The wait is over, and we now know what we’ll call the program for 11- to 17-year-old youth when girls can begin joining at the scheduled launch on Feb. 1, 2019.
Say hello to Scouts BSA!
Boys and girls who are part of Scouts BSA will be known as Scouts. Just as before, these Scouts will earn merit badges, go camping and work toward the Eagle Scout Award.
The organization name, Boy Scouts of America, will not change.
“As we enter a new era for our organization, it is important that all youth can see themselves in Scouting in every way possible,” says BSA Chief Scout Executive Michael Surbaugh. “That is why it is important that the name for our iconic Scouting program for older youth remain consistent with the single-name approach used for the Cub Scouts.”
Beginning during the scheduled launch of Feb. 1, 2019, girls can join all-girl troops. Boys can continue to join all-boy troops. Scouts BSA will not have any mixed-gender, or coed, troops.
What about Venturing, Sea Scouting and Exploring?
Girls have been part of the BSA since 1971 when Exploring began welcoming young women. Exploring, which began as a program for older Scouts, is now the nation’s marquee career-development program for youth. Sea Exploring, now called Sea Scouting, also welcomed young women beginning in 1971. Venturing crews have included young men and young women since the adventure-focused program’s inception in 1998.
What will happen to all these Venturing crews, Sea Scout ships and Explorer posts now that girls are welcome in all BSA programs? If anything, they’ll thrive. Each program offers unique opportunities that appeal to a young person’s specific — and evolving — needs and interests.
Learn more at venturing.org, seascout.org and exploring.org
FAQs
Q: Will dens of girls and troops of girls be required to have female leaders?
A: Two registered adult leaders 21 years of age or over are required at all Scouting activities, including meetings. There must be a registered female adult leader over 21 in every unit serving females. A registered female adult leader over 21 must be present for any activity involving female youth. Notwithstanding the minimum leader requirements, age- and program-appropriate supervision must always be provided.
Q: Are the Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA programs becoming coed?
A: No. In Cub Scouts, dens will be all-boy or all-girl. Packs will be made up of all-boy dens, all-girl dens or a combination of the two. In Scouts BSA, troops will be all-boy or all-girl. A chartered organization may also have “linked troops,” which means a shared troop committee with separate troops for boys and for girls.
Q: The BSA offered an Early Adopter program for select packs and councils that wanted to welcome girls into Cub Scouts early. Will there be a similar Early Adopter program for older girls in Scouts BSA?
A: No.
Q. Can chartered organizations choose whether to adopt the expanded program?
A: Yes. Chartered organizations always have the option to select from the BSA’s numerous program offerings. They can select any or all of the BSA programs to meet the needs of their members and the communities around them.
Q: Can linked troops share troop numbers?
A: Yes, they can share troop numbers.
Watch this video for a summary of how Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA will function:
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In a linked troop, will the charter organization have to pay another fee for the girl troop?
Why are the Boy Scouts dropping the name “Boy Scouts” in 2019? I thought the girls were going into a separate program. Will a separate program still be available just for boys? Thank you.
My charter organization doesn’t want any part of and does not agree with the name ScoutBSA and will only re-charter as a Boy Scout Troop. Does ScoutBSA only apply to the new Scout Me In girl troops? Thanks! Boy Scout, Scoutmaster!
Is this some sort of a silly joke? Why would the boy scouts not be made up of boys? What is this world coming to?
Does the girl scouts want to start accepting boys too? Who are the leaders of this new organization and why are they choosing to do this?
As an Eagle Scout, I think this change is a log over due change. For those who are opposed to this change, you need to review the Citizenship in the Community, Nation, and World badges. A good citizen does not discriminate against a person because of Gender, Sexuality, Religion, and etc. This also applies to the change in policy of allowing homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgender children and adult leaders into Scouting. These issues have made me be ashamed of being called an Eagle Scout for 30 years.
Well said
That’s too bad. I’m still proud of earning my Eagle in a Boy Scout troop. No one is discriminating by keeping the girl and boy programs separate. The only discrimination is dropping the name Boy Scouts for political correctness!
Ehhhh…girls do not belong in the Boy Scouts of America program. Period. This is a boys program and has been for 108 years. No one is discriminating and NO one thought that way 5 or 10 or 20 or 50 or 75 or 100 years ago. Why now? That is how it was made to be. That is why they made Girl Scouts to not include boys. There are many reasons to keep them both separate. Girls and boys of these ages should be kept separate. All of our mothers of boys in the troop disagree with the change as well. Changing it does not make it better. It instead degrades what once was a true icon of America. If this is being done because of $$, that is a shame. If this is being done to boost numbers, that is a shame. If this is being done because of a very few noise makers, that is a shame. Here we all very much disagree with this decision. If you want an organization for both – then go start a new one but don’t change this one just for the sake of change. We should not be dropping the name Boy from the scouting program. We are very disappointed with the leadership for making this change to appease whomever after 108 years of proven success as the BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA. If we want girls here then pull in the Girl Scouts of America with the Boy Scouts of America and create an umbrella called Scouts of America or something like that. This is all very disappointing to many scouting families and alumni.
My dear friends in scouting, , ,I miss it so much..75 years ago two scoutmasters gave up their valuable time and gave me a father figuer in my life. There were a lot of boys ,,,but to day its so different, parents are hauling kids to something else every nite of the week. It was the same in Rotary,as a 35 year member I saw a lot of change. the biggest of course when ladies could join , , ,WHOW, , some of the good boys said over my dead body, , , NO WAY, , but what wonderfull change it was.. More attendance, interest, money, programs ect. GOD BLESS , times are changeing.
Still think it will be confusing using the same troop number for the linked troops. Do not know if that’s a great ideal, this is from someone who is behind forming our second female troop in our town.
Change is always so hard. But without change bravery would be useless. There would be no calls to leadership, no tests of our humility, no chances for new adventures. No growth.
Of course it’s how we respond to change that defines our character, that will be remembered tomorrow. Are we strong enough?
Will we be helpful? Can we be friendly, courteous, and kind? For real. What about Brave?
What does it really mean to be a leader?
What lessons and values will our daughters and sons take to heart from all this? How will we send them into tomorrow?
I hope they’ll remember how we humbly stood up, stronger together, and bravely built upon Scouting.
Isn’t that why we’ve been here all along?
We have chartered a new female troop as part of our scouting organization. We existed as a Pack and Troop 1305 in Laurel Highlands Council. We meet in two chartered organizations, but are branded as one called The Mighty 1305. When we went to charter our female Troop, we were instructed that we could not use the same number, even though your FAQ’s say that you can. We were forced to use 9305 for the new Troop. I find this very contradicting with the national perspective. We attempted to have them be the same, but our council says that they want to distinguish between female and male troops. Can we make them change this?