The Boy Scout motto is be prepared, but when COVID hit, no one was prepared. Since then, the scouts were prepared to return to normal meetings and outdoor activities. Local BSA troop 343 is back in business, and they’ve been going on trips since November 2020.

Most recently, the scouts went to Camporee at Camp Geronimo in north Payson from Oct. 22-24. Camporee is a weekend competition of scout skills, and this year’s theme was “highland games.” The camp organizers even wore kilts to go with the theme.

Scoutmaster Scott Woods said the weekend was fun for the boys and everyone else. None of the older scouts were able to go to Camporee, but out of 15 scouts, the troop had eight in attendance. Four of the scouts were on either their first or second trip with the troop.

“Scouting is about [the kids] figuring it out,” Woods said. “Fundamentally it’s the opportunity to figure out how to work together, solve problems, get things done, overcome challenges, and I’m just watching.”

Troop 343 is a boy-led organization. Woods and the other adults watch to ensure safety, but they allow the scouts to have the freedom to make decisions on their own. When he thinks a scout is struggling, Wood’s won’t jump in right away. He asks first, and on the off chance a scout does want help, Woods said he gives the minimal amount so they can still figure it out.

Woods is a middle school teacher and high school debate coach at BASIS Scottsdale. He said his classes are not run like the troop. He takes control of the middle schoolers, but he does give them a lot of partner work.

Woods has been the Scoutmaster of troop 343 since 2014 and now his youngest son, Harrison, is a senior in high school and working on his Eagle project. Harrison was the crew leader on a trip to Philmont Scout Ranch this past summer.

Philmont is a national high adventure base in New Mexico, and the troop did a lot of backpacking trips in the months before to prepare for a 12-day trek. Woods went for his third time, and this time they had other boys join their crew from two other troops. Harrison went for his second time, and Woods’ oldest, David, used to work at Philmont as a ranger.

Philmont gave the scouts a unique challenge. Woods said that it rained nine days straight and they hiked through “boot-sucking mud.” The scouts woke up to rain and went to sleep to rain.

“People miss the actual purpose,” Woods said. “It’s not a camping club. We use camping because it’s fun and it’s a vehicle to present a series of challenges. The challenges are familiar but different.”

The scouts almost never have to worry about starting a campfire in Arizona, but they had to figure out how to start a fire in rain at Philmont. They are challenged on every trip to cook, navigate and plan on their own. Woods said the scouts develop leadership and teamwork qualities from overcoming these challenges.

The youth leadership is evident even when the scouts are in school or at meetings. Woods said the scouts at his school stand out, and troop 343’s Senior Patrol Leader took it upon himself to recruit new scouts earlier this year.

Landon Beatty is only 15, but he organized a middle school recruiting drive at Fountain Hills and got four boys to join troop 343. As SPL, Beatty was elected to be the youth leader of the troop. According to Woods, it was Beatty’s own idea, and his mom only helped with flyers and transportation.

Recruiting is very important because there is no Cub Scout pack in the area to feed into the troop. Woods said there wasn’t enough parent involvement and the old pack stopped, but some parents are working with the local council to bring it back. Anyone interested in helping or joining Cub Scouts after it’s back should email Woods at bsatroop343@gmail.com.

Fun has returned to the troop now that they are camping again and Zoom meetings are in the past. The troop will help at the Thanksgiving Day Parade and will have a wreath fundraiser this December. The troop tries to do about 10 camping trips a year, and two canoe trips are already planned for next spring. They are also planning to go to Kartchner Caverns State Park and the Lava River Cave in Flagstaff soon.

Troop 343 meets weekly on Mondays from 7-8 p.m. at the local American Legion post. Anyone interested in signing up their child for the adventure should email Woods for more information and details at bsatroop343@gmail.com.