Boy Scouts Troop 455

Boy Scout Troop 455 is pleased to be part of the Haygood family.

Our scouts are generally from the Virginia-Highlands/Morningside community but attend schools all over the metro Atlanta area. We welcome all young men ages 11-17 to come see what scouting is all about by participating in our monthly outings (rafting, backpacking, camping, shooting sports, kayaking, and summer camps to earn merit badges and learn new skills), learning leadership skills, and being good citizens by being involved in our community and public service projects.

2010 is the 100th Anniversary of Scouting in America.

On Feb. 8, 100 years ago, an American man caught in an English fog was directed to his destination by a young boy who refused to accept a tip. The boy declared there was no need for payment in return for a good deed. His guide, the American businessman William D. Boyce leaned later that day, was a Boy Scout. Boyce contacted Britain's Lord Baden-Powell, founder and organizer of the scouting movement, and the seeds for Boy Scouts of America (BSA) were sown. That was on Feb. 8, 1910. Now, 100 years later, local Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts in South Brunswick will celebrate 10 decades of helping others.

For almost 100 years, Scouting programs have instilled in youth the values found in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Today, these values are just as relevant in helping youth grow to their full potential as they were in 1910. Scouting helps youth develop academic skills, self-confidence, ethics, leadership skills, and citizenship skills that influence their adult lives.

There will be many aspects to celebrating in 2010, but on e that most demonstrates our desire to organize and give back to the community is our "Scouting for Food" campaign in March. We plan to fain out in the neighborhoods March 20 to distribute flyers and collection bags to the homes and businesses. The following weekend, March 27, we'll return to collect any donations our neighbors can make and transport them to resupply the local community food bank. This is a united effort in our metro Atlanta council and we're sure you'll see coverage in the news outlets. It's going to be a big deal!

The Boy Scouts of America provides youth with programs and activities that allow them to:

• Try new activities and meet new friends
  
• Provide service to others
  
• Build self-confidence
  
• Reinforce ethical standards
  

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Scouting promotes activities that lead to personal responsibility and high self-esteem. As a result, when hard decisions have to be made, peer pressure can be resisted and the right choices can be made.