Editing Scouting America (section)

==Impact on American life==
{{Further|Scouting in popular culture|List of Scouts|List of Eagle Scouts}}
[[File:FEMA - 28283 - Photograph by Mark Wolfe taken on 02-11-2007 in Florida.jpg|thumb|right|[[Federal Emergency Management Agency|FEMA]] Boy Scouts of America video]]
Scouting and Boy Scouts are well known throughout American culture and approximately 130&nbsp;million Americans have participated in Scouting America programs at some time in their lives.<ref name=":1" /> The term "Boy Scout" is used to generally describe someone who is earnest and honest, or who helps others cheerfully; it can also be used as a pejorative term for someone deemed to be overly idealistic.{{r|simon}}

Prominent Americans in diverse walks of life, from filmmaker [[Steven Spielberg]] (who helped launch a merit badge in [[cinematography]]) to adventurer [[Steve Fossett]] to U.S. presidents, were Scouting America members as youths.{{r|mcbride}}{{r|freeze}} Over two-thirds of all astronauts have had some type of involvement in Scouting,{{r|nasa}} and eleven of the twelve men to walk on the Moon were Scouts, including Eagle Scouts [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Charles Duke|Charlie Duke]].{{r|bsa02558}}{{r|nasawatch}} The [[pinewood derby]]—a wood car racing event for Cub Scouts—has been declared "a celebrated rite of spring" and was named part of "America's 100 Best" by ''[[Reader's Digest]]''.{{r|readersdigest}}

President [[Gerald Ford]] said, "I can say without hesitation, because of Scouting principles, I know I was a better athlete, I was a better naval officer, I was a better congressman, and I was a better prepared President."{{r|rumsfeld}}

[[File:Norman Rockwell- Beyond the Easel.jpg|upright|thumb|left|Norman Rockwell's ''Beyond the Easel'', 1969]]
[[File:BOY SCOUTS - NARA - 17419884.jpg|thumb|Boy Scout Troop 68 (1974)]]
Famed American illustrator [[Norman Rockwell]]'s works were closely associated with the Boy Scouts of America for much of the 20th century.{{r|hillcourt|page1=43}} Beginning in 1913, Rockwell began illustrating covers of ''[[Scout Life|Boys' Life]]'', the magazine for BSA youth. He also drew the organization's [[List of Boy Scout calendar illustrations|annual calendar illustrations between 1925 and 1976]].{{r|hillcourt|page1=89}}

In 1969, as a tribute to Rockwell's 75th birthday, officials of {{nowrap|[[Brown & Bigelow]]}} and the Boy Scouts of America asked Rockwell to pose in ''Beyond the Easel'' for a calendar illustration. As part of the [[United States Bicentennial|US Bicentennial]] celebrations in 1976, Rockwell's Scouting paintings toured the nation and were viewed by 280,000 people.{{r|hillcourt|page1=155}} In 2008, a twelve-city US tour of Rockwell's works was scheduled.{{r|bsascouting0803}}

[[Alvin Townley]] wrote in ''Legacy of Honor'' about the large positive impact of Eagle Scouts in America. Townley cited such examples as how Scouts, especially Eagle Scouts, were disproportionately represented among [[Hurricane Katrina]]'s volunteer relief workers; just as they are disproportionately represented among members of the [[United States Senate]].{{r|townley|page1=152}} Former Governor [[Rick Perry]] of Texas is an Eagle Scout who defended BSA policies and restrictions against ACLU criticisms in his book, ''On My Honor: Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts Are Worth Fighting For''.{{r|PerryR}}
[[File:Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America).ogg|thumb|[[File:The boy scouts of the Eagle patrol (1911) (14753402574).jpg|thumb|Boy Scouts of the Eagle Patrol]] [[Eagle Scout]]s ]]
[[Mark Mays]], CEO of [[Clear Channel Communications]], told a magazine interviewer in May 2008 that, "Particularly in the very impactful ages of youth 11&nbsp;to&nbsp;14 years old, when they can really go astray and you're taking the time to spend with them and focus on cultural core values like reverent, trustworthy, loyal, and helpful—all of those different things&nbsp;...&nbsp;Scouting has a huge positive impact on boys and their lives, and that in turn positively impacts our communities and society as a whole."{{r|bsascouting0805}}

Mayor of New York City and business tycoon [[Michael Bloomberg]], said that Scouting America's Scout Law required of all Scouts—a Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent—are "all the American values&nbsp;...&nbsp;Americans have quaintly simplistic ways and direct ways of phrasing things&nbsp;...&nbsp;I think it's one of the great strengths of this country."{{r|townley|page1=116}}

[[Peter Applebome]], an editor of ''[[The New York Times]]'', wrote in 2003 of his experience as an adult participating with his son in Scouting activities, "I feel lucky to have had this unexpected vehicle to share my son's youth, to shape it, and to be shaped by it as well."{{r|applebome}} He concluded that, although Scouting is viewed by some as old-fashioned, "Scouting's core values&nbsp;...&nbsp;are wonderful building blocks for a movement and a life. Scouting's genuinely egalitarian goals and instincts are more important now than they've ever been. It's one of the only things that kids do that's genuinely cooperative, not competitive."{{r|applebome|page1=319–320}}

At the turn of the 20th century, [[Halloween]] had turned into a night of [[vandalism]], with destruction of property and cruelty to animals and people.{{r|nyise}} Around 1912, the BSA, [[Boys & Girls Clubs of America|Boys Clubs]] and other neighborhood organizations came together to encourage a safe celebration that would end the destruction that had become so common on this night.{{r|deliriumsrealm}}

Scouting America is quite particular about how and when the Scout uniforms and insignia may be used in film and other portrayals; and for that reason, most films and television productions made in the US utilize "ersatz" Scouting organizations. Examples of this include the "Order of the Straight Arrow", portrayed in the ''[[King of the Hill]]'' cartoon series, and the "[[YCMA Indian Guides|Indian Guides]]" depicted in the 1995 [[Chevy Chase]] film, ''[[Man of the House (1995 film)|Man of the House]]''. Exceptions include Disney's ''[[Follow Me, Boys!]]'' (1966; re-released 1976) and the closing shot of ''[[The Sopranos]]'', which shows Cub Scouts in full uniform.

===Good Turns===
[[File:Smokey with scouts.png|thumb|right|[[Smokey Bear]] with members of Scouting America and the [[Camp Fire Girls]] celebrating the 50th anniversary of their founding in 1960]]
From the inception of the Scouting movement, Scouts have been urged to "Do a Good Turn Daily", the slogan for Scouting America. The first national Good Turn was the promotion of a safe and sane [[Independence Day (United States)|Fourth of July]] in 1912. During [[World War I]], ''Every Scout to Save a Soldier'' was a slogan used to motivate [[Effect of World War I on Children in the United States|children]] involved in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to help sell [[War savings stamps]].{{r|nyt1}} [[Scouting for Food]] is an ongoing annual program begun in 1986 that collects food for local food banks.{{r|SFF}}

In 1997, the BSA developed Service to America with a commitment to provide 200&nbsp;million hours of service by youth members by the end of the year 2000. As part of Service to America, the BSA provided service projects in conjunction with the [[National Park Service]]. In October 2003, the Department of the Interior expanded the program with the creation of [[Take Pride in America]], opening service to all Americans.{{r|takepride}} Service to America became Good Turn for America in 2004 and expanded to address the problems of hunger, homelessness, and inadequate housing and poor health in conjunction with the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, and other organizations.{{r|"CNN"}}{{r|ussspservice}}