A Miami Lakes Boy Scout troop recently took first place in a competition that tested their mettle in everything from camping skills to entertainment to a newfangled form of dodgeball.
Scout Troop 566 of Miami Lakes pulled off a stunning victory in the most important Scout competition in north Miami-Dade County.
Scout Troop 566 recently won the 2026 Phoenix District Camporee. A dozen scout troops from northern Miami-Dade competed in the event, which was themed “Scouter Things” - a play on popular TV show Stranger Things.
As befitting the show, but somewhat unusually for a scouting event, the competitions were all night-focused.They included a night bicycle relay, Christmas light Morse Code and a competition that involved 18 patrols building fire at the same time to see which last the longest.
Troop 566 patrol won or placed in each event.
The Miami Lakes troop also won competitions including Skit and Gateway - in the latter, they created one that looked like a Demogorgon head. They also placed third in campsite and second in the first ever gaga ball tournament (think dodgeball in what looks almost like an mixed martial arts octagon.). When combined with patrol events, Troop 566 won by a slight margin in a fierce competition.
Prior to Troop 566’s win, another troop had won 10 years in a row. The Miami Lakes scouts won by putting in the work, according to their leaders.
“We worked really hard, but we won because we worked well together and everybody tried; I am so proud,” said senior patrol leader Cesar Hernandez, 17, who was competing in his fifth Camporee.
Troop 566 had recently converted from two troops, one for boys and one for girls, to a combined troop. The troop’s patrols, smaller groups of scouts that work as a team, demonstrated their overall skills in fire building, skateboarding, obstacle course, a maze while blindfolded, first aid, knots, axe throwing and slingshots, and even pioneering by building a radio tower out of wood.
Rather than creating older and younger patrols so that some are loaded with the most experienced scouts, Troop 566 patrols combine older and younger scouts, experienced an inexperienced, to work together.
Troop 566 is chartered to Our Lady of the Lakes Church. They meet every Tuesday at 7:30 in the church hall. Scouting is available for any boy or girl aged 11 to 17. If you have an interest, contact Sean Schwinghammer at (305) 798-3724.
All photos courtesy of Sean Schwinghammer.