Category Archives: Uncategorized

How Scouts Honored Memorial Day Across the Country

(Photo credit: AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

Rooted in the pillars of the Scout Oath to “do my best to do my duty to God and my country,” Boy Scouts of America takes special care in appreciating and honoring the efforts of our service men and women every day of the year. On Memorial Day, Scouts across the nation work to recognize the brave acts of veterans – unifying together as Scouts and proud Americans. Hover your cursor over the images in the gallery to the left and then click to view to discover how thousands of Scouts across the nation paid their respects on this special holiday.

 

Scouts Place Thousands of Flags for Memorial Day

This Memorial Day marks the 50th anniversary of Scouts placing thousands of flags at the graves of the servicemen and servicewomen buried in the Willamette National Cemetery. These Scouts are like many others around the nation who use this opportunity to honor the sacrifice of these individuals ahead of Memorial Day.

As the Scouts from the Cascade Pacific Council of the BSA place each flag, they say a word of thanks to the service members, just as they have for decades. And while the reverence and respect are the same as years past, what’s different this time around is that the Cub Scout boys are joined by Cub Scout girls.

“It is amazing, and being able to do it now with both of them as Cub Scouts is even more awesome,” said Jenny, the mother of a Cub Scout son and daughter. “It’s the one thing we look forward to every single year. It’s kind of a tradition to come up here every year.”

“… I get to go honor people in the military, and I get to sit by my grandpa’s grave for a little while,” said Calvin H., one of the Scouts who shared why this is an important event.

Be sure to watch the entire moving story from KATU 2 News in Portland.

Clarifying Misinformation About 2019 World Scout Jamboree Policies

Despite recent media coverage, it is important to clarify that the Boy Scouts of America does not promote the policies that Trail Life USA recently published.

Our expectation regarding the behavior of BSA youth members and adult leaders remains the same as it is for when they are at every other BSA program or event. The BSA is focused on directing our energy to all our youth and families around the values found in the Scout Oath and Law and what we do best  character, outdoor adventure and leadership. 

The World Scout Jamboree is an official program of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. As a world Scouting event, WOSM previously established the requirements and guidelines.

The World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement has offered the following clarification: 

The 2019 World Scout Jamboree will focus Scouts from around the world on personal development, faith and beliefs, sustainability, adventure and other topics that cross cultural lines. Scouting’s founder Lord Baden-Powell of Great Britain believed that bringing youth of the world together would help foster greater cultural awareness, acceptance and cooperation. 

The 2019 World Scout Jamboree is being planned with this spirit in mind and planning is currently underway between the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) and the three National Scout Organizations who are co-hosting the event – Scouts Canada, the Scout Association of Mexico and the Boy Scouts of America. 

The World Scout Jamboree organizing team has worked with the co-host countries to align these previously set requirements, which have been in existence for more than two World Scout Jamborees, in a manner that is respectful to local laws and preferences.

Given that the vast majority of the attendees, adults and youth, male and female, will be from all over the world, the 2019 World Scout Jamboree host countries arranged with WOSM so that the host facility could adhere to the existing health requirements developed to address the needs of international health norms in a manner more aligned with local practices. For instance, alcohol will NOT be offered at the 2019 World Scout Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve.

How These Scouts Launched a Balloon Into the Stratosphere

Scouting invites youth to reach new heights – whether they are growing educationally, physically, socially or in a variety of other ways. But some opportunities in Scouting take reaching new heights to a literal extent, like the Scouts from the Chief Seattle Council who launched a high-altitude balloon project more than 100,000 feet up.

“My favorite part was chasing the balloon. The overall running after it, trying to figure out where it went,” said Max R., a member of Scout Troop 544 and seventh-grader, to The Outlook.

Thanks to the idea from their Scoutmaster, Phil Foss, the troop learned about the importance of STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math) while constructing a project that would send a helium-filled balloon into the stratosphere.

“We started the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program for the troop. We wanted something really interesting for them. We have to compete with screens now. And this project goes back to traditional Scouting values,” Foss said.

