The New York Times - Wrong About Girl Scouts - Part 2

In a recent article, The New York Times profiled some little girls (ages 10 - 13) who said that Girl Scouts don't get to do fun things like Boy Scouts!  We beg to differ - and this snapshot of the activities of one troop in 2014 - 2015 proves that's wrong.  Girl Scouts can do anything - I challenge the mother of those girls to start their own troop and do what the girls want to do!

We started the year as always, by welcoming new members – any girl from any town in grades 6 – 12 is welcome to join whether or not she’s been a Girl Scout before.  In October, we visited Camp Wind in the Pines for Teen Escape!  It included high ropes and other challenges but I didn't get any pictures because I was drafted to help substitute for a sick staff member.

Packing for camping trips. One backpack holds all!

We earned our Good Sportsmanship badge at Brookhaven, our meeting place - Capture the Flag is always a favorite game.

In November we began working on the Room Makeover badge. We created pretty bookshelves from ugly Costco cardboard boxes. We learned how interior decorators make ‘inspiration boards’ to guide them in designing a room.

During the winter, we visited the Microsoft store twice, to earn the “Netiquette” and “Digital Moviemaking” badges.

We marched in the Veteran’s Day and Patriot’s Day Parades.  Because Lexington Girl Scouts have such great flags, our troop generally leads the parade – with a little help from our friends!

In December, we visited Concord to meet novelist Heather Vogel Frederick, author of The Mother-Daughter Book Club series.  We had a ‘toast party’ where we made and ate breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts using toast!  We are writing a ‘toast’ cookbook to be distributed to senior centers and food pantries to help people balance their diets. We sang Hanukkah and Christmas songs at Brookhaven with other Lexington Girl Scouts. In January – winter hiking! We sold cookies, on our own and at three booths. 

We earned our “Novelist” badges with author Jen Malone. 

In February we hosted the Girl Scout Dance at Brookhaven. 

March – Museum of Science Sleepover – most of the troop attended and enjoyed having the museum to ourselves – and hundreds of other teen Girl Scouts.  Intrepid Troop Members experienced space travel in a simulator.

We learned how to lie on a bed of nails!

April – GS Museum Visit – we learned what Girl Scouts were doing in 1920 and old-time first aid!

April – Painting Party – Deb found these chairs in the trash. We turned trash into treasure by painting them to finish earning the Room Makeover badge.

A beautiful result!

May – Encampment – low ropes and stair surfing! Singing and food over the fire!

 May – Historically Speaking India – One girl member created a whole meeting filled with Indian dance, food, saris, and henna decorations!

 We took our traditional end of year trip to  eat ice cream and plan for 2015 - 2016!

We’re looking forward to having more girls join us next year!   Our first camping trip (and high ropes activity) will be in September – come along and help plan our program for next year.