Two high school students in Grand Rapids, Michigan, have earned a place in history. The two students, Kimani Brame and Phoenix Moyer, are now among some of the first Black girls in the state to attain Eagle Scout status.
This accomplishment comes after the Scouts organization, formerly known as Boy Scouts, started accepting girls into their ranks in 2019, as reported by People.
“We did not plan to be among the first. We didn’t know that we were one of the first until my ceremony when they actually talked about it,” Moyer disclosed.
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“When we were doing our project, earning all of the merit badges, we didn’t know. That was not even a thought in our minds. We were just doing what our dads encouraged us to do as Scout leaders, and what our older brothers did anyway.”
“We knew that there’s not a lot of Black female Scouts, but we didn’t even think that we’d be newsworthy. We had no idea,” she quipped.
Brame and Moyer were highly commended not just by their peers in Scouts but also by notable figures like Congresswoman Hillary J. Scholten, who is the first woman to represent Grand Rapids’ district.
In a clip obtained by WOOD-TV, the Congresswoman expressed her admiration for the new Eagle Scouts, pointing out that she knows how it feels to earn an achievement that breaks barriers and paves the way for future generations of women. She said she was filled with immense pride over their accomplishment.
State Representative Phil Skaggs, who honored Brame with a tribute during her induction, publicly recognized the trailblazing achievement of the Eagle Scouts on social media.
“It was an honor to present an official Tribute of the State of Michigan to Kimani Brame on her induction as an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America,” Skaggs wrote.
Reflecting on her accomplishment and the accolades she’s received, Brame said she was overwhelmed by the outpour of praises, stating, “It’s crazy to me. I did not imagine that this was going to happen at all.”
She added that she felt deeply honored to have achieved this milestone saying, “I feel so honored to be someone who did this, and just to have the honor to be one of the first. It’s really important to me.”
On her part, Moyer observed that being a Scout has a transformative effect on members, stating, “It kind of does change you as a person.”
She noted that while the change isn’t immediate upon achieving the status, the journey itself teaches valuable lessons about self-discovery, interpersonal skills, and navigating the world.
“It makes you a different and a better person, and it teaches you that you can do hard things. I’ve done so many things I never thought I’d be able to do,” Moyer added.
To attain the Eagle rank, a Scout must earn merit badges and do other things including completing a special service project in the community. Moyer created a native plant garden at her church while Brame organized a feminine hygiene closet at the local women’s resource center, WGVU reported.
