The last 12 months have seen big updates to the Cub Scout program and an organizational name change, not to mention a historic Summer Olympics and one of the most significant astronomical events in North America in recent memory.
Yes, 2024 was quite the year in Scouting, and we at Aaron on Scouting were honored to be part of it.
As we turn the page to 2025, take a look at the top 10 most-read posts of last year.
10. Five concerns parents might have about the move from Cub Scouts to Scouts BSA
There are a lot of differences between Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA, and what seems obvious to those of us who have been involved in Scouting for years might not be so obvious to those who haven’t.
In this story, we addressed five questions parents might have about the move from Cub Scouts to Scouts BSA, based on my own experience and on conversations I’ve had with others who have gone through the same thing.
Click here to read this story.
9. 2024 Eagle Scout Project of the Year: He built 150 artificial reefs to clean water, attract sea life
John Shell of Troop 147 in Mobile, Alabama, developed an ambitious plan to install 100 miniature reefs in Alabama coastal communities to attract fish and other sea life. Not only could anglers and nature lovers enjoy these reefs, but they’d attract barnacles, oysters and other filter-feeder species that could filter 10 million gallons of water a year.
For his exceptional efforts, John, now a student at Dartmouth College, received the 2024 Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award.
Click here to read this story.
8. The story behind the Boy Scout Tree, a 2,000-plus-year-old redwood
Thousands of years ago, in an area nearly 300 miles north of what would eventually become San Francisco, two saplings simultaneously sprung up from the damp ground. The two tiny trees grew together, side by side. Over the years, they fused into one tree, becoming stronger in the process.
Now this tree is more than 238 feet tall and more than 23 feet wide at its base and is known as Boy Scout Tree.
Click here to read this story.
7. Some FAQs about the Scouts BSA board of review
The purpose of the Scouts BSA board of review is to determine the quality of the Scout’s experience and decide whether the requirements to achieve the Scout’s next rank have been fulfilled.
It is not a job interview, retest, examination or any other kind of challenge of the Scout’s knowledge.
6. What you need to know about the Scouts BSA combined troop pilot program
Starting last fall, some Scouting America councils participated in a combined troop pilot program that allows linked troops to operate as a single unit for the 2024-25 school year.
The pilot program was designed to test the strengths and weaknesses of a Scouts BSA combined troop option to best determine if it should eventually become a permanent option open to all Scouts BSA units.
5. A Scout is Human: BSA introduces 13th point to Scout Law
Last year’s April Fools’ Day post — in which we joked that Scouting America would be rolling out an unprecedented update to the Scout Law stating that “a Scout is human” — didn’t fool nearly as many readers as posts from previous years did.
4. Meet the 13 Eagle Scouts competing in the 2024 Summer Olympics
Of the hundreds of athletes that represented the United States in the 2024 Summer Olympics, 13 are Eagle Scouts. We had one basketball player, two swimmers, two rowers, four track-and-field athletes, one water polo player, one cyclist, one shooting sports specialist and one canoeist.
3. What our organization’s name change means — and doesn’t mean — to Scouts and leaders
At last year’s National Annual Meeting, our organization announced that it is changing its name to Scouting America. The new name was put into use immediately and will become official on Feb. 8, 2025, the organization’s 115th birthday.
Click here to read this story.
2. 2023 merit badge rankings: A look into Scouts’ current interests and achievements
In our annual roundup of the most earned and rarest merit badges, we looked at what changed, what stayed the same and what took the prize as our most highly earned merit badge of 2023.
1. How to earn the BSA Total Solar Eclipse 2024 Emblem on April 8
April 8, 2024, was one of the most fun days we’ve ever had at Scouting America: On its way across much of the United States, the Great North American Eclipse passed right over our office … and many Scout campsites across the nation.
To recognize an event shared by so many, the organization created the Total Solar Eclipse emblem. Earning the 2024 patch was easy and fun, making it a great activity for a den meeting, pack meeting, Scouts BSA meeting, family outing and everything in between.
Honorable mentions
Some posts were published before 2024 but still racked up a lot of views. Here are the top 5:
- Meet 114 Scouts who became famous
- The Cub Scout Six Essentials: A half-dozen items to pack on every campout or hike
- The 10 essentials — a 21st century update
- What’s the difference between ‘two-deep leadership’ and ‘no one-on-one contact’?
- In the loop: A guide to square knots, and how to wear them
The most significant post of the year
Back in 2023, I had the opportunity to interview Amy Carter, daughter of President Jimmy Carter, and her child Errol for a story about Errol’s Scouts BSA troop.
During our conversation, the topic turned to President Carter’s involvement in Scouting over the years. Graciously, Amy volunteered to reach out to her brother Chip to ask him about his memories of their father’s role in Scouting.
All of that helped me write this tribute to the former president, who died Dec. 29, 2024, at the age of 100. Since it was published so close to the end of the year, it didn’t have the chance to make it into the top 10. However, it’s probably the post I’m most proud of from 2024.
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