The Boy Scouts of America, a mainstay for youth across the nation for more than a century, is set to drop 'Boy' from their moniker for the first time—now rebranding as 'Scouting America.' Coming out from under the shadow of a sexual abuse scandal and a bankruptcy hangover, the iconic institution is pushing the envelope on inclusivity, as reported by KENS 5.
Citing a desire to welcome "any youth in America" into its programs, new president and CEO Roger Krone unveiled the name change during the organization's annual conference in Florida. "In the next 100 years we want any youth in America to feel very, very welcome to come into our programs," Krone stated, as mentioned in KSAT. This marks an era of sweeping changes for the group, which only welcomed girl scouts into its ranks starting in 2017—a move that led to nearly 1,000 young women becoming Eagle Scouts by 2021.
The seismic structural shift comes after the scouts saw their membership plummet to just over one million from peak numbers in the multi-millions. The integration of girls and more inclusive policies are strategic attempts to bolster dwindling membership and build a more robust future following years of challenges and declining participation during the pandemic.
With a storied past of building character and outdoor acumen, the Boy Scouts are now offering a mix of traditional and modern activities. From camping ventures to introducing merit badges for high-tech fields like robotics and digital technology, Krone assured, "About anything kids want to do today, they can do in a structured way within scouting program," according to an interview obtained by KENS 5. Meanwhile, Angelique Minett, the first woman chairperson of Scouts BSA, views the evolution as an education in "grit," leadership, and "life skills" more than just camping and knot-tying, as reported by KSAT.
Although the official transition to Scouting America is marked for February 8, on the organization's 115th birthday, the anticipation is that its ranks will start using the new name immediately. "It sends this really strong message to everyone in America that they can come to this program, they can bring their authentic self, they can be who they are and they will be welcomed here," Krone proclaimed, indicating a fresh chapter in the organization's history.
