Hoover’s 1st all-female Scouts BSA troop finds its way

Boy Scouts isn’t just for boys anymore.

The name has changed from Boy Scouts of America to Scouts BSA, and in 2019, the group started allowing girls to participate.

Troop 193, based at Oakmont Chapel Presbyterian Church, added a girls troop in May. While there are Hoover girls in at least one other Scouts BSA troop in the Birmingham area — Troop 86 Green based out of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Mountain Brook, Troop 193 became the first based in Hoover to have an all-female group.

The troops at Oakmont are split up with girls and boys separated, but the lessons are the same for both troops.

“The program is about citizenship, character development and our duty to God,” said Wanda Ellenberger, the Scoutmaster for the girls troop. “They thought girls could benefit from the same group as the boys.”

The Scouts BSA district executive wanted to get a female troop started in Hoover, and Ellenberger said she is happy to lead this group of girls.

Ellenberger has two boys, but being able to teach the girls the same skills is something needed for young girls, she said. The Hoover troop currently has six girls enrolled. Three of them are siblings of boys in Boys Troop 193.

Ellenberger said the ability for girls to gain the coveted Eagle Scout position is one of the many perks to starting the all-girls troop.

“We have one girl already looking at how to get to Eagle Scout,” she said.

Madison Brown, a 16-year old junior at Spain Park High School, said she is trying to earn the Eagle Scout designation by the age of 18. She said her brother earned the Eagle Scout rank, which encouraged her to begin, even if she did not want to at first.

“I have a brother get Eagle Scout out of Troop 193, and my dad encouraged me to join,” she said. “I wasn’t excited to join, but after starting, it has been really great.”

Ellenberger said this is a major step for girls to get scholarship opportunities going into college.

The girls in the troop have already started meeting weekly on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. to work on rank advancements. The group meets at Oakmont Chapel Presbyterian Church at 1817 Patton Chapel Road.

The girls and Scoutmaster have also made it a point to hold a campout once a month. The girls have completed a 10-mile hike, and the troop plans to do much more in the coming months, Ellenberger said. The group has also had programs teaching the girls navigation and how to safely handle tools. Ellenberger said they were taught how to use a knife, hatchet and an axe.

The girls troop is working toward becoming what is called a youth-led troop, where the adults guide the girls but the girls take control and have one of their own as a patrol leader.

Ellenberger said she is excited about the opportunity the girls have now that the all-girls Troop 193 has started.

“I’ve been moved when I see the realization of different things that they can do that may be traditionally considered boy skills,” Ellenberger said. “The leadership and interpersonal skills gained by utilizing a youth-led program is life-changing. They learn to identify issues, plan, discuss differing opinions and solve problems.”

Brown said it’s a great opportunity for both girls and boys to participate.

“They have only allowed girls this year, so not a lot of people know about it,” she said. “Some people think it’s strange for a girl to join, but it’s interesting.”