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by Chloe Moody
Boy Scouts of America has long been a permanent fixture of our community. With their involvement in events such as food drives, Christmas tree pick-ups, and numerous efforts to better our community, BSA has a long-standing reputation for fostering skills of independence and leadership in Napa’s young boys. However, the larger public remains unaware that BSA has welcomed both boys and girls for years. Prior to 2018, young girls watched their brothers climb through the ranks of scouting, unable to participate in the more athletic and physical activities BSA offers. Today, there are over 176,000 girls involved in BSA, 6,000 of whom having achieved the elite rank ofEagle Scout.
Earlier this year, on the organization’s birthdate, Boy Scouts of America announced their renaming after a 115 year history. The new name, “Scouting America,” encompasses the new goals of the organization, emphasizing that scouting is for everybody. “Scouting America” isn’t a reformulation of the Boy Scouts model; rather, a declaration of the organization’s commitment to inclusivity, as well as a deliberate attempt at desensitizing the public of the BSA name after a somewhat problematic history.
Since its establishment in Napa in 1911, BSA currently hosts 9 total troops—including 4 all-girl troops—across Napa, Benicia, Calistoga, and American Canyon. Scoutmaster Caley Harvey, the newest volunteer member of Napa’s Troop 516G, expressed excitement about the growth opportunities that the organization’s rebrand will bring: “We’ll be able to streamline the volunteers so there’s not as much ‘double duty’ going on, there’ll be more volunteers to go on outings.” For the girls, earning merit badges, learning leadership skills, and mentoring others are just a few of the new opportunities available to them through BSA.
But why would an 11-year-old girl join an organization historically catered to young boys? What are the differences between these activities and that of Girl Scouts? “BSA is more focused on outdoor and adventure activities, more camping and physical activities than Girl Scouts,” Harvey denotes. Where the programming of Girl Scouts tends to be less intensive and more soft-skills based, BSA hopes to welcome and uplift young girls into their tradition of leadership and entrepreneurial spirit.
While the launch is in its beginning stages, BSA is currently in the process of lining up linked troops for a pilot program of co-ed troops scheduled to begin next year. The pilot program, for boys and girls ages 10-18, is chartered by the First Presbyterian Church of Napa. BSA leadership expressed their confidence in the charter’s potential approval following the evaluation of the one-year pilot program. The name change and inclusion of girls are the only changes being made—no adjustments to the usual format or programming of BSA will be modified as a result of the rebrand. “Girls will be able to succeed in the same requirements in order to advance in the ranks, same as the boys,” says Harvey. Ultimately, the importance of leadership and independence lies at the heart of BSA, which is nurtured through bonds created in troops consisting of multiple age groups. Through this model, older scouts have the opportunity to lead their younger scout mates through activities and merit badges. “When they hit the rank of first class, they work on leadership skills, such as patrol leader, or senior patrol leader,” adds Silverado District Commissioner Wendy LaBerge, “but prior to that, they’re learning skills, teaching skills to teach the younger kids. The goal is to keep those patrols throughout their stay in the program.”
If BSA has been inclusive of girls for several years now, why is now the right time for this rebrand? “Coming out of COVID, everyone was hibernating,” says Harvey, “you lose track of opportunities that are out there. A great way for kids to get out and start communicating with each other and stop spending the majority of the day on their phone. Now that we’re out of that, we really want more people to benefit from this program.” Like similar extracurricular enrichment organizations, BSA saw a drop in membership and participation as a result of the pandemic, losing over 1 million members nationwide (AP News). Membership increase, while not a primary motivation behind the rebrand, is an anticipated outcome that will greatly benefit the success of the scouting program.
As an organization, Scouting America has received backlash from their initial announcement of the name change, with many critics fearing it will damage the integrity and spirit at the heart of the organization’s history, which has been notably exclusive. “There may be naysayers,” says BSA volunteer, Scoutmaster Steve Rodriguez, “but the education about being inclusive of boys and girls, them doing these things together, that’s really important.” While some may disagree with the change, BSA’s commitments to diversity, leadership, and outdoor adventure in scouting are not gender specific. Additionally, many BSA volunteers and parents recognize the benefits of their children regularly interacting with a diverse variety of peers, including those of the opposite gender, on a regular basis.
“If you have any inclination of wanting to figure out what scouting is about, we’re right here in Napa. Come experience it for yourselves, any time,” urges Troop Committee Chairman Dean LaBerge. Not only is anyone welcome and encouraged to join, Napa’s BSA units offer an opportunity to attend a meeting without making a commitment (sort of like a gym membership). In fact, spare uniform items such as belts and pants are made available to scouts who have yet to make full membership commitment.
“The nice thing about scouting is that it allows people to learn from their mistakes and grow, not to stay in one specific little box,” LaBarge goes on to say about the invaluable life experience BSA fosters, “It’s open to boys, girls, people with disabilities, they can all benefit.”
Although the official rollout of the rebrand is not set to launch until the pilot program in 2025, young girls in the Napa area are welcome and encouraged to join in the meantime. “It may be intimidating for girls to come,” Scoutmaster Harvey allows, “but please, come, and we’ll work with you to see if this is a good fit for your child.”
Go to bsa.org to locate different units in Napa County (or anywhere in the United States), and submit a request to inquire about meetings. (Note: Parents must stay with their child during their first meeting).
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