Though Foss introduced the idea, he says the Scouts brought the project to life. The project also allowed the Scouts to earn up to nine merit badges in the process.

“They brainstormed different packaging, a bucket, a wooden frame and finally decided on a styrofoam cooler,” Foss said. “They also needed to plan a ‘power budget.’ They needed a battery that was not too heavy, but would also power the equipment the length of the flight.”

The Scouts were also conscientious about safety throughout the entire process. They had to design the apparatus and meet safety requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Both the kids and adults were excited by the project, with special interest in the photographs the balloon was able to capture. One photo even showed an aircraft soaring below the balloon.

“The pictures were really cool,” Max R. said. “The pictures where we could see the curvature of the earth were epic.”

To learn more about this out of this world Scout project, read the full story on The Outlook.

Statement on BSA-LDS Relationship

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) deeply appreciates the long-standing relationship we’ve had with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a chartered organization. While Scouting remains a beloved program for many LDS families, the Church has decided to pursue programming that helps it meet the needs of their increasingly global membership and will no longer charter units after December 31, 2019. We jointly express our gratitude to the thousands of Scout leaders who have selflessly served over the years in Church-sponsored Scouting units and wish the Church all the best as it prepares to introduce the new program in 2020.

There are many religiously-affiliated programs that are offered alongside Scouting, and as such, we are confident that many LDS Scouting families will go on to enjoy Scouting for years to come – continuing the legacy of LDS youth who have become Eagle Scouts and community leaders. For LDS families who want to continue the tradition of Scouting beyond 2019, the BSA will ensure a smooth transition to community-sponsored units that will welcome youth previously served by LDS-sponsored units.

At the same time, the Boy Scouts of America is excited about our future and the opportunity to grow by providing families more options for their children to benefit from the incredible character-building experiences we provide.

Click here to read a joint statement from the BSA and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Scout Organizes Family Conference for Developmental Disabilities

Photo: Kevin Rivoli, The Citizen

Service and family are important parts of any Scout’s life. So when service is inspired by one’s own family, it’s sure to have an incredible impact on the community.

Scout Lance D., 17, of Longhouse Council recognized the challenges his family faced. To ensure Lance’s brother, who has autism, received the best care, his parents routinely had to travel as far as 70 miles.

It was this dedication to family that inspired Lance’s Eagle project. The determined Scout decided he would help other families experiencing similar challenges by organizing a conference on autism and other developmental disabilities.

“Just seeing my parent’s experience, I don’t want other people to work that hard to get that type of help,” Lance shared with the Citizen. 

Lance’s Family Conference for Developmental Disabilities, held earlier this April, provided families with an opportunity to learn from experts — and each other — about caring for loved ones with developmental disabilities.

Anyone who’s dabbled in event planning knows it’s certainly not easy. However, in true Scouting spirit, Lance went above and beyond to make sure the event catered to the needs of both caretakers and people with disabilities. In addition to the panel of experts, the conference also featured fun and engaging activities, such as therapy dogs, teddy bears, and more.

Of course, there’s always plenty of the Scouting spirit to go around. Scouts from Lance’s troop joined the initiative by volunteering at the conference, while citizens from all corners of the community — from young people to adults — found a way to help.

Planning this conference would have been quite an undertaking for anyone, let alone a high school student, but Scoutmaster Andy Roden had no doubt Lance could pull it off.

“He had a vision for this and wasn’t really intimidated by the scope of it,” Roden explained to The Citizen. “But I think that’s really a special thing to see in a young man, to have that vision and follow through on it.”

Lance’s project truly demonstrates what it means to make a meaningful community impact by providing families with new, positive experiences. We can’t wait to see what this incredible Scout does next!

Read more about Lance’s conference and his mission to help his community in the full story from The Citizen. 

 

 

 

Pinewood Derby Serves as Entry Into World of Scouting for Hudson Valley Girls

Cub Scout Pack 223 in Poughkeepsie, NY, has been holding annual Pinewood Derby races since its founding in 1966.

