For years, 14-year-old Colleen Fanning has been going to her brother’s scouting events with the Boy Scouts of America.
"If she was able to she would probably be an Eagle the same time as her brother," said Scoutmaster Chris Fanning, Colleen’s father.
Fanning said Colleen hasn't been able to earn credit with the Boy Scouts for doing any of these activities with her brother because girls haven't been allowed in the organization.
"I would have painting. I love painting. Mammal study, personal fitness because I did that with my brother for his," said Colleen as she looked at a list of merit badges. “Cycling, cooking, there are so many.”
“They’re always tagging along. They’re always doing every event the boys do. They’re doing canoeing; they’re doing whitewater rafting, they’re doing all this stuff. They get to go do archery courses, and black powder rifles, and all this cool stuff, but they don’t get any reward from it,” said Fanning. “Someone finally decided it ain’t right.”
The Boy Scouts of America recently changed their rules and starting February 1, girls will be allowed in the organization. They will start as Scouts, with the opportunity to work their way up to the rank of Eagle Scout.
"Not all of us have had the chance to learn how to tie knots, or learn how to swim, or learn different things about architecture,” said Colleen. “Now that we can all do that, we can all see, hey I want to go into this job because of this type of merit badge for it. We all have new opportunities and chances that’s opened up for everyone and not just a group of people.”
Colleen’s parents decided to help her blaze a new path.
“Tonight is our own introduction into our female troop," Colleen said Wednesday.
They’ll be Troop 1932 for the year Amelia Earhart took flight. The troop is part of the Pacific Harbors Council.
“Very inspiring because she’s one of the first women to fly across the ocean,” said Colleen.
For the Colleen and her peers, the hope and is that the new rules will allow them to be in space where they can build confidence and grow.
“And it’s just really great that people are telling me that I can do something that I really want to do and they’re watching me do it,” said Colleen.