By Krystle J Bailey
In 2019, when female youth were invited to join the Boy Scouts of America, 16-year-old Bryanna Heather Storck saw an opportunity to shatter glass ceilings and rise to the top. This past Saturday, Bryanna did just that. Now 19 years old, Storck was honored as the first female in the South Jersey region to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.
The new program, “Scouts BSA,” encompasses all of the same time-honored traditions and skills that it has for the past 110 years while providing an equal opportunity for young female youth to rise to the challenge.
Following in her father and grandfather’s footsteps, Bryanna set her eyes on the highest possible goal then proceeded to climb every mountain necessary to achieve it. With time being the biggest hurdle, Bryanna had to work harder than most to achieve her Eagle Scout status. Most scouts begin their journey around the age of 10 and continue through their 18th birthday on the quest for Eagle Scout status. Bryanna, who joined Scouts at 16 years old, completed the task in under 29 months.
Throughout the process, Bryanna had to meet all of the requirements set forth in the program, including earning 13 merit badges in topics such as Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation and Citizenship in the World; merit badges related to topics of safety, such as First Aid, Lifesaving, Emergency Preparedness and still others that allow each scout to explore their own personal interests. As a performing arts enthusiast, Bryanna’s interest focused on art, music, and theatre.
Eagle Scouts must earn a total of 21 badges of the 135 offered through the program while working their way through the six preceding ranks from Scout to Star and Life. Scouts participants must learn and demonstrate their commitment to the Scout Oath and Law through the journey, which is the foundation of developing character and morals. Additionally, they learn outdoor skills, camping, survival skills, safety knowledge, personal fitness, fire building, cooking, and more. Ultimately, by the time a Scout achieves Eagle rank, they will have completed approximately 325 requirements, culminating in a large-scale Eagle Scout Project.
Throughout her tenure, Bryanna held leadership positions such as Patrol Leader and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader. She has gone as far as to hold the title of Senior Patrol Leader, the top youth leadership position in the Troop.
While the requirements must be completed by the Scout’s 18th birthday, a Covid extension and a National BSA extension allowed Bryanna the necessary time to achieve her goal. Though Bryanna fell victim to Covid twice through the process, she did not back down or waver from her vision. She worked relentlessly to complete her requirements, ultimately earning her the title of the first South Jersey female Eagle Scout.
Bryanna’s achievements were celebrated with an Eagle Scout Court of Honor Ceremony at Greentree Church in Egg Harbor Township. Bryanna was recognized by her BSA Troop 452 along with U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, several state senators, and Atlantic County Commissioners Frank Balles and John Risley. Her service to the community, leadership, and commitment to excellence is an inspiration to scouts of all ages, both male and female.
Bryanna is currently a sophomore at Stockton University while continuing to serve as an assistant scoutmaster, leading the young Scouts that will follow in her footsteps.
Krystle J Bailey. Multimedia journalist, Author, Poet.
Connect with Krystle on Instagram @thedailybailey5
