Claire Mary Domek was named the first female Eagle Scout in West Sacramento history on Nov. 4. Photo by John McCallum

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – Claire Mary Domek said she was scared and uncertain about her decision when she became of one of the first six girls to join West Sacramento’s Scout America Troop 1 at age 11 in 2022.

Five years later, she’s much more confident — and successful. At the Nov. 4 City Council meeting, the Christin Brothers High School high honors student was honored by the city as the first female Eagle Scout in West Sacramento history.

“It was one of the best decisions I ever made,” Domek said. “I’ve met so many amazing people including some of my best friends and I’m really proud of all the achievements I’ve made in the troop.”

Only about 6 percent of Scouts rise to earn the rank of Eagle, Scouting America’s — formerly the Boy Scouts of America — highest rank. To achieve this, Domek earned 21 merit badges, served in a number of organizational leadership positions and completed a community service project.

For her project Domek worked more than 150 hours creating and leading fellow Scouts and adults in the construction of four owl boxes and two raptor feeding stations for the Sacramento Wildlife Care Association. Domek said she chose the project because she has always been interested in wildlife conservation and wanted to meet new people and learn new skills, such as construction.

“Which is a lot harder than it looks,” she added.

In joining Troop 1 Domek and the other girls formed the Ice Phoenix Patrol. Domek served as assistant patrol leader, patrol leader, Trail to First Class guide and troop scribe. She served as Camp Cody Waterfront Junior Officer in 2025 and Assistant Waterfront Lead Junior Officer in 2026, working as a lifeguard and supervisor.

She also volunteers at Happy Trails Animal Sanctuary and holds leadership positions in the high school’s National Honor Society and the Social Action Leadership Team. Since the first group in 2022, Domek said more girls have joined Troop 1, including one of her cousins.

Scouting America began in 1910 in the United States after being originally founded in the United Kingdom in 1908 by Robert Baden-Powell. The first “encampment” was in Silver Bay, New York and spread across the country over the years to become the largest youth organization in the U.S., with West Sacramento Troop 1 forming in 1916.

Domek thanked everyone who has helped her in her achievement, including parents, friends and others in the organization and the community.

“I hope that girls and young people today can realize that they can be the change in the world, and that if a space doesn’t include them to make their own path and be the change makers they want to be,” Domek said.

Councilmembers praised her for her accomplishments, beginning with Councilwoman Quirina Orozco who noted Domek’s comments came without using notes.

“She’s not reading from a phone, she rattled that off from her heart,” Orozco said, adding Domek is an inspiration to other young women to be leaders in their community.

Mayor Pro Tem Verna Sulpizio Hull said being an Eagle Scout is a “big deal,” noting her husband achieved the rank when he was in Scouting. The accomplishment has opened many opportunities for him, she added.

Councilwoman Dawnté Early said Domek had put in the hard work and demonstrated leadership in achieving the Eagle rank. She noted West Sacramento was celebrating a first of its kind a day after a national election in which a number of firsts had also been achieved including the election of the largest number of women to serve in the upcoming Congress in 2027.

“You are now an example to other girls of that first and that representation and you should be very, very proud of yourself,” Early added.

“Your leadership is going to carry you far,” Mayor Martha Guerrero said, referencing Sulpizio Hull’s comments.

Also at the meeting, which had no council action items other than the Consent Agenda, the council issued a proclamation recognizing Nov. 11 as Veterans Day and acknowledging the contributions of West Sacramento Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8762.

According to the staff report, since the post began in 1946 it has donated over $750,000 to the city and surrounding communities “through various charitable efforts, awarded high school students for essays on democracy, provided scholarships to nurses at Veterans Hospitals” and supported a wide range of local youth programs. Post 8762 has sponsored Boy and Girl Scout programs, Sea Scouts and the local Junior Reserve Officer Training (ROTC) program.