,
..... evidently, it's significant. And that's understandable: there's nothing remotely like it in any other youth organization. A friend of mine credited his Eagle Scout award as a major reason why he got into Dartmouth.... While girls have always been allowed into the older BSA programs (where the Eagle Scout award is usually achieved), they've not been able to participate in the award. This opens this program to them. No, not many boy scouts attain the Eagle Scout award (I didn't). But that's probably a good reason why it is honored and coveted. My experience is LOTS start..... few finish. Which - if nothing else - shows that those who earn it have dedication, commitment, focus, sacrifice... they stick to things until it is achieved. Truth is, most teens don't have that. I didn't. It would be absurd to suggest this is the only way skills, attitudes, etc. can be learned and demonstrated.... but aside from grades and the SAT (which are purely academic), aside from graduating the Valadictorian.... there's little in our society that marks and verifies and awards these virtues. Certainly nothing in the Girl Scouts, noting in Little League, nothing in youth basketball.... Not even generally in churches.
