Encinitas and consists of local youth, ages 11 to 17, of all faiths and backgrounds. The Troop uses a fun program leveraging the outdoors and conservation to promote servant leadership, character development, citizenship, and faithfulness, as well as mental and physical fitness for every member. The Scout Oath and the Scout Law anchor the Scouts and embody what Scouts use as their “life’s compass” (the oath and law are stated below).
Troop 776 Scouts perform community service by helping their chartered organization with family-friendly church activities such as annual community events and donation drives for the local needy. The Scouts also volunteer for civic duties such as performing color guard flag ceremonies, respectful flag retirement ceremonies, as well as local beach and park cleanup efforts.
Most of the Scouts learn outdoor skills and respect for the environment by attending week-long summer camps as well as shorter weekend camps throughout the year. Several Scouts that are age 14 and older attend a nationally recognized leadership camp called New Youth Leadership Training. Additionally, all Scouts are encouraged to pursue the religious emblem of their faith.
Some Scouts in the Troop extend their physical and mental training to prepare themselves to attend a nearly month-long adventure camp in the High Sierras or High Desert.
As the Scouts learn various skills and citizenship training, they earn merit badges, rank advancements, and special community awards along the way. Some even pursue Scouting’s highest rank, the Eagle Scout.
As Scouts progress in the program, their journey leading up to these awards helps them develop into citizenship-minded, responsible young adults who are sought after by universities and employers.
All these experiences provide valuable instruction for the Scouts to be effective leaders in their Troop and in their community.
Scout adult volunteers are a vital part of the program. They provide leadership at the local unit level as well as at the district, council, and national levels. Many Scout adults are parents of Scouts and several entered Scouting as youth members. The adult volunteers becoming Assistant Scout Masters receive leadership training and development that helps them become better servant leaders, coaches, and mentors; skills they can apply in other aspects of their lives.
Troop 776 welcomes any youth aged 11-17, their parents or guardians, and interested volunteers to visit Troop meetings and events.
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Scout Oath:
“On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
Scout Law:
A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.