Guest MINDSETTER™ Edward Broderick: The Value of the Boy Scouts
Guest MINDSETTER™ Edward Broderick
Guest MINDSETTER™ Edward Broderick: The Value of the Boy Scouts
But for those whose family members have not been a part of the Boy Scouts, how will they know the benefits? A recent study by Tufts University shows that boys who are Scouts show significant, positive differences in character attributes during developmental years than boys who are not scouts.
The study examined Scouts and non-scouts ages 6 to 12 over a period of three years who were not significantly different from each other in other aspects. Using qualitative data to track and compare the boy's progress, the study aimed to study the character development of youth. In tracking their responses through interviews and surveys, the researchers focused on six key characteristics: hopefulness, helpfulness, obedience, cheerfulness, kindness, and trustworthiness.
Boys in the Scout program reported that they felt they grew significantly in all six categories over a period of three years. Conversely, non-Scouts did not report an increase in any of the categories. In fact, many non-Scouts reported that they felt less cheerful, helpful, and obedient than when the study began.
Over the period of the study, the Scouts saw a steady increase in learning and exhibiting positive social values. An important part of this study is the first-hand information that it relies upon. The youth are self-reporting, which means we get an insider’s view of the value of the Boy Scouts to these boys. The Scouts’ significant increases in character reporting shows that they feel like they have improved. The fact that they have improved is important, but so is the fact that these Scouts feel like they are more capable and have better social characteristics than when they first began.
When asked what was “most important” to them, Scouts were more likely to choose “helping others” or “doing the right thing” over “being smart,” “being the best,” or “playing sports.” Non-Scouts on the other hand chose answers geared toward self-importance and achievement. The Scout program places importance on other-oriented values, like the ones observed by the Scouts in the study, which illuminates the impact that being a Scout has on their development.
To show further impact of the Scout program, youth in sports, youth in Scouts, and youth in both were compared on how they felt regarding other-oriented values. Sports teams generally aim to instill leadership and teamwork qualities into youth, just as the Scouts do. However, youth in the Scouts program scored higher than those involved in both or just sports. The Scouts program is a unique one, which supports that development of other-oriented values in a superior way.
Additionally, the amount of involvement the Scouts had in the organization made a difference. Those who participated more regularly and for a continuous period of time showed better outcomes in character development. This is to be expected, but even those who sometimes or rarely attended meetings saw an increased levels of trustworthiness, helpfulness, kindness, and thriftiness. This second dynamic within the study provides further evidence that the Boy Scouts is a positive and effective program for our youth. Those who have the time and resources to participate regularly excel, but even those who are less involved show a greater development of positive characteristics than those who are not part of the Scouts. Being a Scout makes a difference.
Becoming a Scout is one of the best ways to teach developing youth positive, lasting social values. An organization with 100 years of tenure in helping youth reach a higher potential, the Boy Scouts is a great way to teach core values that help youth succeed for years to come. The Tufts study shows what every person involved in the Scout program can tell you: being a Boy Scout makes a positive impact on youth that will stay with them through the rest of their years.
Edward T. Broderick is the Council President of the Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America and President of Gilbane Development Company
The 100 Largest Non-Profits in Rhode Island
#100
Company Name: Church Community Housing Corporation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $18,414,913
#99
Company Name: Saint Antoine Residence
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $19,104,042
#98
Company Name: Westerly Land Trust
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2012
Total Assets: $19,209,042
#97
Company Name: Gateway Healthcare
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $19,531,455
#96
Company Name: Amy Plant Slatter Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $19,580,437
#95
Company Name: Thundermist Health Center
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: August 2013
Total Assets: $20,114,766
#94
Company Name: Moses Brown School Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2014
Total Assets: $20,471,216
#93
Company Name: Lincoln School
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $20,951,163
#92
Company Name: Biogen Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $21,156,769
#91
Company Name: FM Global Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $21,398,128
#90
Company Name: Sharpe Family Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $21,512,369
#89
Company Name: Gordon School
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $22,865,048
#88
Company Name: Steere House
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $22,970,587
#87
Company Name: St. Elizabeth Community
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $24,392,335
#86
Company Name: Shriners of Rhode Island Trust
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $24,638,985
#85
Company Name: Child and Family Services of Newport
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $24,703,612
#84
Company Name: Rhode Island College Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $24,983,500
#83
Company Name: Naval War College Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $26,604,533
#82
Company Name: Redwood Library and Athenaem
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $26,637,542
#81
Company Name: University Surgical Associates
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $27,334,560
#80
Company Name: Audubon Society of RI
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $27,786,166
#79
Company Name: Children’s Friend
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $27,853,045
#78
Company Name: University Medicine Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $28,132,698
#77
Company Name: Home and Hospice Care of RI
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $29,179,344
#76
Company Name: Amica Companies Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2012
Total Assets: $29,935,865
#75
Company Name: Samuel Freeman Charitable Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $29,940,503
#74
Company Name: Woonsocket Neighborhood Development Corp
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $30,332,328
#73
Company Name: TriMix Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $30,587,000
#72
Company Name: Providence Public Library Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $31,820,384
#71
Company Name: YMCA Pawtucket
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $32,833,487
#70
Company Name: Times2 Inc
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $33,670,874
#69
Company Name: Newport Restoration Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $33,952,845
#68
Company Name: Memorial and Library Association
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $34,034,112
#67
Company Name: Feinstein Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $34,171,211
#66
Company Name: PPAC
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $34,316,374
#65
Company Name: Roger Williams Law School
Org. Type: (501)(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $34,536,000
#64
Company Name: Plan International USA
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $36,951,753
#63
Company Name: Meeting Street
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: August 2013
Total Assets: $38,933,494
#62
Company Name: RI Blood Center
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $38,937,953
#61
Company Name: OSHEAN, Inc.
