|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Portola Valley Scouting America Troop 4064 has 16 girl troopers, many of whom will be achieving the highest scout ranking — Eagle Scout.
In May, Boy Scouts of America announced they would be rebranding to Scouting America on the organization’s 115th anniversary, Feb. 8, 2025. The announcement comes on the fifth year of welcoming girls into scouting.
Troop 4064 is one of many girl troops that are quickly growing in size within the San Francisco Peninsula.
Ranking up as a scout means performing hours of community service, serving in the troop, and completing merit badges for activities such as rifle shooting, rock climbing, lifesaving and more. To become an Eagle Scout, members must earn 21 merit badges and complete an Eagle project. Eagle Scouts are between ages 11 and 17.
“When the new troop was being formed, the scouts in the Portola Valley boys’ Troop 64 were asked to vote whether to continue as an independent troop or to go forward as linked troops with the girls’ troop,” said Dawn Axelrad, the mother who founded Troop 4064. “The scouts decided to work together with the new troop. As a result, the new girls’ Troop 4064 was able to benefit from all the experience and traditions of Troop 64.”
Woodside High School senior Jennifer Richter is one of the founding members of Troop 4064. In 2019, Richter and four other girls formed a girls troop, which was later voted to work alongside the boys’ Troop 64. She’s on track to complete her Eagle project by the end of the summer.
Over the next couple of months Richter will be working on repairing the benches in the Woodside High School’s Green Academy garden. Richter will also be replacing the roof of their greenhouse that blew off by a storm a few years ago.
“If it wasn’t for [the] scouts, I would have never learned how to shoot a rifle or I would have never learned fingerprinting,” said Richter.
Camilla Khiari, 14, is another scout that will be reaching Eagle rank in the next two years. She’s only been a scout for a year but has quickly progressed through the ranks.
The girls of Scouting America Troop 4064 in Portola Valley go whitewater rafting on the American River as part of their Camping merit badge. Courtesy RaftWET. 
Life Scout Evyn Ellis practices rifle shooting during a special Shooting Sports training day at Boulder Creek Scout Reservation in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Courtesy Karyn Ellis. 
Jenny Richter learns rock climbing at Castle Rock State Park off Skyline Boulevard while earning her Climbing merit badge for Scout Troop 4064. Courtesy Karyn Ellis.
Scouts are also learning skills that teach them how to be active members of their community along with camping, first aid and other outdoor activities. They have to earn badges for tracking finances, attending town and school board meetings and understanding local issues.
“We know that so much of our world is led by men and when we allow women to step up and take on leadership roles, we see a different approach,” said Karyn Ellis, scoutmaster for Troop 4064.
Ellis has witnessed the girls in the troop grow into confident leaders and public speakers who come out of the program with a strong understanding of life. “Our girls are tough and they can handle anything that the guys can do,” she said.
Khiari said when she often tells others ‘I’m a scout’ people will assume Girl Scouts, but the two organizations are very different. Khiari explained that when working alongside the boys troop, she feels there is no stereotypical divide between boys and girls.
“People learn to respect each other and really understand each other. I think that’s a really important life lesson for teenagers and kids to learn,” said Khiari.
Ellis said she plans to “keep the magic going, keep growing it. We are happy to take in anyone who is interested.” More girl troops are being developed across the Peninsula in Menlo Park Burlingame and Mountain View, expanding opportunities for young women.
“They just have no fear, they are all super adventurous, real go-getters,” said Ellis. “To give them this opportunity is so exciting.”
Most Popular
Guest opinion: For Menlo Park's Measure P or not for P, that is the questionOctober 4, 2026 11:02 am
