LAPLACE — Andrew Williams would love to see Scouting grow in St. John the Baptist Parish.

The Boy Scouts of America Southeast Louisiana Council senior district executive spoke to Rotary Club of LaPlace members this week, promoting new initiatives that include officially allowing girls to join this summer.

There are currently four Cub Scout groups and three Boy Scout groups active in St. John.

Each will soon be offering Learning For Life, a program providing hands-on, career-building experiences that allow young people to get real experience in certain fields, such as law enforcement.

The program could be set up in conjunction with the Sheriffs Office, possibly allowing attendees to see what it takes to become a police officer and what they encounter on the job.

This effort is repeated in all fields, with 12 program career clusters for local leaders to initiate.

Williams said the program exposes Scouts to how businesses work and are maintained, adding scholarships are available to those Scouts that stick with the program.

— By Candace Hemelt