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Member of Scouts BSA Troop 69 enjoy a campfire during last summer's backpacking trip to the upper peninsula of Michigan. Pictured are Willow Holubik, Hayden McDowell, Levi Huston, Kay Holubik, Ben Hannewald, Eli Spring and Braxton Wendel. Scout Matt Spring is hidden.
CELINA - After years of running parallel boys and girls troops, Celina's Scouts BSA Troop 69 has brought them together this year under one co-ed "family troop."
The organization that was known as the Boy Scouts of America for 115 years switched its parent name to Scouting America in February 2025 in an effort to emphasize inclusion.
In 2017, it made the historic announcement that girls would be accepted as Cub Scouts as of 2018 and into the flagship Boy Scout program - renamed Scouts BSA - in 2019.
Then, in response to "a growing need among scouting families," Scouting America's national executive board approved a new family troop option for Scouts BSA, which began on Dec. 15, an organization news release from 2025 states. The family troop program was tested in pilot units across the country prior to its approval.
"The family troop model provides chartered organizations with increased flexibility to deliver the scouting program in communities where youth numbers may not support a traditional boy-only or girl-only troop," the release explained. "While the majority of troops will continue to serve boys or girls exclusively, this option enables chartered organizations to better meet the specific needs of their communities and families who wish to participate in Scouting together."
Scouts Willow Holubik and Hayden McDowell, along with adults Alex Lehman and Kay Holubik, watch the sunset at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
The implementation of family troops means that Troop 69's adult and youth leadership are now one, Troop 69 Scoutmaster Ryan Snyder said.
"Previously, there could be a linked troop and that's what we were (before), where it was the same adult leadership, but there were technically two committees and there were two Scoutmasters (for boys and girls). Then there were two Senior Patrol Leaders. We had a girl Senior Patrol Leader for the girl troop, and a boy one for the boy troop," he said. "Now there's just one. We're all together."
Senior Patrol Leaders, elected by their peers, hold the highest youth leadership position in a troop, serving as the main link between the troop's scouts and its adult leaders, per scouting.org.
Troop leaders are allowed to decide for themselves whether or not to make the switch to fully co-ed. Snyder said switching made the most sense for Troop 69.
"I think a lot of us have individual reasons for (wanting to become a family troop)," he said. "I've got a daughter in the (Cub Scouts) pack, and I want the same opportunities for her (that boys have). There are other great programs out there - there's nothing wrong with Girl Scouts or American Heritage Girls or 4-H, or all the rest. But, I know what the scout program offers. I know what it did for me as a kid, and I want that to be open to everybody. That's my big motivation behind it. Even if I didn't have a daughter, I think I'd be on board."
Though a big change on paper, the transition hasn't been too complicated for Troop 69, as it's been linked for years.
"It's not a big change for us. There are other units who are still single gender and that's how a lot of them are. For example, the Coldwater Troop, there's a girl troop and a boy troop and they do nothing together," Snyder said. "It would be a much larger change for them to do. Since our big change was doing a linked troop all those years ago, doing a family troop - it has really not been a big change for how we operate."
BSA Scout Willow Holubik, 14, who joined the troop about 18 months ago, said she really likes to work alongside her male peers.
"Since me and (Rylan Nieberding, 13, joined), we've like almost shown the boys that we can work, and we can work towards a goal of working together," she said. "I just think it's helped build a good respect with all of us."
Nieberding added that if there were two separate troops, "it would be kind of lonely, because it would probably mostly be me and Willow."
Scout Rylan Nieberding holds up a salamander she found during a campout at Camp Lakota near Defiance.
Both girls love the social opportunities that Troop 69 offers, as the relationships built in the group are different from those built in school.
"You actually go through hard things together and you get to see your friends in bad situations and good situations," Holubik said. "I just think it builds a deeper connection."
BSA Scout Liam Stewart, 14, who is getting close to starting on his Eagle Scout Award, said he hasn't really noticed much of a difference with the change.
"It honestly just feels like normal scouting to me. Honestly, being in a troop with a person of the opposite gender is not really a huge deal," he said. "I don't really know how else to explain it because it doesn't feel that unusual."
Troop 69 competed in the annual Klondike Derby against other troops from all over Northwest Ohio last January. They tested their skills and knowledge but more importantly practiced teamwork to overcome challenges. They look forward to improving on their tenth place finish in this year's competition. From left: Braxton Wendel, Levi Huston (rear), Riley Snyder, Rylan Nieberding, Willow Holubik, Dawson Nixon, Liam Harner and Owen Harner.
Parents, like Dulcey Patterson, approve of the switch too. All four of her children have gone through the program, starting with Cub Scouts, as she loves the family atmosphere of the organization, along with the camaraderie it offers.
"(I love the) feeling you get around the people, and the kids," Patterson said. "There's never a moment that they're not accepted."
Though it's kind of always felt like a family troop, Patterson said that she appreciates the switch "100%."
"It's not been a (big) change. But the boys never treat the girls any different. They're just, they're part of the friends," she said. "There's never been a problem. Like with sleeping arrangements - they're always separate and there's always a leader. As a parent, you never felt worried. Nothing. They've always been super great about everything."
Though they've grown rapidly in the last year, Snyder said the group is always accepting new members, and no prior scouting experience is required. Those interested can learn more at scouting.org.
- Ryan Snyder is an employee of The Daily Standard. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Clockwise from left: Connor Nieberding, Clay Holubik, Makenna Howell, Mattison O'Connor, Ella Snyder, Rylan Nieberding, Willow Holubik, and JD Giesige at Cub Scout cabin camp last fall. Among other responsibilities, Rylan and Willow hold the position of Den Chief for which they guide Cub Scouts in the fourth and fifth grade.
