The girl who is always reaching for new heights has finally reached the top in her Scouting journey.

Having completed the requirements for and been examined by an Eagle Scout board of review Sept. 4, Alexis McCullough, 17, of Bourbonnais was found worthy of the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank attainable in Scouting America.

McCullough became a prominent fixture in the Kankakee County community while raising awareness and funds for the completion of her Eagle Scout service project.

A dedication ceremony was held in April at Marcotte Park in Bourbonnais, the site of the Woody Williams Foundation Gold Star Families Memorial Monument she helped plan.

McCullough partnered with the foundation and the village of Bourbonnais to plan the placement of the monument, which honors the families of those who have lost loved ones in active-duty military service.

McCullough is among the Gold Star families, as she lost her father, Col. Mark McCullough, in 2019.

With the monument costing $120,000, local Scouting leaders called her project the most ambitious they had seen.

After a lengthy process preparing paperwork for her evaluation by the board of review, McCullough said the interview with Scouting officials felt like it flew by.

“Overall, it was a great experience,” she said. “On one side of things, it felt like this huge accomplishment that I just completed, and on the other side, I was like ‘Wait, that’s it? I’m an Eagle Scout?’

“It didn’t feel real, but I guess I can say that about the monument and everything I’ve done previously, too. It just doesn’t feel real for a second. Then you realize, ‘Oh, I actually did that.’”

It also felt symbolic to McCullough that the meeting took place in St. Patrick’s Church in Kankakee, the same place she began her Scouting journey six years ago.

She said she felt confident going in for the review, as she has spent the past few years sharpening her public-speaking skills by advocating for her project as well as participating in Miss Teen pageants.

She is the reigning Miss Kankakee Teen and was third runner-up in the Miss Teen Illinois pageant this year.

McCullough also noted that she had lots of encouragement from her fellow Scouts, family, friends and the community.

“I felt really supported by my group of people and my system,” she said.

Among her supporters, she said her biggest cheerleader has been her mom, Cassandra.

“I am proud that she established a place in the community for all families to honor the families of the fallen, and I am grateful to the community that rallied for her to make it happen,” Cassandra McCullough said.

But, of course, this Eagle is not done soaring yet.

On Oct. 25, McCullough’s 18th birthday, she will pass on her crown to the next Miss Kankakee Teen.

Then, she will get ready to compete again for the title of Miss Teen Illinois.

This week, she’ll take a trip to Washington, D.C., where she plans to look into advocacy opportunities for Gold Star families.

Not before having a bit of fun, however.

On Friday night, McCullough was getting ready to celebrate her recent Eagle Scout accomplishment by dressing up as an eagle during her high school’s football game.