This past weekend, Fagin Hall was crowded with 80 extra nurses in the form of Girl Scouts, marking the second event this year that brought local troops to campus.
The occasion, Girls Understanding Technology and Science, featured keynote speakers, merit badge workshops and breakout sessions with Penn student and faculty volunteers.
Girl Scouts at Penn, an organization founded by College senior Kristen Hughes, is comprised of Girl Scout leaders and volunteers whose intent is to foster working and educational relationships between Penn students and younger girls in local troops.
Scouts ages 9 to 11 were welcomed by Robin Goldman, CFO of Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, who emphasized the importance of "sticking with it . and following through" achieving ranks in scouts because of the opportunities it will later afford.
After the morning introduction, girls were partitioned into rotating groups that focused on different skills while completing requirements for merit badges.
Wharton Women taught "Money Sense," the Society of Women Engineers discussed "Science in Everyday Life," and the Advancement of Women in Engineering explained how science could be "Made to Matter" with practical applications like creating your own polymer lip gloss from ingredients such as Crisco and KoolAid.
Describing how a heart accelerates after aerobics, Nursing professor Nancy Tkacs was present to offer her expertise and help girls measure their pulse changes after exercise.
Parent chaperones and leaders were more than pleased with the outcome of the event. Sandra, mother of a scout in Troop 9036 and herself a scout years ago, regretted not completing her Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouts.
"If I have anything to do with it, [my daughter] will see it through," she said. "Scouting was good mother-daughter time," she added and noted how macroscopic the organization has become. "We were at a neighborhood level when I was a cadet. The push for more science-rooted activities, college visits and such, has come in the last 10 years or so."
The girls spoke more in the present. "It's really fun and a good way to make friends," said Amy, age 9. Morgan, age 10, exclaimed, "I love Penn, and making the lip gloss was awesome!"
The halls of the Nursing Building resounded with laughter and music to the ears of Girl Scouts at Penn, who were already planning next spring's event "Stand Up," which will be more about "self confidence and leadership," according to Hughes.
