If you think girls wouldn’t want to be part of the Cub Scouts, you probably aren’t aware of all the fun stuff they get to do.
"You get to go to parks, you get to ride your bike, you get to pet a bug," exclaims one young girl about why she loves being a Cub Scout.
And now, thanks to a historic change, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), one of the country's oldest ongoing youth programs, is giving girls the chance to get in on these awesome adventure-filled activities that build character and leadership skills.
All photos via Cub Scouts/Upworthy.
In October 2017, the 108-year-old organization announced it would officially open the doors to girls in the Cub Scouting program for the first time ever. And in January 2018, the very first girl Cub Scouts (kids in kindergarten through 5th grade) took their pledge to join and recited the same Scout Law: “A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.”
To date, there are more than 32,000 girls registered in Cub Scout packs all across the country.
In order to keep that momentum up, BSA launched "Scout Me In," a campaign to recruit more young girls and boys into the Cub Scouts.
BSA wants parents and kids to know that all boys and girls, no matter their gender, will be welcomed into the Scouting program. They’ll be given equal opportunity to participate in the same activities, learn the same skills, and vie for the same badges and levels of distinction, like the coveted Eagle Scout rank.
There will be times where boys and girls will be together, and other times they’ll work as dens of all girls or dens of all boys so that they can benefit from both dynamics.
All Cub Scouts get to do things like hike, learn emergency preparedness skills, play games, and give back to the community through service projects, just to name a few. It's no surprise that girls would want to get in on the fun.
And the boy Cub Scouts are excited to welcome the girls.
"I think girls are going to enjoy being in the Cub Scouts, because I think it's fun for everybody. Not just boys," said one boy.
In a time when women are fighting to get the same treatment and respect as men in the workplace, it's comforting to see younger generations being given a much more even playing field. Together, this new group of Scouts will help build a better, brighter future.
