It was then that she began attending meetings with her brother. When she turns 8, she gets special permission to get an official uniform, and she joins fellow group Venturing at 14.
But because she was not a boy, she could not earn badges to achieve the highest rank: Eagle Scout.
“I always wanted to be able to earn everything my brother and all his friends deserve,” Johnston told CNN. “I had my own book and checked the requirements and everything. Therefore, I would wonder, ‘Well, why can I not earn it?’
Now a 19-year-old at the St. Michael’s College in Vermont, Johnston, joined nearly 1,000 women across the country who became part of the female Eagle Scouts’ introductory class in February.
“As they acquire the rank of Eagle Scout, young people acquire new skills, learn to overcome obstacles and show leadership among their peers and in their communities,” reads a statement from BSA sent to CNN. “These benefits are invaluable, and we are delighted that they are now available to both young men and young women.”
Becoming an Eagle Scout is not Easy
Becoming an Eagle Scout is a rigorous process. A candidate must earn 21 merit badges ranging from topic of first aid to business, take leadership roles and execute a major community service project. All this must be done before you turn 18.
Because of the tough requirements, only 6% of Boy Scouts become Eagle Scouts, BSA told CNN.
Since girls were only admitted to the organization in 2019, some like the residents of Maine Mia Dawbin, who turned 18 on January 3, had a time struggle. She noted that older girls in the organization “had to have a plan” to finish as quickly as possible, although some due to the pandemic extended the time.
Being in BSA was a kind of family, ‘Dawbin said. Her father and uncles were Eagle Scouts, and her grandfather was their scout. Like Johnston, she attended BSA events with her siblings who grew up.
Earning badges and completing projects became difficult because the Covid-19 pandemic restricted personal activities. Some adapted their projects to help others during the pandemic: Johnson donated food and donations to the New Hampshire Human Society, Dawbin donated 201 masks and hand sanitizer care packages to local homeless shelters, and 17-year-old Ysa Duenas of Chesapeake, Virginia, has made foot-operated sanitation machines for her local YMCA.
“I was just trying to make sure I did my part to keep the community safe,” Duenas said.
They have experienced questions about why they want to be a scout
Apart from completing difficult tasks in a limited timeline, the girls in this class faced an important obstacle: being among the first female scouts in BSA. Lauren Krimm, a 19-year-old from Maryland, thought back to peers who asked why she wanted to join BSA as a girl.
According to her, the most hurtful comments come from other girls.
“I had to make the road, I had to clear the road and prove that we can do it and that we are going, they will, no matter how hard, go back,” Krimm said. “Of all the people I thought would give me a kickback, this was the last group of people I expected.”
Dawbin said she also faced criticism, remembering she was 14 when parents asked why a girl was a staff member at Boy Scout camps.
Duenas noted that when she joined BSA, she was excited about the prospect of spending more time with her male friends. However, this excitement was short-lived because she said the boys did not want me there.
She rather found camaraderie with other girls in her troop.
“It was a little heartbreaking, but it fired me up, because I was like, ‘Well, if you do not want me here, that’s fine, but I’m going to do the same as you do, but better. Duenas said, “The fact that I could have a community of strong independent women who could drive themselves empowered me.”
And they hope to encourage other girls to follow them
Cooking skills, time management and improved communication are just a few lessons from BSA. The female scouts said they would carry forward. Along with these skills comes the prospect that other girls will be able to follow in their footsteps.
“If you have the ability to connect, connect and work hard at it,” Johnston said. “It will not always be easy, you may get resistance, but I really hope it will be easier for future girls.”
“Not everyone is going to be very excited about everything you want to accomplish in life, but you do not have to pay attention to people telling you that you can not do something, or that you should not,” Dawbin said.
While hoping their achievements encourage younger girls, these women said the most memorable and enjoyable aspects of Eagle Scouts were not the first time.
Instead, they will remember the hard work and community they found by being part of BSA.
“I did not do it so that I could be on TV and interview and go into history. I did it because it is something I have always wanted to do, something I knew I would be proud of. be and on which no one can ever take me away, ‘Krimm said.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story spelled Mia Dawbin’s of the wrong name.