When Mallory Hughes was 9 years old, she saw a flyer on the wall at school that would change her life.
“It caught my attention immediately,” Hughes, age 17, told Keys Weekly. “The flyer was advertising that girls were allowed to join Boy Scouts. There were pictures of outdoor activities like running, playing, camping, mountain biking and making fires. I never got to experience that in Girl Scouts. I was like, ‘Wow, I really want to do that.’”
Eight years later, Hughes is the third girl from Monroe County’s Troop 914G to achieve an Eagle Scout rank. This feat is the result of her completing a multitude of required tasks during her Boy Scouts career, with the final project being a community-service assignment.
In tribute to both her love of cycling and Florida Keys charity biking events like Wounded Warriors, Hughes decided to build a bike repair station at Founders Park to achieve the ranking. The station contains an air pump plus assorted tools and a stand so cyclists can park and do their own repairs.
“Cycling is a big part of my life, and it felt right,” she said. “I’m glad to contribute to the community.”
After seeing the flyer in 2018, Hughes joined the Cub Scouts for a year, then moved into the Boy Scouts in 2019. Her dedication to scouting has not gone unnoticed by her troop’s leaders.
“Earning Eagle rank, the highest and most prestigious rank of Scouting America, is no small feat,” said Melissa Stanfill, leader of Troop 914G (the G stands for girls). “It takes years of dedicated effort, and only a small percentage of scouts achieve Eagle. Having said that, the fact that Mallory has earned Eagle comes as no surprise to me. As a scout, and in life, she has led by example, showing a level of enthusiasm and dedication that inspires younger scouts and her peers.”
“With her positive energy, charisma, smart-as-a-whip wit and infectious charm, she became a trusted and dependable leader for the girls,” said Troop 914G scoutmaster Laura Bauman. “Mallory epitomizes what it takes to become and live as an Eagle Scout, and I’m absolutely positive that she will thrive in whatever path she chooses for herself.”
“As one of the first girls in our community admitted into Cub Scouts, she didn’t just follow the trail — she helped blaze it,” said former scoutmaster Kathleen Pegues. “Outgoing, funny, adventurous and unbelievably smart, she’s the friend who can lead a hike, fix a gear snafu, ace the knot-tying contest and still have time to tell a joke that has the whole troop in stitches.”
Hughes has advice for other young women who are thinking about joining the Cub or Boy Scouts: “Absolutely do it, without a doubt. My favorite memories are going to summer camps. I’ve been to three, and I traveled out of state for them twice. I went to horse camp, and I’ve loved horses since then. I have too many memories to choose from. It’s been such a huge part of life since I was little. Scouting has had a big impact in my life. ”
Mallory Hughes (at center, wearing glasses) leads a team of volunteers to break ground for the concrete slab of her Eagle Scout community bike repair station. CONTRIBUTED 
‘I’m glad to contribute to the community’: Here, Hughes shows off the honorary plaque at her Eagle Scout community bike repair station. CONTRIBUTED Hughes poses with mom Cherie and brother Tristan at her bike repair station. CONTRIBUTED She’s the boss: Hughes was a top Girl Scout cookie seller back in the day. CONTRIBUTED
Hughes has collected so many merit badges for her activities that she has lost count.
“I have badges in theater, music, photography, horsemanship, birds, traffic safety, skating, pottery. Twenty of those are Eagle-required and significantly harder to do. Personal fitness and emergency prep are tough.”
One can’t help but wonder if completing those merit badges contributed to her stellar work ethic. In addition to her scouting activities, Hughes is juggling her senior year of high school, a part-time job, sports (she placed at regionals for weightlifting), marching band, theater, and planning for college. She would like to major in STEM at Florida State or University of Florida.
Cherie Dimond is bursting with pride at her daughter’s accomplishments.
“She’s definitely worked so hard for all of this. The leadership in our troop is amazing. Without the leadership, these kids wouldn’t have this outlet. I am just very thankful that parents step up and continue to make this troop what it is.”
For herself, Hughes has one final plug for joining the Boy Scouts: the sense of community.
“Scouting makes so many people into one big family,” she said.
Eighteen-year-old Lilly Pegues is also an Eagle Scout and echoes Hughes’ love for the local scouting community.
“Mallory doesn’t just live the Scout Law — she makes it look like an adventure. I couldn’t be prouder to call her my lifelong friend.”
For more information about becoming a Cub or Boy Scout, go to beascout.scouting.org.
