Scouting's Next Century
The BSA becomes an advocate for youth.
In an ideal world, I’d love to be able to snap my fingers and make everything perfect.
In that perfect world, it would be great to know that when people need an organization to turn to for the welfare of kids across the country and yes, even around the globe, they would turn to Scouting.
 Photograph by Dan Bryant |
We can make that happen in our next century.
Up until now, the Boy Scouts of America has been positioned as a “feel good” organization full of bright, happy kids who go camping.
Up until now, we haven’t been seen as an advocate to help young people. We haven’t been perceived as a purveyor of solutions to their problems.
Now we can.
We have reintroduced Scouting to people across this great land, telling them what we do, and why what we do is good for our kids. Our 100th anniversary celebration is helping us do that, and helping to redefine Scouting to the American people.
Now, it is time for Scouting to be proactive in providing solutions for our young people. They are the way of the future, and we need to do all we can to guide them along the Scouting trail with all the support we can muster.
This is a new direction that we can take in the new century. We can tackle the problems of youth obesity, educational status, single-parent families, youth crimes, and personal safety.
We can cross the cultural and religious bridges that we have, at times, shied away from exploring to bring new and underserved populations into our organization. We will be millions strong.
Generations of Scouts will soon explore the wonders of our new National Scouting Center in West Virginia, thanks to the tremendous $50 million contribution from, and remarkable vision of, Stephen D. Bechtel Jr.
We will never have to reintroduce Scouting to the American people again.
It is my fervent hope that we inspire others like you to embrace Scouting like never before.
That’s my hope for a perfect world. That’s my hope for the next century for Scouting.
I am very proud to work alongside all of you to make that happen.
Robert J. Mazzuca
Chief Scout Executive