Youth with local ties among first female Eagle Scouts

William O'Boyle, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·4 min read

Aug. 4—KINGSTON — Riley Lauren Lee, 15, of Discovery Bay, California, is one of 934 girls in the United States who have the distinction of being a member of the Boy Scouts' inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts.

Riley is the daughter of Ron and Michelle (Stehle) Lee of Discovery Bay, as well as the granddaughter of Bob Stehle of Kingston and Maureen Stehle of Harvey's Lake.

According to the BSA website, the 934 young women from across the country are taking their place in history as the first female Eagle Scouts after collectively earning more than 30,000 merit badges and providing an estimated 130,000 hours of community service — even amid a pandemic.

"Being an Eagle Scout means many things to me," Riley said. "I'm very proud of what I achieved and grateful to following my brother's (Justin) footsteps who achieved Eagle Scout in 2018. I am also very proud to be in the inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts and grateful to have the same opportunities in scouting as my male counterparts."

Riley is a member of Troop 514G in Discovery Bay, CA. She began her scouting career on Feb. 1, 2019, when Boy Scouts of America officially opened the program to girls.

As a Scout, Riley earned 46 merit badges, camped 21 nights, and completed 135 hours of community service. She served in many leadership roles, including Senior Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader, and Historian. Currently, Riley is the Chaplain for Troop 514G.

Eagle Scout project

For her Eagle Scout Project, Riley oversaw the assembly and installation of three "Peace Poles" on the campus of St. Anne Church in Byron, Calif. The Peace Poles, representing the Holy Trinity, read: "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in multiple languages that reflect the cultural and ethnic diversity of the St. Anne Parish.

Riley explained that a Peace Pole is an internationally-recognized symbol of the hopes and dreams of the entire human family, standing vigil in silent prayer for peace on earth.

Each Peace Pole bears the message — "May Peace Prevail on Earth" — in different languages on each of its four sides. There are an estimated 250,000 Peace Poles in every country in the world — all dedicated as monuments to peace.

Riley's project consists of three Peace Poles being installed on St. Anne's campus, representing the Holy Trinity. The chosen locations are meaningful in that they represent places of peaceful gathering, unity, and hope for St. Anne's parishioners.

Family ties

Riley's older brother, Justin, is a 2018 Eagle Scout from Troop 514B in Discovery Bay, making them a unique brother/sister pair to achieve Scouting's highest and most prestigious award.

In addition to Scouting, Riley is a Sophomore at St. Mary's High School in Stockton, CA, where she is a member of the women's varsity dive team and the women's JV water polo team.

As a diver, Riley is also a member of Delta Valley Dive Club in Stockton and recently qualified for the USA Diving Zone E Championship in Lincoln, Nebraska, where she competed in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events for an opportunity to advance to the national competition in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Riley's grandparents, Bob Stehle, Maureen Stehle, her uncle Rob Stehle, of Sweet Valley, and his three daughters, Maci, Ella, & Leah, celebrated her achievement at the Eagle Scout Court of Honor in California on May 22, where she was also presented with the Scout of the Year Award and a college scholarship from both VFW Post 10789 (Brentwood, Calif.) and VFW District 10 (Contra Costa/Alameda County).

The Boy Scouts of America honored the inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts during a virtual event on Feb. 21, titled "Be the Change"—a celebration of these young women and their achievements, and a call to action for all young people to continue working to make a positive impact on their communities and the nation.

The trailblazing young women within the inaugural class come from every corner of the country — from Anchorage to Miami, Honolulu to Boston, and even some parts of Asia and Europe, where the BSA serves American families living abroad.

"This is a powerful moment for these young women, for all Eagle Scouts, and for our nation," said Jenn Hancock, national chair for programs at the Boy Scouts of America. "People recognize Eagle Scouts as individuals of the highest caliber—and for the first time, that title isn't limited by gender. This expanded opportunity will empower generations of young people as they see both young men and women earn this rank and become leaders in their communities, in business and our country."