Sarah LaVerdiere of Grantville is a member of the inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts, an honor typically earned only by Boy Scouts.

In February 2019, Boy Scouts of America permitted girls to earn the rank of Eagle Scout, which is the highest rank in Boy Scouting. The Boy Scouting branch of the organization also adopted a new name at that time - Scouts BSA.

Sarah is a member of Scouts BSA Troop 262 in Grantville, Dauphin County, which is part of the New Birth of Freedom Council. She said she became interested in Boy Scouting after watching her brothers benefit from the program.

"I was a Girl Scout for eight years before I joined Scouts BSA. This is a Scouting family, and both of my brothers were in (Boy Scouting) for as long as I can remember," Sarah said. "I knew it helped them a lot. I am in Girl Scouts and I thought, 'Why not be in Scouts BSA, too?'"

Sarah's Scouts BSA troop is sponsored by St. John's United Methodist Church in Grantville, which is where she completed her required Eagle Scout service project.

"The church that sponsors my Scouts BSA troop also owns a house across the street - the annex house. People meet there, (as well as) groups like AA. They meet on the porch, but it was in bad condition," Sarah explained. "I went to my pastor and told him I really wanted to do my Eagle Scout project there."

For her project, Sarah upgraded the deck by adding supporting joists underneath. She also created a flower bed and placed decorative lattice around the front of the deck. "We added some railing as well," she said. "There was one section that did not even have railing and the railing that was (around the deck) was shaky."

She contacted local businesses, who donated materials and all the money needed to complete the project. "A lot of my troop members and my family members came out to help me. We got it done in four days," Sarah said.

She said the most challenging aspect of the project was following COVID-19 precautions. "The hardest part was making sure everyone was safe. We all had masks on and had to social distance," Sarah said. "I supplied lunch, but we had to spread out (when eating)."

Sarah hopes to have her Eagle Court of Honor as soon as it is safe to do so. "I got the Eagle Scout rank patch that goes on the left pocket of your uniform and the Eagle Scout neckerchief," she said.

Sarah credited her family members, including her parents, Trevor and Michele LaVerdiere, for their support through the Eagle Scout process. Sarah, who recently turned 15, completed her Eagle Scout service project a bit early - at the age of 14. "My mom has been amazing," Sarah said. "She is the leader of both my troops. Her leadership is amazing. I would not be where I am today without her."

Sarah is currently working on her Gold Award, which is Girl Scouting's equivalent to the Eagle Scout Award.