Rockville Centre troop honors first female Eagle Scout

Catherine Farrell made history when she became the first girl in Rockville Centre St. Agnes Troop 163 to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.

“It feels really nice,” Farrell said. “It’s an accomplishment, and I’m really happy that I was able to do something and become part of history.”

A 19-year-old resident of Freeport and a student at Adelphi University majoring in theater and tech, Farrell said she became interested in scouting after her brother, Joseph, 17, joined the Boy Scouts. She said it has taught her leadership skills and how to be a better communicator, while also giving her the self-confidence to be a leader.

Troop 163 Scoutmaster Steve Bo explained that the troop started welcoming girls in March 2019, and divided into boy and girl scouts, but the 35 boys and 10 girls interact regularly and go on camping trips together. Bo said he was proud that Farrell became the first girl Eagle Scout in the Iroquois district, which encompasses southwestern Nassau County, and that more girls were following her lead.

“We’re all very proud of her,” Bo said. “She’s worked hard, and with Covid in the mix, she would have attained the Eagle rank much earlier, but that really threw everyone for a loop. She was on a very tight time schedule given her age when she started.”

Farrell was a Girl Scout for many years, she explained, but when the opportunity came to join a troop that was mostly boys and she had the chance to become an Eagle Scout, she decided to make the transition to Troop 163 when she was 17. She had to quickly and successfully rise through the ranks, and earn at least 21 merit badges, including the required badges such as first aid and fitness. She also had to complete an Eagle project, and chose to raise money outside Petco shops to fund equipment for cats at shelters to climb, crawl and sleep on.

“She did great,” Bo said. “She did a nice job planning out the project and then executing it, and then one of the interesting things about the Eagle projects is to watch how the scouts adapt as things change.”

Bo added that Farrell is knowledgeable in many scouting skills, such as first aid and knots, and how meetings are run as well. Though she started when she was older, he said, that played to her advantage, because she was able to pick up on things quicker than some of the younger scouts.

Farrell earned her Eagle rank in November, but she decided to wait to have her Court of Honor ceremony until Joseph joins her as an Eagle Scout in about a year.

Bo said there was some controversy when girls were first permitted to join the Boy Scouts of America, but he called the issue “overblown” and said that girls were integrating well.

Farrell said she hoped to be a trailblazer for other potential female Eagle Scouts in the troop.

“I’m hopeful others will follow,” she said. “I think it’s great that girls are able to have this opportunity as well.”