Eighteen Scouts and eleven adult leaders drove 1,800 miles round trip for a week at Camp Alexander in Colorado, 80 years strong, 8,600 feet up in Eleven Mile Canyon. Fifty-nine merit badges completed. A polar plunge with less than 3 percent of camp's participation. A 2 a.m. sunrise hike up Blue Mountain. Whitewater rafting through Browns Canyon, one flipped boat, zero regrets. Next year's destination drops with the calendar in August.

In April 2026, Scouting America published new research on what Eagle Scouts look like as adults. The results, drawn from over 3,000 survey respondents and controlled for demographics, show Eagle Scouts lead more, serve more, and report higher well-being across almost every measure studied. Troop 478 just recognized two new Eagle Scouts. The research explains why that matters.

On May 31st, the Scouts of Troop 478 did something most youth organizations only talk about: they planned their own year. From a high-energy council kickoff at Camp Strake in September to a High Adventure trek at Philmont in the summer of 2027, the Patrol Leadership Council built a program calendar worth showing up for. The full lineup drops in August.

On May 17th, Troop 478 held its spring Court of Honor -- recognizing ten rank advancements, including two new Eagle Scouts, and honoring a man who has given 75 years to Scouting. The evening closed with the dedication of the Scout Hut in his name.

On May 11th, Troop 478 elected its new Patrol Leadership Council: SPL Noah Kiger, ASPL Ryan Young, and patrol leaders for the Gorillas, Sharks, and Snakes. Four Scouts were also nominated by their peers for the Order of the Arrow, Scouting's honor society. The troop's next chapter of leadership has a name. Several of them, actually.

On May 9–10, Troop 478 took 12 canoes into the bay at Galveston Island State Park, hiked the beach, cooked with their patrols, and closed the night with a campfire Scouting Jeopardy that nobody wanted to lose. It landed on Mother's Day weekend. The moms made it happen anyway.

At the Mustang District Camporee on April 10–12, Troop 478 showed up as one of the largest contingencies at Tellepsen Scout Camp and left with five first-place finishes -- snakebite response, navigation, rifle accuracy, tomahawk, and Texas artillery. It rained a good bit of the weekend. The Scouts didn't notice.

On March 21st, Troop 478 spent the day at Geronimo Adventure Park ziplining through the canopy, throwing axes at the Range, roasting lunch over an open fire, and finishing with ice cream sandwiches courtesy of Scoutmaster Stamm. A handful of Scouts found the bullseye. Everyone found the Summit Plummet

In March 2026, Troop 478 welcomed eight new Scouting families -- five Arrow of Light Scouts crossing over from Cub Scouts and three young men brand new to the program, including one in 8th grade. No experience required. The program meets every Scout where they are. The journey starts at the beginning, regardless of when you arrive.

On February 21–22, Troop 478 camped on Assistant Scoutmaster Guice's private ranch with one rule: no tents. Scouts built their own shelters from tarps, paracord, and sticks they found on the property. Everyone woke up dry. More importantly, everyone woke up knowing they could do it.

January 17–19, Troop 478 spent two nights at LBJ State Park in the Texas Hill Country. The days were mild -- a working 1900s homestead, the official Texas Longhorn herd, and a hike to Pedernales Falls. The nights dropped well below freezing. Some Scouts packed right. Some learned why it matters. The adults made sure everyone made it through. That is also part of the program.

On December 14th, Troop 478 held its end-of-year Court of Honor, recognizing rank advancements from Tenderfoot through Eagle Scout and merit badges across outdoor skills, citizenship, the arts, and emergency preparedness. Grayson Armpriester earned Eagle. The troop closed out 2025 with its Scouts exactly where they should be: further along than they were.

On December 6–7, Troop 478 headed to Stephen F. Austin State Park for an overnight built around patrol competition. Fire-starting races, Nuke 'Em, and a full slate of Scout Games put patrol skills to the test in the best possible way. A group of Arrow of Light Scouts from Pack 552 (Troop 478's chartered organization partner at Spring Branch Presbyterian Church) joined as visitors. They saw the troop at its most itself.

Troop 478 enters 2026 with Bryan Stamm as Scoutmaster and James Ward as Committee Chair. The troop is grateful for the years of service that brought it here. The program ahead -- structured, youth-led, and building toward Philmont -- reflects what this leadership team was built to deliver.

November 8–9, Troop 478 camped at Village Creek State Park with one focus: primitive cooking. Open fire, no shortcuts, and real backcountry technique. Several Scouts from neighboring Troop 631 joined for the first time. The program spoke for itself.

When Troop 631 (founded in 1958 and recognized as the Mustang District Chartered Partner of the Year in 2012) was unable to recharter, its Scouts and leaders kept going. Four Scouts and five experienced adult volunteers joined Troop 478 in November 2025. Nearly seven decades of Scouting tradition did not end. It continues with us.

October 18–19, Troop 478 hiked five miles through Martin Dies, Jr. State Park and then navigated an orienteering course through the Piney Woods using map and compass. Younger Scouts completed navigation rank requirements in the field. Older Scouts ran the course because it is a good course and October in the Piney Woods is a good place to be.

September 12–14, Troop 478 spent the weekend at Camp Strake for Full Throttle -- a Sam Houston Area Council event that gives Scouts a half-day of merit badge work they chose for themselves and a half-day of open program at one of the best Scout camps in the region. No assigned curriculum. No mandatory badge. Just Scouts making their own choices and doing the work.

On September 7th, Troop 478 held its fall Court of Honor, recognizing two new Eagle Scouts and one of the largest merit badge slates the troop has seen -- the result of a summer at Kia Kima Scout Camp in Arkansas and Scouts who kept working on their own time. Twenty-eight Scouts were recognized. The work they did over the summer showed up all at once, in one room, on one evening.