"Youth sports certainly has its place in our communities; but I can see no better program, for our boys than Scouting – the one program which seeks to improve the character of young people through an emphasis on the outdoors, youth-led units and the “patrol method”. The boy who plays youth sports can earn distinctions aplenty, such as awards, certificates, and captaincies. He can travel to many different places – some very far away -- to play his sport. Well, Scouting can provide those same things as well, in many more areas than a sports team can; and Scouting can also provide something for which there is no real equivalent in youth sports. A Boy Scout who earns Eagle Scout rank, the highest one in Scouting, is a boy who doesn’t have to say that he CAN lead others; he can show that he has DONE it. The Trail to Eagle is so arduous (but not impossible to travel) that only two out of every hundred Scouts ever earn that rank; but having earned it, he has a distinction that he can present to college or trade school admission committees, or prospective employers – and they WILL take note of his achievement. Whatever the course an Eagle Scout’s life may take, he will go through like with an invaluable set of skills which he learned in Scouting. Apart from that, the skills he will learn in Scouting will serve him well, every day, for the rest of his life. Knowing how to throw or hit a baseball, shoot a puck, pass or catch a football, or shoot baskets is certainly useful when you are playing the sport in question; but rarely will those skills be called upon when your boy becomes a man."
Troop 20, Quincy, MA

Let's put it all in perspective: Signing Day 

100 Years of Service to America

What do CIA Director Robert Gates, Michael Bloomberg, Steve Fossett, Neil Armstong and Hank Aaron have in common? They were all Eagle Scouts.

Boy Scouts of America have been a part of the back bone of America for almost 100 years. Not only has Scouting been actively instilling basic life virtues like Loyalty, Courtesy, Bravery, and Reverence, but the list of Boy Scouts that have gone on in their lives to represent our Country both Nationally and Internationally is a long list of Who’s Who in the United States.

Through 2 World Wars, 16 Presidents, the Admission of 4 States into the Union along with 4 changes to the American flag, the Boy Scouts of America has produced a few of the major leaders along the way – from Presidents to Quarterbacks, Astronauts to Senators. The Boy Scouts of America has been there to hold the flag up high while they brought home our dead soldiers from combat, buried our Presidents, placed American Flags on all the grave sites during Memorial Day, and we still help the occasional little old lady cross the street and into her car with her groceries.

Less than 1.5 million boys have reached Eagle in over 90 years (15,000 a year, roughly). Only 2-5 in 100 that joins Scouts make Eagle--that's less than 1% of the male population. On the road to Eagle these young men have volunteered millions of hours of service to their communities.

Stephen Bechtel, Bechtel Industries

Eagle Scout donates $50 million to BSA:

http://video.forbes.com/fvn/billionaires-2010/stephen-bechtel-billionaire-boyscout

Phil McKinney, HP CTO, Eagle Scout

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVZjX9GY9AI

Stephen Spielburg, Director/Producter, Eagle Scout

Drawing from his own experiences in Scouting, Spielberg helped the Boy Scouts of America develop a merit badge in cinematography. The badge was launched at the 1989 National Scout Jamboree, which Spielberg attended, and where he personally counseled many boys in their work on requirements.

That same year, 1989, saw the release of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The opening scene shows a teenage Indiana Jones in scout uniform bearing the rank of a Life Scout. Spielberg stated he made Indiana Jones a Boy Scout in honor of his experience in Scouting. For his career accomplishments and service to others, Spielberg was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.