ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
Even as technology plays a larger and larger role in Americans’ lives, Girl Scouts also stay connected to nature and the great outdoors.
So, while Girl Scouts introduced new badges to promote outdoor activities, girls can also earn STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) badges that prepare them for the future.
Last Thursday night as young ladies were invited to sign up for Girl Scouts in Liberal, they were learning about STEM through a fun activity using simple items such as paper cups and rubber bands.
“They get to be scientists, and they get to experiment whether they think the cotton ball will fly further than the marshmallow will,” Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland Troop Engagement Specialist Michelle Daniels said. “They like to experiment. We have them guess, and they get to see if they’re right or not. They don’t know it’s going to come down to people just shooting the angle different when it’s a marshmallow versus a cotton ball. It’s trial and error for the girls, and it’s been a really fun activity for them teaching them STEM is fun.”
Daniels said GSKH always has something fun for girls to engage in throughout the year.
“Last year, GS-USA put out what’s called a Girl Scouts Discovery Box,” she said. “It is delivered to the troop leader’s front door, and it has everything you need for troop meetings for the month. It reminds me of a kiwi crate, which was huge during COVID.”
When the Discovery Box was first introduced, it was initially just for Daisy troops, but Daniels said the box is now also being used for Brownie troops.
“Now, they’re saying multi-level troops can have access to it if they have a minimum of five Daisies,” she said. “It’s really awesome. They have the meeting plans all mapped out for them. They have all the supplies they need. Everything’s ready to go for them in that cute little box.”
Daniels said Girl Scout numbers continue to climb in Southwest Kansas, and spring recruitment is just around the corner when preschoolers going into kindergarten are able to join.
“We will start within a couple more weeks and get all the girls who are eager, but weren’t old enough yet,” she said. “They’re able to sign up. We will also have our early renewal program, which is huge. The girls always have huge incentives with it. With that comes our extended year membership, where you get a year and a half of membership for the price of one year.”
Daniels, who hosts signup events throughout the year in all of Southwest Kansas, said some events have been rescheduled due to inclement weather.
“That does make it hard,” she said. “It can depend on the town and whether they have a basketball game that night or they have a concert. We get to know our towns and what times work best, what times work, what days work.”
Late winter and early spring are the time of year for cooke sales for Girl Scouts, and Daniels said area sales so far are going great this year.
“The troop in Sublette is 83 percent of their way to their goal already,” she said. “Cookies are amazing. In this area, we have Sarah’s troop and two other troops that are new. This is their first year selling as a troop, and they are doing amazing.”
Daniels said she feels 2025 will be a great year for Southwest Kansas Girl Scouts.
“We’re looking for exciting things, especially with the service unit up and doing amazing things,” she said. “We had two different cookie kickoffs for them because of the weather. It’s going to be amazing. They are doing more and more things to make sure every Girl Scout is feeling included.”
Ultimately, though, Daniels said planned activities are determined by troop members themselves.
“If the girl wants to do more science-themed camps, we’re going to offer that,” she said. “We’re going to offer more art camps. We want girls to join in whatever they’re interested in, and we want to show girls you don’t have to fit one specific stereotype to be a Girl Scout.”
Hosting multiple Girl Scout signups throughout the year can prove exhausting, and Daniels said she seems to be in a constant state of an exhaustion.
“I think I run on prayers and Monster, but ultimately, I love it,” she said. “I know how much I love Girl Scouts, and I love talking to other people about that. I love sharing my experiences both as an employee of Girl Scouts, as a former troop leader of Girl Scouts, as a current volunteer in Girl Scouts, as a mother whose kids are in Girl Scouts, even an aunt. My nieces are in Girl Scouts up in Nebraska. It’s amazing to me.”
Outside of signups, Daniels said signs are posted around the communities she serves in her capacity with GSKH.
“They’re flyers, but they have a QR code,” she said. “We are always inviting girls. When we have those bracelets, I always tell the girls your job is to wear that to school and tell all of your friends the awesome event you were just at.”
Daniels said contacts are made with area schools through the bracelets, and while Girl Scout leaders do regular school talks, school employees are also informed about the organization to help parents learn more about it.
“They have my number, and they can direct them to me,” she said. “We are active on Facebook. We are active on Twitter. They can go to kansasgirlscouts.org or even a simple Google of Kansas Girl Scouts will pop up.”
