ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
When most people think of Girl Scouts, they think of cookies. But Shannon White, Girl Scout service unit manager and Junior troop leader at Andrews, says scouting is so much more than just cookies -- it's about building up women of courage, confidence, and character.
"We want the Andrews community to know that we are ready to kickoff the year with a 'Back to Scouts' night," said Mrs. White. "Parents are invited to see what Girl Scouts is all about. We'll have displays of the Girl Scouts' books and the various badges that girls can earn. We'll also have girls in uniform so parents can see what the uniforms are like. We'll have registration forms at that time, too." Mrs. White added that registration for Girl Scouts is a once a year fee of $10.
Mrs. White said there are several categories within Girl Scouts and emphasized that Girl Scouts is not just for young girls. "Girl Scouts goes from kindergarten all the way up to seniors in high school," explained Mrs. White.
"There are five levels to Girl Scouts. First, there are the Daisy scouts for those in kindergarten. Then there are Brownies for first through third grades. After Brownies, you have the Junior Girl Scouts for the fourth- and fifth-graders. Next, we have Cadets which are for 6th through 8th grades and finally, there are the Seniors who are in ninth through 12th grades."
The nights girls meet varies between Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and depends on the girls' level in scouts.
Mrs. White said the girls have been busy preparing for the first meeting. "The girls got together and we spent four hours cleaning the Girl Scout hut. We swept floors, vacuumed, and just cleaned out the place. The girls did a great job," said Mrs. White.
The girls are also preparing for a busy year of community service-oriented events. "We have a fun year planned for making a difference on base," said Mrs. White. "We are planning to help out at the Fisher House this year, a food drive, and are planning a clean-up day at the base lake."
Mrs. White said scouts play a very important role in a military child's life.
"I think that Girl Scouts is especially important for girls in military families," explained Mrs. White. "It gives the girls something to do, it shows them that girls can be leaders, and it allows the girls to spend time with other kids whose mothers and fathers are also deployed."
Back to Scouts night will be held Sept. 12 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Youth Center.