Rebecca Gilder of White Plains is on the verge of becoming the first female Eagle Scout ever in Westchester County. The Ma’ayanot High School senior has a few minor requirements to complete and then she will be awarded the highest achievement ranking in scouting. While only 4% of scouts are awarded this status, many Eagle Scouts have gone on to leadership roles, including several presidents of the United States and members of Congress.
Rebecca explained, “My brother joined the Boy Scouts when I was in second grade, so I’ve kind of always been surrounded by scouting; it’s always been there.” Rebecca started in the Girl Scouts. At the age of 14, she switched over to the Venturing program, which is a branch under the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Venturing is from ages 14 to 21, co-ed and, as Rebecca described, “It’s a little bit more high adventure.”
As for becoming the first Westchester female Eagle Scout, Rebecca explained, “I know it’s a big deal and I know it’s like a really great accomplishment, but scouting has always been there for as long as I can remember back, so it kind of just feels like the next step; it doesn’t really feel like such a big deal.”
Rebecca’s Eagle Scout project was to install four small free library structures around her neighborhood in White Plains. Evan Gilder, Rebecca’s father, explained, “As libraries were closed during the COVID lockdown, and there was a thirst of many to read, the need for these libraries became apparent. The community of White Plains rallied behind her. In addition to this project being mostly green, almost all of the materials were donated from people’s garages and leftover home projects. Supplies and services were also locally donated.”
Rebecca set up her locations, the first being on her family’s property. This would allow Rebecca the ability to always check for new books. Another was on the block where her merit badge counselor lives, while a third location was suggested through her communication with the deputy commissioner of the White Plains Department of Public Works, the local department that had to approve her locations. The final location was outside a school and across the street from where her former middle school teacher lived.
As her father explained, Rebecca not only created the idea of these libraries, but she coordinated the actual physical building of the structures. With the help of her parents, who reached out for donations of wood, plywood, screws and other miscellaneous materials, Rebecca assembled a team to both help her build the structures and to decorate them. “She had originally planned on building two libraries, but quickly realized she could build four of them, thanks to all the donations,” explained Evan.
Rebecca added, “the whole thing is about organizing it and having others come help with the work. I had organized for volunteers to come. I sent out surveys and stuff like that, for different days and different times. I had other scouts come help me build and decorate.” Additionally, she had neighbors and the White Plains Library donate books. Rebecca explained that there has been a positive response to her libraries.
In reaching the milestone of Eagle Scout, Rebecca noted, “I love camping and the outdoors and hiking and like all that type of stuff; all this outdoorsy stuff. I love building fires.” She continued, “I know Eagle Scout looks good. It shows that you have leadership capabilities and you’re responsible.”
After Rebecca spends the next year studying in Israel, she will be matriculating at the State University of New York’s Binghamton University.
By Judy Berger
