The Boy Scouts of America’s Sea Scouting Program

 

Sea Scout
Image: scouting.org

As vice president of Pittsford, New York’s DGA Builders, LLC, Tony DiTucci provides oversight and leadership to the construction of multi-family and senior housing projects. A passionate supporter of local nonprofits, Tony DiTucci serves on the Eagle Scouts Review Board for the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).

Founded in 1910, the BSA has provided scouting experiences in five different programs for more than 110 million Americans since its inception. One of the BSA’s core areas of programming is sea scouting, through which members gain extensive knowledge in the United States’ maritime heritage and learn essential boating skills.

Sea Scout units, which are referred to as ships, learn to operate and maintain power vessels and sailboats with a special emphasis on safety. Other lessons focus on the importance of lights and buoys, the proper method for dropping an anchor, and how to use the tide and wind to your advantage. Moreover, ships facilitate course instruction regarding lifesaving, first aid, swimming, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and Coast Guard Auxiliary Sailing and Seamanship. Scouts can also participate in regattas and earn internship opportunities.

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BSA Survey Shows STEM Interest on the Rise

Boy Scouts of America
Image: scouting.org

A master of arts in administration graduate from Central Michigan University, Tony DiTucci has served as the vice president of DGA Builders, LLC, since 2013. In this capacity, he oversees multifamily and senior-housing development projects. Apart from his work, Tony DiTucci is a longtime supporter and volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).

Earlier this year, the BSA released the results of an annual survey it conducts in which high school students list the careers they are most interested in pursuing. As part of the Career Interest Survey, students selected from 200 different career choices, and registered nurse topped the list again as the most desirable, followed closely by physician/surgeon.

STEM careers are becoming more popular, however. For example, computer programmer ranked third on the list, the first year it has even made the top 10. Other STEM newcomers to the top 10 were mechanical engineer (No. 6) and computer engineer (No. 10). In his comments, BSA chief executive officer Michael Surbaugh said the sudden spike in STEM-career interest is “encouraging,” particularly because those fields are experiencing shortages of talent.