Kibler earns Eagle Scout rank, carries on family tradition

By Charlotte Underwood

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- Macy Kibler with BSA Troop 435 has achieved Eagle Scout, which is the highest rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of Scouting America. An Eagle Scout Court of Honor was held on Saturday at the LaFollette Methodist Church to celebrate this momentous occasion. Kibler is the second female scout in Campbell County to achieve Eagle rank and is a third-generation Scout in her family.

TOP PHOTO: Third generation Scout Macy Kibler achieved Eagle, which is the highest rank in BSA Scouting. She was honored with a ceremony at the LaFollette Methodist Church on Saturday. Standing, left to right, are Kibler, Logan Hickman, Liz White and Jack Lynch.

Macy Kibler was the first female BSA Scout in Campbell County. In fact, when the first Female BSA Scout troop was started, number 435 was resurrected in honor of Macy Kibler, who is Rob Kibler’s daughter. Her grandpa Bob Kibler was a scout leader over that troop number and Rob was a scout under that number, as well as a Scout master. Macy is the third generation of Scouts to serve under the Troop 435 designation.

According to Liz White, Macy’s former Scout leader, Macy is a trailblazer to introducing females to scouting in the county and the “backbone” of the troop.

“Macy was doing scouts as a lone scout when we started troop 435 in 2022, so to say she is the backbone of the troop is an understatement. She has been a trailblazer to introducing females into scouting in Campbell County. It has been such an amazing journey to watch Macy grow from a lone Scout in the first female Scout Troop in Campbell County to this amazing day when she is awarded Eagle,” White said.

Macy’s dad Rob Kibler has been active in Scouting in one way or another for over 50 years and seeing his daughter achieve Eagle Scout rank is a life-time highlight.

Since 1912, only four percent of Scouts have earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

Requirements for this prestigious distinction include earning at least 21 merit badges, 13 of which are specifically required; the others are chosen by the Scout. The Scout must also demonstrate Scout Spirit, which includes an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages.

Macy’s Eagle Scout project was a flag retirement box placed next to the Veteran’s Memorial Wall at the Campbell County Courthouse.

Macy said she had always had an interest in the American Flag and that she felt it unintentionally gets disrespected, especially when flags are at the end of their life and in need of retirement.

“A lot of people don’t know what to do with the Flag once it is torn or dirty or has touched the ground and they just end up getting put away somewhere or even thrown away. I wanted to do something about that and hope this Flag retirement box being in a public space will help with that,” Macy Kibler said.

Kibler put a lot of work into her project and had to go both before the Campbell County Building and Grounds Committee and the County Commission to get permission to install the Flag Retirement Box on the courthouse grounds.

She “chose this project out of her respect for the United States, its Veterans and her Papaw Bob Kibler, whose name resides upon the Veteran’s Memorial Wall. Her Papaw was the first Troop 435 scoutmaster.” Macy “took significant inspiration from him throughout her journey to become an Eagle Scout.”

“I am a third-generation Scout, and I have always had an interest in it. My papaw really inspired me to get where I am today,” Macy said. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-08/17/2026-6AM-PHOTOS SUBMITTED)