Torkelson is Clayton County’s first female Eagle Scout

By Audrey Posten | Times-Register

Isabella Torkelson of Farmersburg is Clayton County’s first female Eagle Scout.

With help from fellow Scouts and family members, the recent MFL MarMac graduate spearheaded a project to improve the drinking fountain in the Farmersburg City Park.

The project was a suggestion from her uncle, and one Torkelson readily accepted because of the park’s significance in her childhood.

“When I was younger, the water fountain almost never worked. We’d be outside and have to run back to our houses to get a drink of water. That’s not what you want to do during a summer day. You want to stay out with your friends,” she recalled. “Now, it’s fixed and looks nice with a little pathway up to it.”

“I’ve had so many people tell me, when they go by, they think it looks so nice,” Torkelson added. “I’m really happy with it.”

But getting to that point wasn’t easy for Torkelson, who joined Scouts in seventh grade after the formation of the girls Troop 138 in Monona. She was inspired by her grandfather, Tom Sinclair, a Scoutmaster of McGregor’s Troop 32, as well as her mom’s camping adventures in Girl Scouts. 

“I was sad because Girl Scouts didn’t do [camping] anymore. So when I found out about the girls troop, I was like, ‘Sign me up for that.’ After hearing all the things my grandpa got to do and what my mom got to do when she was younger, I fell in love,” Torkelson shared.

To achieve the rank of Eagle Scout in Scouts BSA, a Scout must progress through six other ranks: Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star and Life. There are also required merit badges, according to Torkelson.

“It starts out simple with introductory stuff, then we build on it,” explained Scoutmaster Alena Toberman. “As they get higher in the levels, they take over more, building leadership and involvement in the community. They decide what merit badges they’re going to work on, what pace they’re going to go through it. They pick their Eagle project. When they are working for their Eagle, they lead the project and are in charge of adults and youth. It’s the culmination of all they’ve learned all the way through.”

All of this must be completed before the Scout’s 18th birthday.

Torkelson acknowledged she cut it close.

“I made the mistake of waiting until the last minute to do mine, so we were kind of on a time crunch,” she said, “but I had a lot of people helping. We met at the park and it took us four or five hours.”

Completing the project was a learning experience for Torkelson, who said anxiety can make it difficult for her to speak up.

“I had to put myself out there and tell people what to do,” she shared. “You can’t just sit back and watch. You actually have to do stuff.”

Torkelson credited Scouts with taking her outside her comfort zone, helping her grow confidence in her voice and leadership skills. Getting to know her fellow Scouts through meetings and activities was also a valuable lesson in interacting with people you don’t know.

“It’s good to get to know the people you’re around. If you don’t, it makes it harder to get things done,” she said. “That’s something you need for the rest of your life.”

Toberman enjoyed watching Torkelson’s growth. It was all about trusting her own skills.

“She wasn’t confident yet that she could do it, but I knew she could do it,” Toberman said. “When we did the project, I said to the adults, ‘Isabella’s in charge. Sorry, uncles, mom, dad, grandmas, grandpas, you don’t get to boss her around today. This is her project.’ I told her, ‘Put your foot down. You know what needs to be done.’ Seeing her realize she has all those skills and knows what she’s doing and getting more confident, that’s the best part.”

Torkelson thanked Toberman for pushing her.

“I learned a lot—more than I ever thought I would. It was scary, but absolutely necessary,” she reflected.

Torkelson’s accomplishment makes her a third generation Eagle Scout; both her grandfather and uncle achieved the rank as well. She’s proud to carry on that tradition and be not only the first Eagle for the girls troop, but the first female Eagle in the county. 

In the whole Northeast Iowa Council, Toberman said there were only two.

“There aren’t many yet,” she said. “Typically, nationwide, it’s 3 percent. So it’s a huge achievement. Kids really have to put in a lot of time and effort.”

“It’s so crazy to me,” Torkelson commented. “When I first joined, I thought getting my Eagle Scout was never going to happen. But since I was told I’d be the first, I was dead set on making sure I would get it done.”

Torkelson and Toberman hope the achievement will inspire other Scouts. In fact, three more young ladies from Monona’s Troop 138 could potentially complete their Eagle Scout projects by the end of the year.

“Seeing her get it, the others are like, ‘I’ve got my project picked; I know what I’m going to do,’” Toberman said. “I encourage them to think ahead, lay the groundwork and get ideas going. The sky is the limit. If you want ideas, look and see what other people have done. Anything that benefits the community is most likely going to be considered for an Eagle project.”

More members are always welcome. Monona’s troop currently has 14 youth—both boys and girls—as part of a joint pilot program. Scouts currently come from Elkader, Giard, Monona and Waukon. 

“We will potentially get girls from the Lansing area too because they do not have a troop,” said Toberman. “You don’t have to live in Monona. Anyone in the area is absolutely welcome.”

The troop doesn’t typically meet during the summer, but attends events, trips and camps. During the school year, meetings are often on Sunday evenings. Toberman understands youth are busy, though, so the group remains flexible.

Torkelson agreed. 

“We’re very flexible and make sure everyone can be involved in every way possible,” she said. “I always push people to join. It may be work, but it’s a lot of fun and you’re helping the community.”