With more than a half-century of tradition to draw on, much about the March event at the Town of Poughkeepsie Senior Center felt familiar: Colorful wooden cars, hand-crafted by kids with help from their parents; the smell of popcorn and other treats in the air; and all eyes shifting anxiously from the long metal track to the leader board after every race.

Beyond that, however, this year’s race was a bit different. For the first time, girls were able to participate in the popular event as official members of the Boy Scouts of America.

In all, four area girls competed in their first Pinewood Derby as members of Hudson Valley Council Pack 223.

Two of Hudson Valley Council’s newest Cub Scouts take part in their first Pinewood Derby. Photo: Spectrum News Albany

“They should have let girls in the club before,” said Cub Scout Hayley C., 7, in a story published by Spectrum News Albany. “Because maybe girls can learn the same as the (boys).”

In the article, the girls’ parents said the BSA’s welcoming of girls is going to show that some activities — once associated with just boys — are for everyone.

“She’s competing in other things with boys at the same levels of them,” said Danielle Daudier, whose daughter just joined Pack 223.

Some of the boys quoted in the story said they like the Scout experience even better with girls included.

“I mean, it’s just great,” Cub Scout Aiden T. said. “We needed girls this year, and, I think, a lot of years.”

To access the full article, plus a brief video on the event, visit Spectrum News Albany.

To learn more about some of the details on welcoming girls into the Cub Scout program, check out the Bryan on Scouting article on that topic.

For more information and the latest updates on Family Scouting, visit www.scouting.org/familyscouting.

Twin Brother and Sister Enjoying Scouting Together, Hope to Someday Earn Eagle

When Ian W. heard that his twin sister, Tatum, could join him as a Webelos Scout, he was glad she would get the same opportunity he had.

J’aime, the twins’ mother, knew her daughter would be excited about the news that girls could begin participating in Cub Scouts. But before she decided to move forward to sign Tatum up for Cub Scouts, the family talked it over with her brother Ian.

This Twin Brother and Sister Duo are Enjoying Scouting Together, Hope to Someday Earn Eagle
This twin brother and sister are now part of the Cub Scout program together, and both hope to someday earn the rank of Eagle Scout. (photo: John Doyle, fosters.com)

Family Scouting was a new concept, and Ian and Tatum’s parents wanted to be sure everyone would feel good about each twin having the chance to participate in the Scouting program.

“We ran it by [Ian] to see if it was OK with him, and he was very excited to have her involved,” J’aime said.

Tatum had long-dreamed of joining her twin brother officially for Cub Scouting activities. For the past two years since he joined, she hadn’t been able to get involved. Now, however, as part of an Early Adopter Cub Scout pack in the BSA Daniel Webster Council, she has the opportunity to participate in an official capacity.

“She wants to do all the cool stuff — she’s super into science, she’s into camping, the outdoors, making fires,” said J’aime.

She’s also into the idea of facing challenges to progress toward Scouting’s highest rank.

Tatum wants to continue in Scouting and eventually earn the rank of Eagle Scout. Her twin brother Ian has the same goal. Together, the pair feel they could one-day be among the first twin brother-sister duos to earn the rank of Eagle Scout at the same time.

To learn more about how this twin brother and sister duo is enjoying their Scouting experience, be sure to read the full article in Fosters.com.

For more information and the latest updates on Family Scouting, visit www.scouting.org/familyscouting.

 

 

 

Girls Across U.S. Officially Join Scouting Family After Years of Unofficial Participation

When Cub Scouts became an official program of the Boy Scouts of America in 1930 — catering to boys from 8-12 who were too young to join the main Boy Scouts program — just over 5,100 boys were registered by year-end.

What’s not reflected in that official count, however, is the unofficial participation of a group that likely numbered in the thousands, as well: their sisters and other female friends who didn’t want to miss out on all the games, crafts, and fun events as the first Cub Scout dens began meeting weekly at member’s homes.

Thanks to the BSA’s historic decision to welcome girls into the ranks of Cub Scouting this year, and into a program for older youth beginning in 2019 that will allow them to work toward the Eagle Scout rank, these girls now can enjoy all the benefits of membership.

