Boy Scouts Of America Announces Fourth Largest Eagle Scout Class In History

IRVING, Texas, March 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2015, more than 54,000 young men earned the Boy Scouts of America's highest attainable rank of Eagle Scout. These new Eagle Scouts join the ranks of Neil Armstrong, Gerald Ford, Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg, all notable Eagle Scouts.  

The BSA recently released a list of the young men who earned their Eagle rank in each of the 50 states. In total, 54,366 young men became Eagle Scouts in 2015, which amounts to 6.57 percent of eligible Scouts (defined as registered Boy Scouts or male Venturers under age 18).

"These outstanding young men earned their place in a very elite group of some of the most accomplished and successful men in our nation's history. The rank of Eagle is more than an award. It is the result of hard work, dedication, strong commitment and character," said Michael Surbaugh, Chief Scout Executive, Boy Scouts of America. "Earning the rank of Eagle isn't the end of the journey for these young men. It's the beginning of a lifetime of leadership and positive contributions to the world around them. I congratulate each and every one of them on this tremendous achievement." 

In 2015, Utah (5,765), California (4,887) and Texas (4,125) led the way with the most Eagle Scouts earned. However, Eagle Scout awards aren't confined to the continental U.S. states. In 2015, the BSA also awarded Eagle distinctions to youth members in Puerto Rico (166), the Virgin Islands (3), transatlantic troops (143) and Washington, D.C. (15), among other regions. A full list of Eagle Scout rankings follows. 

To earn the rank of Eagle, a Scout must demonstrate his understanding of leadership, service, character, personal fitness and outdoor skills at multiple levels. In addition to the 21 life skills merit badges required to earn the Eagle Scout rank, each Scout must complete an extensive self-directed service project. The Scout must plan, organize, lead and manage the entire service effort prior to his 18th birthday. The average number of hours spent on Eagle Scout projects is 130.

Some of the more notable Eagle Scouts are President Gerald Ford; Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton; explorer Steve Fossett; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation co-chair Bill Gates Sr.; MLB All-Star Shane Victorino; and actor Jon Heder, who starred in the independent film Napoleon Dynamite.

The Eagle Scout badge has become widely recognized as a mark of distinction both within and outside of Scouting. Once earned, it is worn for life. A 2012 study conducted by Baylor University entitled Merit Beyond the Badge found that Eagle Scouts are more likely than men who have never been in Scouting to:

• Have higher levels of planning and preparation skills, be goal-oriented and network with others
• Be in a leadership position at their place of employment or local community
• Report having closer relationships with family and friends
• Volunteer for religious and nonreligious organizations
• Donate money to charitable groups
• Work with others to improve their neighborhoods

To learn more about Eagle Scouts, please visit http://scoutingnewsroom.org/about-the-bsa/fact-sheets/eagle-scouts/.

For more details about Eagle rank requirements, visit http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/boyscouts/advancementandawards/eagle.aspx.

To review the Eagle Scout research, please visit www.scouting.org/About/Research/EagleScouts.aspx.

You can also find additional Eagle Scout facts and information at www.scouting.org and www.nesa.org.

About the Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America provides the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be "Prepared. For Life.®" The Scouting organization is composed of more than 2.3 million youth members between the ages of 7 and 21 and nearly 1 million volunteers in local councils throughout the United States and its territories. For more information on the Boy Scouts of America, please visit www.scouting.org.

2015 Rankings - Eagle Scouts Earned By State

SOURCE Boy Scouts of America

Related Links

http://www.scouting.org