\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAndy Price\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubmitted photo\/Scouting Arizona, Grand Canyon Council\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
By Andy Price | Scottsdale<\/p>\n
OPINION \u2014 Arizonans know adventure when we see it. Whether Scouts are hiking amid the red rocks of Sedona or roasting marshmallows under a sky full of stars, they\u2019re doing something even bigger than earning badges, they\u2019re building the kind of confidence and creativity today\u2019s kids need in a world full of new technology, including artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n
The best part? They don\u2019t even realize that they\u2019re learning some of the most important life skill; they\u2019re just having fun.<\/p>\n
Take the Pinewood Derby for example. Kids start with a block of wood and four wheels and end up creating some of the most imaginative cars you\u2019ve ever seen. They\u2019re drawing designs, experimenting with tools, solving problems and trying new solutions when something doesn\u2019t work the first time. AI can give you a list of \u201ctop speed tips,\u201d but it can\u2019t compete with the thrill of sanding a car by hand or watching it race down the track.<\/p>\n
Campouts take this kind of hands-on learning even further. Planning a weekend in the Arizona wilderness isn\u2019t something you can just Google and walk away from. Scouts have to figure out what gear they need, how to pack it and what to do when the weather changes, or when the chili they make tastes a little too smoky.<\/p>\n
They learn how to handle surprises like a change in the weather or gear malfunctions and how to help a friend in need and solve problems in real time. That kind of confidence doesn\u2019t come from a screen; it comes from real life action.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve ever attended a Scout-led troop meeting or watched a Scout teaching a younger peer how to tie a knot, you will witness how they build communication and leadership skills that are invaluable, no matter what the digital future holds. AI may be smart, but it\u2019s never going to organize a patrol, support a nervous new Scout or encourage a group to finish a tough hike. Those are human skills that are fun, messy, challenging and indispensable.<\/p>\n
What really makes Scouting special, though, is how the organization helps kids understand themselves and others. Whether on the trail or around the campfire, Scouts talk about respect, fairness, kindness and how to handle tough feelings. They learn that being a leader isn\u2019t about being perfect, it\u2019s about being aware, thoughtful and resilient. These are the life skills that carry kids through school, friendships and eventually careers we can\u2019t even imagine yet.<\/p>\n
None of this requires cutting-edge technology or expensive equipment, it just takes time outdoors, attentive adults and a group of open-minded, adventurous Scouts. In this new world where AI is everywhere, the tried-and-true traditions of Scouting give kids a place to stay grounded, stay curious and be confident in themselves.<\/p>\n
As AI continues reshaping our world, the kids who thrive won\u2019t be the ones who memorize every new prompt, they\u2019ll be the ones who know how to solve problems, work as a team, think creatively and remain resilient when times get tough.<\/p>\n
\n
In Arizona, we see these skills growing every time a Scout picks up a hammer, leads a campfire song or faces a new challenge with a smile. Scouting helps kids stay human, and that\u2019s the one thing AI can never replace.<\/p>\n
Andy Price is Scout executive of Scottsdale-based Scouting Arizona, Grand Canyon Council, which serves thousands of youths in the state. Please submit comments at\u00a0yourvalley.net\/letters<\/a> or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org.\u00a0We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our\u00a0Civility Guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Andy Price Submitted photo\/Scouting Arizona, Grand Canyon Council By Andy Price | Scottsdale OPINION \u2014 Arizonans know adventure…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":492762,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5131],"tags":[691,5229,5643,738,1587,221982,6359,1589,81158,49988,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-492761","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-phoenix","8":"tag-ai","9":"tag-america","10":"tag-arizona","11":"tag-artificial-intelligence","12":"tag-az","13":"tag-campouts","14":"tag-human","15":"tag-phoenix","16":"tag-scouting","17":"tag-scouts","18":"tag-united-states","19":"tag-united-states-of-america","20":"tag-unitedstates","21":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","22":"tag-us","23":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115839294866439095","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492761","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=492761"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492761\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/492762"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=492761"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=492761"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=492761"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}