Second Young Woman in Ellis County History Earns Eagle Scout Award
Mary Ann TaylorWhat do film producer Steven Spielberg, astronaut Neil Armstrong, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and San Diego Chargers linebacker Manti Te’o have in common? Each one attained the rank of Eagle Scout as a young man, an honor earned by only 4% of Scouts.
Those numbers began to include young women in 2019 when the scouting program was opened to girls aged 11-17. No longer called Boys Scouts of America, the name was changed to Scouts BSA. Now, just over three years later, thousands of girls have earned their Eagle.
Mattie Thayne, a senior at Life School in Waxahachie, is one of those young women. Her Eagle Court of Honor was held on November 5, 2022, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Waxahachie. She became only the second girl in Ellis County to earn the award.
Alice Smith is Scoutmaster for Troop 215, an all-girl unit sponsored by the American Legion Chris Kyle Post 388 in Midlothian. Her own family began early with scouting. Her son became a Tiger in 2011 when he was 6. A daughter joined a Venture Crew when she was 14; this co-ed group focuses on high adventure. Ms. Smith always worked on the committee side of scouting until she was selected as Troop 215’s first female scoutmaster.
Mattie told Ms. Smith when they met that she was going to be a Boy Scout, even before girls were admitted. Mattie continued to display that enthusiasm and has developed knowledge and leadership skills. She has grown from the young woman she was at 14. “Becoming an Eagle Scout has highlighted her grace and leadership abilities,” Ms. Smith added. “I’m very proud to have been part of this journey.”
Ms. Smith explained an important element of scouting in our day: “One of the most challenging things about being a young woman is being brave. Doing something the first time is hard, and scouting opens opportunities for all youth through that process. Not being scared to try new things seems especially important for girls. We all learn through failure. When they get past that, the awesome stuff happens.”
Mattie has blossomed through scouting, Ms. Smith concluded, from being a very shy girl to a leader who could keep her canoe from capsizing when everyone else was dumped into the water.
Mattie herself doesn’t consider her choice in scouting unusual. She grew up around other youths who were participating, usually through Church programs, and her parents were both active in leadership roles. She really fell in love with camping, an essential element. Because she was home-schooled when young, she had lots of time to concentrate on her scouting interests. Although girls are new to the official ranks of what was once reserved for boys, Mattie has not had any pushback from people close to her.
Echoing her scoutmaster’s thoughts, Mattie said, “It’s important to learn how to rise out of failure. Scouting is particularly good at teaching that. The support system goes beyond just a single scoutmaster, for example. Leadership learned from those assisting has helped me become a better person.”
Finding an Eagle project, often the capstone of the requirements for the award, can be challenging. Mattie learned of a need in Midlothian to repaint the bonnets on fire hydrants across the city. These are color-coded to provide information about the water flow rating for each. It took planning, coordination, and helpers to complete this valuable project, with over 80 hydrant bonnets painted when it was completed.
The Eagle rank clearly affects the individual who earns it, but others are affected as well. Midlothian Mayor Richard Reno thanked Mattie for reminding him of his scouting days at Camp Wisdom, one of the oldest camps in Texas. He said, “I noticed you got three badges in Citizenship. These are traits and qualities that we need in our society today.” Mayor Reno presented Mattie with a challenge coin from the city’s police chief, Carl D. Smith, whose motto is “Service Before Self.” In choosing this challenge, Mayor Reno reminded all of the duty to serve others as he congratulated Mattie on her achievement.
Family and friends are proud of Mattie Thayne now and expect much of her in the future. Perhaps she’ll become an astronaut or a filmmaker, or perhaps she’ll accomplish things even more wonderful.
This article was published in The Midlothian Mirror.
Mary Ann Taylor is communications director for the Dallas Texas Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints living in Duncanville.
