HOUSTON – After more than a 100 years of tradition, the Boy Scouts organization continues to reinvent itself.
On Wednesday, the Boy Scouts of America organization announced it’s changing its name.
The parent organization will keep its name, but their program aimed at kids 11 to 17 years old will be known as Scouts BSA.
The change is one of many over the last several years, including accepting openly gay scouts and volunteers, and transgender boys.
Girls, too, can join the Boy Scouts.
It’s a move some Houston girls and parents welcome.
For instance, Troop 222 of the Sam Houston Area Council meets to iron out some details on an upcoming fundraising event.
Also at the table is 15-year-old Kelly Watkins.
She’s part of the Boy Scouts' co-ed venture crew and sea scouts but is not officially part of the Boy Scouts yet.
“I was a Girl Scout but I think I wanted to do more outside stuff than we originally did," Watkins said. "And so I was only in that for two years. ...
“I think it’s really cool. I guess I understand people who just want it to be boys but I think it’s a good thing that younger girls would be able to join venture crew. I think it’s good that they’re going to have a place where they can really go outside and learn things like that.”
Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 222 Todd Thrash has been a part of the Boy Scout for most of his life.
He welcomes the change.
“The cornerstone of the program is really about leadership development and character development and that is very gender agnostic,” Thrash said. “There’s plenty of opportunities for young men and women to get everything out of this program.”
Some Boy Scouts like Georgie Hightower say the “boys club” stigma is outdated.
He feels girls can benefit from the organization.
"I think that’s okay because everybody should know the leadership opportunities that Boy Scouts is giving out.”
He sees nothing wrong with changing the name to make it more inclusive.
“The program was written for boys and people a lot of people are against that,” Hightower said. "I mean I don’t have anything against the name change. It’s just taking one word out. It’s not adding anything."
Mary Vitek, CEO of the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, says Girl Scouts still provide the best leadership development designed specifically for girls.
She issued the following statement regarding the Boy Scouts changes:
“Girl Scouts has been the premier girl leadership development organization and the girl expert for over 100 years. There is no organization that more thoroughly understands the value of programming designed specifically for girls and delivered in an all-girl learning space. We offer girls the single best leadership experience in the world and families the best option to support the development of their girls into strong, confident women. What else do we have to say? Join Girl Scouts.”
The Boy Scouts’ name change is expected to take next February.