For every 100 boys that enter scouts:
30 will drop out the first year.
- But only rarely will one appear before a juvenile court judge.
- 4 scouts will reach the rank of Eagle Scout, a little higher with Troop 334.
- 45 will serve in the Military.
- 1 person will use scout skills to save somebody else’s life.
- 2 will report that they used scout skills to save their own lives.
- 17 will later serve as adult volunteers
- 8 will find their future life vocations from scouting
….3 out of 4 of the leaders of this nation in business, religion and politics, were scouts.
- 4 percent of our nation’s youth were scouts, and 65% of all college and university graduates were scouts.
- 133 of the total 233 Astronauts were scouts at one time, 26 of 29 of the first Astronauts in NASA’s program were Eagle scouts
A Nationwide survey showed that:
Of Senior Class Presidents 89% were scouts.
Of Junior Class Presidents 80% were scouts.
Student Council Presidents 85% were scouts.
School newspaper editors 88% were scouts.
Football Captains 71% were scouts.
Basketball captains 64% were scouts.
64% of Air Force Academy graduates were scouts
58% West Point Graduates were scouts.
70% of Annapolis graduates were scouts.
72% Rhodes Scholars were scouts.
85% of FBI Agents were scouts at one time.
So, 4 out of 100, (maybe more at Troop 334), make Eagle Scout.
So what about the other 94 or 92 scouts who didn’t make it to Eagle. Is it just wasted time? The scouts have “Aims and Methods”. Things found in the Scout Oath and Law, the Patrol Method, Outdoors training, Personal growth, Leadership and so on. Advancement is certainly one of these, but only one. Just being part of the program gives the opportunity to “be better and belong”.
Sure we know some famous Eagle Scouts like Sam Walton, James Lovell, Hank Aaron, Gerald Ford, John Glenn, Ross Perot and Steven Speilberg. But how about some “Not-Quite-Eagles” like John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Stewart, Harrison Ford, Merlin Olson, Richard Gere, Nolan Ryan, Jim Morrison, Joe Theisman, Bill Gates and not-quite British Scout’s Queen’s Scout – Paul McCartney. The list goes on and on.
Scouting has and continues to make a difference in our boys and in our history.