(7 May 2024)
FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4492963
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dallas - 1 May 2024
1. Various of female eagle scout showing and explaining the patches on uniform
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Lois Alvar, Eagle Scout:
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“I got my Eagle Scout in 2021, so I've been an Eagle Scout for three years now.”
3. Various of female eagle scout showing and explaining the patches on uniform
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Lois Alvar, Eagle Scout:
“I've had a lot of trouble in the past explaining to people that I'm not exactly part of the Girl Scouts program, but I'm part of Scouts BSA.”
5. Various of patch with Boy Scouts of America name and logo displayed
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Lois Alvar, Eagle Scout:
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“Scouting America sounds a lot more inclusive of all of the other people that are in scouting.”
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Roger Krone, CEO of the Boy Scouts of America:
“I think it sends this really strong message to everyone in America that they can come to this program, they can bring their authentic self, they can be who they are and they can they will be welcomed here.”
8. Various of Boy Scouts of America headquarters in Dallas
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Roger Krone, CEO of the Boy Scouts of America:
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“The argument that I make with the people that say, well, ‘I always like Boy Scouts of America or BSA, why do we have to change?’ You know, membership is at historic lows. Part of my job is to reduce all the barriers I possibly can for people to accept us as an organization and to join.”
10. Various of Eagle Scout showing photos on phone
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Lois Alvar, Eagle Scout:
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“In the past, the name itself or the name alone, even though we were opened up to girls, there were still a couple of different challenges that we were facing. It wasn't just other scouts that were trying to put us down, but also some adults who were still not open to it. And so having it nationally recognized that girls are being welcomed and included in scouting allows it to be a more safe space, just in general. But I think it's also important that scouts everywhere feel like the national scouting community is accepting them.”
12. Tight of Eagle Scout showing photo on phone
STORYLINE:
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history, rebranding as Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
The organization steeped in tradition has made seismic changes after decades of turmoil, from finally allowing gay youth to welcoming girls into its ranks. With an eye on increasing flagging membership numbers, the organization announced the name change Tuesday at its annual meeting in Florida.
“In the next 100 years we want any youth in America to feel very, very welcome to come into our programs,” Roger Krone, who took over last fall as president and chief executive officer, said in an interview before the announcement.
The organization began allowing gay youth in 2013 and gay adult leaders in 2015. In 2017, it made the historic announcement that girls would be admitted, with girls being accepted as Cub Scouts as of 2018 and into the flagship Boy Scout program — renamed Scouts BSA — in 2019.
“Girls were like: ‘You can join Boy Scouts of America?’” said Chipman, now a 20-year-old college student and assistant scoutmaster of her troop.
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