2011 Report to the Nation PlaybookA Field Guide to Making the National Report Local

OVERVIEWEach year, as part of the BSA’s congressional charter, the Boy Scouts of America® is required to present a report to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. This report covers who the BSA is as an organization; the programs and initiatives it supports; and its major accomplishments and contributions over the past year.

This report is a presentation of who we are and what we do as a community—from the organization as a whole down to each individual unit. Thus, we each own a little piece of it.

To bring that important point home, each year, we select a delegation of six to 10 Scouts is selected to travel to Washington, D.C., to deliver the report to our nation’s leaders. This represents all areas of Scouting, and delegates come from every region of the country.

The delegation typically includes: A Cub Scout and his parent(s) Three or four Boy Scouts The Venturing president The Sea Scout boatswain

The Order of the Arrow chief A host couple, who serves as the

Scoutmaster on the trip

This year, the delegation will be in Washington, D.C., from Feb. 11-16 and the 2011 Report to the Nation will be delivered to the Speaker of the House on Wednesday, Feb. 15. While the agenda varies from year to year, past delegations have visited the Pentagon, White House, CIA, Smithsonian museums, congressional offices, and the U.S. Supreme Court, among others.

THE OPPORTUNITYThe Report to the Nation presents a significant opportunity for local councils, districts, and even units to tell your story to your communities, media, elected officials, current and potential donors, council board members, schools, and other Scouting advocates. Our accomplishments are a mark of pride for us as an organization and should be communicated to our local peers.

Beyond the content of the report, there is also a significant opportunity for local councils that have Scouts in the delegation to highlight the Scout, his or her accomplishments, and the upcoming trip.

This playbook will serve as your field guide to making the Report to the Nation local—to promote the good works of the BSA nationally while highlighting the many contributions Scouting makes in your communities to the media, local organizations, board members, and other advocates and friends.

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STEP ONE: MAKE THE REPORT YOURS

Customize the Report to the Nation to make it a Report to your state, council territory, or individual community. To make it as relevant as possible, this year’s Report to the Nation will have spaces to add information that is specific to your council, districts, or units. For example, relevant information to include would be the total number of Scouts within the council or market, total number of service hours donated, key numbers related to summer camps, and other important statistics. You can even give examples of significant projects undertaken by Scouts in your communities.

To make this step as easy and seamless as possible, we have included prompts within the national report (which will be highlighted for quick and easy reference) for local councils and units to complete. This section should be completed before the report is shared externally.

STEP TWO: SHARE THE REPORT WITH THE MEDIA

PREPARE A LOCAL PRESS KIT TO SHARE THE REPORT WITH MEDIA. At the end of this playbook, you will find various documents that can be personalized to put press kits together for the media. These documents will serve to provide the media with relevant information that will aid in forming a solid story. Press kits can be shared with the reporter in electronic format or hard copy. If materials are shared via hard copy, it is recommended that all press kit materials be housed together in a BSA-branded folder.

Materials to include, many of which can be found in the Resources section of this playbook are: Localized version of Report to the Nation. Remember to personalize this report before

sharing externally. Making sure the report is local will be important to reporters. Please note that the template version of the Report to the Nation will be sent separately from this document.

Local news release. Be sure to personalize the news release with local data and quotes and add contact information so that reporters can follow up with questions and interview requests.

Report to the Nation fact sheet. This piece, shorter in form than the full report, provides a snapshot of the Report to the Nation. This can and should be localized before including in the press kit.

Eagle Scouts fact sheet. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Eagle Scout rank. Use this fact sheet now and throughout the year any time you’re highlighting Eagle Scouts.

Additional fact sheets. These additional sheets include information on STEM and SCOUTStrong™.

Graphic assets. This includes an animated video and information graph which illustrates this year’s report.

MAKE A MEDIA CONTACT LIST. You may already have an existing media list from which you work on a regular basis. If not, with a little research, you can create one to aid you in pursuing

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media outreach across your market. Your media list should include all major daily and community newspapers in the area, along with local broadcast news affiliates (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, etc.). Include those reporters and editors with whom you have an existing relationship and also round out the list to include:

Community/metro reporters Youth reporters News assignment editors

REACH OUT TO REPORTERS WITH A COMPELLING PITCH. When sending your press kit to the media, you should use the opportunity to grab the reporter’s or editor’s attention with a brief but compelling pitch. Why does this matter to the reporter? Why should they care? What does this have to do with the local community? This is your opportunity to make the case for your—and your Scout’s—story and why it should be considered.

We’ve included sample language in the Resources section of this playbook for your reference. You should feel free to personalize the pitch to your tone and voice as much as possible. This language is simply a starting point. But remember, be brief and keep it relevant.

PREPARE POTENTIAL INTERVIEWEES. It will be important to identify Scouts, unit leaders, and council staff and key volunteers that can be available for interviews should the reporter request it (they usually do). Having a list at the ready also adds meat to your pitch, promising a better, more localized, and more humanized story.

