Girl Scouts Offering New Badges to Inspire Young Women

Girl Scout Scouts Western Pennsylvania (GSWPA) and Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) have added 24 new badges that the young entrepreneurs can work toward.

The badges incorporate skills in automotive engineering, STEM career exploration, entrepreneurship and civics. As these fields are often male-dominated, Girl Scouts is trying to push young women to find an interest in them.

Through working toward the entrepreneurship badges, girls in grades kindergarten through 12th Grade can gain skills in business planning and problem solving.

The STEM career exploration badges are for girls in Grades 2 through 8. These badges encourage the girls to explore computer science, nature/environmental science, engineering, design, health and agriculture.

Automotive engineering badges are geared toward girls in grades kindergarten through 5th Grade. The girls working toward these badges will design vehicles, test prototypes of them, create an assembly line, and learn about the design process.

Girls in grades kindergarten through 12th Grade can work toward badges in civics, where they will learn about local, state and federal government. These badges will give them the skills and knowledge to become informed voters, strong activists, and political leaders.

Lillian Marquez and daughter, Isabela (Izzy), of Hollidaysburg, are both involved in local Girl Scout troops. Lillian is a Service Unit Manager, as well as the Troop Leader of Troop 46695 (Cadets and Seniors), for which she organizes meetings. She also has Troop 46502 (Daisies, Brownies and Juniors) for which she is a backup leader. Isabela is a Girl Scout cadet in her mother's troop. She joined Girl Scouts as a Daisy in first grade.

Area troops have been greatly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. They had to postpone their end-of-the-year trip, which is paid for by their cookie sales. They usually do not meet over the summer except for a monthly activity or fun night out.

However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the girls continued to work toward badges over the summer. At the end of each Girl Scout year, there is a bridging ceremony for the girls who are moving to a new level. For this special ceremony, Lillian and Isabela's troop usually go to a park with a bridge, such as Legion Park Discovery Garden or Duncansville Memorial Park. The girls walk across the bridge with their vest from the previous year, then at the end of the bridge, they are awarded with their new vest for their new level.

The Girl Scout levels and their respective vests are as follows:

• Daisies (Kindergarten through First Grade, blue vest)

• Brownies (Second through Third Grade, brown vest)

• Juniors (Fourth through Fifth Grade, green vest)

• Cadets (Sixth through Eighth Grade, khaki vest)

• Seniors (Ninth through Tenth Grade, khaki vest)

• Ambassadors (Eleventh through Twelfth Grade, khaki vest)

Lillian stressed that she doesn't make earning badges like homework for her girls.

"The badges are a reward and something to work toward," she said. "I want the girls to work toward badges they are interested in and have fun while doing it."

She said that she will often base field trips and activities around what the girls in her troop are excited about.

Lillian also said that there is no shortage of girls who want to join Girl Scouts in this area. However, there is a lack of adults willing to take on a troop and be a troop leader. She said that although there are certain restrictions and protections for the girls, men can also become troop leaders.

Those interested in becoming a troop leader or other Girl Scout volunteer can access the applications on http://www.gswpa.org under the "Volunteer" tab.

Girls interested in joining Girl Scouts can also register online at gswpa.org.

"Girl Scouts is a very fun thing to do," said Isabela, "especially when you have your friends around you to do it with you. It's a lot of fun to earn badges together and it's very exciting."