In an era when human interaction has been more online than ever, hundreds of teens throughout Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan are finding new ways to build camaraderie and confidence through Scouting programs. The Boy Scouts of America LaSalle Council is reporting that youths aged 11 through 17 are showing signs of outpacing their non-Scout peers during some of the most formative years of their lives.
“For our teenaged Scouts, we’re seeing signs of stronger character development and leadership traits than what we would have expected as average for their ages,” said LaSalle Council CEO John M. Cary. “There’s little doubt that young people have missed out on important connections these last few years – connections that can only be developed through shared experiences with people their age. For the boys and girls throughout our Council’s territory, we’re witnessing young people grow right before our eyes as they learn together, have fun together, and establish lasting relationships with their friends.”
Indeed, the Scouts themselves describe a range of positive outcomes from their participation. For example, 74% say that Scouting has improved their ability to work with others and 84% say that Scouting has helped them become stronger team players.
In the LaSalle Council’s region, activities and programs can be tailored to a young person’s interests. This helps drive engagement among the Scouts, and leads to greater opportunities to learn new skills, expand self-confidence, and even potentially serve as the inspiration for a future career.
For parents, one of the additional benefits to having a teen enrolled in Scouting is that participation won’t disrupt a busy family’s schedule. Activities are local, fun, and safe outdoor experiences that are great ways for young people to get more involved, be more active, and form lifelong friendships. Programs are organized by age range and are available for both boys and girls.
Those wishing to enroll in a local Scouting program are encouraged to visit https://beascout.scouting.org/. At that link, local chapters can be looked up by zip code and the application process can be easily completed. Registration can also be completed through the organization’s texting platform by sending a text to 833-268-5758 with the keycode JOINBSA.
BSA LaSalle Council serves areas throughout Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan, including Porter, La Porte, St. Joseph, Starke, Marshall, and Elkhart Counties in Indiana, and Berrien and Cass Counties in Michigan.
