Columbia, SC (WLTX) — Boy Scouts of America has changed the way it does business by changing who they include in their troops.
In a nationwide initiative to become more inclusive and to fit the needs of today's families, Boy Scouts of America is opening its doors to all genders and that is making young girls like Winter Stork extremely happy.
Stork says, "I've always wondered actually why girls couldn't be a part of Cub Scouts. It made no sense to me."
The 10-year-old explains how watching her brother had an impact on her desire to join. She says, "I would go to my brother's Cub Scout meetings with him and I would have to sit in the corner and watch him do the activities and I was really inspired by it, and I was always begging my mom to let me do it."
This change means young girls like Winter Stork will grow up with the same opportunities and activities as her male Cub Scout counterparts as she is now officially a Cub Scout.
Doug Stone, scout executive for the Indian Waters Council of Boy Scouts of America is thrilled about the new change. "We are responding to the needs of today's families when a parent can take both their son and their daughter to the same program. They get opportunities to learn the scouting values and experience the fun that goes into the Boy Scouts of America programs. We believe it's a good thing."
Stork says that in her very short time as a Cub Scout, she's learned valuable lessons that she says she will never forget. "I've learned that no one is different and that everyone can do anything…as long as you set your mind to it."
We reached out today to Girl Scouts of America and did not receive a comment, but the CEO of the organization did issue a statement last year. In the statement, Girl Scouts' CEO Sylvia Acevedo said, "Girl Scouts is the premier leadership development organization for girls. We are, and will remain, the first choice for girls and parents who want to provide their girls opportunities to build new skills and grow into happy, successful, civically engaged adults."