The announcement that Boy Scouts of America will allow girls to become Cub Scouts and eventually earn the coveted rank of Eagle Scout is good news for young ladies across the nation. It will only help girls in central Kansas if there is enough interest in membership and enough willing volunteers to start all-girl chapters, however.
There are other options for girls, who can join Girl Scouts. Boys and girls are welcome in 4-H and Camp Fire, so at least in some cases there is no reason not to have co-ed programs.
Are there boys who would want to be Girl Scouts?
BSA has worked to become more inclusive in our changing world. Girls were already part of a few of its scouting programs: Venturing, Sea Scouting, Exploring and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). But until now they could not attain Eagle Scout status, the highest honor for a Boy Scout.
The Eagle Scout program has been good for communities and for building the character of young people. Visit the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo or the Barton County Historical Society, to name two beneficiaries, and someone can show you work that was done as an Eagle Scout project.
Those who are Eagle Scouts can add it to their resumes. They are eligible for scholarships and can advance faster if they enter the military. Do other programs offer these benefits?
This news should not threaten existing programs for girls, although it may cause some of them to step up their game, including their marketing.