Local Boy Scouts leadership and members weigh in on upcoming name change

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – The group over the Boys Scouts of America in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia is weighing in on a recently announced name change to the organization.

On Tuesday, Boys Scouts of America announced it was changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history. The name will officially change to Scouting America on Feb. 8, 2025, when the organization turns 115.

Roger Krone, the president and CEO of the organization, said the decision was made to change the name in order to be more inclusive and welcoming.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Sequoyah Council , which oversees scouts across the region, issued its own statement in support of the name change.

“Scouting is alive and growing in the Sequoyah Council. Teaching children life skills necessary to be productive and participatory citizens in adulthood has been our primary mission since 1936. We will continue that mission because our region needs children with strong values now more than ever. The Sequoyah Council Board of Directors recently met to discuss this new direction for Scouting. They shared their unanimous support for the change with the hopes that all children will soon discover the adventure of Scouting.”

Greg Leithch, Sequoyah Council Scout Executive and CEO

The organization began allowing girls to participate in Cub Scout and Scouts BSA programs five years ago.

Local scouts Gillian and Langley Brents are both members of Scout Troop 48 out of Kingsport. Langley has spent the last 6 years in scouts, while Gillian has spent the last 4 years,

Gillian decided to join the group after watching all the things her brother was able to do.

“I saw Langley doing it for a long time,” said Gillian. “And I was always seeing the trips he would go on. And I always thought, ‘That’s really cool.”

After she joined, Gillian said she had found it hard to explain her involvement due to the name.

“When having to tell people,” said Gillian. “Like when they ask you what you do outside of school and having to say, ‘I’m in Boy Scouts, but there’s girls allowed’ has definitely made it hard to explain at some moments.”

When his sister was preparing to join, Langley said he saw how positive this choice could be.

“Knowing my sister was going to be in scouting is going to be pretty cool,” said Langley. “I knew that I had benefitted so much from a great program that it was going to be cool to see my sister be able to benefit from this program.”

Both scouts said the name change is just another step toward welcoming everyone into scouting.

“Scouting is a great program that offers millions of children across the nation the opportunity to get in the outdoors, learn great leadership skills,” Langley said. “I’ve had so many opportunities and I’ve had such a blast and I would recommend it to anybody.”

According to the Sequoyah Council, more than 176,000 girls and young women are actively a part of Boys Scouts of America, with more than 6,000 having earned Eagle Scout status.

Boy Scouts of America has seen its share of changes in the last several years. The organization started to allow gay youth in 2013 and lifted a blanket ban on gay adult leaders in 2015.

Bankruptcy was declared in 2020 as the organization faced a number of sexual abuse lawsuits.

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