Three Reading Levels
Promotion of Literacy
90 million Americans cannot read well. 33 million are functionally illiterate.
The BSA purchased Boys' Life in 1912 to support its Learning To Read program. For 91 years Boys' Life has provided good, clean wholesome reading for our youth members.
Literacy professionals agree that a youth needs to be able to read at grade level by the 3rd grade or he/she will be behind the reading curve through adulthood. Because of this need Boys' Life developed demographic editions to better meet the reading level needs of very young subscribers.
In 1999 and 2000 Boys' Life piloted Reading Partners The Buddy Tutoring Program from Boys' Life to help at risk youth, preschool through third grade, to develop literacy skills. This program now requires funding before continuing.
What is a "demographic edition?"
Boys' Life publishes three demographic or "age-specific" editions each month. Each edition serves the reading level needs of a demographic segment of BSA subscribers. About 25% (average) of the pages of each issue of the magazine are "age-specific"—all editions share the rest of the magazine's pages equally. Subscribers automatically receive the appropriate demographic edition based on their program (Cub Scout, Boy Scout) and their age.
- The LOW demographic goes to all Tiger Cubs and Cub Scout subscribers through age 8.
- The MIDDLE demographic goes to all Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts 9 years old and older and all adult Cub Scout leaders who subscribe.
- The HIGH demographic goes to all Boy Scout-age subscribers and all other subscribers not identified by the LOW and MIDDLE demographic editions.