Scouts look to recruit Hispanics

the eagle ^ | Sunday, December 28, 2008 | JULIANA BARBASSA

[Coleus]

As it prepares to turn 100, the Boy Scouts of America is honing its survival skills for what might be its biggest test yet: drawing Hispanics into its declining -- and mostly white -- ranks. "We either are going to figure out how to make Scouting the most exciting, dynamic organization for Hispanic kids or we're going to be out of business," said Rick Cronk, former national president of the Boy Scouts and chairman of the World Scout Committee.

The venerable Scouts remains the United States' largest youth organization, with 2.8 million children and youths, nearly all of them boys. But that is nearly half its peak membership, reached in 1972. Its rolls took hits through the 1980s and '90s over a still-standing ban on gay or atheist leaders and scandals surrounding inflated membership numbers. In addition, teenagers raised on TV and shoot-'em-up games had less use for learning to build a campfire or memorize the Scout oath.

The country changed too. One in five children under 18 is Hispanic, according to the U.S. census. But they make up only 3 percent of Scouts. Cronk made Hispanic outreach a focus after he realized that just translating brochures into Spanish or combining Cub Scouting with soccer was not enough to meet the goal of doubling Hispanic membership by the group's centennial in 2010.

"We were nibbling around the edges," Cronk said. "We knew very little about the Hispanic family, how they see us, what they value." Cronk, past president of Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, grew up a city kid in Oakland, Calif. He fell in love with Scouting in the Sierra Nevada, during his first backpacking excursions. He looked at the problem of Latino underrepresentation as a businessman.

[Coleus]

Well- meeting folk like yourself certainly discourages any type join... unless folks like to join groups with folks like yourself frothing from the mouth with anger. >>>

Anger? LOL, you are a dope.. And I guess the answer to my question was no. So, before you make more of a fool of yourself, get off your rear and help out an inner-city boy scout troop.

[BBell]

I know I'm a little dated in this but when I was in the service and later working construction etc. the Hispanic fathers I knew were very much family men. They were always cooking out, going to parks and beaches and doing lots of other activity's with their kids, especially baseball. They doted on their kids. I do know times change though.

[Jubal Madison]

I really fail to see the downside of this. I was a scout and was taught self reliance, courtesy, God and Country,etc. If some hispanic boys don't have a proper male role model, why not the Boy Scouts? It would seem to be preferable to MS-13.

[samadams2000]

My poor dying dumbed down country...

[BBell]

I like how you called them many generational Americans from Spain and Mexico. Too many hyphenated Americans theses days. I was in the service with a guy from south Texas. He used to say that he didn't jump the border, the border jumped him. His family had been living in Texas since it was part of Mexico. And he was an American with Mexican roots.

[kabar]

You can thank our immigration policies that have had a huge demographic impact since the passage of the 1965 Immigration Act pushed by among others, Ted Kennedy.

[Jet Jaguar]

Many of my friends growing up were from Spain and Portugal. Their families settled the Rio Grande valley before Texas was a country. They had no appreciation or links to Mexico.

We never used the words Mexican or Hispanic or Latino in their homes. Spanish was acceptable.

[FreeManWhoCan]

You are ignorant.

[Coleus]

If some hispanic boys don’t have a proper male role model, why not the Boy Scouts? >>>

oh, there is nothing wrong with it and I wish them much success. The program is great and I think every inner-city boy should be in the program.

Then there is reality and I stick to my comments. The fathers are not involved, Hispanic parents don’t like their little “juniors” going out into the woods over night, the few boys that want to join won’t due to peer pressure and if Hispanics haven’t embraced the Scouting program in all these years, they most likely never will.

I think it’s too little, too late. The BSA tried dumbing down (changing) the program in the 1970’s which didn’t work and I haven’t seen much since then.

[Jubal Madison]

I understand your frustration, I want our borders sealed and illegal aliens to leave with no amnesty. But with all due respect, I think this is a good thing. No, we may not get many to join, but if we save some and they remain here, it may save us in lowered crime and more productive citizens. If they go back to Mexico or El Salvador or wherever (as they should if they are not legal)perhaps they will take some of those values back and improve themselves and their countries, and we wouldn’t have as many flocking to get in here.I just fail to see a downside.

[ansel12]

Do the Jehovah Witnesses allow their children to join scouting?

[Coleus]

I see a very good fit between many of the goals and structures of the BSA organization with what is described here for the Hispanic community. >>>

so do I, and I agree with your post, scouting works and every boy including minorities would benefit; however, scouting works well in middle class & working-class communities with nuclear families and parental involvement with good and active troop committees. In the poor, inner-city communities, where scouting is mostly needed; it’s a whole different world.

[Iscool]

I say NO to pandering to Browns, Blacks, Yellows, Reds, or Whites...It’s the Boy Scouts of America, NOT the Boy Scouts of Mexico...

The Boy Scouts are made for Americans...ALL Americans...Take it for what it is, or leave it alone...

[Coleus]

Do the Jehovah Witnesses allow their children to join scouting? >>>

I think they do.

[Jubal Madison]

I agree with you up to a point, and I see you are from a different part of the country, and therein may be the difference. I am from a small city (10000) in Arkansas, and I think this could possibly work good here. I don’t know about the dumbing down, I’ll take your word for it.Just to let you know, I view this through the prism of my faith and that means if I can improve a childs life, be they hispanic or muslim then that is what I must do. I hope I don’t sound like a liberal! But I am a Christian before an American.

Respectfully - JM

[Think free or die]

"so do I, and I agree with your post, scouting works and every boy including minorities would benefit; however, scouting works well in middle class & working-class communities with nuclear families and parental involvement with good and active troop committees. In the poor, inner-city communities, where scouting is mostly needed; it’s a whole different world."

Indeed, that's a big challenge. The inner city schools face many of the same issues. Youngsters with involved, supportive parents have a better shot at academic success and a productive life. Many inner city families fail to provide this. To be successful in bringing kids into scouting, we'll need a variety of approaches. I see a lot of Hispanic families living in the borough adjacent to our township. They aren't in the inner city, and there are a lot of fathers around. Reaching out to their sons is a different proposition than dealing with inner city youth from single parent households.

[MoTiger]

The fact is that boys like outdoor adventures, no matter their race. “Boys will be boys” in the truest sense of the word. Maybe they just need to be introduced to the concept of scouting/made aware of the opportunities.

I hope the scouts try to appeal to them on that basis and don’t take some other tack. I’m surprised at some of the ignorant comments on here. These are kids we’re talking about. “Courses in fence jumping an trunk hiding?” Come on.

[PeterPrinciple]

Scouting isn’t dead, but it does require strong leadership and many helping hands to make it work.

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I've thought about getting involved for a few years but they sure don't make it easy. Like most organization (including churches), they would rather have my money than my time.

[Coleus]

and let's face it, scouting is down in most economic, racial and ethnic groups. the nation and our youth are changing as recreation is changing, years ago, baseball and basketball were the main sports, today it's soccer. We now have video games, i pods and other electronic devices. It's just different times and nothing lasts forever. Scouting has tried many different programs: exploring, venturing and the like which includes females, skill awards, COPE, climbing, etc. Maybe some day it will all click or maybe it won't