Submitted by Chehalis Scouts BSA Troop 9373
Chehalis Scouts BSA Troop 9373 is getting set to recognize two of its own. 17-year-old Brianna Powe and 19-year-old Allison Hilliker are expected to be recognized nationally as among the first Female Scouts to earn the coveted Eagle rank of the Boy Scouts of America. Troop 9373 is chartered by the Twin Cities Rotary Club. Since opening its membership to girls in 2019, thousands of young women nationwide have been hard at work trying to make the cut of Eagle Scout.
First Female Eagle Scouts
Nationally, the Boy Scouts of America will celebrate its first class of female Eagle Scouts on February 8, 2021. This date is not chosen at random.
It will be the Boy Scouts of America’s 111th birthday.
About 8-10 girls are expected to be in the first class of female Eagle Scouts in the Pacific Harbors Council, which includes Lewis, Thurston, Grays Harbor, Pierce and Southern King Counties. Last year, 251 local Scouts earned the coveted Eagle Rank in the South Sound area. Eagle Scout is the highest achievement and rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2.5 million young people.
A Rigorous Program
To get there, both young women needed to earn 21 different merit badges. They needed to work hard to advance from Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star and on to Life Scout. They needed to demonstrate camping skills, leadership, environmental responsibility, first aid, citizenship and family responsibility, among other qualities. Both Scouts needed to demonstrate that they are trustworthy, reverent and of good moral character. And they had to have outstanding community, scholastic and Scouting references.
Brianna Powe
Seventeen-year-old Brianna Powe is the daughter of Brad and Julie Powe of Centralia, Washington. She is a Running Start student at Centralia College and has a 3.601 GPA at W.F. West High School. She is an honors student and a state athlete in track and field and bowling.
She has two older brothers who are also Eagle Scouts. She plans on becoming a teacher. Of her Scouting experience, Brianna says it is an amazing opportunity to learn leadership skills, good morals and team building. She said there were some pretty rough campouts, but they made the best memories.
Her Eagle Project was installing a new flagpole at historic Fern Hill Cemetery and the cleaning of the cemetery headstones. She was aided by her family and her Scoutmaster. “The goal was to brighten up the cemetery and draw people back to it,” said Brianna. The cemetery dates back to 1885 and many Lewis County pioneers have their final resting place here.
“I thought that’d be a really good idea because Fern Hill is a small cemetery that not a lot of people see or know of,” Brianna said. “I thought maybe these improvements would bring a little bit of attention to it because there are a lot of people buried here who represent the wonderful history and growth of this community. History and its lessons are important things to know if we are to grow as a community.”
The flagpole was installed on October 8, with help of her parents and her troop, and a brand-new flag was raised on October 15.
Allison Hilliker
Nineteen-year-old Allison Hilliker is the daughter of Rich and Hollie Hilliker of Chehalis, Washington. She is a 2020 graduate of W.F. West High School with a 3.65 GPA. Allison was an Honors Graduate in English and Performing Arts. She was a three-year letterman on the varsity swim team and a four-year-letterman in Wind Ensemble. She is currently enrolled at Centralia College and plans on transferring to Washington State University to major in communications. She plans on a professional career in communications. Her Eagle Project was to create 100 toiletry kits for teens in foster care, something which children in foster care desperately need, according to Allison. Her toiletry kits included hygiene essentials such as bars of soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and others like scrunchies or washcloths, among a few other items. This allows the teens to have their own toiletries when transitioning between homes.
“I joined Scouting in 2016 as a member of the Venture Crew. My brothers were a big factor in me joining the Scouting world, and now my whole family is involved in the troop and council levels. I hope I can be a mentor to both my younger brothers as they approach and finish up the Eagle Scout process,” said Allison.
Allison and Brianna both come from Scouting families. Both are also involved with Scouting’s National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) program and will serve as leaders in the upcoming training course.
Eagle Projects Benefit Lewis County
Brianna and Allison’s projects are part of 365 service projects since the beginning of 2020 in the local community. About 150 Scouts and adult volunteers contributed nearly 1,365 hours of volunteer time to create programs and projects that benefit local communities, all while observing social distancing and face mask requirements. Among some other recent Eagle projects that have benefitted the community includes the environmental restoration of local waterways, collection and volunteer efforts at local food banks, renovation of local playgrounds and beautification projects at local public parks.
“I am proud of the work Brianna and Allison and their fellow Eagle candidates have done in the community this year,” said Karen Meier, Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Harbors Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Meier notes these projects have been completed with some degree of difficulty because of quarantine and lockdown issues. “Scouting is about building character and resolve in our young people, so they can become responsible adults and grow into community leaders. And they need to do this no matter what the challenges might be.
Brianna and Allison have some great local role models who are Eagle Scouts, people like former Governors Dan Evans and Gary Locke, and former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, among others” said Meier.
About The Pacific Harbors Council of the Boy Scouts of America
The Pacific Harbors Council of the Boy Scouts of America supports Scouting Units across the South Sound from Federal Way to Centralia and from the Washington Coast to the Cascade foothills. This includes, Cub Scouts, Venture Scouts, Scouts BSA, Sea Scouts and Explorer Scouts. Nearly 4,000 young people participate in Scouting locally. The Mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. For more information on Scouting go to beascout.org.
