Our History

Troop 294 has been serving boys for decades and welcomed girls in 2025 under Scouting America’s family troop pilot program. We operate together, providing the same opportunities for all youth. We typically have around 60 youth members aged 11-17, who come from a variety of San Jose schools - including Castillero, Bret Harte, Almaden Country Day School, Pioneer, Gunderson, Leland, and Bellarmine. The diversity of our community provides a rich pool of mentors and peers to help our scouts thrive. Our troop is part of the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council, and is chartered through the Almaden Valley Rotary Club. 

Scout-Led 

We provide many opportunities for youth members to gain knowledge and leadership skills. All outings, meetings and ceremonies are organized and run by scout leaders, who serve in six-month terms. They meet on a monthly basis to plan and achieve troop-wide goals. 

Troop 294 operates via the patrol method, which means scouts tackle challenges big and small by working in teams of 6-10 members. Individually, scouts pursue rank advancements, merit badges, and awards at their own pace and with guidance from senior leaders.

Adult Supported 

Byron Alvarez is the Troop 294 Scoutmaster. He is supported by several Assistant Scoutmasters: Amy Gruhl, Alan Thompson, Peter Swartz, Alok Daipuria, Greg Dunlap and Rick Dexter. Parent volunteers serve on the Adult Leadership Team, aiding scouts in their rank advancements and managing the troop’s finances, membership, website, Scouts BSA training requirements, and more. Note that all adults who chaperone day-camps and overnighters have cleared background checks (including fingerprinting and California Mandated Reporter training), and have an active Safeguarding Youth Training (SYT) certification. We have about 40 registered adult leaders who support scout activities.