The Boy Scouts of America announced Wednesday it will call its older youth program “Scouts BSA” following its decision to allow girls into the group.
The name change will be effective February 2019, the organization said, and was unveiled alongside a new campaign called “Scout Me In” highlighting the expansion to welcome girls into the Cub Scout program.
“As we enter a new era for our organization, it is important that all young can see themselves in Scouting in every way possible,” Chief Scout Executive of Boy Scouts of America Michael Surbaugh said in a statement. “That is why it is important that the name of our Scouting program for older youth remain consistent with the single name approach used for the Cub Scouts.”
The change in name will apply only to the Boy Scouts program, while the broader organization will remain the Boy Scouts of America, Surbaugh said.
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The 100-plus-year-old organization announced in October it would allow girls to join the Cub Scouts program and develop a new program for older girls to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.
The Cub Scouts program is open to children ages 5 to 10, and the new Scouts BSA program is available to children and teenagers ages 11 to 17.
Since its October announcement, the Boy Scouts of America said more than 3,000 girls have enrolled in its Early Adopter Program and are participating in Cub Scouts.
The organization said it decided to begin admitting girls to address the needs of families that are busier and more diverse.
