The Boy Scouts will now be known as Scouts BSA.
Contributed Article
The Boy Scouts of America have announced that they’ll be dropping the word “boy” from their name. The Cub Scouts’ name will remain the same.
The Boy Scouts of America announced they will be changing their official name to Scouts BSA and is now welcoming girls.
This comes ahead of a new campaign called “Scout Me In,” emphasizing the more than a century old institution’s expansion to include girls in the organization.
The Boy Scouts of America announced the organization is welcoming girls from first through fifth grades to the Cub Scouts this year, and girls from the sixth grade and up to join the Boy Scouts and work to the rank of Eagle Scout if they wish, starting next year.
While girls have for some time been able to join Venturing, Sea Scouting, and Exploring, this is the first time they have been able to join the Cub Scouts and the Boy Scouts.
Beginning in February 2019, it will be known as Scouts BSA.
“Scouts BSA perfectly represents the new, inclusive program for older Scouts that the Boy Scouts of America is proud to offer,” said Effie Delimarkos, a spokesperson.
Chief Scout Executive Michael Surbaugh told the Associated Press that many names were considered and that the ultimate goal was “to land on something that evokes the past but also conveys the inclusive nature of the program going forward.” Surbaugh said he expects that kids enrolled in Scouts BSA would refer to themselves just as “scouts,” without “girl” or “boy” identifiers.
In October, Boy Scouts of America announced it would allow girls into the Cub Scouts program, a step in allowing them to earn the coveted Eagle Scout ranking. So far, 3,000 girls have joined roughly 170 Cub Scout packs in the first rollout of the new policy. Scouts BSA will begin admitting female members next year.
The following is a news release from the BSA.
Scout Me In Says Count Me In!
We’re proud to introduce Scout Me In, the new recruitment campaign that invites all kids and families in America to be part of the life-changing experience that is Scouting. The tagline, Scout Me In, celebrates the BSA’s historic decision to serve families and welcome girls and boys into Scouting so they can experience the character-building fun and adventure the program brings to life in communities across the country.
It’s more than just a tagline, Scout Me In reinforces that the mission and core values in the Scout Oath and Law are important and relevant for both young men and women.
What It Means For Kids
Scout Me In is a call to action. It’s an invitation to take part in the fun and adventure that will help kids to build the confidence to find and forge a path to their own best self – today and in the future. For families, Scout Me In is a call for togetherness. Today’s families are busier than ever. They are looking for options that welcome the whole family – mom, dad, sisters, and brothers – to the adventure of Scouting. For the BSA, Scout Me In is a call for celebration! This is historic!
By welcoming boys and girls into Cub Scouts – and into our older youth Scouting program scheduled for February 2019 – even more young people will have access to the character development and values-based leadership that will prepare them for a lifetime of success. It’s time to celebrate! It’s not just for Cub Scouts – That’s why you’ll see versions of the Scout Me In tagline with the BSA fleur de Lis, the Cub Scout logo, and the Scouts BSA logo. A Spanish-language version is coming soon. No matter the version, Scout Me In says “Count Me In!”
Scout Me In Puts Kids in the Middle of the Action
It is harder than ever to capture people’s attention. To break through, we needed a crisp, modern way to show families and kids that they need Scouting in their lives. The Scout Me In campaign is rooted in the idea that to truly understand Scouting, you need to shift your perspective. Instead of giving boys and girls a pulled-back view of Scouting, Scout Me In puts them right into the middle of the action, so they literally see things from the point of view of doing all the biking, rocket-launching, campfire-starting, big-mouth-bass-angling awesomeness that is Cub Scouts.
And for parents, Scout Me In campaign creative captures the excitement of seeing their child doing these activities in contemporary ways with images and copy that reinforce the family and character benefits of Scouting.
Cutting-edge Photography With cutting-edge photography and video
Scout Me In puts kids in the middle of the action with a diverse range of activities from fishing, canoeing, biking, and rockets. The result is an engaging set of creative assets unlike any other! Scout Me In Campaign Assets These assets include two-sided recruiting flyers – one side from the perspective of potential Scouts and the other side from the parent’s perspective – digital tools, engaging social media content and more. Activities include: • Rockets • Canoeing • STEM/Slime • Biking • Fishing Additionally, we are supporting fall recruiting with a digital media buy focusing on SEO and paid social to reach parents during the key time in key markets when they are making decisions about the activities and organizations for their family. We’re releasing the Scout Me In recruitment assets on the Marketing and Membership Hub as they become available. You can find Scout Me In logo assets there, too.
