The sun shines bright as Senior Nadia Ramirez hangs the final evacuation sign on the fence surrounding Bowie High School, she is filled with a sense of pride.
Ramirez joined Boy Scouts in 2021. That decision has shaped the last three years of her life.
Her first experience with the Boy Scouts of America or BSA was going on a backpacking trip in the mountains of New Mexico. The trip proved to be a challenge and Ramirez even ended up getting frostbite. But that did not deter her interest in the program.
“It was so much fun, but also very difficult,” Ramirez said. “We got stuck in a large hailstorm, but it was a blast. I’m going to Philmont again this summer and I’m so excited for round two.”
Philmont was brought to Nadia’s attention during a Girl Scout camp. Which is another organization she is a part of. During this camp she met a Boy Scout leader who proposed the idea for Nadia to go on the high adventure.
“I have been in Girl Scouts since fifth grade and during a camp I met a Boy Scout leader,” Ramierez said. “She was like, ‘do you want to go to Philmont?’ and I said yes.”
Nadia has met new people through scouting; one of these is sophomore Riley Redmer. The pair met at a leadership training camp called National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT). This camp focuses on team-building and improving leadership skills.
It means a lot knowing I worked hard and was able to earn it. There’s a sense of accomplishment that I did it.
— Nadia Ramirez , Senior
“At NYLT we did a lot of team-building and communication,” Redmer said. “We also played games that focused on building our team working skills. My favorite memory with Nadia was when we were camping and we built a catapult.”
Since joining the program Ramirez has been very active within the BSA community. She has earned the Eagle Scout rank which is a highly valued accomplishment. According to Northern Star Scouting only about 6% of all Scout BSA members earn the eagle rank. And according to Ramirez only about 4% of that demographic is female.
“It means a lot knowing I worked hard and was able to earn it,” Ramirez said. “There’s a sense of accomplishment that I did it because a lot of guys within scouts right now still don’t think females should still be in scouting.”
Ramirez decided to pursue the Eagle Scout ranking after watching her older brother earn it in 2020. That inspired her to chase the same goal.
“My entire attitude changed though, throughout the process because I realized I was doing it for myself,” Ramirez said. “I earned one of the hardest accomplishments a youth can earn within Scouts BSA.”
Ramirez began planning her Eagle Scout project in March of last year and completed it in July but, before reaching that goal there were other boxes she needed to check. Upon joining BSA members have no title. The next step is to earn Scout, which Ramirez did in December of 2022. Ramirez earned Tenderfoot, the next rank in February of 2022. In spring of 2022 Ramirez earned the Second Class rank and earned the First Class rank in August of 2022.
“At the point of First Class you then had 16 months until you’d be eligible to earn Eagle,” Ramirez said.” “So, I earned First Class and then I eventually earned star and then life, which are other ranks before Eagle. As well as the community service project I also had to earn 21 required merit badges and then within my troop I had to show scout spirit and leadership skills.”
After meeting the requirements Ramirez began her community service project. She chose to collaborate with Bowie. Coordinating with her assistant principal Joel Espinoza, she was able to configure her project
“Nadia was awesome in that she had everything ready to go, ” Espinoza said. “I was there to provide guidance- get and give approvals. For the most part- what made working with Nadia so easy was her work ethic and her preparedness.”
Ramriez’s community service project was to create 49 emergency evacuation meeting points all around campus. On the side of school there are fences surrounding the woods and Ramirez added wooden signs to those fences. She also put cement pavers into the ground numbered one through forty-nine.
“If in any case you had to evacuate the school there is now a more streamlined, effective process,” Ramirez said. “Teachers know exactly where to go and the fire department could find each class. It is also a way for parents to know exactly where their students are.”
According to Ramirez this accomplishment is the result of high dedication to her goals, sleepless nights, and a strong work ethic.
“Looking back, I’d say I’m just proud that I did it,” Ramirez said. “I thought it was impossible, and I wouldn’t be here but I made it. I’m an Eagle Scout and it took a lot of work.”
