Stella Stobart, a seventh grader at Pelham Middle School, was Pelham Pack 4’s first female Cub Scout. She is now Pelham’s first female in Boy Scouts of America—officially called Scouts BSA—through her membership in Troop 19, an all-girls troop located in Tuckahoe.  

“She joined Cub Scouts at Siwanoy,” said Dominic Stobart, Stella’s father. “This was just around the time when Boy Scouts allowed girls to join under a family scouting program.” After two years as a Cub Scouts, Stella was able to join the Tuckahoe program. 

Boy Scout Troop 1 in Pelham cannot allow girls to be part of the troop, which leaves local female Cub Scouts with limited options when they want to take the next step. Dominic Stobart said that currently Scouts BSA does not have any groups with both girls and boys as members.

“The way that Boy Scouts of America is structured is that the scout troops that have girls in them are all girls,” he said. “There is no co-ed scouting.” 

Stella Stobart said her troop is “really supportive” and she encourages other girls to join. Scouts who are part of the Tuckahoe troop can work their way up to Eagle Scout and earn all the same merit badges as those in boys’ troops. Stobart is currently a Tenderfoot and plans to attain Eagle, scouting’s highest rank. 

“My favorite part is how we do different kinds of activities together,” she said. Camping is her favorite activity, which Troop 19 does frequently.  

When asked what she would tell other girls looking to get involved with Scouts BSA, Stobart said, “I want them to know that if they ever struggle with anything, they can do it.” 

Troop 19 meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Tuckahoe Community Center. The troop participates in a variety of activities, including scuba diving, white water rafting and hiking. More information can be found here.