Boy Scouts of America officially changes its name to be gender inclusive
Boy Scouts of America officially changes its name to be gender inclusive Scouting America President and CEO Roger Krone said "now would be a good time" for the name change, following the organization's exit of a years-long bankruptcy, in tandem with membership growth.
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Boy Scouts will change name to Scouting America
The Boy Scouts of America announced its plan to rebrand to Scouting America, beginning in February 2025.
For the first time in 115 years, Boy Scouts of America officially changed its name to Scouting America on Saturday.
The scouting organization began allowing girls to join Cub Scouts in 2018 and Boy Scouts in 2019.
Girls were first involved with the organization in 1969, with the advent of Exploring, a co-ed, career-readying program.
Boy Scouts of America, as it has been known for 115 years, is now officially Scouting America. The name change went into effect on Saturday.
The organization announced the name change last spring, almost exactly one year after emerging from a three-year bankruptcy tied to the largest child sex abuse case involving a national organization in U.S. history.
The name change coincides with the organization's aim to be more inclusive − a little more than five years after girls were permitted to join Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
The Boy Scouts program, open to girls and boys ages 11-17, dropped "Boy" from its name in 2018, resulting in Scouts BSA. The most recent name change serves as a rebrand for the national umbrella organization, which has not been done since the organization's founding in 1910.
While the name change may feel drastic to onlookers, Rhett Hillard, scoutmaster of Scouting America Troop 50 in Fulton, Missouri, said the new name doesn't appear to be on the minds of people he works with in the organization.
It "doesn't rank highly" in comparison to the other changes the organization has made over the past six to seven years, he said.
As new handbooks are printed, headquarters change signage and websites are updated, here's what to know about the Scouting America name change.
Why the name change?
"The board, executive committee and myself, we kind of looked at where we were and said, 'Probably now would be a good time,'" Scouting America President and CEO Roger Krone told USA TODAY of the name change, citing the organization's exit from bankruptcy and growth since allowing girls to join.
The organization exited bankruptcy in 2023 after a federal judge approved Scouting America's plan to create a $4.6 billion trust fund for survivors of sexual assault related to the organization. The ruling came more than two years after the organization filed for bankruptcy protection, as ultimately 82,000-plus abuse claims were filed against it.
In January, the organization reported that the fund had paid about $70 million to approximately 12,300 survivors of 58,000 claims submitted.
As for membership, from 2023 to 2024, Scouting America saw a 1.43% increase, according to the organization's Membership Highlights, presented at the 2024 National Annual Meeting. Specifically, Cub Scouts saw a 4.68% increase, while Scouts BSA experienced a 3.15% decrease, the highlights say.
Krone said co-ed scouting organizations also represent the "global model." Scouts Canada, Scouts Australia, Scouts UK, and The Singapore Scout Association are just a few of countless scouting organizations around the world that welcome both boys and girls.
How else is the organization changing?
Largely, the changes associated with the new name are cosmetic. The organization's mission and programming is not changing.
The iconic navy blue Cub Scout uniform and tan Scouts BSA uniform will "essentially be the same," Krone said. However, these uniforms do feature "Boy Scouts of America" or "BSA" sewn over the right shirt pocket. Krone said a new sew-on patch to cover the old name is available at Scout Shops and online. The patch is $2.
A new Eagle Scout badge, earned when the highest rank in Scouting America is achieved, will also be released, Krone said, as the existing badge reads, "Boy Scouts of America."
The Cub Scout and Scout BSA flags have also been updated to reflect the new name.
A new handbook has been printed and the website has been updated to feature the new name and logo. Over the next year or two, Scouting America buildings will be updating their exterior signage, Krone said.
Though the program formerly known as Boy Scouts, now Scouts BSA, includes the "Boy Scouts of America" acronym, it doesn't appear that this name will be changing, at least not right away. Scouts BSA is trademarked, so the name will remain for now, according to "Scouting," the official magazine published by Scouting America.
What are people saying?
