Boy Scouts Announces Name Change to Become More Inclusive

IRVING, TX - The Boy Scouts of America announced today that it will rebrand to “Scouting America.”

The organization stated that this is an effort to reflect the organization’s ongoing commitment to “welcome every youth and family in America to experience the benefits of Scouting.” 

The change will go into effect on February 8, 2025, the organization’s 115th anniversary. 

The organization began allowing gay youth in 2013 and ended a blanket ban on gay adult leaders in 2015. In 2017, it announced that girls would be accepted as Cub Scouts as of 2018 and into the flagship Boy Scout program — renamed Scouts BSA — in 2019.

Scouting America currently serves more than 176,000 girls and young women across all programs, including over 6,000 who have earned the rank of Eagle Scout. 

“Though our name will be new, our mission remains unchanged: we are committed to teaching young people to be Prepared. For Life,” said Roger A. Krone, president and chief executive officer of Scouting America. “This will be a simple but very important evolution as we seek to ensure that everyone feels welcome in Scouting.” 

According to the organization, its ongoing goal is to provide young people with a safe environment where they can learn meaningful life skills and have fun, educational experiences, fostering their growth and future outcomes as leaders, and be prepared for life. 

At the same time, values instilled by the Scout Oath and Law help prepare young people for "lives of purpose and impact." 

More than 130 million Americans have been through Scouting programs since its founding in 1910. Currently, more than 1 million youth, including both men and women, are served by 477,000 dedicated adult volunteers in local councils throughout the country. 

To date, more than 2.75 million youth have earned Scouting’s highest rank of Eagle Scout. 

In addition to supporting the nation’s youth, Scouting America will continue to be an important asset to strengthen our communities, having provided more than 7 million hours of volunteer services for community improvement and other projects across the country annually. 

“Scouting America provides a welcoming, safe environment where youth can become the best version of themselves by learning from and respecting each other,” said Krone. “I encourage everyone to join us and experience the benefits of Scouting.”