The Boy Scouts of America is celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2010. During the year, the Narragansett Council of Boy Scouts of America will also be celebrating its rich heritage by participating in celebrations that highlight its proud history as well as its large and growing presence in the local community. In honor of its Scouts, the Narragansett Council has created www.theScout100.com to showcase outstanding Eagle Scouts from across Southern New England who tell their individual project and scouting stories.

The site will eventually showcase 100 Eagle Scouts from the Narragansett Council using video, photographs and text. Each week, the site will grow to include a few more Scouts and their stories until it reaches 100 by the end of the year.

The site is a great testament to the caliber of young leaders that the Scouting program produces, said Dave Anderson, Scout executive for the Narragansett Council. Anyone who sees this site will realize how blessed we are to have such an outstanding group of young leaders in our communities

He said the site offers a way for the public to learn about scouting. On theScout100.com, Scouts describe their Eagle projects, discuss highlights from their scouting experience and explain what it has meant to them. Each tells why he believes scouting is still important to their communities and the nation after 100 years.

The stories range from accounts of large-scale projects, such as sending hygiene supplies to an orphanage in Nicaragua, to memories of Scouting for Food drives, to a decision to serve the country in the military, based in part of values learned in scouting.

Scouting is important to our community because it raises young boys into fine gentlemen and adults, who can take on the greatest challenges life has to offer, said Eagle Scout Sean Marran, Troop 1 Kingston. It is important to our nation because our nation needs leaders. Many of today's leaders were Boy Scouts, and they have used skills from their scouting to get to where they are today.

The rank of Eagle Scout is the highest rank in Scouting. Nationally, only four percent of Boy Scouts reach the rank of Eagle Scout. To do so, a Scout must undertake an extensive service project, which they plan, organize, lead and manage. These projects require outstanding commitment and dedication, as is clearly displayed at theScout100.com.

An estimated 112 million American boys have benefited from the lessons of scouting. The Narragansett Council itself serves over 17,000 young people annually.