Since Scouting America began allowing girls to join in 2018-2019, there has been pushback.
"Now, I agree that scouting shouldn't be something that's just exclusive to boys, but isn't that the whole reason why there's Girl Scouts? When scouting exists for both boys and girls and the boys organization switches it to allow girls in it, it almost implies that if you're a Girl Scout, you're not a real scout," Ryan Quinlan, known as But That's My Opinion on social media, said in a TikTok video last year.
In 2018, Girl Scouts of America filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Scouting America, claiming the organization didn't have the right to use terms like "scout" or "scouting" by themselves when rebranding the Boy Scouts program to Scouts BSA. However ultimately, in 2022, the two organizations entered into an agreement to end the litigation.
Girl Scouts of America declined comment on the Scouting America name change. Since its founding in 1912, Girl Scouts has only been open to girls. Men are allowed to be leaders within the organization.
For girls who have been a part of the Scouting America organization, the recent name change is validating.
Sara Rubelee. 14, has been a member of Scouting America Troop 235G in Springfield, Missouri since 2017, when the organization opened an early adopters program for girls. Now, Sara is working on her Eagle Scout Project − collecting musical instruments for an under-privileged school in her community.
Troop 235G is an all girls unit. At the Cub Scout level, packs are co-ed, but at the Scouts BSA level, troops are separated by gender.
Joining the organization when she was in the second grade, Rubelee said she enjoys "every second" of it, from attending summer camp and earning merit badges − Oceanography is her favorite − to competing in the annual Pinewood Derby and getting started on her Eagle Scout Project.
"All these events, and so many more, have absolutely changed the way I view the world, and the way I can help make it a better place," she said. "This organization has led me to having so many friends and gaining new ones almost everywhere I go. As scouting as evolved, so have the scouts, but the morals have always stayed the same: helping youth grow into successful young adults and prepare them for the promising future ahead of them."
Krone said the changes the organization has made over the past few years are in attempt to keep up with the "youth of today."
"I am much, much more interested in what a 35-year-old parent thinks about child development and what their youth needs than perhaps someone who was a Boy Scout with me," said Krone, who joined the organization in the third grade in 1967.
But not everyone in the organization feels the name change is for the best reasons.
Scoutmaster Hillard said he thinks it's "a money issue."
"They're mostly dwindling numbers, wanting to bolster enrollment numbers in the organization. I never really heard a great reason," he said.
In 2018, Scouting America reported that about 2.3 million members made up the organization, down from 2.6 million in 2013, USA TODAY previously reported.
Girls have been involved with the program since 1969
It's been a bit longer than just the past decade that girls have been able to join Boy Scouts, now Scouting America.
Girls were first welcomed to join the organization in 1969, with the advent of the Exploring, a career-readying program. Girls were then permitted to join Venturing, a co-ed program centered around outdoor adventuring, in 1998.
