EUGENE – One might think they understand what the Boys Scouts of America are all about. After all, the world-renowned organization has been around for more than 100 years.
Well, think again.
The scouts have rebranded as Scouting America, and more important than a new name is the commitment to a more inclusive environment, said Dave Jarvis, president of the Oregon Trail Council in Eugene. He oversees areas, including the southern Willamette Valley.
Jarvis puts it plainly.
“However they identify, I think it’s really good for us to have them in our program,” he said. Already the Oregon Trail Council has 187 girls participating out of 1,100 members. The number of girls in the program has been growing at a rate of 7.5% over a year, second in growth in our service territory, which spans from Washington to Utah.
Jarvis said he is especially excited about the prospect of more girls working as camp counselors.
“As girls get engaged in scouts, they go to a summer camp and go, ‘Oh, I can be a camp counselor,’” he said.
Jarvis acknowledged that changes will have to be made to facilities throughout the camps but said he sees this as a new chapter of scouting. “It’s a great thing for us because I think they bring a new level of maturity to our program, just a new way of thinking,” he said.
Jarvis also said more girls will be reaching the Eagle Scout level – the ultimate achievement in scouting.
“Eagle Scout is the highest rank that a young person can earn in the scouting program,” Jarvis said. “Who would not want a young lady to earn the rank of Eagle Scout?” Jarvis estimates that 50% of Eagle Scout projects this year were achieved by girls.
Jarvis stressed that a more inclusive scouting organization welcomes literally everyone.
“The fact that Scouting now accepts individuals who identify other than what we typically classify people as is great,” he said. The Oregon Trail Council volunteers at the Pride Festival in Eugene to show its support for the LGBTQ+ community in our area, and believes it’s important to let everyone have a chance to benefit from scouting.
“And the BSA’s policy is that we accept all genders,” Jarvis continued. “The BSA in the past was very restrictive; we only let boys in. We didn’t let somebody have an alternative lifestyle; we had restrictions. And part of the change for us moving there was that we, as a family, said, ‘Look, we want to include everybody. And that doesn’t mean just a segment of our population; we want to include everybody,’” Jarvis said.
He emphasized that his office is there to help people find a place. “We find them a pack or troop in their community and help them get engaged in the program.”
Jarvis touts the family benefits of scouting together. ”
“Why should a parent today put their kid in scouting? Because scouting has a 114-year history of providing leadership education to young people and introducing them to new adventures, new opportunities, and friendships.”
“I think of myself as a scout. I am still in contact with a couple of guys who I was a scout with back in the ‘80s. So you develop friendships that are going to last a lifetime. But they’re going to learn things; they’re going to learn skills that will help them throughout life, even if it’s just learning how to cook a meal, or how to be helpful, or how to provide first aid in a time of need. Scouting teaches skills that will be with them the rest of their life.”
Want more information on Scouting America? Call (541) 485-4433 go to https://otcbsa.org/
AnnaLisa Hisamoto was an intern for The Chronicle.
