Today we gained significant insight into the American scouting movement and its recent evolution. Most notably, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) officially rebranded as Scouting America in early 2025, marking a pivotal shift in the organization's history. Since its founding in 1910, the program has focused on outdoor proficiency, character building, and citizenship; however, it has faced immense challenges in recent years. In February 2020, the BSA filed for bankruptcy following the exposure of a decades-long pattern of sexual abuse and systematic efforts to conceal it. This era of scandal and restructuring has coincided with a sharp decline in participation; while the program boasted over five million members in the mid-1970s, that number has since dwindled to just over one million.
Currently, roughly 200 councils across the United States support these one million active scouts, bolstered by approximately 475,000 adult volunteers. Scouting America is now fully inclusive, welcoming girls and young women alongside their male counterparts; female scouts now account for roughly 17% of total membership. On an annual basis, the organization awards approximately 1.3 million merit badges, with about 30,000 scouts reaching the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout. It was also clarified that the Girl Scouts of the USA remains an entirely separate, active, and independent organization.
On a local level, the Patriots’ Path Council serves more than 11,000 youth and 4,000 volunteer leaders across Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Union counties. We were privileged to hear from Council President Jack Flood, District Executive Brian Day, and long-time volunteer Terry Dwyer. Their presentation highlighted that scouting remains vibrant in our immediate community: Summit hosts two Cub Scout packs with 93 members and 17 advisors, while New Providence supports 83 youth and 22 advisors. Summit has one scout troop consisting of 52 scouts and 28 dedicated volunteers and NP has two troops consisting of 40 scouts and 29 volunteers.
We are grateful to Jack, Brian, and Terry for sharing this update on the renewal of the scouting movement and look forward to its continued progress.
Steve LaFerriere, Brian, Terry, Jack & David Dietze