2 Tampa Bay Teens To Be Among 1st Girls To Earn Eagle Scout Rank

TAMPA, FL – It's the highest rank a member of Boy Scouts of America can achieve, and many of those who have received the coveted Eagle Scout award have gone on to change the world.

Those earning the Eagle Scout rank have included astronauts Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell and Buzz Aldrin; athletes Hank Aaron, Michael Jordan and Nolan Ryan; civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; television news journalist Walter Cronkite; Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates; film directors David Lynch and Steven Spielberg; actors John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart and Harrison Ford; and presidents John F. Kennedy, George W. Bush, Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton.

But, during the past 111 years, the award has eluded young women — until now.

Two Tampa Bay teen girls will make history this month when they become among the first female Scouts in the United States to receive the Eagle Scout award from the Boys Scouts of America.

Crystal Ming Torres, 16, of Carrollwood, and Sianna Eldert, 18, of New Port Richey, are among 300 girls nationwide to earn the honor. All new female Eagle Scouts will share the credential date of Feb. 8, 2021, to coincide with the recognized “birthday” of the Boy Scouts of America.

Both Scouts are members of local Troop 339G, chartered by the First Baptist Church of Lutz through the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. They joined Scouts BSA, a program for youth ages 11-17 offered through Boy Scouts of America, on Feb. 1, 2019, the first day the program accepted girls.

Both started as Lone Scouts (single members of the national organization who work on their own toward ranks) but later joined a troop.

Each of these new Eagle Scouts has a legacy of Eagle Scouts in their families.

For both girls, attaining the Eagle Scout award is a family tradition.

Torres, the daughter of Dr. G.S. Torres and Cindy Zhang-Torres, is a junior in the International Baccalaureate program at Hillsborough High School. Her father, uncle and brother are all Eagle Scouts. Torres earned 38 merit badges, qualifying her as an Eagle Scout with Silver Palm.

She said she joined the troop where a friend was a member because, “As I got further along in the program, I wanted to experience all the things they (troop members) do.”

In addition to her Scouting activities, she is a member of Hillsborough High School’s varsity cheerleading team and varsity tennis team. She hopes to attend the University of Florida, where she plans to major in pre-med with an eye toward a career in medicine.

Torres, a junior assistant scoutmaster in her troop, said it wasn't simply the opportunity to do something no other girl has done that motivated her.

"I wanted to have an influence on the younger girls," she said. She said the leadership skills combined with the teamwork opportunities have given her experiences she will carry through life.

For her required Eagle Scout service project, Ming worked with the nonprofit Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife in Odessa building six nest boxes for screech owls and a carrying case for transporting injured birds.

Sianna Eldert, the daughter of Tanya and Michael Eldert, was among the seniors who had their most important year of high school cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.

But she's used to overcoming challenges.

Eldert has a rare disease called dysautonomia, a condition in which the autonomic nervous system does not work properly and affects the functioning of the heart, bladder, intestines, sweat glands, pupils and blood vessels.

With the same determination that allowed her to overcome the impacts of a debilitating condition, Eldert pressed on during the coronavirus pandemic, graduating from Florida Virtual School last summer.

Her persistence also paid off in her Scouting career. She said she joined the troop after going camping with troop members and then getting nudges from adult leaders to make the commitment.

Eldert said her disease made it difficult to complete the required physical fitness merit badge. But she made up for her physical disabilities by finding a way to help others stricken with dysautonomia during her Eagle Scout service project.

She worked with The Dysautonomia Project in Clearwater, making gift baskets for pediatricians and family care physicians. To bring awareness about the disease and assist in its diagnosis, the baskets contained information pamphlets and a book about the condition.

Eldert, who earned 23 merit badges on her Eagle journey, now serves as senior patrol leader of her troop. She will switch to an adult role when her Eagle Scout credentials are approved by the National Boy Scout Association.

She follows a family legacy of Eagle Scouts started by her father and uncle.

“The torch was passed to me, and I was instantly drawn to it,” Eldert said. “I was blown away with the information and the knowledge. One day, when I have my own family, I’m going to drag them into Scouting."

Eldert is attending a 29-month virtual program at Full Sail University, working toward her bachelor’s degree in media communications. Her goal is to own a marketing and graphic design business.

According to the BSA, only 6 percent of Scouts achieve the Eagle Scout rank. To earn this prestigious rank, Scouts must take on leadership roles within their troops and community, earn a minimum of 21 merit badges that cover a broad range of topics including first aid, safety, civics, business and conservationism and complete a community service project.

Both new Eagles Scouts — along with others across the country — will be honored Feb. 21 when the BSA presents a live, online celebration at 8 p.m. called “Be the Change” streamed on Facebook.

The Greater Tampa Bay Area Council encompasses nine counties and serves more than 15,000 youth in 189 Cub Scout packs, 192 Boy Scout and Varsity Scout troops, 36 Venturing Crews and five Sea Scout Ships.

In addition to the Lewis Hill III Service Center, 13228 N. Central Ave. in Tampa, the council maintains six camp properties: Camp Owen J. Brorein in Odessa, Camp Soule in Clearwater, Flaming Arrow Scout Reservation in Lake Wales, Sand Hill Scout Reservation in Brooksville, Big Foot Wilderness Camp in the Green Swamp and Camp Alafia along the Alafia River in Lithia.

See related story: Lutz Man Breaks Gender Barrier With 1st All-Girls Cub Scout Pack