Irving, Texas (Feb. 25, 2014)—This week, nine youth delegates from across the United States are representing the Boy Scouts of America in Washington, D.C., to present the organization’s annual Report to the Nation to top U.S. officials. The report is designated in the BSA’s congressional charter and highlights the organization’s achievements in 2013. The delegates were selected from among approximately 2.5 million youth members to present the annual report.
“The Boy Scouts of America accomplished great things for this nation in 2013, and we are proud to share Scouting’s story with our country’s leaders,” said Wayne Brock, Chief Scout Executive. “During 2013, Scouts completed more than 17 million hours of service in their communities, we opened the expansive new Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in West Virginia, nearly 30,000 youth and adults attended the 2013 National Scout Jamboree, and our youth were featured on the National Geographic Channel television series Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout? We look forward to continuing to provide the leaders of tomorrow with a strong foundation of character and service throughout 2014 and beyond.”
Being selected to the Report to the Nation delegation is a tremendous honor for the youth and the communities they represent. Each youth represents the more than 100 million youth members who have been part of the BSA since its inception in 1910 and the millions who will follow. This year’s delegation is made up of the following young people:
- Eagle Scout Andrew Bonney; La Plata, Maryland
- Eagle Scout and National Order of the Arrow Chief Nicholas Dannemiller; Tualatin, Oregon
- Sea Scout Quartermaster and National Sea Scout Boatswain Billy McElligott; Boca Raton, Florida
- Star Scout Scott Niles; Williamson, New York
- National Venturing President Annaliese Parker; Saratoga, California
- Life Scout Jocques Ross Jr.; Fairburn, Georgia
- Life Scout Paul Thao; St. Paul, Minnesota
- Webelos Scout Edwin Tout; Sandy Hook, Connecticut
- Eagle Scout Shane Uribe; Santee, California
The delegation, which arrived in the nation’s capital on Saturday, Feb. 22, is visiting with and delivering the report to key U.S. Cabinet members and House and Senate leadership. To keep track of the Report to the Nation delegates during this once-in-a-lifetime experience in Washington, D.C., follow @boyscouts on Twitter or “Boy Scouts of America” on Facebook.
The complete Report to the Nation will be available on Wednesday, Feb. 26. A few of the highlights featured in the report include the more than 17 million hours of service Scouts provided to their communities at a value of more than $377 million (based on a national volunteer-hour value of $22.14) and the more than 56,000 young men who earned the Eagle Scout Award. In addition, more than 1 million Scouts attended BSA high-adventure camps in West Virginia, New Mexico, Minnesota, and Florida, as well as thousands of Scout day and summer camps. In all, Scouts and Venturers camped a total of more than 6 million nights during 2013. Also, the BSA has awarded more than 100,000 Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards to Scouts completing a 60-day fitness challenge.