When Lord Baden Powell founded the Boy Scouts of America, he declared that “we must change boys from a ‘what can I get’ to a ‘what can I give’ attitude.” In 1910, this mission may have applied strictly to young men. But one WHS alum has been leading the charge to expand it to girls, too. 

WHS Class of 2024’s Diana Houbanova joined Westfield’s BSA Troop 72 as soon as girls were allowed into the organization in 2019. After years of dedication, she has just earned her Eagle Scout rank, the highest achievement available to a scout. “I’m so thrilled to have finally made it. There were so many challenges and opportunities to give up, but I knew I had to see it through,” she said. 

Earning the Eagle Scout rank is a major challenge — one that requires perseverance, tenacity and leadership. Scouts must learn to be mentors during this journey, hold leadership positions for six months, and lead a team to complete a major service project benefiting the community. 

Since its inception in 1912, only two percent of eligible scouts have achieved the rank according to BSA Content Manager Michael Lovecchio. “The path to Eagle is not an easy one,” Troop 72 Scoutmaster Mark O’Neil said, “Only the best of our Scouts make it there. And Diana is a shining example of this.”

Houbanova’s Eagle project was a communication board installed at the Washington Elementary School playground in July. “It allows younger kids who are nonverbal or have trouble communicating to get their message across by pointing at the symbols painted on the board,” Houbanova explained. “I really wanted to do something that benefited the community and made a lasting difference.”

While earning the Eagle rank is meant to be a life-changing challenge for everyone who attempts it, girls pursuing this goal unfortunately face more challenges than their male counterparts. Scouts like Houbanova hope to pave the way for a world where these challenges are evened out. “For a while, it was lonely. I was one of the first girls in our troop and there were very few girls in Boy Scouts at the time. There were dozens of people ready to tell me that I didn’t belong, that I shouldn’t be allowed. But nowadays, it makes me happy to see there are so many more girls in the program,” Houbanova said. “It’s great seeing them get the support they deserve.”

While the Girl Scouts is another Scouting organization available to young women in Westfield, Houbanova felt more empowered by the opportunities to learn practical and survival skills she found in Troop 72. “I was a girl scout for a time, but I found that the program just wasn’t for me. The Boy Scout’s outdoor activities were much more aligned with my interests, and I’ve been able to learn so many things I could never have learned elsewhere,” Houbanova explained.

The Boy Scouts of America were founded in 1910 and have continued as a community service-based organization until today. In February 2019, they made the decision to allow girls into the organization and rebranded themselves as Scouts BSA. Girls in the BSA have continued to excel since the inaugural class of female Eagles was recognized in 2020, but despite their success, some individuals have expressed hesitancy to acknowledge that young women belong in Scouts. 

Patriots’ Path Council Vice President Bob Brady, an Eagle Scout himself and the father of two Eagle Scout daughters, views these skeptics as nothing more than a vocal minority. “Nothing about scouting is inherently masculine or inherently feminine. Life is co-ed. Scouting should be too,” Brady said. “As for folks who say we’re ‘taking the boy out of Boy Scouts’ — I’d tell them they are ridiculous, and I’d invite them to a meeting to see the awesome things our female scouts are capable of doing.”

Houbanova’s achievements will be celebrated at a Court of Honor ceremony in June 2025, and past and present leaders of Troop 72 from across the United States have rallied together to celebrate. Former Scoutmaster Jorge Suris said, “I was Diana’s first scoutmaster when she joined the troop, and I am so proud of her for making this great achievement. I have no doubt that the skills that Diana acquired on her path to Eagle will help her prevail over any challenges she may face in the future.”

Houbanova hopes her recognition will inspire other girls to follow their aspirations, even in organizations that haven’t always been welcoming. “If I had seen a girl up on that Court of Honor stage when I started out, I would’ve been beyond excited. I can’t wait to be that positive example for the younger girls in our troop — to show them that they can achieve it, no matter what anyone says,” she said. 

While it may not come soon, she is looking forward to a day where no one bats an eye at the idea of a female Eagle Scout. Until then, Houbanova knows more girls will be up to the challenge. “If I were to give any advice to young girls trying to join Scouts, it would be to stick with it,” she said. “Don’t give up — you might face challenges sometimes, even ones your guy friends don’t, but don’t let anyone stop you. Put yourself out there and achieve your goals.”