In advance of any interviews, make sure that the spokespersons are familiar with the contents of the Report to the Nation and can speak to the contents from a personal standpoint. To help you, there are core messages included for your review in the Resources section. But, adding personal tone and flavor to these messages will be important. Perhaps you offer the reporter an interview with an Eagle Scout who has recently completed his service project, a Boy Scout who in the past year visited a high-adventure base, or a Scoutmaster who can discuss what a troop has done through SCOUTStrong™ or with the new Robotics merit badge.

MAKE A PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH THE REPORTER. After your pitch and press kit have been sent to reporters, it makes sense to follow up via phone to make a personal connection and gauge any interest they may have in the story. At this time, you can reinforce the assets you’re making available, whether it’s an invitation to attend a local presentation of the report to community leaders or an interview with a Scout.

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Suggested Media Outreach Timeline

Task Suggested DateDevelop:

Press kito Localized Report to the Nationo News releaseo Fact sheets

Media contact list Personalized pitch email or letter

By Monday, Feb.13

Distribute localized Report to the Nation and press kit.

Wednesday, Feb.15

Make pitch calls to media and offer interviews. Wednesday, Feb.15Share any media coverage with online followers.

Council, district, and/or unit Facebook Council, district, and/or unit Twitter

Ongoing after Feb.15

STEP THREE: SHARE IT WITH THE COMMUNITY

Once the report has been released to the media, it also makes sense to share copies with your stakeholders within your community. You could collaborate with other councils to send a group of Scouts to present the report at the state capitol, or encourage units to present at city council meetings.

In the Resources section that follows, we have also included sample cover letters to include when sending to key internal (council board members) and external groups (municipal leaders, elected officials, school board members, prominent and potential donors, etc.). You can use these letters as a starting point to share your personal story directly with audiences that matter most to you as a council.

It also makes sense to get Scouts involved in sharing the report with the community. You can:

Have Scouts prepare a formal presentation of the Report to the Nation that utilizes video or presentation programs like PowerPoint and deliver an oral presentation to:

o Local elected officials, including: The mayor and city council Congressional district offices State representatives and senators

o Board of the local councilo Local school board officialso Parent teacher associationso Their class at school

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o Their parents Identify Scouts who can serve as spokespeople/interviewees for media. Have Scouts reach out to the staff of their school newspaper to get one of their peers to

write about the Report to the Nation, or if the Scouts are student writers, encourage them to cover it.

STEP FOUR: TALK ABOUT THE REPORT WITH SCOUTS(AND GET SCOUTS TO TALK ABOUT IT IN RETURN)

The Report to the Nation presents an ideal opportunity to get Scouts interested in the various activities surrounding the report as well. Certain activities will be more appropriate for older Scouts than younger Scouts. We’ve included some thought starters below:

DISCUSSION TOPICS DURING UNIT MEETINGS Why is the Report to the Nation important to the BSA/our unit? Share the national delegation’s agenda, and discuss why it is important to let our

nation’s leaders know what we do each year. Focus on the various tenets within the report (Prepared. For Service. Prepared. For

Leadership. Prepared. For Learning. Prepared. For Adventure.) and discuss how the unit has lived out these pillars over the past year.

Set both individual and unit goals to address each pillar within the report (service, leadership, learning, and adventure) for 2012.

ENGAGING OTHERS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA Share links to the Report to the Nation news coverage with followers on the council,

district and/or unit’s social media channels. For Scouts that are above age 13 and have active social media accounts like Facebook

and Twitter, encourage them to share the statistics within the Report with their followers.

Engage individuals/Scouts in discussion about the Report through the unit, district or council social media channels. Invite fans/followers to weigh in and identify Scouts (age 13 and over) to weigh in.

Post a blog about Report to the Nation on council websites. A template article (which can also be used in newsletters and enewsletters) is included in the Resources section.

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RESOURCES

On the following pages, you will find key documents and templates that will aid you in localizing the Report to the Nation and sharing it with key internal and external audiences. These documents include:

Core messages for Scouts and leaders Customizable Report to the Nation Report to the Nation news release template Sample media pitch language Report to the Nation fact sheet Eagle Scout fact sheet Sample cover letters for use when sharing the report with internal and external

audiences Sample blog/newsletter content Information Graph and Video

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CORE MESSAGES

Scouts

I am so proud to represent Scouting and my community to deliver the Boy Scouts of America’s Report to the Nation. This is a tradition that goes back to President Taft. It is even more exciting this year, because we get to deliver the first report from our second century of Scouting.

The report we are delivering has information about the impact of Scouting on our country. I am one of nearly 3 million Scouts across the nation. As Scouts, we do community service, help take care of the environment, learn how to be a leader, and also how to be a good team member.

Scouting teaches us how to do the right thing, to help others, and to be courteous and kind.

Scouting has given me the opportunity to do a lot of fun and challenging things that I might not have tried otherwise. I know now I can achieve things that I might have thought were too hard or scary before.

I think it’s good for kids today to be involved in Scouting because it’s really fun. We get to go on all kinds of adventures, and earning merit badges is a fun way to learn about lots of different things.

