After 90 years of service, our local Scouting America troop continues to live up to its name: The Mighty! The Great! Troop 228!
Their mission is to develop youth through leadership, citizenship, and responsibility. Kids from all walks of life come together to make a difference in the community and for the country.
A spirit of service and volunteerism fuels this unit. Throughout the program, Scouts are required to complete 10 hours of community service. Troop 228, however, averages 200 hours of service per Scout per year. These are the ones who get up before the sun to host a 9/11 Sunrise Ceremony, and the ones staying up until midnight picking up trash after a community event. They raise new flags and retire old ones. When a need arises, they do not stand around waiting for a solution; they are the solution.
The culture of excellence is passed down as older Scouts mentor the younger ones. They focus on real-world situations as they lead by example. By using the EDGE method—educate, demonstrate, guide, and enable—Scouts learn how to both safely fail and humbly succeed under the supervision of those who have already traveled these trails. Leadership advancement includes ranks and a diverse set of merit badges, including the pinnacle project to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.
Troop 228 takes the youth of today and develops them into the leaders of tomorrow, one hour, one service at a time.
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Article written by Allyson Joy with Jeremy Kern and originally published in Focus on Artesia 2026 Summer edition.
Allyson Joy
Allyson Joy is the Associate Publisher of Focus Magazines. She can be reached at allyson@focusnm.com.
