Sanaa Mehta is the first female to earn an Eagle Scout award in Washington Township – and the fourth in Gloucester County.
Mehta was recognized for her achievements with a proclamation at a township council meeting before Mayor Laurie Burns and officials on Jan. 17. She received the Boy Scout of America Eagle Scout Award on Dec. 12 from Troop 123 in the township and has earned 60 merit badges, including scuba diving, shotgun shooting, wilderness survival and climbing.
Mehta participated in 41 camping trips and became a member of the Order of Arrow in 2022. She was a member of Cub Scout Pack 20 before crossing over to Troop 123. For her community service project, Mehta chose to construct an outdoor classroom in one of the courtyards at Bunker Hill Middle School, a project that took 246 hours.
The Eagle Scout rank is considered a pinnacle achievement, whereas only 4% of Scouts earn the rank after a lengthy process of actively involvement in troop leadership, earning merit badges, planning and completing a community service project. The first “Eagles” were recognized in 1912.