The Lafayette College organizes First Girl Scout Badge Day · News · Lafayette College

By Stella Katsipoutis-Varkanis

About 60 scouts from the Lehigh Valley and Eastern Pennsylvania visited the Lafayette campus on February 22nd on Saturday, February 22nd, to find the first girl Scout -Badge Day of College. At the event, scouts in classes K-12 learned about engineering, MINT career, financial competence, coding, book art and the selection process for the university under the direction of Lafayette faculties, employees and students. At the end of the day, every scout deserved two badges.

Daisy Scouts earned her car design and engineering badge through sessions of Lafayette faculty and students. | Photo by Adam Atkinson

“It was a great opportunity to welcome our community to explore college and learn from our talented faculties, employees and students. It has a big influence on the scouts to learn from experts because they consider potential career paths, ”she says Kelly HuthDeputy director of internal and municipal communication that the event together with organized Jodi FowlerAssociate Director of Civic Leadership Programs at the Landis Center, and Christiane Tomik '03Teaching technologist and co-sponsors from the entire Lafayette campus. “As a troop leader and mother, one of the things I love at Girl Scouts, the opportunities for girls to gain practical experience and create important life skills.”

Huth -Who Drew Inspiration from a Similar event she Participated in AS A College Student and Member of Community Fraterity Alpha Phi Omega (APO), which was found at Lafayette-SSAYS The Day Wildn't Have Been Possible Without Co-Sponsors for for Community Engagement, Alpha Phi Omega, Engineering Division, Office of Admissions, Lafayette College Libraries, Office of Financial Aid, and Lafarm. “I am everyone who voluntarily registered for their time to make the event a success,” she says. Many of the volunteers, explains Huth, had a connection to the scouts, either as current or former guides or as former scouts.

A girl Scout Practices Book Binding techniques with the help of the Skillman Library from Lafayette. | Photo by Adam Atkinson

Katie Simpson '26The President of the Apo chapter in Lafayette says that the leading badges of badges as a former scout from many years had been a complete experience for you: “I would have liked to have been going to a college campus and earn badges, so I was excited to achieve this.”

Girl Scout Badge Day has won a high level of commitment from scouts to volunteers. “It was particularly worthwhile to see that so many faculties, employees and students come together to teach things that make them passionately passionate and to create an enriching experience for the participants,” says Fowler. “The feedback that we received from troop managers and parents was proof of the work everyone invested in order to make this event successful.”

Breakout sessions were held in the Hutel Science Center, Rockwell Integrated Sciences Center, Acopian Engineering Center and Skillman Library. Scouts submitted to technology by construction and racing cars; Coding by creating trail mix recipes; Book art and binding by making your own books; and more.

“Apart from the practical activities, the event also contributed to breaking barriers for scouts who may not have had the opportunity to deal with university environments,” added Fowler. “Bringing troops from the Lehigh Valley and Ostpennsylvania also enriched their experiences and helped build up a greater sense of community by giving them the opportunity to meet others outside their usual circles.”

Lafayette students shared their specialist knowledge and worked with the Scouts classes K-12 to help them earn their badges. | Photo by Adam Atkinson

Scouts were not the only ones who benefited from their participation. Volunteers have strengthened their leadership qualities, produced more community bonds and gained experience with children and teenagers. “You have seen the effects of your participation in real time,” says Fowler.

Ultimately, Huth and Fowler Hope Girl Scout Badge Day underlines the importance of cooperation between college and the broader community and for the creation of a unique space for joint learning and commitment. “I hope that the scouts feel inspired,” says Huth, “and that the members of the Lafayette community felt authorized by the parts of their talent and expertise.”