Scouts experience world cultures firsthand

Houston’s Hall of Flags stayed true to its name Saturday afternoon as flags and posters representing over 25 countries from around the world adorned the entire room.

Saturday marked the annual celebration of the Girl Scouts World Thinking Day, an awareness campaign designed to give elementary school-aged scouts “the opportunity to experience new cultures in a way they may otherwise not,” said College senior Sarah Ernst, vice president of service unit events for Girl Scouts at Penn.

Making its second appearance at Penn, the event was organized by Girl Scouts at Penn and staffed by volunteers from the service based-fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. Penn students set up booths highlighting the cultures of various countries from around the world. Youth Girl Scout troops from the greater West Philadelphia area attended the event. From sampling Thai tea to tasting the traditional “pig in the rock” snack from Chile to learning Arabic, each table actively immersed the scouts in a different world culture.

“This was an amazing opportunity for our girls to learn beyond what is taught in school,” said Elliot Wyant, a West Philadelphia Girl Scout chapter volunteer. “I personally loved trying all the new foods and learning about other places.”

While some tables offered food and fun facts, others such as the India booth run by College junior and APO member Gurbani Chawla offered both the girls and troop leaders the opportunity to learn traditional dances. “This year we added a whole new set of countries with new foods, new activities, and new experiences. We took it a step further and hope the girls love it,” Chawla added.

Comprised of about 20 tight-knit members, Girl Scouts at Penn began as an initiative four years ago to engage local troops in new experiences. Funded by the Fox Leadership Program, the group has hosted a variety of events from CPR training and jewelry making to a Girls Understanding Technology and Science Day last semester. Highlights from GUTS included speakers from Wharton Women, Women in Engineering and other Penn organizations, Ernst said. “The diverse groups at Penn really make the experience.”

Moreover, the young group’s future looks brighter than ever. “Every year, we put on more and more. With the help of APO and other groups at Penn, we can reach out to more troops in Philadelphia,” Wharton and Nursing senior Susanna Shuman, president of Girl Scouts at Penn, said. “We have seen the large impact we can make and we shall continue to grow and expand even more in the future.”

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.