Julia Shepherd is on a path to becoming Apopka’s first female Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America organization.
As a requirement for the Eagle Scout rank, Shepherd, 17, an Apopka High School senior, must complete a community project. For this, she installed six flagpoles, each bearing the flag representing a U.S. military branch – Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Space Force – in the Edgewood-Greenwood Cemetery in Apopka. As well, she installed a new pole for American and state flags.
The project was completed before the December 19 Wreaths Across America ceremony, where Shepherd presented her project. That same day, 1.7 million veterans’ wreaths were placed on headstones at 2,557 participating locations nationwide. After visitors do this, they remember the fallen heroes by saying each name out loud.
Shepherd, who joined the Girl Scouts as a second grader, signed up as a member of Boy Scouts Troop 4773 in February 2019, when the Boy Scouts of America allowed girls to join it. Since then, she has worked her way up through the ranks.
Shepherd began planning her Eagle Scout project last March, when she first met with Mayor Nelson among others to outline it. She also met with a Boy Scouts committee for project approval.
All this happened before the COVID-19 pandemic, which, not surprisingly, complicated everything.
Nevertheless, several organizations came through in helping Shepherd with her project. Caren’s Camellia donated camellias as part of the ground’s beautification. The Veterans of Foreign Wars donated military flags, and Apopka Elks Lodge and Dr. Phillips Charities gave $1,000 each.
Shepherd must fill out paperwork and have a review board evaluate her project in order for her to get confirmed as an Eagle Scout, which “hopefully” wouldn’t take more than a month, she said.
Since 1912, over 2.25 million Boy Scouts earned the Eagle Scout rank, which is achieved by completing requirements in leadership, service, and outdoor skills.
This story appears in full beginning on page 1A of the Friday, January 1, issue of The Apopka Chief. The Apopka Chief and The Planter are weekly community newspapers, independently owned and family operated, that have served the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923 and 1965 respectively. Subscribe today!
