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Building values, having fun 
OOBLECK: Papoose Unit members Molly Scurlock and Leo Bagstrom create oobleck, a mock-ice creation that changes from solid to liquid when heated.
staff photos by REBECCA LACKIE |
By Rebecca Lackie Taylor Girl Scouts enjoy unique opportunities through organization It all began 95 years ago with a woman named Juliette Gordon Lowe and a good idea. Lowe, the founder of Girl Scouts, started the organization that boasts more than 3.7 million members in the United States today. Her goal was to bring girls out of their isolated home lives and into the community. She wanted to take girls hiking, teach them to play sports, take them on camping trips, and teach them to develop self-reliance. But most of all, Gordon wanted girls to have options in life and the ability to make a difference in the world around them. The Girl Scouts is still teaching those same principles today, and it is still working. The positive impact that Gordon had on young women 95 years ago has reached across the country, affecting millions of girls for many years, some of them right here in Taylor. One of the most important lessons that Girl Scouts teach is patriotism, as is evident in the many flag ceremonies that the girls participate in. “It goes back to Girl Scouts being about values, and patriotism is taught actively, and the Girl Scout laws reflect good living,” said Treyna Smith, one of the Girl Scouts' service unit directors. “It is important so that they can make good choices in their lives. There are a lot of influences that will not give them a good value basis. This helps them remember.” Another important part of Girl Scouts is goal setting and budgeting, and the girls learn these lessons in an interesting and delicious way. The Girl Scouts use their annual cookie sales to teach girls how to set goals and keep them. Each Girl Scout earns “cookie credits” by selling, which can be used to go to day camps, or “cookie colleges.” The girls save up their credits that they earn from sales, and are able to participate in Girl Scouting programs at either a reduced rate or free of charge, giving every girl the opportunity to participate in events regardless of her family's financial status. It also teaches girls how to be in charge of their own destiny and earn the things that they don't have. “We try to keep the registration fees down for the children, but things like the pavilion are very costly Š so we do depend on donations from the community,” said Vicki Byrd, director of a day camp held at Murphy Park recently. Still, there is a bit more to Girl Scouting than selling cookies. Today's Girl Scout has a host of options available to her. One of those options involves college scholarships, especially for the girls who go all the way and earn the coveted silver or gold award. The gold award is similar to the Boy Scouts eagle award. There are a host of colleges that offer scholarships for gold award winners, as well as private scholarship funds that can help them pay their way through college. Earning a gold award requires a lot of time, energy and commitment. Earning a silver award also is challenging, but it's not stopping Taylor Girl Scout Michelle Byrd from trying to earn it. Still, there are numerous other opportunities for Girl Scouts that aren't working toward silver or gold awards. There are summer camps, field trips, and travel, as well. Some of the Taylor's “Texas Skies” service unit are planning a trip to Hawaii, and are using their service credits to help them get there. One of the ways they are doing that is by getting service hours by helping with this year's day camp. The working cadets came up with this year's theme, which was winter wonderland, and helped plan the camp's activities. The theme, in addition to being a unique idea for June in Texas, gave the girls the opportunity to earn their winter badge, as well. The girls had fake snow, and learned to make hats, scarves and snowflakes. They also learned about insulation and protection from the ice. But as always, there are a lot of songs and games at Girl Scouts and this year's day camp was no exception. “Girl Scouts is all about teaching values,” Byrd said. “One of the most important thing about the day camp is that it keeps the older kids involved and teaches them leadership skills. The cadets and seniors are the unit leaders.” However, what is truly unique is the number of years that the older Girl Scouts, who are all 14-15 years of age, have been together. “Our whole troop has been together since Kindergarten, and we are eventually going to go to Hawaii together,” said Paula Reeves, 15. However, as time goes on it becomes harder for the older Girl Scouts who have so many different activities going on to continue to participate. “When you get older, you have other things going on, so it's harder to do,” said Marissa Chavana, 14, “But we are all friends.” Outside influences have not seemed to weaken the spirit of friendship for this particular group, who in spite of getting older have not forgotten to enjoy the time that they will spend just being girls. Whether it's day camp, field trips, trips or travel, the Girl Scouts are doing things, and the children of Taylor enjoy being a part of it.
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