APRIL 2026 - Violet, T18 Scribe

Since the beginning of the new year, Troop 18 has grown to a remarkable size; a wave of new scouts bridging as Arrow of Light and others of First Class rank began joining as early as January 2026, and since then we have helped younger scouts with rank requirements, started a new boys' patrol, and entered a new chapter in our journey to Eaglehood with a close-knit group ready for adventure.

For instance, the Camp Whittle trip in February 2026 was the perfect opportunity to formally introduce the new scouts to the Troops community and begin bonding. Discovering Camp Whittle's built-in human foosball court led to an amazing afternoon as the scouts exercised both their bodies and leadership skills, while the lack of snow, although an unfortunate result of warmer temperatures that upset younger scouts, allowed the troop to exercise its thriftiness, creating new ways to pass the time instead of sledding or holding moderated snowball fights. At the end of the trip, a few older scouts organised a small scenic hike along a hill near the campsite: a perfect way to wrap up the weekend.

Troop 18 then ventured to Leo Carrillo in March, which is notorious among the scouts for being one of the most enjoyable campouts on the regular agenda. This trip was filled with wading in the water and jumping waves, settling down on the sand and playing volleyball with a makeshift net (a stick), and working together to create some surprisingly exotic patrol meals.

Alongside these campouts, a significant number of Life Scouts scheduled and held their Eagle Scout projects over the past few months; younger scouts had more than enough opportunities at their disposal for required service hours, and the incoming Eagles are incredibly grateful for the time and effort their peers put into their projects. In fact, one of these scouts has become the 99th Eagle Scout in Troop 18: Nathan K. Jaime J. will have his board of review at the end of April, hopefully becoming the troop’s 100th Eagle Scout. The entire troop is incredibly proud of their accomplishments and perseverance through the ranks, and wishes them well as they continue their Scouting journey into adulthood.

Troop 18's efforts and commitment were demonstrated at the March 2026 Court of Honour, where almost all scouts ranked up, received at least one merit badge, or earned a patch for their position of leadership. The historian put together a beautiful slideshow of the troop's activities.

NOVEMBER 2025 - Violet, T18 Scribe

Troop 18 has been bustling with excitement and achievement the last two months; participation in this year’s Campo de Cahuenga Camporee from October 10-12th and Merit Badge Midway on October 25th yielded strengthened bonds, polished skills, and brand new adventures, especially for two new Scouts who recently joined the girls patrol, the Dancing Dogs. At Camporee, this patrol won tons of awards, including 1st place for Scout spirit in their ranking; the newer scouts studied the basic knots and preparedness principles they would need for the activities, which paid off in the end. During their free time on the campout, many of the scouts competed against other troops in the Gaga pit, cheering each other on as the game intensified and emerging victorious 4 times out of 5 rounds. The troop also performed an engaging skit that had the whole crowd laughing that Saturday night, as a sequel to the original skit they chose for Camp Whitsett in July.

At Merit Badge Midway, Troop 18 scouts gained a variety of merit badges, from Cooking to Nature to Space Exploration; the Scouts participating in the Cooking merit badge assisted in making hot dogs for all the scouts. Overall, the troop has been very active over the past couple of months, with some scouts ranking up a the most recent Court of Honor, after demonstrating their abilities to show leadership, work with a team, and have a great time. 

SEPTEMBER 2025 - Julian, T18 Scribe

Over the past few months, Troop 18 has gone on many campouts, including a two-day visit to Camp Trask, a week-long trip to Camp Whitsett, and an overnight on Anacapa Island. At Camp Trask, we visited Fort Rotary, went on a hike, and even saw some deer.

At Camp Whitsett, we went to classes for different merit badges and performed a skit for all the troops there. On Anacapa Island, we took a boat there and backpacked for a little more than a mile to the campground. These campouts are great for Scouts as it allows them to further connect with their friends as well as nature. It also gives them a break from the stress of their everyday lives. Every Wednesday, Troop 18 has a meeting where they actively learn skills such as first aid, fire-starting, and water safety. Troop 18 is a very welcoming community, and most new scouts are integrated into the troop very quickly. Troop 18 continues to be a great environment for scouts to grow, learn, and form lasting bonds.