[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 213 (Wednesday, December 16, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7536-S7537]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING OREGON'S FIRST FEMALE EAGLE SCOUTS

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I am proud to be able to recognize Oregon's 
first female Eagle Scouts, the highest rank attainable in the Boy 
Scouts of America, or BSA. Evelyn Becker, Juliana Cimral, and Anya 
Kramer have demonstrated remarkable leadership, skill, and perseverance 
to earn this important distinction and have done it through an 
unprecedented pandemic.
  For more than 100 years, the Eagle Scout rank has represented a 
tremendous accomplishment that is recognized in Oregon and across the 
country. To earn Scouting's highest honor, a Scout must demonstrate 
mastery of numerous skills and obtain a merit badge for each one, earn 
a position of responsibility within their troop, and complete a service 
project that will directly benefit their community. Until recently, 
girls and young women were not allowed to join BSA, but that finally 
changed for the better in February of 2019. Evelyn, Juliana, and Anya, 
Oregon's first three female Eagle Scouts, received their rank in 
October and will join others in receiving their official Eagle title in 
February 2021.
  We can see examples of their skills and dedication to improving their 
community in the Eagle service projects they tackled. Juliana, a senior 
at Jesuit High School, employed her knowledge of and interest in bees 
and the importance these pollinators play in the food supply chain to 
build 25 bee houses that have increased the pollination and production 
of nearby gardens. Evelyn, a sophomore at Scappoose High School, built 
a fence to separate her local school from a busy highway and a bioswale 
to prevent children from falling into the water and to help improve the 
safety of her community. Anya, a freshman at Western Oregon University, 
spent months building a partnership between the West Linn Food Pantry 
and Period.org so that women in need would have access to feminine 
hygiene products, an often overlooked essential.
  It has been exciting to see the BSA finally welcoming the other half 
of the population into their ranks. Each of these three women watched 
their brothers succeed in Boy Scouts while

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growing up. When finally given the chance, they continued that family 
tradition of achievement. I am excited to see what new heights these 
outstanding Eagle Scouts and community leaders will reach. Many more 
will come after them, and our communities will be better for it.
  Oregonians always take pride in serving our State and this great 
country, and these three Eagle Scouts are a great example of that. 
Today I say congratulations to the first women from Oregon to earn the 
rank of Eagle Scout, and I wish them many more years of success.

                          ____________________