I know the lessons I learn in Scouting will stay with me throughout my entire life.

If we were all to live by the Scout Oath and Scout Law, I believe it would have the power to change our country—and even the world!

Leaders

The Boy Scouts of America's annual Report to the Nation highlights the achievements of the Scouting program throughout the year, and is presented to the Speaker of the House by a group of young delegates.

2011 marks the first year in Scouting’s second century, and we’re very proud that this year’s Report to the Nation tells a strong story of how the Boy Scouts of America is continually updating its programs to meet the needs of today’s kids—from the introduction of a new healthy-living initiative, to an increased emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math in our existing programs.

We continue to stay focused on the fundamental values of Scouting—things like character, leadership, and service.

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Collectively in 2011, Scouts gave more than 25 million hours of volunteer service, at a value of more than a half-billion dollars to the communities where they live. And more than 50,000 young men earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

We’re excited about the future of Scouting, and how it will continue to positively impact our community.

CUSTOMIZABLE REPORT TO THE NATION

2011 Report to the NationBoy Scouts of America®

Who We AreWith more than 1 million adult volunteers in local councils throughout the United States and its territories, the Boy Scouts of America® helps its 2.7 million youth members to be Prepared. For Life.™ [Insert local council adult volunteer and youth members served.] The value of that preparation lives in the heart of every person involved in Scouting who has ever overcome one of life’s challenges, and it helps inspire a lifetime of character and service.

Who We ServeNational:1,583,166 boys ages 6 to 10 in Cub Scouting909,576 boys ages 11 to 17 in Boy Scouting and Varsity Scouting231,127 young men and women ages 14 to 20 in Venturing and Sea Scouts511,359 boys and girls in elementary through high school in Learning for Life character-education programs112,783 young men and women ages 14 to 20 in Exploring career-based programsLocal:[Insert details of local youth served in each program.]

What We DoThe BSA and the [Add local council name] prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. The following provides an overview of Scouting’s impact in 2011.

Prepared. For Service.The BSA prepares young people for service by providing opportunities for them to help their communities through service to others. Collectively, Scouts across America give more than 25 million hours of volunteer time annually, at a value of more than a half-billion dollars (based on national volunteer hour value of $21.36).

[Insert local council service hours or key project.]

[Note: You may remove this paragraph and add a local council service project.] Scouting also provides service to military families. With the support of 7,900 volunteers, we serve 19,750 youth annually in

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military bases around the world. Service projects include clothing drives for children in Afghanistan, painting military facilities, basewide cleanups, and book drives for military libraries.

In July, the Boy Scouts of America and the National Park Service organized SummitCorps, a four-week national service project at the New River Gorge National River. Nearly 1,700 Boy Scouts between the ages of 14 and 21 built 16 miles of world-class hike and bike trails, rehabilitated 12 miles of ATV trails, and removed four acres of invasive plants, making it one of the largest youth service projects performed in National Park Service history.

Prepared. For Leadership.The BSA prepares young people for leadership by giving them the skills to take responsibility and teach by example. For example, the Eagle Scout is the highest attainable rank in Boy Scouting, and Scouts must demonstrate proficiency in leadership, service, and outdoor skills at multiple levels before achieving the Eagle rank.

In 2011 there were 51,473 Scouts who earned the rank of Eagle [including XX in the add local council]. In addition to the 21 life skills merit badges required, each Scout must complete an extensive service project that he plans, organizes, leads and manages before his 18th birthday. The average number of hours spent on Eagle Scout projects is 130, which means that 2011 Eagle Scout service projects represented almost 6.7 million hours of community service [add local number].

Prepared. For Learning.The BSA prepares young people for learning by mentoring youth to set goals and work to reach them one step at a time. The Boy Scouts of America has built partnerships with ExxonMobil, NASA, and other key organizations to develop curriculum in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and to engage young people in considering a career in these fields.

As part of the STEM initiative, the Boy Scouts of America launched a Robotics merit badge in 2011 to help Scouts develop critical skills that are relevant and needed in today’s competitive world. The new badge is one of 31 life skills merit badges related to STEM that Scouts can earn.

[Add local number/information for STEM.]

For the past 40 years, the Boy Scouts of America has conducted student career interest surveys and worked with businesses and organizations to offer firsthand job experiences to enhance a student’s financial success, career readiness and college studies.

Promoting physical health and well-being has always been at the foundation of Scouting. In 2011, the Boy Scouts of America introduced a formal initiative, called SCOUTStrong™, which seeks to ensure that Scouts and all young people are healthy in mind, body, and spirit. As part of this initiative, the Boy Scouts of America aligned with first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move program to tackle the challenge of childhood obesity. The Boy Scouts of America also teamed with the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (PCFSN) to engage, educate, and empower youth to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and good nutrition. In addition, the Boy Scouts of America launched a special life skills patch awarded to Scouts who earn the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA).

[Add local number/information for SCOUTStrong.]

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In June 2011, the Boy Scouts of America partnered with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) to help teach Internet safety to Scouts and their families and to enable them to make responsible decisions both online and in real life.

