Sisters Shaylah and Jenna Barratt Become First Females in Noblesville to Earn Eagle Scout Badges
Writer / Matt Keating
Photography Provided
Sisters Shaylah and Jenna Barratt are the first females in Noblesville to earn the prestigious Eagle Scout badges.
Shannon Barratt, the girls’ mother, said only 6% of Scouts ever earn the Eagle badge.
“Jenna, 13, is in the eighth grade at Noblesville West Middle School, and Shaylah, 17, is a junior at Noblesville High School,” Barratt says. “Both girls joined the Boy Scouts of America as soon as girls were permitted to join.”
Shannon notes that girls must follow the exact process that boys do to earn the Eagle rank.
“This includes earning 21 merit badges on subjects such as swimming, camping, first aid, communication, personal management, cooking, Citizenship in Society, the world, the nation and the community,” she says.
Altogether, Shaylah earned 46 merit badges and Jenna earned 48 merit badges.
“Some of the other fun merit badges the girls have earned were for kayaking, archery, shotgun shooting, art, mammal study, public health and engineering,” Barratt says.
Both girls are a part of a linked boy and girl troop.
“They are in Troop 1910/1920, which is in Westfield,” she says. “Some of the best parts of being a scout include learning leadership skills, serving the community and going camping every month – even in the winter.”
The girls spent a lot of time and energy to earn the badges.
“To become an Eagle Scout, you have to do a project which shows leadership,” she says.
“Shaylah’ s project benefited Fueled for School. She collected 500 water bottles, lunch boxes and many snacks for kids in need. Jenna constructed a music and activity wall for Noblesville United Methodist Preschool.”
The Barratt sisters are also busy with many other activities.
“Outside of the Scouts, Shaylah performs on the Noblesville High School color guard team, while Jenna performs in Noblesville West’s honor orchestra, playing the cello. Jenna also plays on the varsity tennis team,” she says.
Advice to Cub Scouts
Shaylah and Jenna’s advice to Cub Scouts is not to give up.
“Don’t quit Scouts, because once you move from a Cub Scout pack to a troop, you get to choose what you do because everything is Scout led, instead of adult led,” Shaylah says. “You get to choose your activities and you get to cook your own food. You get to build fires and camp a lot.”
For example, Jenna is going on a high- adventure canoeing trip this summer to Boundary Waters in Minnesota.
“When we are not Scouting or participating in school activities, we like to hang out with friends and our three basset hound dogs,” Jenna says.
Shaylah also loves to cook and bake.
“We also both like to take day trips with the family to farms, museums and factories,” Shaylah says.
Jenna and Shaylah love the Noblesville community.
“We love that Noblesville has farms but also offers great stores to go shopping at and restaurants to eat in,” Shaylah says. “We especially love being so close to Morse Park. In the summer, we like to fish and set up hammocks at Morse Park.”
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