Mother-daughter scouting enthusiasts Kelluana Mack and Kendall Jackson, of Merrillville, say they don’t know what all the fuss is over Boy Scouts of America rebranding to Scouting America in the coming year.
The move is intended to promote inclusivity – something the Merrillville residents say has always been their scouting experience. Mack said when the pair first learned of BSA’s decision to rebrand, they thought it was a little funny.
“What’s in a name? We’ve been involved so long. It doesn’t really change anything. The goal is to work and help you and that’s not going to change,” Mack said.
Mack said Troop 53 run out of St. Timothy Community Church in Gary was established 88 years ago and has been operating out of the church for 70 years. She became involved in 1999 when her son joined at 5 years old.
“Officially, I started helping in 1999…in 2006 I became Scout Master,” Mack said. She also now works for BSA’s Munster office.
“The journey just went from there,” Mack said.
Jackson has been along for the ride with her mother since she was in the womb.
“Did I really get involved or was I kind of just there?” Jackson said. “Honestly, they were saying I was camping since before I was born. When I was born, I started going with on camping trips every weekend,” she said. “I would be there with all the boys just learning, not knowing what anything meant. I was just there having fun, and maybe terrorizing my brother a little bit.”
Venturing Crews have allowed girls from 14 to 21 to be part of a scout troop for almost three decades. In 2017, BSA allowed girls to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. The day she turned 14, Jackson started the troop’s crew.
“I kind of grew up with the idea I’ll never make Eagle. When I did turn 14, I started the crew,” Jackson said. When the opportunity arose in 2019 to be part of the program and reach rank, Jackson said she said, “Sign me up.”
She was 16 and had a brief window to earn rank. Eagle candidates must be in the program for at least 18 months and complete it before they turn 18.
“I was definitely on a time crunch,” Jackson said. She worked through the pandemic to earn the needed badges and complete her Eagle Scout project to be among the first group of women to earn the rank.
Jackson was among the more than 1,000 young women in the 2021 inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts. She said girls who have been around scouting, whose brothers were in scouting, know about the program and, like her, have always just participated.
“The girls who really wanted to join already knew about it,” her mother agreed. “I think maybe now more people will realize.”
The move announced at the Texas-based organization’s national meeting sends a strong message to everyone in America they can come to the program and be their authentic selves, Roger Krone, president and CEO, said.
Like other organizations, the scouts lost members during the pandemic when participation was difficult. The high point over the past decade was in 2018, when there were more than 2 million members. Currently the organization serves just over 1 million young people, including more than 176,000 girls and teens. Membership peaked in 1972 at almost 5 million.
Scouting has worked to be more inclusive, allowing gay members in 2013 and ending a blanket ban on gay adult leaders in 2015. In 2018 girls were able to be accepted as scouts.
Mack said the biggest change she anticipates is to signage and stationery.
“Even the business cards, everything. As far as impacting the program. I don’t think it will. It won’t miss a beat,” Mack said.
cnapoleon@chicagotribune.com
The Associated Press contributed.
