Women's History Month: New York City teens among first young women to earn Eagle Scout rank
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Two young women are breaking barriers in the Boy Scouts of America.
As CBS2's Vanessa Murdock reported, the teens are part of the first class of females who are now Eagle Scouts.
Just two years ago, the Boy Scouts allowed girls to join ranks.
Neither Beatrix Bisceglia from the Upper East Side nor Kaitlyn Wood from Staten Island wasted a minute before suiting up. Scouting is in their blood.
"I have a brother who's two years older than me. He's and Eagle. My father's an Eagle and my grandfather was in the scouting program. So to be a part of this family tradition is all I've ever wanted," said Bisceglia, 17.
Wood would tag along to meetings with her brother.
"His troop always included me. I was like one of the other scouts, just not officially," said Wood, 19.
Both young women tackled challenge after challenge. If boys can do it, so can they.
"Wilderness survival. So I spent a night in New Jersey in February back in 2019, in 30 degree weather and I had to make my own shelter," Bisceglia said.
Racking up recognition wasn't always easy.
"Some of them are memorable because I've stressed out over them and cried a few times," said Wood.
In record time, both earned more than the 21 merit badge minimum and completed a community service project - making masks.
"In July, we were able to donate over 200 masks to our sponsoring organization," said Bisceglia.
Their hard work paid off big time. In February, two years after being allowed to become boy scouts, both young women, along with 1,000 others from across the country, earned the rank Eagle Scout - the first group ever to do so.
"Hey, now there's two of us," said Wood.
"To any girls watching this, I encourage you to join. It's an amazing opportunity and you'll take so much out of it," said Bisceglia.
A lesson learned that will last a lifetime: where there's a woman, there's a way.