Watch a brief video on Michigan Crossroads Council’s newest Cub Scouts at fox17online.com. (Photo: Fox 17)

According to Steven Boyer, a lifelong Scout and current assistant Cubmaster of Pack 3283 in Belmont, Mich., it’s a change that is long overdue. “They’re doing it anyways — let’s let them be part of the pack and let them be part of the family. The Cub Scout family.”

Boyer said his daughter was disappointed to learn she couldn’t join Cub Scouts upon entering first grade. This was before the BSA’s announcement last October that girls could join the program. When she heard the news that she would soon be welcome, she was ecstatic.

“We got her a uniform on Saturday morning, and I think she hasn’t taken it off since,” he said.

To read more about Michigan Crossroads Council’s newest Cub Scouts, head to fox17online.com.

In Arkansas, Michael McNamara also is excited to register his three daughters with the BSA. They, too, have been unofficial participants in the activities and leadership lessons of the BSA’s programs. “They’ve been in Scouting for a while, just never able to wear the uniforms or get the patches,” he said. “Now, they can officially be registered and earn all the things that boys do.

“They can be part of a group of families that go out and do camping, go out and do rock climbing, canoeing, boating, swimming, day camps, they just get to do so much stuff,” McNamara added.

He said he’s excited to have his girls as official members of Cub Scout Pack 12. “They have always been in the shadows and not able to participate,” he said. “Now they’ll be official and able to earn those ranks.”

Read the full story on ArkansasMatters.com.

BSA Clears Up Misconceptions About Path to Eagle Scout Rank for Utah Scout With Down Syndrome

Update: April 4, 2018

We are inspired by Logan and his family’s commitment to Scouting, and we are so glad he will remain a part of our Scouting community.

We appreciate the care taken by the family’s attorney to bring the best outcome for Logan and look forward to working with the family toward our shared goal of ensuring Logan can receive his Eagle Scout rank in a way that is empowering for him.

Moving forward, we are committed to avoiding this type of misunderstanding and will take appropriate steps to ensure it is known that Scouts with disabilities are welcome, celebrated and empowered through Scouting.


Many local volunteers and Scouting professionals at the Utah National Parks Council have worked closely with Boy Scout Logan Blythe and his family to deliver a positive experience in our programs.

We apologize for the confusion and want to be very clear: the option to earn the rank of Eagle Scout has been – and still is – available to Logan. We remain inspired by his dedication to Scouting, and we hope to continue working with Logan and his family to support him in the effort to earn the rank of Eagle Scout through the engagement of our National Disabilities Advancement Team.

The Boy Scouts of America is committed to making sure every Scout benefits from the program and has the opportunity to earn the Eagle Scout rank. The process of achieving the Eagle Scout rank is rigorous for any Scout, but it is designed so that accommodations can be made for Scouts with disabilities or special needs. The National Disabilities Advancement Team wants to work directly with the Blythe family to review what Logan has accomplished based on his abilities and help determine a path to earn the Eagle Scout rank that is both appropriate and empowering for him.

Since its founding, the Boy Scouts of America has served youth members with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. Scouting is uniquely positioned among youth programs to meet the needs of children with special needs by providing diverse programs and social experiences.

At its core, Scouting fosters the spirit of diversity and inclusiveness, and we are committed to continuing the Boy Scouts of America’s long history of working with Scouts with disabilities, including Logan Blythe, to help them succeed in and beyond Scouting.

FAQ

Were Logan’s merit badges revoked?

No, Logan still has the merit badges he worked on.

 

Was Logan demoted to a Cub Scout?

No, Logan is still registered as a Boy Scout.

 

Will Logan be able to earn his Eagle Scout rank?

The Boy Scouts of America is committed to making sure every Scout benefits from the program and has the opportunity to earn the Eagle Scout rank.  The process of achieving the Eagle Scout rank is rigorous for any Scout, but it is designed so that accommodations can be made for Scouts with disabilities or special needs.

The National Disabilities Advancement Team wants to work directly with the Blythe family to review what Logan has accomplished based on his abilities and help determine a path for him to earn the Eagle Scout rank that is both appropriate and empowering for their situation.