Scouting gets better with age!

Boy Scouts has changed over the decades. When my Grandfather received his Eagle Scout, merit badges like Botany were required. Outdoor skills were the most important element of Scout development. It was assumed that when you reached Eagle Scout that you'd be able to survive in the wilderness, sharpen a knife, make fire without matches. No so anymore. I have personally seen Eagle Scouts who have never sharpened an axe or a knife. But that's not to say that Boy Scouting has lost something over the years. No, I argue instead that Scouting has evolved, become better. It's a sign of the times that kids need more work on developing leadership and communication skills, that citizenship needs to be taught and encouraged. Let's face it: we don't live on farms anymore like my Gramps did.

What I loved most about Scouting was the outdoor stuff: firebuilding, camping, wilderness survival. I loved first aid and hiking as well. But I realized way later that what I NEEDED from Scouting was exactly what I got: the ability to set and achieve goals. Through Scouting I was able to manage projects and people in a way that put me way beyond my peers outside of college. The skills I developed in Scouting were the essential skills for success in the workplace...skill sets not even touched in college, let alone high school.

My advice: stick with Scouting all the way to the end. Learn what you DON'T KNOW!

See you at the top,

Brian Colwell