Adult women have been able to be a part of the organization for even longer, with the creation of the Den Mother position in 1936, according to the Scouting America website. The Den Mother position, originally only open to women, is a leadership role within a Cub Scout den.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Yahoo
History buff highlights Boy Scouts campground and lodge at Lone Pine
Jun. 15—Seventeen-year-old Atreyu Oxford has uncovered a little-known piece of history of Lone Pine State Park's connection to the Boy Scouts and is preserving it through an Eagle Scout project. Oxford learned there was a Boy Scouts camp at Lone Pine from his mother, Barbara, who wrote a book about the early history of scouting in Montana. As she was researching Boy Scout camps across the state, she came across one at Lone Pine. After asking around, he found that Scout leaders and Lone Pine staff weren't aware of the campground's existence, which piqued his interest to delve into the history. With the information, he is having an interpretive sign designed and constructed that will be installed at Lone Pine. Sitting down at a picnic table near the Lone Pine visitor center, Oxford opened a thick binder, leafing through plastic sheet protectors containing his research: reprinted newspaper articles, a few black and white photos, a society page snippet, maps, a timeline dating back to the 1800s and deeds. The documents helped him track the different landowners of what was formerly known as Plume Hill and then Lone Pine Hill, over time. "The entirety of this hill was owned by different settlers at different times. We found all of those records as well," he said. Oxford compiled the various documents from online newspaper archives, the Flathead County Plat Room, the Bureau of Land Management and the Northwest Montana History Museum. It wasn't until 1937 that sheep rancher, Ernest White, and his wife, Hazel, donated 6.7 acres to the Boy Scouts to be used as a weekend or overnight campsite, Oxford said, showing a copy of the grant deed. "The [more than] six acres to the Boy Scouts covered the land that we are on right now," Oxford said. With the property, he learned the Boy Scouts had a 20-by-30-foot log building constructed in 1938 that was designed by well-known Kalispell architect, Fred Brinkman. "It [the dedication ceremony] was attended by a large amount of people, including Ernest White," Oxford said, and roughly 250 Boy Scouts. He said the lodge featured a main hall, kitchen, storeroom, fireplace and a 10-foot rock terrace and was situated "just below the top of, and to the west of, the top of Lone Pine Hill." "It was meant for like day activities ... overnight camps," he said. The lodge was enjoyed by Boy Scouts and other groups, including a ski club, until it burned down in 1943. "It was kind of a symbol of Kalispell for a long time," he said, noting a group of travel editors from the Midwest and East coast were brought to Lone Pine as part of a tour that included Glacier National Park. According to a July 8, 1943, Daily Inter Lake article, the building was "in constant use until recently" and was in a state of neglect, likely from incidents of vandalism, prior to the fire. "Most everybody seemed to have access to the building and the window glass had been shattered." The article also said, "Three youngsters are supposed to have spent the night there, just previous to the fire, and were seen leaving the hill Friday morning. They had their packs and one bicycle when they rode into town." Aside from one photo from an article about the dedication ceremony, Oxford said it was challenging to find more, including from a couple of people he spoke to who were involved in scouts before the fire. "We also have a picture of what is believed to be the chimney that remained because everything burned but the chimney," he said, which by some accounts remained until the visitor center was built. Why wasn't the lodge rebuilt? Oxford surmises one reason may be because World War II was going on and many tradesmen were off serving in the military. "No one was coming out to rebuild it anytime soon," he said. "My troop, we had a break in our charter for World War II because the majority of our scouts, especially our older scouts, who were supposed to lead meetings, went off to World War II. We had the same thing with Vietnam as well." Preserving the history of the Boy Scout campground's existence was enjoyable for the young history buff, who said it was learning about the Revolutionary War around age 6 or 7 that sparked his passion for the subject. "If we're just looking at Lone Pine Hill. It was Native [American] land. Then it became homesteader land, right? And then from homesteaders, it became sheep land. And from sheep land, it became a Scout camp, and then from a Scout camp, it became a visitor center, right, talking about all the beautiful wildlife we have here. Knowing that history, I think, can add to people's enjoyment of this place," he said. The sign will be installed sometime this summer, according to Dillon Tabish, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks regional communication and education program manager. Oxford is a member of Troop No. 1933, which was chartered by the Rotary Club of Kalispell more than 50 years ago. In August, Oxford will formally be inducted into the ranks of Eagle Scouts during a special ceremony called the Eagle Court of Honor. Eagle Scout is the highest rank a Boy Scout can attain. Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@ A rendering of what an interpretive sign detailing the Boy Scouts' history at Lone Pine will look like. The sign is part of Atreyu Oxford's Eagle Scout project. (SnowGhost Design) Atreyu Oxford, 17, shows two articles that were part of his research for his Eagle Scout project to create an interpretive sign at Lone Pine. The 1936 "Daily Inter Lake" article on the left reports on Ernest White's purchase of a tract of land on "Lone Pine bluff," stating, "He will build a road from Foys lake to the top of the bluff, which will be open to the public." A 1937 article by "The Flathead Monitor," on the right, reports that White, "a well-known sheep rancher," has donated a site for a "week-end Boy Scout camp." (Hilary Matheson/Daily Inter Lake) Visitors check out one of the overlooks at Lone Pine State Park on Tuesday, June 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake) Casey Kreider Signs and caution tape mark an Eagle Scout project at Lone Pine State Park on Thursday, June 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake) Casey Kreider The Lone Pine State Park Visitor Center on Thursday, June 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake) Casey Kreider
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Scouting America Announces Recipients of the Prestigious Silver Buffalo Award for Extraordinary Service to Youth
Scouting America Announces Recipients of the Prestigious Silver Buffalo Award for Extraordinary Service to Youth Scouting America Announces Recipients of the Prestigious Silver Buffalo Award for Extraordinary Service to Youth IRVING, TX, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scouting America, the nation's premier youth leadership development organization, is proud to announce the distinguished individuals who will receive the esteemed Silver Buffalo Award in 2025. This prestigious national honor recognizes adults who have provided noteworthy and extraordinary service of a national character to youth, both within and outside of Scouting. The Silver Buffalo Award, Scouting America's highest commendation for volunteers, has a rich history of celebrating individuals who embody the Scout Oath and Law through their unwavering dedication and impactful contributions to the lives of young people. Recipients come from diverse backgrounds and have made significant differences in fields such as education, community service, business, the arts, and government, all while championing the development of character, citizenship, and leadership in youth. "The Silver Buffalo Award stands as Scouting America's highest tribute, recognizing individuals whose extraordinary dedication has indelibly shaped the lives of countless young people,' says Roger Krone, president and CEO of Scouting America. 'This year's exceptional individuals have selflessly dedicated their time, talent, and resources to empower the next generation. Their commitment serves as an inspiration to us all and truly embodies the spirit of Scouting America." The honorees for the 2025 Silver Buffalo Award are: David Thomas Berry (Keller, Texas): Outstanding Eagle Scout, Safe Scouting Advocate, Retired Health Care Executive The Hon. Gerard J. Boyle (Campton, New Hampshire): NYLT Course Director, Longtime Volunteer, Retired Marine Colonel Edward Andrew 'Andy' Chapman (Lake Arthur, Louisiana): Eagle Scout, World Scout Committee Chair, International Scouting Advocate Gary Christiansen (Santa Clarita, California): Outstanding Eagle Scout, Longtime Supporter of the Order of the Arrow, Jamboree Volunteer Donna Jean (Holland) Copeland (Bartlesville, Oklahoma): Wood Badge Advocate, Duty to God Advocate, Tireless Volunteer Julie A. Dalton (Wichita, Kansas): Council President, National Venturing Leader, Award-Winning Volunteer David Michael Ehrlich (Farmington Hills, Michigan): Outstanding Eagle Scout, NYLT Task Force Leader, NAYLE Development Leader William J. Goebel Jr. (Greensboro, North Carolina): Eagle Scout, Council President, Eagle Scout Mentor Linda Goff (Oak Ridge, Tennessee): Council Training Chair, Philmont Training Center Faculty Member, Longtime Volunteer James K. Hendren (Little Rock, Arkansas): Council President, Distinguished Eagle Scout, Community Advocate Timothy I. Malaney (Chula Vista, California): Outstanding Eagle Scout, National Jamboree Leader, Sea Scout Leader Brad Tilden (Seattle, Washington): Distinguished Eagle Scout, Scouting America National Chair, Outdoor Enthusiast William Henry 'Bill' Topkis (Park City, Utah): Eagle Scout, Scouting Historian, Dedicated National Leader Dan Walters (San Leandro, California): Outstanding Eagle Scout, National Scouting Leader, Award-Winning Volunteer These remarkable individuals were formally recognized at the Scouting America National Annual Meeting (NAM) on May 15. The Silver Buffalo Award ceremony is a highlight of Scouting America's national events, bringing together leaders and volunteers from across the country to celebrate the profound impact of selfless service on the lives of young people. About Scouting America Scouting America provides the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be 'Prepared. For Life.®' Scouting America welcomes all of America's youth into its programs. Our goal is to give them fantastic experiences in the outdoors, and elsewhere, where they can grow with us in a safe environment. More than 130 million Americans have been through our programs since our founding, and currently more than one million youth are served by 477,000 adult volunteers in local councils throughout the country. To learn more about Scouting America's mission, or to sign your child up for Scouting, visit Attachments Scouting America Announces Recipients of the Prestigious Silver Buffalo Award for Extraordinary Service to Youth Scouting America Announces Recipients of the Prestigious Silver Buffalo Award for Extraordinary Service to Youth CONTACT: Gordon Shattles Scouting America 972-580-2119
Business Insider
07-06-2025
- Business Insider
I'm a mom of 4, and there's no winning in parenting. People complain if kids are playing outside or if they're looking at screens.
