Mark Hancock
The announcement of the Boy Scouts of America’s name change to “Scouting America” has sparked widespread reflection on the organization’s cultural significance and the state of boyhood in America. While some see this as a necessary evolution, others mourn what feels like the end of an era. But this moment also offers an opportunity to revisit the vision of Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the scouting movement, and ask ourselves how we can honor his legacy in a way that meets the needs of today’s boys.
Baden-Powell’s vision wasn’t simply about outdoor skills or merit badges. He sought to build character and instill values like courage, resourcefulness and service to others. He understood that boys need both challenge and guidance — a structured adventure that draws out their best qualities while teaching them to overcome hardship and live with purpose. His approach wasn’t just a program; it was a philosophy, rooted in a profound understanding of what it means to raise boys into men of honor.
Today, as we grapple with cultural shifts and the unique challenges facing boys, it’s worth asking: What would Baden-Powell say about our current trajectory? The data is clear: boys are struggling. Rates of depression, anxiety and suicide among young men are alarmingly high. Boys are falling behind academically, with fewer men graduating from college than ever before. Many feel adrift, lacking a clear sense of purpose or direction. These issues don’t arise in a vacuum — they’re symptoms of a culture that has devalued traditional masculinity and failed to provide boys with a vision of what they can become.
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Baden-Powell’s legacy offers a roadmap. He understood that boys thrive when they have opportunities to take risks, test their limits, and learn through failure. They need mentors who model integrity and grit, peers who hold them accountable, and a sense of belonging to something greater than themselves. They need to be encouraged to embrace the hard work of becoming men who are both strong and kind, courageous and humble, adventurous and disciplined.
Honoring Baden-Powell’s legacy doesn’t mean clinging to the past or resisting change. It means raising the standard — taking the best of his vision and applying it to the challenges boys face today. We need to create spaces where boys can experience the beauty of the outdoors, the satisfaction of mastering new skills, and the character-shaping trials of leadership and teamwork. We need to affirm their unique strengths while teaching them how to channel those strengths for good.
In this cultural moment, it’s easy to focus on what’s been lost. But we’re also seeing a resurgence of interest in programs and initiatives that prioritize these values. Across the country, parents, educators, and community leaders are recognizing the importance of investing in boys’ development. They’re looking for ways to inspire boys to live with honor, courage and purpose — not as relics of a bygone era, but as the kind of men the world desperately needs.
Trail Life USA, as one example, has sought to embody and expand upon Baden-Powell’s vision. But the call to raise the standard isn’t limited to any one organization. Whether through schools, churches or community groups, we all have a role to play in fostering the qualities that make boys into men of character. We can honor the legacy of Baden-Powell by taking seriously the task of shaping boys into the leaders of tomorrow.
Boys need us to believe in their potential, to challenge them, and to equip them to meet the demands of life with resilience and integrity. Baden-Powell understood this, and his vision has stood the test of time. Now it’s up to us to ensure that his legacy not only endures but also inspires a new generation to aim higher, dream bigger and live with purpose.
Mark Hancock is the CEO of Trail Life USA, a character, leadership, and adventure organization that is both Christ-centered and boy-focused. Trail Life USA partners with churches and parents across America as the premier national character development organization for young men which produces generations of godly and responsible husbands, fathers, and citizens. In over 1,250 churches in all 50 states, and over 60,000 members, fathers and sons are connecting, relationships are deepening, and legacies are beginning as a new generation of godly leaders rises.
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