Scout’s honor

I remember wearing the signature green uniform of the Girl Scouts every Monday back in high school. We also had patches or badges on our sleeves for having done some special task or acquiring a new skill. We belonged to a troop and had a number sewn on one of our sleeves. And every Monday, we carried the flag, wearing white gloves and were the marching “stars” of the flag ceremony. We took turns learning how to carry the flag and had many activities even outside campus.

While it just looked like fun, scouting actually meant to teach a girl how to reach her full potential as a community leader, and how to “be prepared” for any surprise event, crisis or emergency. In fact, that was the motto of every scout, boy or girl – Be Prepared. Together with expressing an oath to scouting, you raise your right three middle digits while saying the pledge. “On my honor, I will do my duty to God and my country. To help other people at all times. And to live by the Girl scout law.” After high school, you are armed with that courage, confidence and character to make the world a better place – that is the vision of the Girl Scouts. Beautiful, is it not?

And I am sure that also follows for Boy Scouts, as founded by Lord Robert Baden Powell in 1908 and introduced in the Philippines in 1910. Famous boy scouts are Carlos P. Romulo, Steven Spielberg, Martin Luther King, among many other leaders and visionaries. In 1936, the Boys Scouts of the Philippines was founded by Romulo, Vicente Lim, Jorge Vargas, Gabriel Daza, Arsenio Luz, Manuel Camus and Joseph Stevenot.

Boys and girl scouts share the motto “be prepared” and I think this is the best preparation for our youth to face the real world.

Today, we need to hone our youth to be more resilient, to be ready to face the world and show courage and tenacity. Scouts have balanced activities such as communing with nature in camping, going on hikes, making trails and living to protect the environment. Is that not what we ought to be teaching our young?

In my research, I found out that the Department of Education (DepEd) released an order in 2012 to revitalize girl scouting in schools nationwide. I have seen my nieces go through high school