I'm a mom of four, and screens are integral to our lives. When the weather is nice, my kids naturally migrate outdoors, and we hike and swim. I see older people complaining about kids being on screens and also about kids being in public spaces. As a family that has chosen to embrace technology and raise tech-savvy kids, screens are an integral part of our everyday family life. From the Skylight calendar in our kitchen that helps me manage the schedules of four busy kids to the smartphones my adolescents now possess, we see how technology improves our lives. We are just as apt to spend an afternoon working on the family Minecraft world as we are to play a board game (though we love those too). However, as soon as the weather breaks, my kids naturally migrate outdoors. We love to bike, hike, swim, and camp — and warmer temps typically mean my kids naturally reduce screen time. Recently, though, I have been frustrated by the mixed messages society sends us moms. Like most nosy neighbors, I am in all of our community's local groups. I see posts by older generations bemoaning the techy life my kids are living. " Get them off of screens and outdoors!" they lament. But the second the weather breaks, those posts shift from screeds against screens to rants about children playing in public spaces. The freedom my kids have has been earned We live in a walkable, safe community where our adolescents enjoy freedom. Since toddlerhood, we've taught our children how to cross a road, pay at stores and restaurants, and be respectful of others in our community—from picking up their trash to not trampling someone's flowers. The freedom our kids now have was earned. In addition, our town feels like the type of place older relatives reminisce about. My kids literally know to bike home when the street lights come on, like in a 1950s sitcom. That's why I am surprised so many adults seem uncomfortable with kids on the loose. In general, I am not concerned about my kids' safety in our tiny Pittsburgh borough, but I am worried about others' judgment. I worry more about someone reporting my kids to the authorities when they are exercising the freedom we've given them than about anything bad befalling them. I worry about what other people are going to say or do if they are out alone I worry that when I send my 13-year-old off on his bike to head to Boy Scouts, someone will criticize me for not biking with him (or driving him). I worry that my 11-year-old twins will receive a noise complaint while playing basketball in the alley until sunset with neighbor kids, because it has already happened once. I was nearby, just on the other side of a fence, and heard nothing but the joyous laughter of happy kids on a summer evening. I am still unsure why that was so bothersome to some anonymous neighbor. Still, I imagine them furiously typing up a Nextdoor post about how they never see kids playing outdoors anymore. It feels both ironic and cruel. I feel like I'm on an impossible tightrope It's a common refrain: Today's kids are too lazy, too entitled, and don't want to work. At the same time, when my kids go door-to-door asking to shovel walks for a few bucks, people are scared to open their door. I worry that someone will reprimand me for sending my child to pick up milk at the corner store so I can finish cooking dinner. It feels like an impossible tightrope. How are we parents supposed to raise independent kids in a world that decries our attempts? How can we get them off the screens and outside to play while somehow keeping them endlessly in our sight? To those not currently parenting, I only ask for one thing: grace. Grace to raise these little humans as best we can in a rapidly changing world. Grace to raise up adults who appreciate a lazy gaming day just as much as they appreciate a good day of yard work. Grace that you were given in a world that was smaller and more insular — and yet really not that different from the neighborhood my kids are learning to be adults in.
