First Female Eagle Scout In McLean's Oldest Boy Scout Troop Named

MCLEAN, VA — On Monday, night, Boy Scouts in Scouts BSA Troop 128 were asked to stand if they have achieved Eagle Scout rank. The handful of youths and adults who stood were all male. But not long after, that would change.

Rishika Singh, a member of Girls' Troop 128, was the first girl from her troop to achieve the Eagle Scout rank. The Eagle Scout rank is the highest rank of Boy Scouts of America and requires a service project, merit badges and other requirements.

Troop 128 is McLean's oldest Boy Scout troop and has seen over a hundred young men achieve the Eagle Scout rank since its inception nearly 100 years ago. Young women were first allowed to join Boy Scouts of America troops in 2019, offering a path for them to work toward becoming an Eagle Scout.

Singh first joined scouting when her brother, Amrit Raj Singh, was involved in Cub Scouts. But while she could enjoy Cub Scout activities, she couldn't officially join the pack. That changed in 2019, when girls were allowed to form their own Boy Scouts of America troops in 2019. She became a founding member of Girls' Troop 128 three years ago, and her mother, Seema Singh, is the troop's scoutmaster.

Her achievements came full circle as her brother and other founding troop members participated in Singh's Eagle Scout court of honor ceremony Monday night at St. John's Episcopal Church. Singh, a 15-year-old freshman at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, worked to complete the Eagle Scout requirements since January 2021.

"It took a lot of work," Singh told Patch. "I know I couldn't have done it without my parents."

See video of Rishika Singh reaffirm her Scout Oath and receive her Eagle Scout rank.

Singh plans to become a cardiologist or oncologist, so she incorporated the medical field into her Eagle Scout project. She created IV lily pads, or wooden circular wood blocks that are attached to IV poles for children who are cancer patients. The lily pads provide a way for these pediatric patients to get around.

"They basically help a cancer patient move around," Singh said. "It cheers them up."

The IV lily pads were first envisioned by Nick Konkler, a teen who died of cancer in 2015. Classmates at his high school brought his idea to life, inspiring people such as Singh to do the same.

After raising money for the project through GoFundMe, Singh provided the lily pads to Inova Schar Cancer Institute in October 2021. Singh said Inova was appreciative since it needed more of these lily pads for patients. In the future, she plans to continue providing a few lily pads to hospitals each year.

The Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony included remarks from troop leaders who have guided Singh during the Eagle Scout process, as well as from her family and fellow Scouts. Singh said she came into the ceremony without emotions but was touched by hearing the ways she has impacted them.

During the ceremony, Singh thanked the people who have helped along the way, from the support of her troop and family to mentors and the Boys' Troop. For others pursuing the Eagle Scout rank, she encourages them to use their own support systems.

"I definitely think any Scout going into this should be able to ask for help and guidance," Singh told Patch.

As for being the first female Eagle Scout in her troop, she believes it is a long-awaited recognition. Now the only question that remains is which girls will be next to join her.