Who was in Boy Scouts/ Is an Eagle Scout?

[Wise Old Owl]

Scouting is what you make of it. A lot depends on the adult leaders, they can shape the troop, or let it founder. The most valuable offerings is the chance to assume leadership roles, and to interact with adults. But its fun things that will keep kids in the troop. Things that 13 yr old boys want to do. Focus on things that the 10 t o 12 yr olds can do as well, and you will lose the older boys. They need activities that excite them . I was a leader for several yes, still am technically, but couldn't get the troop to do much outside of their standard yearly plan.

Scouting today is changing as society changes. I don't know if that's good or bad.

My son dropped out at life, two reasons:
1. Conflicted with sports too much
2. There were no cool/popular kids left in it. Everyone left was an "odd" kid, and scouts was all they did. These weren't kids he wanted to be friends with, or even wanted to be seen with.

Kids have so many choices of activities today, especially athletics. IMO scouting has an image problem, and has lost many kids because of it.

I hoped philmont would keep him interested, maybe he'd want to do Rayado or work there as a ranger in college. Nope, he found the songs, skits, cheers all immature and questioned the sexual orientation of more than a couple of male rangers.(not that there is any thing wrong with any orientation)

Everyone who is not in sports is an "odd" kid. Thanks for sharing.

[MuddyWaters]

Everyone who is not in sports is an "odd" kid. Thanks for sharing.

I wouldn't say that. More like the kind of kids the girls aren't interested in. All of a sudden, what girls think becomes real important. Girls decide who is liked and popular, and who is not.

[HICKS]

Eagle Scout, '81. Troop 87 in Roswell, GA then troop 11 in Rocky Mount, NC. I would not be a backpacker today if not for the boy scout trips I went on as a teenager. Troop 87 in northern GA was particularly active.

[kidchill]

I was in scouts when I was around 10-13 or so...but, here's the thing. I had no idea Scouts actually went out and did anything. When I thru-hiked the AT, people kept saying, oh, that guy's an Eagle Scout, bla, bla, bla...I didn't realize it meant they actually spent time in the woods and had "outdoor" skills. I did make Eagle scout, but quit shortly after...I'm not sure why, but we really didn't do much anyways.

[Hunter87]

Eagle scourt 1974 Troop 235 Stockton Springs, Maine. we did our 50 miler in the White Mountains in NH.