By Cathy Molitoris

Creating her own chocolate bar at the Hershey Story’s Chocolate Lab, 15-year-old Ava learned firsthand the story behind the sweet treat. “You eat Hershey’s chocolate, but you don’t actually think about how it all happened, and to see that has been really interesting,” said the Girl Scout Cadette from Connecticut.

Learning about Hershey’s place in history was just one part of “Herstory: History, Hiking, and Hershey,” a Girl Scout Destination program held from July 30 through Aug. 6 and hosted by Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania (GSHPA).

Sixteen girls in grades nine through 12 participated in the program, which featured adventures throughout Gettysburg, Hershey, Huntingdon and Lancaster, all focused on local history through the perspective of women. The girls came from across the United States for the program, and they spent the week staying in a lodge at Camp Small Valley in Dauphin County.

Throughout the week, the Girl Scouts explored the battlefields of Gettysburg, enjoyed a Gettysburg ghost tour, had fun at Hersheypark, went hiking and took a trail ride on horseback.

Touring the home of Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower in Gettysburg was a highlight of the week for Avahlynn from Indiana, as well as her friend, Alison, who joined her on the trip.

Avahlynn, 17, an Ambassador who has been in Girl Scouts since she was a Daisy, encouraged Alison to join Girl Scouts just two years ago.

“Avahlynn would always talk about all the trips she got to go on with Girl Scouts and all the things she got to do, and it sounded really fun, so I decided to join Girl Scouts,” recalled Alison, 17. “I don’t get to travel much, so when I heard about this program, I was really excited to try it. It was a fun opportunity to do something new.”

Sydney, a 15-year-old from Texas, shared that she wanted to try the program because of its unique perspective. “I thought it sounded interesting,” she said. “I was excited that it focused on women’s history.”

Girl Scouts has offered Sydney a chance to make new friends and also to challenge herself. “You can try a lot of different things through Girl Scouts,” she said, “and it doesn’t matter if you mess up when you’re trying something. You can just try again.”

The Destination program provided an opportunity to take a risk, said Sierra, a Cadette from California. “I wanted to try a trip in the country before I try an international trip,” she said. “I would encourage another girl to do this to step out of their comfort zone if they’ve never traveled alone before, to get that experience before going to college or going out on their own so they have some sort of background knowledge on how to take care of themselves and how to live with other people.”

Even though she knew no one on the trip when it began, Sierra noted it was easy to bond with the other girls. “Because we’re all Girl Scouts, and we’re all about the same level, it’s been really easy to make friends quickly,” she said. “That’s something that I’ve really enjoyed this week.”

Girl Scout Destinations are adventure opportunities for Cadette, Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts. Programs are held both nationally and internationally. GSHPA is expanding travel programs for girls with experiences based out of the council’s four camp properties in Lancaster, Dauphin, Adams, and Susquehanna counties.

Like history? Join other Girl Scouts for

Girl Scout Day in Gettysburg

Girls can explore even more Gettysburg history during Girl Scout Day in Gettysburg in September. The program will offer four different treks for girls of all ages. Participants can learn about women who played important roles in Gettysburg’s history, explore the battlegrounds, make ornaments at the World War II Museum, check out the Land of Little Horses and much more. The event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 30, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Find more information and a registration link here.

Cathy Molitoris is a Marketing and Communications Coordinator for GSHPA. The mother of two Girl Scouts, she has served as a troop leader and volunteer Service Unit Lead, and she’s eaten more than her fair share of Thin Mints.