DENVER — The Boy Scouts of America is putting out the welcome mat for girls in Denver.
Cub Scouts, geared to first through fifth graders, has begun accepting girls in the Denver areaunder an "early adopter program.” A nationwide rollout begins Aug. 1.
BSA spokesperson Nancy Farrell told Denver7 that while both girls and boys will be welcome in the Scouts, the genders will be separated during pack meetings.
“Boy Scouts of America made the decision to provide a single gender program in Scouting and Boy Scouting. What that means is pack will serve a girls only unit, boys only unit or unique family model,” said Farrell.
The Family Program, which Farrell says has unofficially existed for several years, will bring both boys and girls together to work on Scouting requirements.
Farrell said both genders would be treated equally. Girls will have the same ranks, requirements, and uniforms for Scouting as boys. But girls will have the added choice of a skirt.
Boy Scouts, which is for sixth through 12th graders, will not be available to girls until next year. But girls ages 14 to 20 are welcome in Venturing and other BSA-run programs like Exploring, Sea Scouts and STEM Scouts.