'We're Trailblazers': More Than 2 Dozen North Texas Girls Soar To New Heights Earning Rank Of Eagle Scout
GRAPEVINE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Scouting turned 111 years old on Monday, Feb. 8, celebrating both a birthday, and a new beginning.
Across North Texas, 29 girls celebrated achieving the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout.
"I'm really proud of myself that I got everything done in the right amount of time so I could be a part of the inaugural class," says Eagle Scout Heidi Linheart, while showing off her many badges.
Two years ago, the Boy Scouts of America opened its doors to girls becoming Scouts BSA.
"When I was younger my brother was part of Boy Scouts, we lived in Seattle," says Troop 300 Eagle Scout Ari Miller. "His troop was awesome! There were so many things to do in Seattle with the lakes, and hiking, and the mountains, and his Scoutmaster kind of let me join their troop," she adds with a laugh. "So I went on all their camping trips with them, all the ones I could've, and I just fell in love with it!"
Scouts BSA troops are not co-ed, but the camaraderie and achievement know no boundaries.
The four of the freshly minted girl Eagle Scouts are all in Grapevine's Troop 300 and have worked since day one to become among the first to earn BSA's highest rank: Eagle Scout.
"We pushed each other all the time," admits Eagle Scout Alexandria Goodrich.
"I am honestly really proud of myself and I am especially very proud of everyone who's in the inaugural class," adds Eagle Scout Evelyn Busby, "because, you know we did it during a pandemic," she adds with a good-natured laugh. "That's kind of awesome."
It is a journey that has been a mix of both hard work and typical scouting fun, like summer camp and weekend campouts.
"Scouting teaches you more than you think it would," says Miller. "Looking at it from the outside people think you just learn how to put up a tent or tie knots, but you learn how to lead other scouts. You learn how to make friends.
You're put into so many new situations that you never thought you'd be able to persevere in."
The 29 female scouts forming the inaugural class of Eagle Scouts in North Texas have contributed some 5,000 hours of community service through their various Eagle projects.
"It's definitely taught me how to be a servant leader," explains Goodrich. "Which is a term I didn't know before joining scouting."
The four girls who officially became Eagle Scouts Monday, now serve as role models for younger girls.
"It means so much to me just because I was 9 when I wanted to start scouting," says Miller. "And now that females are in scouting just being a part of this huge group of girls who, you know, we've kind of made it. We're trailblazers! It's really awesome!"