Given that the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) now accepts girls into the main BSA organization, can girls now achieve both the BSA Eagle Scout Rank and the Girl Scouts Gold Award? Will this give them an advantage in the workforce?

Yes, it is possible for girls to achieve both prestigious awards, but the road to earning these honors is a challenging one. It requires significant dedication and time commitment, and not all girls or their families are willing to make that investment.

Understanding the BSA Awards

The BSA offers several high-level awards beyond the iconic Eagle Scout Rank. Here are a few key awards:

Eagle Scout Award: The highest award for the Scouts BSA program, designed for middle school-aged children. The BSA explicitly states that this is the intended age range for earning this award. Summit Award: A top award for high school and college-age Venturing members—both boys and girls. Quartermaster Award: Another top award for high school and college-age Sea Scouts—both boys and girls. Hornaday Award: Aimed at conservation work. Ranger Award: For advanced outdoor skills.

An Eagle Scout might go on to earn either the Summit or Quartermaster Award, but achieving all three is extremely rare. Only about 30 Quartermasters are earned each year.

Barriers to Earning Both Awards

While it is theoretically possible for girls to earn both the BSA Eagle Scout Rank and the Girl Scouts Gold Award, several significant barriers exist:

Dual Involvement: Contributing to both organizations would require extensive involvement in meetings, events, and activities. This is a significant time commitment for a high school student or busy teenager. Commitment: Earning one of the two awards is difficult; earning both is even more so. Most girls and their parents do not want to be tied up with the extensive time commitment required to achieve both.

For instance, earning even one of these awards can be challenging due to the demanding requirements and the time it takes. Girls would need to balance other responsibilities like school, extracurricular activities, and social life.

Benefits of Earning Both Awards

While earning both the BSA Eagle Scout Rank and the Girl Scouts Gold Award is a significant accomplishment, the practical benefits might be limited. Both awards offer valuable skills and experiences, such as leadership, teamwork, and community service, but these qualities can be gained through other activities and organizations as well.

Eagle Scout Rank: The Eagle Scout experience emphasizes leadership and service. However, many alternative programs and organizations also provide similar opportunities for girls and boys alike.

Girl Scouts Gold Award: This award represents the highest honor for Girl Scouts and recognizes extraordinary commitment to community service and leadership. Similar opportunities for service leadership exist within other organizations and outside formal programs.

However, employers often value a wide range of skills and experiences, such as project management, teamwork, leadership, and community service. Completing both these awards can certainly demonstrate a commitment to these values, but it is not the only way to showcase them.

Conclusion

While the Girl Scouts Gold Award and the BSA Eagle Scout Rank are highly regarded achievements, earning both is not a guarantee of a competitive edge in the workforce. Employers are increasingly interested in candidates who can demonstrate a variety of skills and experiences, which are not solely tied to these specific awards.

For girls who are passionate about both organizations, it might be worth considering the time and effort required. If the additional commitment aligns with their interests and goals, then earning both awards can be a meaningful achievement. However, for those who prioritize a more balanced life or focus on other pursuits, it might not be the best path.