At Trail Life, ‘boys find mentors, fathers and sons connect, important relationships are fostered, and boys find opportunity to achieve significant accomplishments’
May 31, 2022
GREENVILLE, S.C.— According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau, 80 percent of single parent families are headed by single mothers. The Census Bureau also reported that one out of four children are living without any type of father figure.
For Trail Life USA (TrailLifeUSA.com), the largest Christ-centered, boy-focused scout-type organization in the country, these statistics show the growing need for godly men to model biblical masculinity to boys. For this reason, Trail Life has implemented their “Proven Process” to best mentor young men and allow them to embrace what it means to be a boy.
Mark Hancock, Trail Life CEO, stated, “Until recently, boys grew up emulating these real-life heroes who seemed larger than life. Coonskin caps and six-shooters were the uniforms of boyhood. Boys were enthralled with tales about Daniel Boone, John Glenn, and Davy Crockett. We celebrated in the heroic deeds of George Washington, Paul Revere, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Meriwether Lewis, and William Clark. We reveled in stories about the Sons of Liberty, the Green Mountain Boys, the Rough Riders, and the Texas Rangers.
“Today, rather than exalting men for their significant contributions, our culture is dismissing the heroism of fathers and forefathers and choosing instead to emphasize their shortcomings. Statues of men are disappearing as history is rewritten to cater to sanitized non-toxic definitions of masculinity. In a world void of strong courageous heroes and sterilized of risk, boys are disappearing into fantasy. Superheroes replace real-life role-models and virtual video games become substitutes for real-life challenges.”
Boys who might not have a masculine role model to set an example often find themselves unguided, wondering what it looks like to be a man while surrounded by mothers and primarily female teachers. This shortage of male role models can result in boys being more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, suffer obesity, drop out of school, go to prison, and other troubling effects.
The solution to this problem, according to Trail Life, is simple — provide boys with models, mentors, and examples of godly men to fulfill a desperate need. Trail Life provides trained, background-checked and equipped Christian men who lead boys in a male-centric environment. With men who are willing to model biblical leadership, boys are able to thrive and grow the way they are designed to.
Hancock commented, “Adults are equipped to lead a program in a structured outdoor environment where boys are engaged in real-world challenge and experience camping, hiking, and fishing, as well as learn character and leadership in a practical hands-on manner that is naturally engaging. In the outdoors, the experience of adults is never obsolete; boys find mentors, fathers and sons connect, important relationships are fostered, and boys find opportunity to achieve significant accomplishments.”
By providing a good, biblical foundation for boys to model, Trail Life prepares and guides boys to be strong, character-driven leaders. Trail Life offers boy-focused, adventure-driven solutions that encourage boys to embrace what makes them unique and build strong relationships with other boys, mentors and most importantly, Christ.
Trail Life USA is the premier national character development organization for young men, producing godly and responsible husbands, fathers, and citizens. Trail Life’s mission is to guide generations of courageous young men to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience outdoor adventure. Troops exist in all 50 states and are growing as Trail Life USA expands around the country. Find a Troop today, or Start a Troop in your community. Find out more at TrailLifeUSA.com.
Trail Life USA’s K-12 program centers on outdoor experiences that build a young man’s skills. A robust awards program motivates young men to grow on a personal level to become role models and leaders among their peers. Living the Trail Life USA is a journey established on timeless values derived from the Bible.
Discover more about Trail Life USA at TrailLifeUSA.com, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Vimeo. ###