Prepared. For Adventure.The BSA prepares young people for adventure by encouraging them to abandon a sedentary lifestyle, live healthier, and enjoy the great outdoors. More than 1 million Scouts attended our high-adventure camps in New Mexico, Minnesota, and Florida, as well as hundreds of our day and summer camps. In all, Scouts camped more than 5 million nights during 2011.

Construction began on our fourth high-adventure base, The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve. Located in the New River Gorge region of West Virginia, the Summit sits on 10,600 acres of forested mountains that will provide incredible facilities and intense outdoor programs. The Summit is scheduled to open in 2013 and will permanently host the iconic national Scout jamboree as well as the 2019 World Scout Jamboree.

Scouting goes beyond teaching outdoor skills. The program instills respect for the environment and ethical use of natural resources, including 11 life skills badges related to conservation.

The Next Century of Service, Leadership, Learning, and Adventure Our country faces a number of challenges in the future, and the Boy Scouts of America is helping prepare our nation’s youth to face and overcome those challenges. While most people avoid obstacles, the Boy Scouts of America teaches Scouts and Venturers to face them head-on.

As we look to a new century of Scouting achievements and instilling the values of honor and integrity in the youth in our program, in turn, our nation [Add local community] will look to the youth involved in Scouting to lead us all forward into a bright future. The Boy Scouts of America will continue to ready those youth to become leaders of strength and character—leaders who are Prepared. For Life.™

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REPORT TO THE NATION NEWS RELEASE TEMPLATE

PRESS RELEASEMedia Contact: [Name][Phone][Cell phone][Email address]

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA DELEGATION DELIVERS ANNUAL REPORT TO THE NATION

TO TOP WASHINGTON OFFICIALS, DETAILS 2011 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Local [Name] Council Shares 2011 Achievements, Growth Impacting [City] Community

ADD CITY (February X, 2012)—A delegation of nine young people from across the country will represent the Boy Scouts of America® in Washington, D.C., this month to present the organization’s annual Report to the Nation to top U.S. officials. The report is designated in the BSA’s congressional charter and will highlight the organization’s achievements in 2011, the first year in Scouting’s second century. The BSA’s new national theme, Prepared. For Life.™, has defined the organization’s path forward under four pillars: learning, service, leadership, and adventure.

“Innovation is a cornerstone of Scouting. While the fundamental nature of what we teach—things like character, leadership, and service—will never change, we continually update our programs to meet the needs of today’s kids,” Chief Scout Executive Bob Mazzuca said. “As we move into Scouting’s second century, we are focused on critical issues to today’s youth with new healthy-living initiatives and a greater emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math [STEM] in Scouting programs. We’re proud to be able to share our progress with our nation’s leaders.”

Locally, the [Name] Council has contributed to the national report that will be shared through the delivery of a quality Scouting experience in [City], serving more than XX local youth members in 2011. Specifically, the [Name] Council has achieved the following:

[INSERT LOCAL 2011 ACHIEVEMENTS, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING: the number of Eagles awarded; the number of merit badges awarded; the percentage of membership growth; an increase in attendance at camp; and/or the launch of any new local programs that exemplify learning, service, leadership, and adventure.]

The impact of Scouting in America in 2011 across the nation includes: Collectively, Scouts across America give more than 25 million hours of volunteer time annually,

at a value of more than a half-billion dollars based on the national volunteer hour value of $21.36)

More than 51,000 young men earned the rank of Eagle Scout. The average number of hours spent on Eagle Scout projects is 130, which means that 2011 Eagle Scout service projects represented about 6.7 million hours of community service.

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Scouts learned the value of physical health and well-being with the introduction of SCOUTStrong™, a formal BSA initiative that seeks to ensure Scouts and all young people are healthy in mind, body, and spirit.

More than 1 million Scouts attended BSA camps in 2011—with Scouts camping out more than 5 million nights throughout the year—continuing the organization’s longtime focus on adventure in the great outdoors.

In 2011, the BSA continued its ongoing affiliation with ExxonMobil, NASA, and other organizations to cultivate initiatives that encourage interest in STEM-related educational and career opportunities.

Arriving in the nation’s capital on Saturday, February 11, the BSA delegation is scheduled for visits throughout the week with U.S. Cabinet members and House and Senate leadership, as well as tours of the White House, CIA, Pentagon, and Supreme Court. The delegation will deliver this year’s report to Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner, and for the first time, will participate in a service project that will benefit the National Cathedral.

Being selected to the Report to the Nation delegation is a tremendous honor for the nine Scouts and the communities they represent. Each Scout represents the more than 100 million Scouts who have been part of the BSA since its inception in 1910 and the millions who will follow.

To keep track of the Report to the Nation delegates as they embark on this once-in-a-lifetime experience in Washington, D.C., follow @boyscouts on Twitter or "Boy Scouts of America" on Facebook.

*Figure based on the national volunteer hour value of $21.36.

About the Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America prepares young people for life by providing 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 21, and more than a 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.

