Watch President Obama’s Message to the 2010 Boy Scout Jamboree

Hello everybody.

I wanted to send my greetings to everyone taking part in the national Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill and congratulate you on the hundredth anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. I hope you’ve all enjoyed this year’s festivities.

You know, for a century, scouts just like you have served your communities and your nation in ways both large and small. During World War II, scouts played a vital role in supporting the war effort at home by running messages and selling war bonds. Some of our nation’s greatest heroes have worn the scout uniform, including 11 of the 12 men who have walked on the moon. And today, scouts across the country continue the tradition of collecting food for those in need, improving our neighborhoods, and reaching out to those less fortunate.

That service is worth celebrating. But there’s still more to do. Even though we face a different set of challenges than we did 100 years ago, they are no less important. And in the years ahead, we are going to depend on you, the next generation of leaders, to move America forward.

So I hope that all of you will carry the lesson you have learned in scouting with you for the rest of your lives. And I hope that when you’re called upon to help write the next great chapter in the American story, you will uphold the best of the scouting tradition and respond with enthusiasm, skill and determination.

Congratulations again on your first 100 years. I’m sure the next 100 will be even better.