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It's been years since the members of Girl Scout Troop 72 pitched Thin Mints and Samoas in front of local grocery stores.
Still, when the girls--now high school sophomores--tell their friends they're Scouts, that's generally where the conversation ends up.
"They always ask, 'Are you selling cookies?'" says Alison Mullen, 15.
"I'm like, 'It's November,'" adds pal Emily Burke, 16.
Folks don't think to ask about all the service projects they've orchestrated while rising through the Girl Scout ranks.
The ballet classes Emily taught to children at Hope House.
Or the Daisy troop that Alison started for kindergartners at Hugh Mercer Elementary.
Or the enormous map of the United States that fellow Scout Elizabeth Smith, 15, painted on the blacktop near the school's playground.
The teens say they enjoyed their share of cookies, crafts and camping trips when they were little. But they remained in Girl Scouts longer than most for the chance to become community leaders.
"Girl Scouts is a hip-hoppin' thing," Emily says, laughing a bit. "People don't get that."
That's a message officials at Girl Scout headquarters are working hard to emphasize. Membership has dropped by 13 percent over the last five years, and it's getting harder to hang onto tweens and teens, who have more activities competing for their attention than ever.
Weekly troop meetings in the basement of a local church might seem a tad old-fashioned to kids more accustomed to texting, tweeting and LOL on Facebook.
Approaching its 100th anniversary, Girl Scouts of the USA has been experimenting with ways to dust off its outdated image. Last year, it hired a chief marketing officer to come up with a "brand strategy," essentially a way to appeal to a new generation of young women.
Laurel Richie had already done re-branding work for major clients like Kotex, Pond's and Huggies, "well-loved, trusted brands with powerful DNA that needed just a little renewal and refreshment," she said.
A former Girl Scout herself, she actually cried in her interview.
"I was hooked at the mission," Richie said. "The notion of building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place is not only noble, but really needed at this time."
Girls don't just dream about changing the world, she said. In this day and age, they know they can. To remain relevant, Girl Scouts needs to be the premier organization that lets them figure out how.
"We're very aware of all the other things girls could choose to do," Richie said. "We want to be sure we're offering them something that is a beacon and pulls them in."
EFFORTS UNDER WAY
Some changes have been cosmetic, like having a presence on Facebook and Twitter, and relaxing the uniform requirements, particularly among middle and high school girls who aren't all that excited to throw a Girl Scout sash over their Abercrombie and Fitch outfit.
Others have been more significant, like focusing on minority participation and recruiting alums and college kids to serve as role models.
They've allowed the girls themselves to create some of the curriculum, including "interest projects" that delve into everything from extreme sports to breast-cancer prevention.
Girl Scouts also offers more opportunities for girls to participate outside those weekly meetings of yore.
"It's less about an adult standing up in front of a room instruction-style and more about girls finding their own path," said Richie. "It just feels like it's a little bit more relevant and a little bit more in tune with their lives today."
'THE PAYOFF'
Emily and Elizabeth were first-graders at Hugh Mercer when they joined Troop 72. Alison came on board two years later, attracted in part by the Brownie uniforms she saw her friends wearing.
At its height, the troop had a dozen girls. But they started peeling off around middle school.
"Now it's just us," said Emily.
The three girls rarely have formal meetings anymore, though they see each other daily at James Monroe High School. Instead, between dance lessons, drama club meetings and volunteering for the SPCA, each spends her time working toward her Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouts.
"It's just like the girl version of Eagle Scout," said Alison. "That's the easiest way to explain it to those who don't know."
Emily intends to gather oral histories from seniors at the Evergreens at Smith Run. Elizabeth is painting a 20-square-foot mural for her church. And Alison is creating care packages for the women and children served by the Rappahannock Council on Domestic Violence.
The mothers of all three have served as leaders of the troop over the last nine years. Watching the girls find their passions has been rewarding, said Marjolijn Bijlefeld, Emily's mom.
"It gets more fun as the girls get older and become real personalities and you see the adult in them emerge," she said. "This is really when we get to see the payoff--when they're leading."
It might seem like Girl Scouts is focused on only little girls because of the cookie sales and cute badges, said Alison. But she and her troop mates figure the leadership experiences they've enjoyed will give them an edge when it comes to college and careers.
"Someone sees you've been in an organization this long, it's pretty impressive," said Elizabeth.
Added Alison: "If we've come this far, why quit now?"
Edie Gross: 540/374-5428
Email: egross@freelancestar.com
| The Girl Scout Commonwealth Council of Virginia governs troops in the Fredericksburg and Northern Neck regions. If you're interested in joining or volunteering, contact the Council at 804/746-0590 or visit their Web site at www.comgirlscouts.org.
Louisa, Orange and Culpeper counties are served by the Skyline Council, which can be reached Fauquier County is part of the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital, which can be contacted |
