When we think of Boy Scouts, we think of troopers, sweethearts, campers, and good samaritans. Justin Rodstrom, the Field Director in Brooklyn of the Boy Scouts of America, has been kind enough to help us answer some questions about the organization for parents here in Brooklyn who may be interested in having their sons join.
Tell us how Brooklyn is still popular for Boy Scouts, and at what age boys can join?
As an organization, the Boy Scouts continues to impact more kids here in Brooklyn. Last year alone we grew by nearly 3.5% and we’re proud to serve over 14,000 children across the borough. We offer two co-educational programs for young adults age 13-18, and a boy-oriented program for youth age 6-18. More info about all our programs can be found at bsa-gnyc.org.
What makes the Boy Scouts a special organization to help children in Brooklyn?
Parents today are most interested in preparing their children to lead healthy, successful lives in a competitive world. Our mission is to “Prepare kids for Life”, so there’s a lot of overlap between us and the needs of today’s parents. We’ve identified four themes where we can make the biggest impact- fitness (fighting childhood obesity), smarts (STEM & career experiences),sustainability, and broadening horizons (leadership skill development). Here in Brooklyn and throughout NYC, we provide incredible opportunities around each of these themes, and families can learn more about us at campgnyc.org/ryp.
How old is the Boy Scouts?
The Boy Scouts has been serving youth for over 105 years. New York City was actually the first major American city to adopt the Scouting program back in 1910, and some of the nation’s oldest Scout Troops were organized here in Brooklyn.
Do you expose the kids to nature at all, or encourage travel?
As far as traveling goes, we’re top notch. In the last year alone, we’ve organized Scouting adventures to South Korea, Normandy, New Mexico, the Florida Keys, and West Point- just to name a few. As you may know, Scouting is also known for providing excellent outdoor opportunities. Here in NYC, we own and operate three year-round camping facilities, with rich programs led by highly qualified instructors including rappelling, ATV excursions, archery instruction, horseback riding, kayaking, small aircraft piloting, geocaching…the list goes on.
What educational highlights does your organization offer to children who may not be exposed to a wide range?
We’ve devoted a lot of resources to building up our career & STEM experiences. We are very proud of our hands-on workshops with DUMBO’s leading technology firms including Etsy, BioLite, Pensa, Two Moos, and Situ Studio. Beyond that, our Scouts have received incredible workshops about cooking from Li-Lac Chocolatier in Industry City, woodworking from Gowanus Furniture, energy safety from National Grid, and much more. Next up for us is a theater workshop with Kings Theatre here in Brooklyn, and a communications workshop with LinkedIn at their Empire State Building address. Most of these events can be found at bsa-gnyc.org/proseries.
Tell me about Boy Scouts in the city versus Boy Scouts in the country.
While our mission is the same across the country, Scouting in New York City is truly unparalleled. The quality and diversity of our volunteers, the generosity of our business leaders, and the innovative mindset of our staff all come together to create the experiences I mentioned above. We are also very proud to note that the majority of our youth members come from underprivileged communities here in New York City, and we provide every Scout with the same level of service & opportunity, regardless of family financial background.
What can a childhood with Boy Scouts offer a kid who sees the process through until college?
Scouting is truly one of the few youth experiences that can translate into college and even career success. 91% of Scouts graduate from high school nationally, which is significantly higher than the national high school graduation rate of 85%. Beyond that, Scouts who attain the highest rank of Eagle Scout are eligible for local and national scholarship programs
What parts of Brooklyn are popular for Boy Scouts?
Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bay Ridge, and Windsor Terrace are certainly where we have the most kids in Scouting. That said, we have very strong programs everywhere from Greenpoint to Sheepshead Bay, to East New York. This year, we’d like to focus on expanding Scouting programs in the neighborhoods of Red Hook, Canarsie, and Coney Island.
For more information or to find a program nearby, folks can contact me directly at Justin.Rodstrom@Scouting.org to get started.
Rebecca Conroy is an artist, stylist, and Editor of A Child Grows in Brooklyn. She is from New York City, and has an MFA from Columbia University in screenwriting. Rebecca often finds herself on film and photography sets making things run or look better, and is the mom of two outrageously wonderful kids.