Use Scout Me In to Reach the Full Family!
Use the Scout Me In logo and recruitment assets in recruitment this fall.
Share the Scout Me In campaign assets with volunteers and unit leaders to build excitement for fall recruitment o Use the Scout Me In logo and assets on your websites, social media, email, newsletters, events, banners and signage – anywhere you reach volunteers and families o Use the Scout Me In concept to tell the story of family Scouting in your community o Use the hashtag #ScoutMeIn with your Family Scouting social media content to spread the word. It’s more than a tagline – it’s a call to action. Just say, “Scout Me In!”
Scout Me In Questions and Answers
Q: Does this replace the Build an Adventure campaign?
A: We know there are councils that may still want to use Build an Adventure, however, our national campaign and media buys will feature Scout Me In.
Q: Will the assets be available in Spanish?
A: Yes. Materials will be available in English, Spanish, and bilingual versions.
Q: What about diversity?
A: We want to represent the diversity of the communities we serve in Scouting. Recruiting materials will reflect a range of different youth.
Q: Are there more resources coming?
A: Yes! There are more than 300 individual pieces being produced showing boys, girls, and pack activities with boys and girls – all in English, Spanish, and bilingual versions. These assets will continue to roll out over the next month.
Adventure Has a New Name: Scouts BSA
As we enter a new era for our organization, it is important that all youth can see themselves in Scouting in every way possible. That is why we’re proud to announce that Scouts BSA is the new name for the Boy Scout program. Scouts BSA perfectly represents the new, inclusive program for older Scouts that the Boy Scouts of America is proud to offer. The name change will be effective in February 2019, when Scouts BSA will begin welcoming girls and boys.
Why Scouts BSA? Because it builds on the legacy of the Scout name. The Scout meetings, Scout camp, the Scout handbook, Scouts themselves – we have more than 108 years of heritage and tradition built on the Scout name. The organization name will continue to be ‘Boy Scouts of America.’ The BSA will continue to build the future of Scouting with Scouts BSA, as we deliver character and leadership and offer a path to the rank of Eagle Scout for boys and girls. It’s not just what I do, it’s who I am.
How Was the New Name Determined?
In February 2018, the BSA began working with an outside agency to develop naming options for the Older Girl/Youth Program. Guidelines included: • The organization name ‘Boy Scouts of America’ will not change • The name must be relevant to today’s youth and families • Explore two scenarios: (1) Two names – keep the name ‘Boy Scout’ and come up with a name for the older girl program, or (2) One name – develop one name that would be used for the program that would serve both boys and girls. After reviewing and refining a list of potential names, the BSA shared the naming options with key stakeholders, including volunteer panels, professional panels, district operations basic classes, panels of commissioners, the Boy Scout Support Committee, the Marketing Committee and the Scout Executive Marketing Advisory panel. Outcomes Each group independently came to the conclusion that a separate name for the Boy Scout program and another name for the girl program was confusing and risked communicating an incorrect assumption that the girl program was perhaps watered down or somehow different.
One Name is the Best Choice
All of the groups independently decided that the one-name scenario was the best choice. They also agreed that the best name choice was ‘Scouts’. They agreed that the name ‘Scouts’ best preserved the brand equity of the program and provided the easiest transition. As we enter a new era for our organization, Scouts BSA perfectly represents the new, inclusive program for older Scouts.
Scouts BSA Questions and Answers
Q: Are you changing the name of the organization?
A: No, our iconic organization name will continue to be Boy Scouts of America
Q: When will the name change be effective?
A: The scheduled launch date for Scouts BSA is February 1, 2019.
Q: What will the members of the program be called?
A: Just as today, they will be called Scouts. For example, “I’m in Scouts BSA, so I am a Scout.”
Q: Will The Boy Scout Handbook be updated to reflect the new name?
A: Yes.