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Note: Beginning February 11, media outlets may contact Nathan Johnson at 972-580-2498 for photos of the delegation in Washington.

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SAMPLE MEDIA PITCH LANGUAGE

Email Pitch

Subject: [City] Youth Receives Once-in-a-Lifetime Scouting Honor

Hello,

[Eagle/Boy/Cub] Scout [Full Name] of [City] is among a delegation of only nine Scouts from around the nation who are getting an “insider’s view” of Washington, D.C., this month. On Wednesday, Feb. 15, s/he is scheduled to present the Boy Scouts of America’s annual Report to the Nation to Speaker of the House John Boehner. Presentations are also scheduled to be made to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

[FIRST NAME] was selected for this honor due to [INSERT BRIEF SENTENCE ABOUT OUTSTANDING STORY HERE]. For more information, please see his/her bio below.

Before presenting, the Scouts embark on an incredible week that includes scheduled visits with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, CIA Director David H. Petraeus, Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin, and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The delegation will visit the White House, Pentagon, and Supreme Court. While in the nation’s capital, [FIRST NAME] is proudly representing the nearly 3 million young people who make up the Scouting program, and sharing Scouting’s achievements from 2011.

Would you be interested in speaking with [FIRST NAME] as s/he prepares to embark on this incredible journey? Please let me know if you’d like to set up a time to talk.

Beginning Feb. XX, you can view photos and read the daily journals of the Scout delegation at www.scouting.org.

Phone Pitch for Print

Hello, this is [Your Name] and I am working with the Boy Scouts of America. I’ve got a really great story to share about an [Eagle/Boy/Cub] Scout from [City] who will be meeting with the nation’s top leadership next week. To start, s/he’ll be presenting the BSA’s Report to the Nation to Speaker of the House John Boehner next Wednesday. S/He is also scheduled to meet Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, CIA Director David H. Petraeus, and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, among others.

[Full Name] has been selected to be part of a delegation of only nine Scouts headed to Washington, because [Insert Personal Story]. S/He’ll be doing pretty incredible things while s/he is in Washington. In addition to meeting top officials, s/he’ll be visiting the White House, the Pentagon, and the Supreme Court, to name a few.

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S/He is leaving for Washington, D.C., this weekend. Would you be interesting in speaking with him/her before s/he leaves, or after s/he returns on Feb. 16?

Phone Pitch for TV

Hello, this is [Your Name], and I am working with the Boy Scouts of America. I’m wondering if your station is interested in scheduling anything with the local [Eagle/Boy/Cub] Scout who was selected as one of only nine youth to present the BSA’s Report to the Nation to Speaker of the House John Boehner in Washington, D.C., next Wednesday. S/He is leaving for Washington, D.C., this weekend and we could set something up before s/he goes, or after s/he returns on Feb. 16.

Phone Pitch for Radio

Hello, is your station interested in news story ideas?

Great. I am working with the Boy Scouts of America. Would your station be interested in scheduling anything with the local [Eagle/Boy/Cub] Scout who was selected as one of only nine youth to present the BSA’s Report to the Nation to Speaker of the House John Boehner next Wednesday? S/He is leaving for Washington, D.C., this weekend and we could set something up before s/he goes, or after s/he returns on Feb. 16.

If asked how Scout was selected[First Name] has been recognized as someone who exemplifies the Scouting program. Throughout the year, the Boy Scouts of America National Council hears stories of outstanding Scouts, and [First Name] is one of them. I have a bio with more information about him/her I can send to you.

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OP-ED

Instructions:

An opinion editorial is a 500- to 600-word article that expresses the opinion of an individual or group.

It is a prewritten piece that will be printed as-is in your local newspaper(s). First, customize the op-ed by filling in all of the blanks with information about your RTN delegate

and local council. Then, identify the correct contact at the newspaper that receives op-eds for consideration. This

is normally the editorial page editor, and will likely be the same contact who receives letters to the editor.

It often takes a week or two for newspapers to run an op-ed after it’s received, so plan to submit it earlier than you would like it to run in the paper.

Op-ed for Customization:

LOCAL [CUB/BOY/EAGLE/VENTURING/SEA] SCOUT RECEIVES NATIONAL HONOR FOR EXEMPLIFYING VALUES OF SCOUTING PROGRAM

By [Name], Scout Executive, [Name] Council

Every day, Scouts in [City/Community Name] exemplify strong character, honor, and integrity. We at the [Name] Council of the Boy Scouts of America are proud of the thousands of youth involved in our program. But today, we would like to draw attention to one in particular. [Name] is a/an xx-year-old [Cub/Boy/Eagle/Venturing/Sea] Scout from [Pack/Troop/Crew/Ship] XXX in [City] who has been selected as one of only nine delegates from across the country to travel to Washington, D.C., this month and present the BSA’s annual Report to the Nation to top U.S. officials.

