Boy Scout Troop 325
Scoutmaster Minute
Character Counts!
Ben Peterson Eagle Court Of Honor
October 22, 2000
George Denise, Scoutmaster

Earlier, I mentioned that Scouting is about values; the values represented in the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, the Scout Promise, the Scout Motto, and The Outdoor Code.

Scouting is a unique experimental lab that allows kids to develop and grow critical leadership skills, based soundly on actions of integrity. The troop often finds itself competing with the local baseball or soccer team for the attention and interest of the boys in the community. Yet Scouting can provide a playing field of infinitely more important value. In fact, there are very few games of worthier value than the game of Scouting.

And make no mistake about it, Scouting is just a game. A game in which the only real losers are those who don't finish. It is a game that kids can play, have fun while doing, and emerge with skills that are critical to their role in society.

There have been a number of studies on the effects and influence of Scouting over the years.

For every 100 boys who join Scouting, two will become Eagle Scouts. Seventeen will become future Scout volunteers. Twelve will have their first contact with a church. One will enter the clergy. Five will earn their church award. Eighteen will develop a hobby that will last through their adult life. Eight will enter a vocation that was learned through the merit badge system. One will use his Scouting skills to save his own life. One will use his Scouting skills to save the life of another.

Scouting's alumni record is equally impressive. A recent nation-wide survey of high schools revealed the following information:
89% of senior class presidents were Scouts
85% of student council presidents were Scouts
80% of junior class presidents were Scouts
75% of school publication editors were Scouts
71% of football captains were Scouts

Scouts also account for:
64% of Air Force Academy graduates
68% of West Point graduates
70% of Annapolis graduates
72% of Rhodes Scholars
85% of FBI agents

Of the 214 former and present astronauts, 142 have taken part in Scouting, and 33 were Eagles.

Of the twelve men who have walked on the surface of the moon, eleven were Scouts and two were Eagles.

Of the seven U.S. Presidents who were born recently enough to be in Scouting, three were Scouts and one was an Eagle. (Recent candidates for President who are Eagle Scouts include Michael Dukakis, Ross Perot, and Lamar Alexander.)

The role of Scout leaders is different than that of a normal coach. It is not our responsibility to plan out the plays of the game or to decide who plays what position. Our primary responsibility is to make sure that they have a field to play on. We must remain responsible for keeping the organization available to all kids and ensure that it allows a boy to experiment and grow. The most important part of that commitment is to encourage kids to never be afraid of trying... and to never be afraid of failing.

There are not many opportunities for teenagers to learn positive leadership skills in this country. If there is a question in anyone's mind whether Scouting is one of those rare opportunities the Scouter's Journal recently reported on the findings of a Louis Harris & Associates study commissioned by the Boy Scouts of America to evaluate the impact that Scouting has had on the values of men in America. The conclusions of the survey were that Scouting has an impact on the values of those who are Scouts and stay in the program, and that it aids them in their endeavors in later life. The Scouting movement is both an effective and critical method for developing community, corporate and societal leadership and citizenship.

Remember, the true success of the Boy Scout program depends on the adult's ability to stand back and allow the fourteen-year-old Senior Patrol Leader or the thirteen-year-old Patrol Leader to work their magic. Sure, there will be mistakes. Success in Scouting is no guarantee against problems and even failure. Not in Scouting, nor in Life. Things do not always go as planned. Scouting's goal isn't to eliminate challenge, it is to prepare the Scout to deal with it. It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.

For Ben, and for all Scouts, I would like you to remember the following:

Life isn't about keeping score.
It's not about how many friends you have or how accepted you are.
It's not about if you have plans this weekend or if you're alone.
It isn't about who you're dating, who you used to date, how many people you've dated, or if you've dated anyone at all.
It isn't about who your family is or how much money they have or what kind of car you drive or where you go to school.
It's not about how beautiful or ugly you are, the clothes you wear, the shoes you wear, or what kind of music you listen to.
It's not about if your hair is blonde, red, black, or brown, or if your skin is too light or too dark.
It's not about what clubs you belong to, or how good you are in your sport.
It's not about representing your whole being on a piece of paper called a resume and then seeing who will "accept the written you."
Life just isn't about those things.

Life is about choices.
Life is about who you love.
It's about who you make happy.
It's about kindness and generosity.
It's about holding and sharing trust.
It's about friendship.
It's about what you say, what you mean, and thinking heartening thoughts.
It's about faith, integrity, and knowing your own heart.
It's about carrying inner love, letting it grow, and spreading it around.
Most of all, it's about using your life to touch other people's hearts in such a way that could never have occurred alone.

Ben, only you choose the way others hearts are affected and those choices make up what your life is all about.

Congratulations on achieving Eagle. Remember, there is no limit on it. You will always be an Eagle from this day on. Conduct yourself accordingly. Go with God.