Becoming an Eagle Scout is no easy feat. It requires years of dedication to service, outdoor skills practice, and leadership training. Only about six percent of Boy Scouts ever earn their Eagle Scout badge and historically, this program was only available to men, until now.
Two years ago, the Eagle Scout program was opened up to female participants, with the first 1,000 young women who had just earned their badges and the honor that comes with it. Each of the female participants completed the same requirements as their male counterparts including the completion of 21 merit badges, a large service project, and a commitment to leadership.
Earlier this week, the Boy Scouts of America hosted an online ceremony to commemorate its first female graduates. Isabella Tunney, one of the newest Eagle Scouts, told CBS News, “As a girl when I stepped up to leadership positions I was often called bossy, which is a terrible thing to tell any young girl who is stepping up and trying to help out a group. Scouting taught me how to be a great leader.”