Marblehead High School graduates Zoe Gast and Katie Jenkins were recently honored as the first female Eagle Scouts from Troop 79G.
The Marblehead Boy Scout troop held a Court of Honor ceremony on March 16 to celebrate Gast’s and Jenkins’ achievement of the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts program.
“Today marks a historic milestone for BSA Troop 79G as we celebrate our first Eagle Scouts, Katie Jenkins and Zoe Gast,” said Jen Stoddard, the Troop 79G Scoutmaster. “Their achievement is a testament to the resilience, dedication, and leadership that define the spirit of scouting.
“It’s a proud moment that underscores the importance of inclusivity as well as the vital importance of empowering young women, providing them with opportunities for leadership, personal growth, and outdoor adventure.”
The girl’s division of Troop 79, which was started back in 2019 by Jenkins and others, has become home to over 20 young women under Stoddard’s leadership. Since then, Gast, Jenkins, and other Scouts have been camping across New England, led backpacking trips to intensive hiking and camping destinations such as Philmont Scout Reservation in New Mexico, and have given back to the community through service projects.
Gast’s Eagle Project focused on contributing to the Prison Book Program of Quincy, which provides books for the 2 million people in the nation’s prisons and jails to expand education materials for the incarcerated. She officially received the designation of Eagle Scout upon the completion of this project in April last year, but chose to delay the ceremony to be recognized at the same time as Jenkins, as they had traveled their journey together.
Gast graduated from Marblehead High School last June. She is a Florida State University freshman focusing on international affairs. She is also the second Eagle Scout in the Gast family. Her great-grandfather, Stanley Vanderbeck, received his Eagle Scout rank on Dec. 26, 1932, in St. Joseph, Michigan.
Jenkins’ Eagle Project was a drive collecting supplies and preparing gift bags for the transitional housing residents at the Centerboard Salem State Shelter, which has been housing families since 2022.
Jenkins also graduated from Marblehead High last June. She is currently a freshman at Scripps College in California, where she is studying psychology.
Today, in Boston’s Spirit of Adventure Council, there are 47 female troops made up of just over 900 Scouts. To date, just over 50 have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Across all of the BSA, only 6% of all Scouts achieve BSA’s highest rank. Scouts must earn 21 merit badges, which require mastering basic skills in areas such as first aid and environmental science.
In 2021, Masconomet Regional High School graduate Mira Plante, of Middleton’s Troop 19, was among the first female Scouts on the North Shore to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.
Troop 79G meets Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. at The Clifton Lutheran Church, 150 Humphrey St. in Marblehead. For more information, contact Del Babineau at dmbabineau@verizon.net.
Michael McHugh can be contacted at mmchugh@northofboston.com or at 781-799-5202