New Hampshire Teen Becomes State's First Female Eagle Scout

A Thornton teenager made history as New Hampshire's first female Eagle Scout.

Valerie Ann Johnston told WCVB that she shared an interest in scouting trips with her brother and father at a young age and previously participated in co-ed scouting programs before the Boy Scouts opened to girls in 2019.

"It's kind of overwhelming," Johnston said. "It was kind of surreal at first, but I'm so honored and humbled that I got to complete this."

The teenager said she decided to aim for the organization's highest mark, which was a difficult task.

"In high school, there were people who, when I first joined, they're like, 'Why are you in Boy Scouts? Why would you do that?'" Johnston told WCVB. "So they just didn't understand all of the benefits of this program, and I just don't think people realize everything you can get out of it."

Johnston raised money and collected food for the Humane Society as part of her final project for the program and is now a freshman at St. Michael's College in Vermont, holding the distinction as one of the only female Eagle Scouts in the U.S., which she called a "supportive" group "because we all know we earned it and did out best."

Johnston told WCVB she intends to graduate in three-and-a-half years before enlisting in the military.

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