News
Female Eagle Scout among Tech’s incoming freshmen class
Savannah Buckner
An incoming freshman at Tennessee Tech University will begin her classes this fall
having already achieved a milestone: the Eagle Scout rank. She and her fellow female
Eagle Scouts make up 2.5% of total Eagle Scouts in the Boy Scouts of America organization.
Savannah Buckner, a geosciences major with a concentration in geology and a native
of Putnam County, earned her Eagle Scout rank in November of 2022. She knew she would
apply the same determination she used to earn her Eagle rank to her college education
and that it would take place at Tech.
“Tennessee Tech University has always been in my community, so it only makes sense
for me to attend the university that has always been in my life,” Buckner said. “I
am so excited to attend Tech in the fall, I look forward to meeting new friends and
falling in love with the geology program.”
Buckner helped to form Troop 2319, a troop made up of only girls, in Gainesboro. She
is the first to earn Eagle rank in the troop.
“I am the first person in my troop to achieve Eagle, setting an example for my sister
who received hers recently, and the rest of the troop who are working towards theirs,”
Buckner said. “It felt empowering to shine a way for the other girls to follow behind
me in the years to come.”
In 2019 the BSA organization changed its older youth program, “Boy Scouts,” to “Scouts
BSA” – a change that was designed to welcome both boys and girls between the ages
of 11 and 17.
Young women were then able to realize their dreams of becoming Eagle Scouts, the organization’s
coveted highest rank, which can offer lifelong academic and professional benefits.
The first class of female Eagle Scouts were recognized in 2020.
Buckner has always been involved with scouting. Her mother brought her alongside her
older brother when he began Cub Scouts. Buckner’s father is an Eagle Scout himself,
and he and her mother have been scouting leaders since her older brother started Cub
Scouts.
She began Venturing Scouts when she turned thirteen and, in February 2019, she founded
Troop 2319.
“All my siblings are in scouting. My older brother and my younger sister are both
Eagle Scouts,” Buckner said. “My younger brother is almost there in achieving the
rank as well.”
Buckner held many positions within her troop that helped her learn life skills such
as leadership, communication, loyalty, compassion, organization, and dedication as
well as interpersonal skills.
“I have held an array of leadership positions in my troop such as senior patrol leader,
patrol leader, scribe and chaplain’s aide,” Buckner said.
The scouting program helps prepare young adults for the adult world. Each merit badge
helps to show them careers and hobbies. The leadership training teaches them how to
lead others, manage their time, set goals and even how to speak to a crowd.
“I’ve learned most of my skills from the BSA. It even helped me be more at ease at
making friends and attending social events,” Buckner said.
Buckner received mixed reactions to being a girl in the traditionally all male organization.
“There were many boys who I interacted with during many camps. Most treated me as
their equal or their leader when my position was over them, and I called many of them
friends,” Buckner said. “There were many times that I have come across adults with
very ignorant views of girls in scouting, but I do my best to try and turn the other
cheek and give them a good impression of girls in the BSA.”
Buckner is still actively involved with her troop. She is an extra adult to help supervise,
give advice and “help in any way.”
“I will help in the troop as long as I can and when I have a child, they will be a
part of scouting as well,” Buckner said.
Buckner’s plans after college are to start a family and a career in geology and take
advantage of the many opportunities available to her. When she is older, she wants
to travel the world and “see everything the world has to offer.”
“Achieving Eagle was a journey - a learning experience. I wanted to learn, to experience,
to lead and to teach,” Buckner said. “That’s truly why I wanted to achieve it. I wanted
to be a better me for the world and my community.”
