Maude Alsept-Beaty is an MTHS 2020 graduate who joined the BSA (Boy Scouts of America), in July of 2019. Since then, she has become one of the first generations of female Eagle Scouts.

Before college, Alsept-Beaty led the all-female Troop 319 out of Edmonds, Washington. She was the Senior Patrol Leader and the youth leader, being elected three times by her troop. She planned troop meetings, ran meetings with her Assistant Senior Patrol Leader and was a mentor to the girls in her troop. Although she currently cannot lead the troop because of her current status as a college student, she looks back fondly on her days leading the troop.

“We do everything from working the food bank and holiday drives at the Edmonds United Methodist Church, to beach clean-ups, to clearing trails for recreational use,” Alsept-Beaty said. “There are lots of ways we help. We try to go where our community needs us.”

Last year, Alsept-Beaty and her troop had to adapt to remote meetings over Zoom. The troop adapted impressively to the remote experience, meeting weekly over Zoom every Monday at 7 p.m. Occasionally, games like Kahoot or Jeopardy would be hosted during meetings.

Guest speakers would also be brought in to talk to the scouts, such as veterinarians, bird scientists and foragers.

“We learned a lot from the folks who took the time to come in and teach us about their specialties.” Alsept-Beaty said.

Alsept-Beaty’s journey to becoming an Eagle Scout was challenging, as joining the BSA near her 18th birthday meant she was given only two years to achieve Eagle. A scout couldn’t become an Eagle after they were 18, and it usually took four to seven years.

“This required intense planning and time management. I worked so hard to get here, and came out a stronger person and a better leader because of it.” Alsept-Beaty said.

While an accomplished Eagle Scout, Alsept-Beaty also had to handle graduating in a worldwide pandemic.

“It’s weird, high school graduation is one of those things you get psyched up about, but being a 2020 graduate was sort of like expecting someone to pop out of a cake, and instead, you cut it open and there’s a note that says ‘Sorry, couldn’t make it,’” she said.

Alsept-Beaty’s biggest concern after graduation was attending online classes in college. She felt uncertain about the future, everything shutting down when her life was meant to begin.

Being a female Eagle Scout, Alsept-Beaty was not treated any differently by the male scouts. She received support from everyone and felt like everyone wanted to see her achieve Eagle. Juggling Running Start and BSA, Alsept-Beaty gained many necessary skills.

“I had to learn how to become a leader who worked with others and got down in the mud. Time management was also a big part. I did lots of hiking and camping, learned so many new skills, and actually learned to work with kids, too,” Alsept-Beaty said.

Alsept-Beaty attributes much of her success to Lisa Battern, the Scoutmaster of Troop 319.

“She [Battern] was such an important support structure in helping me earn my ranks and badges. I also had to learn how to be cognizant of long-term goals, how to think 10 steps ahead and how to keep chugging even when I got tired.” Alsept-Beaty said.

Before she joined the BSA, Alsept-Beaty had a turbulent high school career and suffered from mental health issues. The only reason she joined originally was because her best friend took her to a troop meeting.

“At the time, I was sort of aimless. It was the summer after my junior year, and my mental health had been so bad I almost dropped out,” Alsept-Beaty said.

The BSA and her family were excellent support systems and provided a distraction from her mental health problems. After high school, she took a much-needed gap year, allowing herself to recover and breathe. Much of her time was spent achieving Eagle rank and stabilizing her mental health.

Alsept-Beaty’s most memorable project as a scout was when she and the troop did some trail cleaning while it was pouring rain. She had to huddle down underneath a tarp for the night and was freezing cold. The storm turned into a thunderstorm, and her Assistant Scoutmaster brought her back and had to scream over the rain hitting her tarp.

Alsept-Beaty is confident in the future of female troops, and that being in the BSA is a good way for people of any gender to learn and grow.

“There are so few opportunities for girls and women that focus on leadership building and outdoor skills, and that’s really what we’re all about. It’s a safe environment to learn, struggle and be mentored by other girls in applicable skills,” Alsept-Beaty said. “It’s not just a troop, it’s a community that can aid and support you in other ways, too, and I’d love to see more girls coming in.”