IRVING, Texas: The Boy Scouts of America has changed its name to Scouting America and has seen a slight increase in new members. 

This change comes as the organization tries to recover from past scandals and financial struggles.

As Scouting America celebrates its 115th birthday on February 8, President and CEO Roger Krone said the group will continue to focus on being open and welcoming to everyone. Some people were unhappy about the name change, but overall, it has received positive attention and made more people curious about the program.

Even though membership only grew by about 16,000 new scouts (less than two percent), this is a good sign for the organization, especially after losing members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Scouting America, which has allowed girls to join since 2018, now has over one million members. The Cub Scouts, which is for younger children, grew by almost three percent.

While most members are still boys, over 196,000 girls participated last year, and more than 8,000 girls have earned the Eagle Scout rank.

The official name change will happen during the birthday celebrations, with famous landmarks like Niagara Falls and the Empire State Building lighting up in red, white, and blue. A new Scouting America flag will also be raised at headquarters in Irving, Texas.

The organization has faced many challenges. In 2020, it filed for bankruptcy after over 82,000 people reported being abused as scouts. A US$2.4 billion settlement was approved in 2023, allowing the group to continue running while paying abuse survivors. To fund the settlement, Scouting America has sold campgrounds, properties, and artwork, including Norman Rockwell paintings of scouts.

Scouting America has also made changes to be more inclusive. It started allowing gay youth in 2013, lifted the ban on gay adult leaders in 2015, and welcomed girls into the Cub Scouts in 2018 and the main scouting program (renamed Scouts BSA) in 2019.

Krone said the organization is now working to digitize its materials and add multiple languages to help families who don't speak English.

Wally Tirado, a leader in the Dallas-area Scouting America program, said the group is becoming more diverse. At a recent Eagle Scout ceremony, he saw a mix of cultures from around the world.

"It's still the same program," he said. "Just because we changed our name doesn't mean we changed what we do."