The film follows Scout Troop 759 from the streets of Harlem to the woods of Camp Keowa on Crystal Lake in the Catskills. The newest Scout, eleven-year-old Keith Dozier, spends his first week at camp facing the challenges of the woods: the dock test in the deep lake, creatures of the night, the climbing tower, the raucous dining hall, and the kitchen. With help from his fellow Scouts and Scoutmaster Sowah, young Keith faces the challenges and earns his place as a Scout.