The Report to the Nation is designated in the BSA’s congressional charter. It will highlight Scouting’s achievements in 2011, the first year of the organization’s second century. Being selected to the Report to the Nation delegation is a tremendous honor for [Name], as he/she is representing nearly 3 million youth members of Scouting and more than one million volunteers. While in Washington, the delegation is scheduled for an impressive line-up of visits throughout the week with U.S. Cabinet, House, and Senate leadership, as well as visits to the White House, CIA, Pentagon, and U.S. Supreme Court.

[Name] was selected to represent the BSA in Washington because he/she exemplifies the Scouting program—including the values of character, leadership, and service. [Include Scout’s Bio Information Here.]

At the same time that [Name] highlights the BSA’s most notable achievements of 2011 on a national stage, I am proud to share the most recent accomplishments of the [Name] Council, all of which would not have been possible without the hard work and tireless efforts of more than XX professional Scouters, XX volunteers, and the enthusiastic participation of XX youth members here in [City]. [List 2011 Pride Points.]

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We’d like to invite the whole community to join in celebrating all of our outstanding Scouts, and congratulating [Name] on his/her much-deserved selection for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Follow [Name]’s journey at [Facebook/Twitter/Special URL] or scouting.org.

REPORT TO THE NATION FACT SHEET

OverviewThe Boy Scouts of America's annual Report to the Nation highlights the achievements of the Scouting program throughout the previous year. The report, designated in the BSA’s congressional charter, is officially presented to the Speaker of the House each year. Other government officials that traditionally receive the report include the president of the United States, members of Congress from both houses, and other top government officials.

HistorySince President William Howard Taft agreed to be honorary president of the Boy Scouts of America in 1910, every U.S. president has received a BSA Report to the Nation delegation. Many Scouts have been selected for this tremendous honor, including nine outstanding youth who will participate in the delegation this year.

The DelegationA contingent of youth delegates that represents all program areas—Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Venturing, and Sea Scouts—is carefully selected to present the report. Each one embodies the spirit and values that Americans have come to associate with Scouting. This year's delegation will visit with elected and appointed dignitaries and tour sites in the nation’s capital, including the White House, Central Intelligence Agency, U.S. Supreme Court, the Pentagon, U.S. Secret Service, Arlington National Cemetery, and Goddard Space Flight Center.

Report to the Nation Quick FactsNine youth delegates will represent 2.7 million youth members and more than 1 million volunteers from BSA local councils. Highlights from the 2011 Report to the Nation include achievements under the four pillars of Scouting:

Prepared. For Service. In 2011, Scouts dedicated more than 25 million hours serving their communities at a value of more than a half-billion dollars (based on national volunteer hour value of $21.36).

Prepared. For Leadership. There were 51,473 Scouts who earned the rank of Eagle by successfully leading an extensive, self-directed service project and mastering the required 21 life skill badges.

Prepared. For Learning. Scouts developed critical skills in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and challenged themselves to put knowledge about physical activity and nutrition into practice by earning the new SCOUTStrong™ Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) patch.

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Prepared. For Adventure. More than 1 million Scouts camped more than 5 million nights at BSA day and summer camps, and high-adventure camps in New Mexico, Minnesota, and Florida.

More InformationTo learn more about the Report to the Nation, contact Deron Smith at 972-580-7848 or deron.smith@scouting.org.

EAGLE SCOUT FACT SHEET

The Boy Scouts of America® helps its 2.7 million youth members to be Prepared. For Life.™ The value of that preparation lives in the heart of every person involved in Scouting who has ever overcome one of life’s challenges, and it helps inspire a lifetime of character and service.

Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest attainable rank in Boy Scouting. Scouts must demonstrate proficiency in leadership, service, and outdoor skills at multiple levels before achieving the Eagle rank; fewer than 5 percent of Boy Scouts earn the coveted rank. Over the past century, the hard-earned position has become widely recognized—both in and outside of Scouting—as a mark of distinction.

HistoryThe Eagle Scout badge was first given in 1912 to Arthur Eldridge, a Scout from Brooklyn, N.Y. By 1982, more than 1 million young men had reached the rank, and the 2 millionth Eagle Scout was recognized in 2009. In 2011, the BSA welcomed more than 51,000 new Eagle Scouts. The organization has averaged more than 50,000 new Eagle Scouts per year over the past six years.

RequirementsScouts must complete two primary components to earn the Eagle rank:

1. Service and responsibility. The Scout must plan, organize, lead, manage, and complete an extensive service project that benefits an organization outside the BSA, all before his 18th birthday. In 2011, Eagle Scout projects alone represented more than 6.7 million hours of community service.

2. Merit badges. Of the 128 merit badges available, 21 must be earned to qualify for Eagle Scout. Required badges include First Aid, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communication, Environmental Science, Personal Fitness, Personal Management, Camping, and Family Life.

Character and ContributionsA 2012 independent research study conducted by Baylor University found that Eagle Scouts are more likely to volunteer, donate money to charity, vote, and work with others to improve their neighborhood than men who have never been in Scouting. They were also found to be more goal-oriented, have higher levels of planning and preparation skills, and be more likely to take a

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leadership position at work or in their local communities. On a personal level, Eagle Scouts report closer relationships with family and friends and are more likely to regularly participate in recreational activities in their free time.

