Service
In 2012, service projects were conducted by more than 2.7 million youth members and more than one million volunteers.
- 13,449,017 service hours were reported in 2012 for Journey to Excellence.
- $297,761,236
of service was provided by Scouts and leaders to communities across
America. (Based on the $22.14 Independent Sector value of volunteer time
for 2012)
- Service projects most commonly reported for Journey to Excellence in 2012 include
- Litter cleanup/community beautification
- Food collection and distribution
- Community dimension
- Conservation projects
- Military support/appreciation
Scout Activities and Outdoor Adventures
Nearly 1.1 million youth attended a council camp or national high-adventure camp.
- National high-adventure base—Boy Scouts and Venturers
- 31,432—Philmont
- 13,309—Florida Sea Base
- 6,991—Northern Tier
Advancements and Awards
- In 2012, the centennial year of the Eagle Scout Award, 57,976 Scouts earned the Eagle Scout rank—more than in any previous year.
- About 7 percent of all Boy Scouts earned the Eagle Scout rank in 2012.
- From 1912 to 2012, more than 2 million Boy Scouts have earned the Eagle Scout rank.
- 2,175,878 merit badges were earned by Boy Scouts in 2012.
- 115,177,687 merit badges have been earned by Boy Scouts since Scouting was established in 1910.
- The most often earned merit badges since 1910 include:
- First Aid—6,813,506
- Swimming—6,169,318
- Camping—4,549,465
- Cooking—4,193,550
- Citizenship in the Community—3,353,100
(Source: 2012 BSA Local Council Index)
Volunteers
1,067,513 volunteers provided leadership for Scouting programs in 2012.
- On
average, Scout volunteers give 20 hours per month in service to
Scouting. This equals approximately 256,203,120 hours of volunteer time
given to support Scouting in 2012. (Source: Volunteer Outcomes Study,
Research & Program Innovation)
- $5.67 billion of
volunteer time was given in 2012 to support Scouting across America.
(Based on $22.14 Independent Sector value of volunteer time for 2012)
Alumni
- 181 NASA astronauts were involved in Scouting (57.4% of astronauts). 39 are Eagle Scouts.
- 36.4
percent of the United States Military Academy (West Point) cadets were
involved in Scouting as youth. 16.3 percent of cadets are Eagle Scouts.
- 22.5
percent of United States Air Force Academy cadets were involved in
Scouting as youth. 11.9 percent of cadets are Eagle Scouts.
- 25
percent of United States Naval Academy (Annapolis) midshipmen were
involved in Scouting as youth. 11 percent of midshipmen are Eagle
Scouts.
- 189 members of the 113th Congress participated in Scouting as a youth and/or adult leader. 27 are Eagle Scouts.
- 18 current U.S. governors participated in Scouting as a youth and/or adult volunteer. Four are Eagle Scouts.
(Source: Membership figures from each organization)
(Reference: 2013 Boy Scouts of America Fact Sheet)