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $38,945,842
#60
Company Name: Greater Providence YMCA
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $39,710,483
#59
Company Name: Gordon Research Conferences
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: October 2013
Total Assets: $40,643,987
#58
Company Name: CVS Caremark Charitable Trust
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $41,398,945
#57
Company Name: ProvPort Inc.
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $43,174,375
#56
Company Name: St. Andrews School
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $43,939,583
#55
Company Name: Jewish Federation Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $47,138,605
#54
Company Name: Preservation Society of Newport County
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: March 2014
Total Assets: $49,797,781
#53
Company Name: Jonathan Nelson Family Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $50,427,395
#52
Company Name: Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $50,926,807
#51
Company Name: Rhode Island Hospital Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $53,927,147
#50
Company Name: Landmark Medical Center
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $54,452,021
#49
Company Name: Memorial Hospital
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $55,728,659
#48
Company Name: Providence Community Health Centers
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: November 2013
Total Assets: $56,763,431
#47
Company Name: LMW Healthcare
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $58,654,97
#46
Company Name: Women and Infants Corporation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $59,200,632
#45
Company Name: Memorial Hospital Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $60,150,167
#44
Company Name: International Tennis Hall of Fame
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $60,266,635
#43
Company Name: North American Catholic Education Programming
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $60,857,704
#42
Company Name: Westerly Hospital
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2012
Total Assets: $61,548,498
#41
Company Name: Tockwotton Home
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $64,755,230
#40
Company Name: American Athletic Conference
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $66,670,782
#39
Company Name: Clay Mathematics Institute
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $69,270,772
#38
Company Name: 1772 Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $71,604,385
#37
Company Name: Homeownership Affordability Trust Fund
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $73,861,423
#36
Company Name: St. Joseph’s Health Service
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $77,002,711
#35
Company Name: Wheeler School
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2014
Total Assets: $85,169,605
#34
Company Name: Karing
Org. Type: 501(c)(4)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $86,078,959
#33
Company Name: Butler Hospital
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $87,976,25
#32
Company Name: LG Balfour Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: March 2014
Total Assets: $97,794,510
#31
Company Name: Roger Williams Medical Central
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $100,109,462
#30
Company Name: Proprietors of Swan Point Cemetery
Org. Type: 501(c)(13)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2012
Total Assets: $104,509,717
#29
Company Name: Delta Dental
Org. Type: 501(c)(4)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $112,273,893
#28
Company Name: South County Hospital
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $115,062,718
#27
Company Name: Charles & Agnes Kazarian Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: November 2013
Total Assets: $124,783,232
#26
Company Name: Bradley Hospital
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $129,964,006
#25
Company Name: Dr. Ralph and Marian Falk Medical Research Trust
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: November 2013
Total Assets: $131,058,917
#24
Company Name: Neighborhood Health Plan
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $134,475,983
#23
Company Name: URI Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $135,974,992
#22
Company Name: Care New England
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $129,665,881
#21
Company Name: American Mathematical Society
Org. Type: (501)(c)3
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $140,161,469
#20
Company Name: Newport Hospital Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $150,962,397
#19
Company Name: Salve Regina University
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $153,779,495
#18
Company Name: Kent County Hospital
Org. Type: 501 (c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $169,139,183
#17
Company Name: U.W. Eugene Higgins Charity
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $171,872,194
#16
Company Name: Warren Alpert Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2012
Total Assets: $195,020,101
#15
Company Name: St. George’s School
Org. Type: 501(c)(4)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $195,282,099
#14
Company Name: Champlain Foundation (Third)
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $235,600,752
#13
Company Name: New England Institute of Technology
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $218,633,441
#12
Company Name: Plan International Inc.
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending June 2013
Total Assets: $288,910,069
#11
Company Name: Roger Williams University
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $295,411,000
#10
Company Name: Newport Hospital
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $325,236,038
#9
Company Name: Women and Infants Hospital
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $343,217,250
#8
Company Name: Bryant University
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $375,442,504
#7
Company Name: Miriam Hospital
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $439,298,535
#6
Company Name: RISD
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $561,270,231
#5
Company Name: Providence College
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $622,188,667
#4
Company Name: The Rhode Island Foundation
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: December 2013
Total Assets: $736,167,411
#3
Company Name: Johnson and Wales University
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $892,385,151
#2
Company Name: Rhode Island Hospital
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: September 2013
Total Assets: $1,309,249,253
#1
Company Name: Brown University
Org. Type: 501(c)(3)
Fiscal Year Ending: June 2013
Total Assets: $4,397,600,917