Notable EaglesThroughout the past century, Eagle Scouts have gone on to become Olympians, surgeons, civil rights leaders, Pulitzer Prize winners, and paragons of business. Some notable Eagle Scouts include:

Mike Rowe, television personality and host of the Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs” Shane Victorino, Major League Baseball all-star Gerald Ford, former president of the United States James Lovell, former astronaut and commander of Apollo 13 Robert Gates, former secretary of defense William Gates Sr., co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club Jon Heder, Napoleon Dynamite writer and actor Rex Tillerson, ExxonMobil CEO and current BSA national president

More InformationTo learn more about the Report to the Nation, contact Deron Smith at 972-580-7848 or deron.smith@scouting.org.

STEM FACT SHEET

The Boy Scouts of America® helps its 2.7 million youth members to be Prepared. For Life.™ The value of that preparation lives in the heart of every person involved in Scouting who has ever overcome one of life’s challenges, and it helps inspire a lifetime of character and service. The BSA prepares young people for learning, by mentoring youth to set goals and work to reach them one step at a time.

BackgroundIn 2011, ExxonMobil generously funded the development of a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) project within Scouting through a special multi-year grant. The STEM initiative gives Scouts an opportunity to explore relevant skills and experiences and for their achievements to be recognized.

The initiative is designed to bring a Scouting focus to skills that are relevant and needed in our competitive world, thereby increasing the value of Scouting to families and communities as it supports the development of these critical skills in youth. It also aims to encourage interest in STEM-related educational and career opportunities.

NOVA Awards

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To enhance its focus on STEM, the BSA created the NOVA Awards program, presented for understanding the basics of STEM. The topics are age-appropriate for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturers, and are designed to encourage participation and increase interest in STEM by making it relevant and fun.

Current topics available for the Cub Scout NOVA Awards include: Science Everywhere Tech Talk Swing! Designed to Crunch

Current topics available for the Boy Scout NOVA Awards include: SHOOT! Start Your Engines Whoosh! Designed to Crunch

The current topic available for the Venturing NOVA Award is: What is STEM?

The SUPERNOVA Awards are presented to Scouts who earn academic pins, activity badges, and merit badges plus other rigorous STEM-related requirements. SUPERNOVA is designed to encourage and recognize more in-depth achievement in STEM.

Honorary Chairman and National SpokespersonDr. Bernard Harris, entrepreneur and former Boy Scout and NASA space shuttle astronaut serves as the honorary chairman and national spokesperson.

More InformationFor more information, contact Deron Smith at 972-580-7848 or deron.smith@scouting.org.

ScoutStrong Fact Sheet

Increasing rates of obesity, unhealthy eating habits, and physical inactivity are creating real health problems for America’s young people. As one of the nation’s foremost youth-serving organizations, the Boy Scouts of America® feels a responsibility to help turn the tide and encourage better health for all kids—whether or not they wear the Scouting uniform.

About SCOUTStrong™

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“To keep myself physically strong” has been part of the oath that Boy Scouts have followed for more than a century. In summer 2011, the BSA committed to do even more by launching its new healthy living initiative, SCOUTStrong™. The BSA is concentrating its efforts in three areas:

Activity. The BSA is working with young people to transform physical inactivity to activity, with a keen focus on getting kids outdoors.

Awareness. The BSA is partnering with respected organizations in child development, healthcare, fitness, and nutrition—including Let’s Move!, Major League Soccer, and the President’s Challenge—to educate young people about prevalent health issues.

Nutrition. The BSA is currently reviewing its materials and literature to encourage healthy eating habits, for life.

SCOUTStrong™ PALA ChallengeThrough a special collaboration between the BSA, and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, a Scout-specific Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) is now available. It requires a minimum commitment of 60 minutes of daily activity, five days a week for six weeks for Scouts; adults need 30 minutes a day. The BSA hopes more than 500,000 Scouts will achieve the award prior to the next national Scout jamboree in 2013. While the primary goal is to improve the habits of youth members, the BSA is asking adult leaders, staff, families, and alumni to earn the award, too.

HistoryPhysical fitness and wellness programs are built into every level of Scouting.

More than 2.2 million young men have earned the Personal Fitness merit badge since its introduction in 1952. It is required to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.

Seventeen percent of merit badges are related to physical fitness, including Athletics, Canoeing, Climbing, Hiking, and Swimming.

Twenty-five percent of Webelos’ (boys ages 7–11) activity badges are directly related to promoting physical fitness.

The Cub Scouts Academics and Sports Program was developed to supplement the normal requirements and reinforce physical fitness. No. 6 on the list of Cub Scouting’s 12 Core Values is Health and Fitness.

More InformationTo learn more, contact Deron Smith at 972-580-7848 or deron.smith@scouting.org. View all of the PALA Challenge requirements at scouting.org/SCOUTStrongpala.aspx.

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SAMPLE INTERNAL COVER LETTER FOR USE WITH LOCAL COUNCIL BOARD, EXISTING DONORS, PARENTS, ETC.

