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Indianapolis Star
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
'It turned heads at first:' She's a 500 Festival princess. She's also an Eagle Scout
INDIANAPOLIS -- Nat Restivo says she was "very much a tomboy growing up" with an older brother and an older sister and plenty of hand-me-down clothes to choose from. "But of all the clothes that I got passed down to me, I always opted for basketball shorts and a T-shirt," said Restivo, "instead of her Aeropostale jeans." By the time she was 10, Restivo was tagging along with her brother's Boy Scout troop. She went hiking and camping, roughing it up with the boys. Then one day as an unofficial Boy Scout, Restivo was at a troop service day setting up seating for the 500 Festival Parade downtown. That's when a princess waved at her. "I didn't really know what it was. I saw 33 women wearing tiaras and I thought, 'Oh, that's so cool,'" said Restivo. "One of them waved at me. (I thought) they must be famous." But that 10-year-old Restivo didn't turn into a princess right then. Instead, she went on to become a founding member of one of the first female troops in Scouting America, formally the Boy Scouts of America. And she went on to become a female Eagle Scout. Restivo knows how to tie seven distinct knots, the square knot, two half-hitches, taut-line hitch, sheet bend, bowline, clove hitch and timber hitch. She has 21 merit badges earned in categories such as emergency preparedness and medicine. She worked hundreds of community service hours. And she renovated an entire playground for her final act of service. Then last year, that 500 Festival Princess idea reappeared when Restivo was a sophomore at the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville. Restivo applied and landed a spot in the ring with 32 other princesses. "It turned heads at first," said Restivo, 20, who is a nursing major with minors in medical humanities and social work. "I don't look like a traditional Scout. People are surprised that I am an Eagle Scout and then I'm also a 500 Festival princess." Restivo grew up in Plainfield in a family that focused on service. Restivo's mom, Melanie, was always heavily involved in the community. And her grandparents were involved with the local church and Meals on Wheels. "So my mom, whenever there was a service opportunity, she packed all three kids up," said Restivo. "And we were at it." Scouting was a big part of the family's life. Restivo's brother, Dominic, gave his little sister the scouting bug and let her tag along. "I was just young enough to be able to go to all the trips but not old enough to be able to stay back on my own," Restivo said. "So I'd go to all the campouts with them. I remember I was so young that I was like learning almost everything on these camp outs. I learned how to tie my shoes on a camp out." She soon earned the troop nickname of their Boy Scout buddy. And it was Restivo's brother who first alerted the family that the rules had changed. Girls were officially allowed to join all Boy Scouts of America programs in 2019. "And my mom said, 'Are you interested in this?'" Restivo said. "I was kind of hesitant at first. I was in middle school, and I was kind of shy. I didn't know if I wanted to join. I didn't know if my friends would follow me in joining. But I've been so grateful that my mom kind of pushed me and she was like, 'This is going to benefit you. Let's try it out.'" On Feb. 1, 2019, the first day a female troop could be chartered, Melanie was at the office at 8 a.m. And the Plainfield Troop 308G was born, made up of five girls, including Restivo. It was one of the first female troops created in Indiana. Restivo went on to earn the rank of Eagle Scout in 2022, joined the Order of the Arrow, served as a camp counselor at Ransburg Scout Reservation and earned Firecrafter. "Being a scout, I'm not sure honestly, where I would be without it, because it did teach me so much leadership," said Restivo. "It taught me resilience and also taught me all these morals and values that I still carry with me." It also gave Restivo the confidence to apply to be a 500 Festival princess. After seeing a college friend serving as a princess, Restivo started researching the program. "That's when I learned it's more about community service and education than it is a pageant," she said. "And that was eye opening to me." Her friend encouraged her to apply. "And it was majorly outside my comfort zone. I'm one that I like to do things in the background. I'm kind of in the background of leadership," she said. "But I'm so glad I was able to step outside my comfort zone because I never would have met these 32 other amazing women and then everybody I've met through my outreach." Some of those people, including the princesses, were surprised to find out Restivo is an Eagle Scout. "It turned heads at first. And I think it's nice to turn heads sometimes," she said. "It's bringing awareness to this program and to scouting." And it's nostalgic for Restivo, thinking back on how her journey began as an "unofficial boy scout" with that princess waving at her all those years ago. "She made me feel seen in a sea of thousands," Restivo said. "That moment stuck with me. Now, I get to be that person for someone else."
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ascension St. Vincent Indy 500 Princess spreads positivity at the hospital
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — The Ascension St. Vincent Indy 500 Princess is spreading smiles to kids ahead of the upcoming race. Princess Natalie Restivo is a nursing student at USI and is interested in trauma and ICU nursing. She's taking the time to make bracelets with an Ascension teenager and read to a baby at the hospital. Restivo says she's excited to connect with patients and let people know about the Indy 500. 'Being a part of the organization, it teaches us a lot about different communication skills, leadership skills and really enhances those. I'm very excited to work at the 500 Festival on that. Today I'm really just excited to learn about the kids and why they're here and about their personalities,' Restivo says. As an Indy 500 Princess, Natalie will take part in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing this year. It's scheduled for Sunday, May 25. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
