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Filed under: In The News
The Boy Scouts are recruiting Hispanic kids. Credit: Corbis
And if he happens be Hispanic too, gosh, that would be swell.
Scout leaders are specifically looking for Hispanic kids.
"The challenge we have is that there's very little understanding of what Scouting is about in the Hispanic community, at least in the first- and second-generation families," Marcos Nava tells the Denver Post. He heads the Boy Scouts of America's Hispanic Initiatives project in Irving, Texas.
He tells the Post that Denver is part of a national pilot project to recruit Scouts from the Hispanic community.
The Boy Scouts' Denver Area Council includes about 9,000 Boy Scouts. Only 10 percent of them are Hispanic. The council's chief executive, John Cabeza, tells the Post that number could potentially triple.
"We know if we can get kids into Scouting, they're more likely to graduate from high school, stay out of trouble and succeed in life," Cabeza tells the newspaper. "We want to reach a larger percentage of those young people."
Scouting is in trouble overall.
The total number of Scouts has dropped by 17 percent to 2.8 million boys over the past decade, according to the Post. The drop is especially acute among the Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts and Webelos -- the programs for younger children who eventually become full-fledged Scouts.
Part of the reason, the Post reports, is that Scouting is increasingly controversial politically. National Scouting leaders banned openly gay people from serving as troop leaders in 1991.
Hispanics are the fastest-growing demographic group in the United States. Scouting leaders may see this new recruitment drive as one way of preserving their organization.
"Our goal is to have 200,000 Hispanic Scouts by the end of the year," Nava tells the Post. "It's a very aggressive goal, but I think we've put together a marketing program that's tremendous."
Nonetheless, the Post reports, Scouting faces some problems in the 21st century.
"The main problem they face is the image," Walker McDonald tells the Post. He is a part of 4 Aspects, a Denver-area group that works with schools and at-risk youth to discourage truancy and gang activity.
"A young kid wearing a uniform on the streets could face harassment, especially if he doesn't have older siblings," McDonald tells the paper.
"It's critical that Scouting partners with existing neighborhood programs," he adds. "And I mean real solid grassroots programs, not United Way."
Boys Scouts of America officials are hiring more bilingual and bicultural staff. A Spanish-language Scout handbook came out late last year.
"Not every child will connect with Scouting, but we need to give them the opportunity," Bob Mazzuca, the CEO of Boys Scouts of America, tells the Post. "Scouting makes families stronger, and family is foremost in the Hispanic community."
Related: Did the Girl Scouts Need a Makeover?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 4)
2-05-2010 @ 4:05PM
TSJ said...This probably isn't that big of a deal. It's not like Hispanics aren't aware of the Scouts if they want their kids to be part of it. My son is the only non-Hispanic in his den, for Pete's sake.
Reply
2-05-2010 @ 5:00PM
herb sedler said...The scouts are good for america,Sure the 1991 issue with some closed minded leaders about preference among leaders was a mistake.If you no anything about the scouts they are always supervised by a few adults.The scout foundation was built on being a good person,color or language never was a issue,Seek out boys not % of a certain backgrounds try to stick to the foundation and in america we teach the english language should the boys be prepared to adapt and respect the country they live in.My son has just finished his eagle project and we are so impressed by his dedication and these values will walk with him threw out life and being strong and making a positive difference will allow you to hold your head up high and set a example that if you try you can succeed.
Reply
2-06-2010 @ 2:57AM
Dawn said...The Boy Scouts teach intolerance. I stopped supporting them when they went out of their way to cast out gays. Even a gay man needs to know how to survive. The woods don't particularly care if your straight or gay. And quite frankly the boys I've seen lately in the program aren't much of a glowing example of fine young men either.
2-07-2010 @ 5:49PM
G1Gators said...AMEN!!!!!! I am so tired of AMERICA bending over backwards to support and please other countries. It is high time that OTHER countries RESPECT AMERICA and adapt to AMERICAN ways. This is my country and I am full blooded American. If I go to another country then I should adapt to their culture and vice versa.
2-05-2010 @ 5:11PM
chalogmom said...Personally as a mom of a scout - well 2 scouts and one that has been involved in scouts for years - i am glad of the stance they took on allowing gays as leaders. For once the concern is of the kids and not of being politically correct and actually standing by the morals and values of what scouts stand for.
I would not want my child to have a gay scout leader and to each their own but it is not a lifestyle that i think is right
and on the hispanic drive - hey they deserve to know more about this piece of american history and the more the merrier
Reply
2-06-2010 @ 6:01AM
notorius said...Sigh. If you get a gay leader, he's not going to teach the kids to be gay! Get real! Not all GAY men appear effeminate! Not all of them talk with a lisp. Some appear straight looking and you would never know! They have to follow what ever guide they are given and whatever rules they have to follow to teach the boys to become MORAL citizens. One of them is not his own agenda.
You may not agree with their life style, but you are not allowed to judge. Only God can. You are here to learn, not to judge others because you are not perfect yourself. None of us are. Remember that!
