The Boy Scouts of America recently introduced a new Scout Me In campaign that will allow boys and girls to be a part of the Cub Scouts program.

Zach Ross, field director of the Pine Burr Area Council, said 10 scout packs across South Mississippi will now include girls in the program starting this fall. 

According to previous coverage, the Pine Burr Area Council is chartered by the National Council of Boy Scouts of America and supports programs in 17 South Mississippi counties.

The campaign aims to provide an energizing scouting experience and an opportunity to participate in activities, the Boy Scouts of America website states.

Through this effort, boys and girls will have the chance to actively participate in outdoor activities, including fishing, biking, canoeing, rocket launching and more, the website states.

Ross said Cub Scouts Pack 2 in Picayune, chartered by the First United Methodist Church, will start accepting girls into the program starting in the fall. The program will accept girls from kindergarten through Grade 5, Ross said.

“I think it’s great, girls deserve the same opportunities as boys do and this is one of the best youth programs in the country to help them develop their leadership skills and excel,” Ross said.

The Scout Me In campaign celebrates BSA’s recent decision to allow girls to engage in scouting across the country. That decision reinforces the organization’s mission to be welcoming, inclusive and foundational for all youth, regardless of gender, the BSA website states.

Ross said starting in February next year, the name of Boy Scouts will be changed to Scouts BSA, which will also allow girls 11-17 years of age to form their own group and participate in the scouting program.