STEM a growing focus at Girl Scouts’ Encampment

PALMER — Anyone who’s been part of Girl Scouts knows it’s always been about much more than just selling cookies.

And with increasing focus, across the country, on the importance of teaching kids science and math and especially getting girls interested in those fields, the Girl Scouts are changing with the times.

“When I was a youngster, scouting tended to be about the three C’s — crafts, camping and cookies,” said Alaska Girl Scouts CEO Sue Perles. “Now it’s also about financial literacy, outdoor education and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).”

Alaska’s Girl Scouts just concluded their bi-annual three-day Encampment event at the Alaska State Fairgrounds, its home for practically all of the 20-plus years it’s been going on. The fairgrounds allow for easy camping all three nights with gating and staff to provide security.

“Our mission is to build girls of confidence, character and courage and Girl Scouting allows them to explore possibilities and also to gain confidence to explore different career options,” said Dacia Idom, Girl Scouts of Alaska Communications Manager. “We have a huge focus on STEM. We also have women in science and technology days where experts from STEM fields introduce girls to all sorts of opportunities. It’s about empowering girls to gain skills to empower themselves so they know they can achive anything.”

Among the learning stations were K-9 training, astronomy and squid dissections.

Director Maggie Ewen grew up in Illinois where her mother was the scout leader. She said scouting in Alaska is somewhat different.

“Every council in the country does (Encampments) a little differently,” she said. “We have a limited program presenters in Alaska because we have a smaller population, but we have some of the more unusual ones. I don’t know how many others have search and rescue with K-9 teams and Iditarod dogs.”

When it comes to learning about outdoor skills, Ewen said Alaska girls have a considerable leg up.

“We do a lot of backpacking and canoeing — that’s all full, full, full right now,” she said. “I know that happens elsewhere in the country, too. Here, we just get better views.”

Among the instructors and temporary troop leaders was Jordan Cooper from Juneau. Having just completed her freshman year at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Cooper is continuing her project that earned her Girl Scout Gold Award honors, the equivalent of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts.

Cooper’s project was to make an online curriculum that would make teaching STEM subjects simpler.

“If you aren’t a chemist or a physicist it can be really intimidating to lead a STEM activity, so I wanted to make a format and put some activities online that were easy to access and easy to follow,” Cooper said, adding that even fellow scouts can use it to lead. “For teachers, it’s a lot less work… part of my goal with my (Gold) Award, is that it’s easy enough that you can give it to the older girls so they can lead the younger girls.”

Cooper attended her first Encampment six years ago where she learned the importance of leadership.

“Encampment, I think, is really cool — a little bit of everything. It’s a little bit of camping, but not as difficult because you’re at a campground. You get to large group activities, small troops, games, sessions — you learn about things never throught about,” she said. “I think the biggest thing for me was it taught me how to lead. I’ve kind of always ended up in leadership positions, but through Girl Scouts I learned to lead correctly.”

Cooper said wherever she goes in life she can’t imagine not being part of the Girl Scouts.

“I dont think im going to be able to not do that,” she said.