Whether they are completing service projects, standing up for gender equity, or embracing outdoor adventures, our troops have been a busy bunch! Check out this month’s Mission Moment Recap.
Tackling gender stereotypes in Pike County
After an inspiring weekend at Going for Gold at Camp Archbald, Troop 51441 completed their Amaze journey by focusing on gender roles and stereotypes within their own classrooms. They quickly identified a concern: differences in how teachers communicated with boys and girls. The troop created and distributed a survey to their classmates, which confirmed that the issue was not isolated. With data in hand, the girls took action. They invited their school district Counselor to a troop meeting where they shared their findings and worked together to brainstorm possible solutions. The collaboration didn’t stop there. The girls were invited to participate in a Student Learning Day, where they met with the district counselor and several administrators.
During this event, they learned about the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program enrollment, and how traditional versus non-traditional student participation reflected broader gender norms. Using this new information, the girls chose to write an article aimed at helping faculty and staff better understand and address the challenges students face due to gender stereotypes. The article will be shared in the district’s online newsletter for faculty and staff.
Their efforts sparked a ripple effect, and the district counselor now plans to invite other student organizations to share their perspectives in future editions of the newsletter. Thanks to the leadership and initiative of Troop 51441, the district is taking meaningful steps toward a more inclusive and equitable learning environment for all students.
Hosting a fun-filled field day
Cadettes in Dauphin County’s Troop 11057 earned their Field Day badge by inviting Daisy and Brownies to come for a fun day of activities. They played a scientific game to test what sinks or floats, a historical game where they raced wheelbarrows like chariots, a “human Pac-Man” game and a Pentathlon. “I have watched these girls grow and watching them today lead these younger girls makes me know they will be great leaders someday,” said their troop leader. Nice teamwork, Girl Scouts!
Sharing tea and supporting the community
Daisy Troop 10730 and Brownie Troop 10731 in Dauphin County met for a Sunday Tea Party. During their time together, they created birthday cake kits with cards to include inside to donate to the Central PA Food Bank using some of their cookie proceeds. The girls each donated a canned good to St. Catherine Laboure Church’s pantry and had time to make a candy craft to take home, all before enjoying their yummy tea party together!
Digging into geology
Fourth graders in our Academic Edge program in Dauphin County met with a geologist, who taught them all about geology in the region.
Girls learned how to safely collect rocks, where to collect rocks, how to join local rock/mineral clubs, and all about careers in STEM. The girls also learned about how these local rocks are found in everyday items like toothpaste.
And they took home some local quartz, pyrite and fluorite. Sounds like this troop meeting really rocked!
Overnight adventures in the Poconos
The girls of Troop 60271 from Lycoming County recently took a memorable trip to Camp Mosey Wood in the beautiful Pocono Mountains. This exciting adventure marked their first-ever spring camping overnight. From hitting the target in archery to climbing the rock wall and exploring the wooded trails on hikes, the girls embraced every moment. They even got hands-on experience with campfire cooking, preparing a delicious dinner of traditional camping foods including mountain pie pizzas and veggie foil packs. Along the way, they completed their Outdoor Journey and earned several outdoor badges, making the experience both rewarding and unforgettable. Special thanks to the Girl Scouts of Eastern PA’s Activity Facilitators, Frosty and Patches, for helping make the weekend so special!
Supporting literacy in Dauphin County
Girls in Troop 11057 spent many hours writing book reviews, recording audio books, sewing curtains and pillowcases, making bookmarks with QR codes for the audio books, doing a book drive and sorting and organizing books for the Lower Dauphin Communities That Care Books on Board bookmobile. Troop Leader Jen Weeter organized and led a ceremony on April 27 to recognize the girls for all their hard work. PA Representative Tom Mehaffie attended and gave each girl a citation for their efforts and commitment to improving their community.
Exploring first aid and more in Lancaster County
The Lancaster Academic Edge girls recently earned their First Aid Badge. Brynne Hall, a skilled first responder, visited both the Brownie and Junior Academic Edge programs to share her knowledge, experiences, and hands-on skills with the girls. She brought first aid to life through real stories, meaningful conversations, and by answering every question the girls had.
The girls learned about a variety of first-aid materials, what they are, when to use them, and why they’re important. Afterward, they had the opportunity to create their very own first aid kits. Each girl got to decorate her kit and thoughtfully fill it with essential supplies.
Completing the badge sparked inspiring conversations about careers in the medical field. Many girls discovered exciting job paths they hadn’t known existed before!
Fighting hunger in Dauphin County
Troop 11293 decided to use some of their cookie earnings to bring a little joy to the youth in their community. These Juniors created bunny bags for Cocoa Packs, a Hershey-based nonprofit dedicated to fighting food insecurity. They decided what they wanted to do and what supplies they needed to create the treats, identified the jobs/tasks needed, chose their jobs, and then made it happen. They made 300 bunny bags for the kids at Cocoa Packs’ upcoming Spring Fling event—an excellent example of being a sister to everyone!
Exploring colors in Dauphin County
Academic Edge Girl Scouts in kindergarten through second grade learned all about colors recently. They were given a white piece of clay and a rainbow of markers. Girls were encouraged to mix colors to see what the final color would be. Check out the face of Neveah seeing the color lilac be made in real time in this photo!
Taking on the ultimate outdoor adventure
Troop 81597 in Fulton County is a Trailblazer troop, focused on high-adventure, outdoor activities. This year’s spring adventure goal was to complete the Ambassador Ultimate Recreation Challenge badge. The girls camped at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia for two nights, went ziplining at Bear Mountain Ziplines, went trail riding at Fort Valley Ranch, visited Luray Caverns, and kayaked for seven miles on the Shenandoah River. It was a fun weekend for everyone involved!
Submit a Mission Moment today so we can showcase your Girl Scouts’ recent experiences and accomplishments next month! Visit our Mission Moment Recap webpage on the GSHPA Blog to see more Mission Moments from previous months.
*All Mission Moment information is submitted by volunteers/members. Should you have any questions regarding a submission, please email cmolitoris@gshpa.org.