Date

NameOrganizationAddressCity, State, Zip

Dear [Name],

Recently, a delegation of nine young people from across the nation traveled to Washington, D.C., to present the Boy Scouts of America’s annual Report to the Nation. The report is designated in the BSA’s congressional charter and highlights its achievements from the past year—the first year of Scouting’s second century. The BSA has defined its path forward under four pillars—service, leadership, learning, and adventure— as it prepares young people to be Prepared. For Life.™

As a valued friend of the [Local Council Name], we felt it was appropriate to share this report with you. This showcases what Scouting does nationally, and right here in [City/Council Territory]. Our council served more than XX local youth members in 2011, including XX who achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Last year, these Scouts collectively completed a total of XXXX hours of volunteer service, a value of more than $XXX to the XXX community.

While we remain focused on the fundamentals of what we teach—things like character, leadership, and service—we are moving forward in innovative ways to meet the needs of today’s youth. Entering Scouting’s second century, we are putting an emphasis on injecting healthy-living initiatives and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in our Scouting programs.

Enclosed, you will find a copy of the 2011 Report to the Nation/[Community]. We are proud of the progress we’ve made and are pleased to be able to share that with you.

Sincerely,

NameTitleLocal Council Name

Enclosure

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SAMPLE EXTERNAL COVER LETTER FOR USE WITH POTENTIAL DONORS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, SCHOOL BOARDS, ETC.

Date

NameOrganizationAddressCity, State, Zip

Dear [Name],Recently, a delegation of nine young people from across the nation traveled to Washington, D.C., to present the Boy Scouts of America’s annual Report to the Nation. The report is designated in the BSA’s congressional charter and highlights its achievements from the past year—the first year of Scouting’s second century. The BSA has defined its path forward under four pillars—service, leadership, learning, and adventure—as it prepares young people to be Prepared. For Life.™

Scouting is a vital part of our community, shaping tomorrow’s leaders and turning today’s boys into men by building character, leadership, and service. In [City], [Local Council Name] served more than XX local youth members in 2011, including XX who achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Last year, these Scouts collectively completed a total of XXXX hours of volunteer service, a value of more than $XXX to the XXX community.

While we remain focused on the fundamentals of what we teach—things like character, leadership, and service—we are moving forward in innovative ways to meet the needs of today’s youth. Entering Scouting’s second century, we are putting an emphasis on injecting healthy-living initiatives and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in our Scouting programs.

Enclosed, you will find a copy of the 2011 BSA Report to the Nation/[Community Name]. We are proud of the progress we’ve made and are pleased to be able to share that with you as a leader of our community.

We certainly welcome any questions you may have about Scouting in the [Name] community. Please feel free to reach out to me at [number/email].

Sincerely,

NameTitleLocal Council NameEnclosure

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SAMPLE BLOG/NEWSLETTER CONTENT

BSA Report to the Nation: Reflecting on a Remarkable Year

As you read this, a group of nine Scouts from across the nation are in Washington, D.C., presenting a report of the BSA’s greatest accomplishments in 2011 to our nation’s leaders. Each year, as part of the BSA’s congressional charter, the Boy Scouts of America presents the Report to the Nation to the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Senate majority leader, and other top government officials. [IF YOU HAVE A DELEGATE, INCLUDE A PARAGRAPH ON YOUR SCOUT.][This year, that delegation includes Scout Name, of Unit Number. Include biographical info. We are proud to have our council represented at the national level to share the remarkable things we’ve achieved in Scouting over the past year.]

The Report to the Nation showcases what Scouting does nationally, and right here in [City/Council Territory]. And we’re proud of our contributions. In 2011, our council served more than XX local youth members in 2011, including XX who achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Last year, these Scouts collectively completed a total of XXXX hours of volunteer service, a value of more than $XXX to the [City] community.

Across America in 2011, Scouting made a sizeable impact:

Scouts completed more than 25 million hours of volunteer service, at a value of more than a half-billion dollars to the communities where they live.

More than 51,000 young men earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Scouts learned the value of physical health and well-being with the introduction of

SCOUTStrong™, a formal BSA initiative that seeks to ensure Scouts and all young people are healthy in mind, body, and spirit.

More than 1 million Scouts attended BSA camps in 2011, continuing our longtime focus on adventure in the great outdoors.

Scouting built partnerships with ExxonMobil, NASA, and other key organizations to develop curriculum in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and to engage young people to consider a career in these areas.

Into the future, while we remain focused on the fundamental nature of what we teach—things like character, leadership, and service—we are moving forward in innovative ways to meet the needs of today’s youth.

While our delegation takes on this important task in Washington, D.C., we invite you to follow their adventures online by following @boyscouts on Twitter or Boy Scouts of America on Facebook. Here’s to a great and even more impactful 2012.

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INFORMATION GRAPH AND VIDEO

To help tell the story of Scouting’s accomplishments, we’ve developed the following information graph (we’ve attached this as a separate file). Also, this is available in video form at: http://youtu.be/hlLN__hoOPo . . (Note: please do not distribute the video until Friday, February 10. )

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