Boy Scouts of America Takes Center Stage in Nation's Capital to Celebrate 100th Anniversary

WASHINGTON, July 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The weekend of July 24–July 25, Washington, D.C. will become a sea of khaki as a large contingent of Scouts, volunteers, and Boy Scouts of America (BSA) leadership descend upon the nation's capital to help celebrate the Boy Scouts of America's 100th Anniversary and participate in activities leading up to the 2010 National Scout Jamboree.

Not since 1937, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt invited the Boy Scouts of America to hold the first Scout jamboree on the National Mall, has Washington, D.C. witnessed such a Scouting extravaganza. Nearly 25,000 Scouts participated in the first jamboree, and campfires could be seen blazing across the capital as youths came together to celebrate an organization that had taught them about the outdoors, service to others, and leadership.

Those same Scouting characteristics are still true today, and will be celebrated this weekend as all activities will center on the BSA's anniversary theme: "Celebrating the Adventure, Continuing the Journey." Merging the BSA's rich, 100-year heritage with modern twists on Scouting, the activities promise a new and exciting look at being a Scout. The general public is invited to join the BSA as Scouts participate in the Grand Centennial Parade, are challenged by ScoutQuest (a modern-day scavenger hunt throughout the Smithsonian museums and other area attractions), and live the Scouting experience at Adventure Base 100, the BSA's traveling exhibit.

"The Boy Scouts of America has had an undeniable impact on the nation over the past century," said Bob Mazzuca, Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. "There are not many organizations whose historical significance and contributions have been interwoven into the very fabric of American culture. This weekend, the BSA will pay tribute to the 100 million Scouts who have helped make the organization into the vital, thriving, and dynamic youth organization it is today."

The celebration will kick off at 1 p.m. on July 25 when the BSA Grand Centennial Parade makes its way down Constitution Avenue between 7th and 17th Streets. The parade will mark the first time since 1937 that the BSA has had such a commanding presence in the nation's capital. The parade will be the largest to travel down Constitution Avenue in decades, with nearly 10,000 participants and highlights from every era of the Scouts' 100-year history.

The centennial events continue with Adventure Base 100 (July 23–August 8), a unique, interactive exhibit with a mobile campus more than 10,000-square-feet in size, featuring immersive and exciting Scouting experiences. The exhibit provides a hands-on view of the BSA's 100-year history and the difference Scouting has made in the lives of millions of youths. Created specifically for the BSA's 100th Anniversary Celebration, Adventure Base 100 is traveling to more than 40 locations across the country. The journey began in January at the Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, California, and will end in November in New York City.

The Grand Centennial Parade will close at 5 p.m. with a special ceremony to name inductees into the National Hall of Leadership and recognize them for their extraordinary service. A select group of four inductees, representing the many Scouts and Scout leaders across the country, will receive this once-in-a-lifetime honor.

Coinciding with these events, the BSA is joining the nation's finest museums to present ScoutQuest (July 24–25), a city-wide, high-tech scavenger hunt. Using Quick Response (QR) codes, young explorers will be able to uncover the links between Scouting and some of our greatest national treasures!

By scanning QR codes placed at the various participating institutions with smart phones, players will find clues and get their passport stamped at each stop on their journey. Each QR code will tell the story of how Scouting intersects with the mission of that location, showing just how deeply Scouting is woven into the American fabric. ScoutQuest is open to Scouts and non-Scouts alike.

Additional metropolitan area events include:

• Scouting Family Day (July 24)—The Smithsonian American Art Museum is providing a host of activities for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to enjoy, including crafts, entertainment, activities, and games.
• National Archives (various)—The National Archives is offering early entrance hours for uniformed Scouts and their families on July 23–25. On July 26, 29, and 30, the archives will show "From the Vaults: 100 Years of the Boy Scouts."

The weekend of activities leads into the 2010 National Scout Jamboree, which begins on July 26 in Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. More than 40,000 Scouts, leaders, and staff from all 50 states, territories, and foreign countries will have the opportunity to live, work, and play together in an atmosphere of Scouting fellowship. In a special recognition to mark the 100th Anniversary, the closing arena show will be unlike any other in BSA history with "A Shining Light Across America," which can be viewed by a worldwide audience using both webcast and satellite broadcast technologies, on Saturday, July 31, at 8 p.m. EDT. Shining Light can be viewed via webcast at http://www.ustream.tv/shininglight.

A Century of Making a Difference/BSA Interesting Facts

• 114 million. Total number of Scouts who have gone through the program.
• Two-plus million. Total number of Eagle Scouts.
• Geocaching, Robotics, Inventing. Three new merit badges being introduced this year.
• Stamp, Coin, Locomotive, Indy Race Car. All ways the BSA is being honored this year.
• Eight. Number of Scouts who made the Forbes Billionaires list in 2010.
• 117 million. Total number of merit badges earned since 1910.
• 12,970. Number of awards given for demonstrating heroism or life saving.
• 25,000. Number of Scouts who participated in the first Scout jamboree in 1937.
• 50,000. Number of Scouts, Scouters, and visitors expected at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree.

About the Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America is the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. The Scouting organization is composed of 2.7 million youth members between the ages of 7 and 20, 1.1 million volunteers, and nearly 300 local councils throughout the United States and its territories. For more information on the Boy Scouts of America, please visit www.scouting.org.

More information about 100 Years of Scouting can be found at www.scouting.org/100years.

SOURCE Boy Scouts of America