2-05-2010 @ 5:10PM
R.L. said...Scouting is great but EXPENSIVE. "Nickel-and-dime me to death" has turned to "$20-and-$100 me to death"! I am hoping to be able to keep it going until my son reaches Eagle. I know -- great investment in son's future. But it's quite simple -- if you don't have it to invest, that's pretty much IT.
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2-05-2010 @ 11:34PM
Michelle said...I agree that Scouting is VERY expensive however we did make it through somehow and now I am the proud mother of an Eagle Scout. An Eagle who actually earned it and wasn't pushed through by lax parents who signed off on anything. But back to cost-I raised two boys on my own after divorce. We had little but there is help through Scouting i.e. scholarships to camp, the popcorn selling etc money going into the boys accounts towards camp, etc. Our pack/troop didn't insist on the full uniform, jeans with the scout shirt were fine, and most of the boys did just that. Someone should set up a pass-down clothing closet. Many scouts do not want to keep their shirts, shirts are often found at Goodwill and bought for a couple dollars to put in the 'closet'.
2-05-2010 @ 5:17PM
herb sedler said...My views on redoing the handbook in a different language in america bothers me and its not this boy scout article for which I shared my views in the previous post on language adaptation.The scouts are vital to this great country,with are luck we will see these boys turn into men and as they leave scouting they go on and become leaders in different areas in life,They will always be true leaders.A bright light in a cloudy ski.
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2-05-2010 @ 7:09PM
Dennis said...You're right Herb,
Please don't print the Scout Handbook in any other language! C'mon people...please understand to be an American is to speak English...it still is our national Language..isn't it? Lets be one country, not a lot of "little countries" sharing the same space.
2-05-2010 @ 7:58PM
Bill T. said...hi folks, seeing as scouts are a worldwide group now, I would imagine the handbook is already in different languages.
2-05-2010 @ 8:46PM
Mariposa said...Herb, You do realize that scouting is a worldwide organization for which the Boy Scouts of America is only one part, don't you? Most Boy Scout manuals are in other languages. My son's Eagle project was a literacy project for an impoverished village in the northernmost tract of rainforest in the Americas. Scouts Mexico was honored that he helped.
2-05-2010 @ 5:39PM
yellowdog49 said...Dont mine helping, my son is a weeblo with about 10 boys 4 of the 10 dont speak spanish. my son does.but parents rule.
Reply
2-05-2010 @ 5:39PM
patrick said...Knowing some gay people I feel the need to say this...Even in 2010 some are saying that gay folks teach a gay lifestyle. If a woman has a gay son and he grows up and would like to help mentor young men,Im sure the woman would take exception to comments that her son will be teaching a "lifestyle" as opposed to a non gay Scout Leader who is just mentoring the boys. I back the Girl & Boy Scouts but I wish the Boy Scouts were more like the other without prejudice.
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2-05-2010 @ 5:45PM
Sherry Pettey said...Every time my two boys were involved with BoyScouts, it wasn't about camping, or learning to do things...it was about selling popcorn...every meeting was about selling popcorn. The only non-popcorn event was racing the little wooden cars down the slide, two at a time...anticipation!!!! Sadly, that particular competitive event was the primary focus...besides selling...hahaha...more popcorn...that was it. After a year of this, we decided to quite the Scouts for good.
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2-05-2010 @ 6:51PM
shmptn3 said...@Sherry, We had the same experience--each meeting involved some type of fund-raising, or I found myself pulling out my wallet for one thing or another, almost every time we came into contact with the organization. This didn't seem to be consistent with what the kids were doing. Most of the time the kids were an un-organized mob, playing grab-ass, etc. I also didn't understand why so many women had to insert themselves into the middle of everything, when there were so many fathers that were available and willing to take the lead on things. Needless to say we pullled out as well.
2-05-2010 @ 5:52PM
rex said...they let women be troop leaders for boy scouts so what difference does it make if you let gay people do it
a woman can never teach a boy to be a man
i think the boy scouts lost sight of this a long time ago
i havent checked lately but i dont believe they let men be troop leaders for the girl scouts
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2-05-2010 @ 6:03PM
herb sedler said...Generation EX Scout,Sad it didnt work out for you,I dont really think you can compare the scouts to hitlers gang.They had a totally different walk going down,they also did that arm thing and they were all the same you no not like are blend of people in America. X man or X kid do you no the difference lets hope so,I dont remember hate being preached at any meetings I have been to in the last 9 years.Whats with your smear campaign for,I hope not because people at your troop didnt try and help you.you sound like you learned some things anyhow.
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2-05-2010 @ 6:09PM
mark said...Would this be the "Boy Scout Manuel"?
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2-05-2010 @ 7:08PM
Mike Q said...No, It's Manuel the boy scout! All of these groups need to just leave things as they are. Quit trying to cater to different races or different preferences. Be like I tell my kids, just be who you are. When they try to cater they end up being racists or biggots.