Boy Scouts Accepts Girls read the news articles today, a shocking announcement that was made, I guess, so the organization that lets young men work their way up to the prestigious Eagle Scout level can keep up with the times.
Why is that announcement shocking?
My first thought was "what will happen to Girl Scout cookies? Will they keep them?" My second thought was, "Boy, I wish they had done that when I was a Boy Scout," going on all those camping trips, starting fires by rubbing two sticks together and sleeping in musty canvas tents.
By the way, I only made it to First Class Scout, which is only two ranks above Tenderfoot.
According to the organization, the Boy Scouts, which accepts children 11 to 17 years old, will become Scouts BSA. It's all part of the organization’s new Scout Me In marketing campaign, which features girls and boys. The program will "ensure all youth are welcome and can see themselves in Scouting," Scouts BSA says on its website.
The announcement also said the Cub Scouts, which is for younger kids, also will accept girls. According to a press release, starting this summer, "all kids are invited to say, “Scout Me In,” as they join the fun, adventure and character-building opportunities found in Cub Scouts. The campaign presents an energizing Scouting experience that speaks to kids by putting them in the middle of the action."
"It also engages parents who are looking for ways to make the most of the time they have with their kids and help them to be Prepared. For Life," says the press release.
“Cub Scouts is a lot of fun, and now it’s available to all kids,” said Stephen Medlicott, National Marketing Group Director of Boy Scouts of America. “That’s why we love ‘Scout Me In’ – because it speaks to girls and boys and tells them, ‘This is for you. We want you to join!’”
If the Boy Scouts accept girls, what happens to the Girl Scouts?
First, it's two separate organizations, which I did not realize. But According to The New York Times, Girl Scouts officials haven't been happy about the Boy Scouts' move and sent a letter of objection when they first heard about it. But this week, Sylvia Acevedo, the organization's chief executive, simply emphasized that while Girl Scouts offers girls the chance to be involved in activities traditionally associated with the Boy Scouts, like outdoor activities, the program also prepares girls for careers in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, math), in which there is a large gender gap.
She said the Girl Scouts program is “dedicated to building that critical STEM work force pipeline that businesses and communities across the country are looking for.”
“Girls are our country’s great untapped resource and are the key to our nation’s competitive advantage in the new digital economy we’re living in," Acevedo said. "They’ll be the drivers and the designers of our industries of the future, filling and creating jobs that don’t even exist yet.”
But, Effie Delimarkos, a spokesperson for Scouts BSA, said the Boy Scouts also have a STEM program that will be available for both boys and girls.
So, if this move by the Boy Scouts doesn't mean that the Girl Scouts are on their way out, I guess our cookies are safe and we can continue to look forward to those Thin Mints, Shortbreads, and S'Mores, and all those other goodies in the Girl Scout cookie lineup.
Whew! I was worried!