STOCKTON — Dorothy Myers, 16, of Bay Minette, has made history as the first female Eagle Scout in Baldwin County.On Sunday, May 22, her Eagle Scout Court of Honor was held at the Stockton …
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STOCKTON — Dorothy Myers, 16, of Bay Minette, has made history as the first female Eagle Scout in Baldwin County.
On Sunday, May 22, her Eagle Scout Court of Honor was held at the Stockton Presbyterian Church. Surrounded by family, friends, classmates and troopmates, Myers was welcomed into the ranks of the Eagle Scouts. She is the fifth Eagle Scout in the Myers family.
"This makes me feel very proud, very accomplished. It makes me feel like I can do anything," Myers said. "It also lets me know that I did this so maybe I can get where I want to go. If I can do this, it's a steppingstone to where I need to go."
During the ceremony, Myers' father, John, presented her with her pin and Eagle Scout neckerchief. He also pinned her first two Eagle Palms, which are awarded to those who earn five, 10, 15 or more merit badges beyond the 21 required to become an Eagle Scout.
Myers' Eagle Scout Project was to replace the civic organization sign in Stockton with a new sign. Such projects are the final requirement for aspiring Eagle Scouts. They are challenged to organize and lead a project that will benefit their community.
Myers planned and organized the project. On March 26, she and her group of volunteers, consisting of fellow troop members, classmates, family and friends, took out the old signboard and replaced it with the upgraded one.
Previously, signs were displayed on a chain-link fence. The new wooden sign is illuminated with solar lights and is a sense of pride for the town. The Stockton Civic Club and Five Arts Club sponsored the project.
"I love that it makes the community happy to have something new, and it's very cool and different," she said. "I like different."
Myers is part of Troop 82G, one of just two all-girl Scouts BSA troops in Baldwin County. Resurrection Church in Daphne chartered the troop. Myers joined three years ago. She's also a member of Girl Scout Troop 8306 and is working on her Gold Award, the highest accolade available in the Girl Scout organization.
And she plans to continue to soar.
"I am aiming to become an FBI profiler, or part of the NCIS," she said. "I just want to be part of that type of organization. And then after I've done my term, I am going to retire and then build me a house on the Maubila Scout Reservation and live there and maintain the areas of my youth, because that's where I grew up. So big plans, big plans."
At Baldwin County High School, she is a member of the JROTC program. She said she is earning ribbons and ranking up within the program. To help younger kids entering the program, she's created a handbook to give them when they feel overwhelmed.
While she continues to climb and reach for her goals, she hopes to inspire those around her to do the same.
"Just because you think you can't, doesn't mean there's not others admiring your strengths, admiring the way you did this, how you do anything you do," she said. "Just because you're doubting yourself, doesn't mean there's not others going, 'Wow, that's amazing, she can do that!'
"If you have a goal in mind and you think it's so far out of reach, it's not. It's a lot more in reach than you think, you just think that you're taking different steps than you need to. That is my one piece of advice, is even if you think you can't, you can," she said.
