Former boy scout Adam Ahlborn explains the research-based benefits of being a boy scout.
SKIATOOK, OK / JULY 15, 2020 / The Boy Scouts of America has been a respected organization for youth in the United States since 1910. The program is based on a number of core values, including leadership, preparedness, inclusion, and more. Roughly 130 million youth, male and female, have participated in Boy Scouts of America programs since its inception 110 years ago. Adam Ahlborn is a former Scout who stands behind the organization and recently discussed the many research-based benefits of being a Scout.
“The benefits of being a Scout continue throughout a person’s lifetime,” Adam Ahlborn said. “I find myself using social, physical, and mental tools I learned while being a Scout every day of the week.”
Adam Ahlborn explained one of the major benefits of being a Scout is learning how to develop goals and achieve them. Adam Ahlborn stated that scouts are constantly working toward goals, whether that’s reaching a new ranking, acquiring a new skill, or simply conquering a task that seemed difficult at first. He states that learning to create goals and finding the satisfaction of achieving them is something he has continued to value throughout his life.
Adam Ahlborn added that Scouts develop leadership skills that follow them into school and work settings. All Scouts have opportunities to lead, whether in meetings, on camping trips, or as they work through the ranks. The more a Scout matures in rank, the more leadership abilities he or she is expected to display. Adam Ahlborn explained that Scouts often become well acknowledged leaders in their local communities and workplaces.
As a result of achieving his Eagle Scout, Adam Ahlborn was promoted earlier than his fellow soldiers after he joined the military, which propelled his leadership track and allowed him to earn higher wages than others who joined at the same time without their Eagle Scout.
“Some of the most important skills I learned through being a Scout are those of survival,” Adam Ahlborn said. “These are skills that are no longer taught in school systems and can be overlooked by busy parents.”
Adam Ahlborn explained that Scouts learn to face any challenges that confront them. These can range from attempting to stay warm on frigid night of camping, building a structure by hand, and learning how to always be prepared for the worst. Scouts are expected to remain physically strong and mentally prepared, so they can survive in difficult conditions. These conditions can range from extreme outdoor trips to everyday struggles.
“As Scouts, we were expected to obey the Scout Law, which involves helping others at all cost, staying sharp, and always being physically prepared,” Adam Ahlborn aid. “These traits, as well as remaining moral at all times, are Scout-driven ideals that can benefit all of society.”
Adam Ahlborn urges boys and girls of all ages to give Scouts a try, as this esteemed organization can benefit America’s youth, and in turn, the future of the country.