How a Girl Became a Boy Scout

A girl on the rifle range. My brother, Ryan, is the fourth in from the left (Courtesy of John Cable)

There are a lot of stories I could tell that are interesting, like the fact that I prefer to send handwritten letters even though I can and do text friends, or the time that I convinced my family to get a hedgehog “for school purposes”, or the time I drove all the way to Chicago to see my favorite band and ended up winning a meet and greet with them through Instagram. These are all interesting experiences, but all these stories are one-time events that made for good memories. In the long run, they didn’t affect me as a person. The most interesting experience I’ve ever had, that still impacts me today, is the fact that for four years, I was a Boy Scout.

Most people give me a weird look when I say that, but I was a girl registered in the Boy Scouts of America. I wasn’t the only one either. The Boy Scouts has an entire program for co-ed troops called the Venture Program, and you can sign up when you are 14 years old.

The Peaceful Valley Staff (I am in the center, of the first standing row) (Courtesy of Peaceful Valley)

My older brother had been a Boy Scout and, considering we were less than two years apart and looked identical until high school, we grew up almost as if we were twins. Whatever he did, I did, which included scouting. I helped with pinewood derby cars, participated in some races myself, and went on all the troop and family campouts.

Although I had tried the Girl Scout programs in elementary school, my troop had not fulfilled my desire for adventure like the Boy Scout outings seemed to do. My troop spent our cookie money on a limo ride to a hair salon downtown, complete with full makeovers, which was fun, but not quite the same as pitching your own tent under the stars.

My fellow officers and I posing after painting doors for a service project (Courtesy of Rachel Larson)

When I turned 14, I had immediately signed up for Venture Crew 113 in Aurora. I quickly became an officer among an all-female delegation, where I got to help plan outings that included winter camping, rock climbing, and quinzhee building, among other things. It was precisely the outdoor experience and camaraderie that I was looking for.

It was that summer that I signed up for one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I became a camp counselor at Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch.

The camp was outside a small town in the middle of nowhere, far away from cell or internet service. I was literally cut off from the outside world. I was also one of about 10 women on a more than 100-person staff, and I was the youngest person on that staff. Although it put a spotlight on me, it encouraged me to come out of my shell and live up to my potential.

My coworker, Johnee Cable, and I running the spider game at the lake party (Courtesy of Ryan Ross)

My job as a counselor was to teach kids skills that they needed for badges, as well as make sure they were having a memorable experience. To them, we were like superheroes. We could tell no lies and do no wrong. It was an amazing feeling, but it also came with a lot of responsibility.

I had the chance to help people grow every day. I remember giving pep talks to boys having a hard week, and helping push the boys beyond their comfort zones so that they could learn and become a better version of themselves.

I had scouts that influenced and changed my life, and every once in a while, I have a scout reach out and tell me how I changed them for the better. The work was hard, and paperwork and set up often went late into the night, but I have never felt like I’ve had a job that has been as rewarding.

The people I worked with might as well have been superheroes. They were funny, outgoing, and quick thinking. They taught me to speak my mind, be curious, and to work hard.

My coworkers and I enjoying the closing banquet (Courtesy of Ryan Ross)

I met some of my best friends there, and these friends I’m still friends with today. In the end, my camp experiences only lasted three summers, but it’s these people who have continued to change my life. They have continued to stick with me through the years, gotten me into all kinds of shenanigans, and continue to help me grow.

I ended up founding my own Venture Crew out of my high school, where I was reelected as president until I graduated. Creating something out of nothing came with new challenges, but with my previous experiences and the support of my friends, the crew remained successful and prosperous. Although it has been inactive in the last year, I have tried to help them rebuild the program as much as I can, even though I age out of the program in March.

People still give me weird looks when I tell them that I was a Boy Scout, and I imagine they will continue to do so for most of my life. However, some of my best experiences, as well as some of my best friends, came out of my experience as a scout. It helped me grow, helped me find my voice, and helped me become the person that I am today. Although I have had many great adventures in life, it remains the best adventure I ever had.