Scouting America Simon Kenton Council Celebrates 115 Years of Youth Leadership, Character Development and Adventure

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Feb. 6, 2025) — Scouting America, previously known as Boy Scouts of America, is the nation’s foremost youth program, providing young people with unique opportunities focused on character development, leadership, fun and outdoor exploration. On Feb. 8, the organization will celebrate its 115th birthday, marking a pivotal moment in its journey as it officially adopts its new name, Scouting America. Scouting America continues to adapt to meet the evolving needs of young people, ensuring that future generations can benefit from this transformative program.

Scouting America provides a supportive environment where youth can thrive while creating memories and friendships that last a lifetime. Whether it’s a camping trip, a pinewood derby car race, or mastering high-tech skills like coding and robotics, Scouting provides what today’s young people––and their caregivers––are looking for: fun with friends, opportunities to grow, a sense of belonging, respect for individuality, and adventures where youth learn skills to succeed in life. As we look to the future, Scouting America is dedicated to providing young people with the values, skills and experiences they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

“Scouting America has helped instill timeless values for multiple generations of Americans,” said Roger Krone, Scouting America national president and CEO. “In an increasingly complex and interconnected world, the values and skills instilled by Scouting are more critical than ever, and the need for strong character, ethical decision-making and effective leadership remains paramount. As we celebrate 115 years of service to our nation, we are reaffirming our commitment to providing a safe and supportive environment where young people can develop these essential qualities, empowering them to reach their full potential and preparing them to become responsible and engaged citizens.”

Scouting America has remained committed to providing youth with a safe environment to learn meaningful life skills, create lifelong memories and grow into tomorrow’s leaders. In fact, more than 130 million Americans have been through Scouting America programs since our founding in 1910. Currently, more than 1 million youth are served by 477,000 dedicated adult volunteers in local councils throughout the country.

“While our mission has remained the same for the past 115 years, Scouting has evolved well beyond the traditional program from generations before,” said Travis Gulling, CEO and Scout Executive at Simon Kenton Council. “Today’s Scouting programs have grown and adapted to meet our youth’s unique challenges in an increasingly fast-paced digital world. These new ‘modern-day survival skills’ range from self-sufficiency, leadership, and teamwork learned early on in Cub Scouts to advanced skills like project leadership, rocketry, robotics, coding, and combating cyberbullying as youth move through the Scouting program. We’re excited to welcome the next generation of Scouts in our local communities.”

The weeklong birthday celebration will kick off with historic sites from coast-to-coast illuminated in red, white and blue lights in honor of Scouting America — including Niagara Falls, Milwaukee’s Hoan Bridge, St. Louis’ The Wheel at Union Station, Cleveland’s Terminal Tower, Pennsylvania State Capitol, Louisiana State Capitol, Baltimore City Hall and Capella Tower, and I-35W Mississippi River Bridge in Minneapolis. Scouts and non-Scouts alike can join in the celebration by sharing their favorite Scouting moments on Instagram (@boyscoutsofamerica) and TikTok (@scouting.america). Lastly, Scouting America will raise the redesigned organization flag over its headquarters in Irving, Texas on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

Scouting America invites families, individuals and communities nationwide to join its mission. Whether you come from a family with a Scouting tradition or are considering Scouting for the first time, we welcome you to be a part of our next 115 years. To learn more, visit www.BeAScout.org.

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About Simon Kenton Council

The Simon Kenton Council is one of the largest councils in the nation, serving 19 counties in central and southern Ohio and Greenup County in northern Kentucky. The council has more than 4,500 dedicated adult volunteers delivering the Scouting program to over 11,000 youth annually. To find a Scouting Unit near you, visit www.BeAScout.org.

About Scouting America

Scouting America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life®” Scouting America welcomes all of America’s youth into its programs. Our goal is to give them fantastic experiences in the outdoors, and elsewhere, where they can grow with us in a safe environment. More than 130 million Americans have been through our programs since our founding, and currently more than 1 million youth are served by 477,000 dedicated adult volunteers in local councils throughout the country. To learn more about Scouting America’s mission, or to sign your child up for Scouting, visit www.BeAScout.org.