Gainesville has area's first all-female scout troop

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WOGX FOX 51) - The "Boy Scouts" is no longer just for boys. In Gainesville, the area’s first all-female troop is coming together.  

Olivia Foli is leading the charge.  

“I’d like to say that I’m a trail blazer,” the 14-year-old said. 

She says growing up, she watched her brother in the Boy Scouts and always wanted to join.

“All the fun stuff he got to do with the troop and not being able to do it, kind of made me a little jealous,” Foli explained.

Now, she’s part of Scouts BSA Female Troop #21. It’s happening because last year, the Boy Scouts of America announced girls could join the program.

“Within minutes of hearing that news I spoke to Olivia and shared that with her and I think for her it was literally a dream come true,” said Olivia’s mom, Kim Foli.

The two started getting to work. They’ve been preparing for February 1, 2019.

“Older girls would be allowed to come into the program forming their own troops but participating in the same curriculum that boys have done,” Kim Foli said.

Girls will now be able to rise in the ranks that used to be reserved just for boys.

“I really want to achieve my Eagle Scout rank and I kind of want to just help other people get more into this program because it’s an awesome way to learn outdoor skills,” Olivia Foli said.

The family is paving the way for a new generation of scouts who can join a troop no matter their gender.