Emily Pilarczyck grew up loving the outdoors! Her family has always spent weekend hiking, camping, and exploring new places. Emily’s dad is an Eagle Scout and her brother has also been involved in Scouting. Every time her brother would receive a new ScoutLife or Scouting magazine, Emily would spend hours reading the articles cover to cover. .Emily would attend Cub Scout camp outs and play freeze tag and games with the other siblings while her brother was taking part in all that the Scouting program had to offer to young boys. She even joined Girl Scouts to learn valuable life skills, but realized all Scout programs are not the same and she continued yearning to further develop her outdoor survival skills. However, in 2018 that all changed.
Emily’s dad received an email that females were going to be allowed to join Scouts, BSA! Emily was so excited and was one of the first females to register as a Scout in the York District of the Palmetto Council. Since joining Scouts as a member of Troop 250 Girls, Emily has accomplishments numerous achievements.
She participated in SEALS (Scouts Excited About Leadership Skills) and in 2022, she achieved the Rank of Eagle Scout. This year she served as the Chair for NYLT (National Youth Leadership Training), and this evening, she will be one of the Council’s Masters of Ceremony as the 2023 York Distinguished Citizens Dinner.
Currently a high school senior, Emily plans to attend North Greenville University and Major in Business, although she is unsure what concentration of business she will pursue. Throughout her Scouting journey, Emily says she has made some of the best friends and so many of the leaders have been mentors to her.
“Through the people that have invested in me, I have the ability to be a great leader. Scouting allowed me to make new friends and helped me become the young woman I am today. There’s a song by Tim McGraw, Always Be Humble and Kind, this songs applies to Scouting. No matter where I am or who I am with, it is important to remain humble and kind.”
Emily says the structure of BSA sets Scouts up to learn so many valuable life skills and have amazing opportunities. It helps young people get out of their comfort zone and try new things. She said there are no words to truly describer how much BSA has impacted her life.
Out of all the Merit Badges Emily earned, Family life was the course that made her grow the most, while Life saving was her favorite Merit Badge course. To Emily, her biggest accomplishment to date has been serving as this year’s NYLT Chair, as it required a lot of prep work and dedication. The best memory she has of her time in Scouts BSA is the night of the Order of the Arrow (OA) Conclave. It was the night before her Eagle Scout Ceremony and they stayed up all night having fun and participating in the traditions of OA.
Emily said “It might sound cliché, but I am honored ot be in this position and had the opportunity to experience everything Scouting has to offer, I can only hope I have been a good role model for the other females throughout the Palmetto Council.”
Emily is currently a member of Troop 250G and Venturing Crew 4213 where she recently completed her year as President.
