Louisiana Girl Scouts Put Aside Their Samoas For Science Camp

Great news for the the Girl Scouts of Louisiana. These lucky ladies are teaming up with the “Geek Squad” for a two-day technology academy just for females. The participants, ranging in age from 10 to 14, will get to learn about “the more serious side of computer usage.”

Jill Pollard, vice president of programs and volunteerism for Girl Scouts Louisiana East, explains why the end-of-summer seminar is so important to the Scouts and how it helps them with the Scouts’ STEM initiative.

“This is the age that girls sometimes lose the drive to succeed in science, technology, engineering and math, because of peer pressure from boys and sometimes even teachers. We are reinforcing that this is a cool topic.”

And I have admit, I can completely remember hitting the age where it seemed cooler to attention to my social status than to my science teacher.

When I was in middle school, I got to go to space camp in Huntsville, Alabama. I begged and pleaded with my parents to pay for the trip. Then, I got to spend an entire week away from school with one other girl and about 20 boys. Ashley Blahblahblah and I were the only two girls on that big conversation bus. And we obviously didn’t have to worry about who would be paired up in the hotel.

We had a really great time at space camp, but I can remember us both feeling like we were crashing on a boys’ trip. We talked about our nerdiness and all the other girls who obviously didn’t care at all about space or science.

Looking back on that experience, it was fun. But now it’s also a little depressing. I really did feel like I was odd and a bit unattractive for being interested in space camp. And seriously, who wouldn’t want to go to space camp?

It’s nice to hear that the Scouts in Louisiana are continuing to look for ways to get girls excited about science and technology. It’s easy to forget how strong the peer pressure is for middle school girls to stay away from “boy topics.” Working on them in an all-girl setting has to be helpful and encouraging.

Now my only question is when they’re going to get around to having an all-girl Geek Squad seminar for adults. And can it possibly be located in a city that’s a direct flight from me?

(Photo: Anna Hoychuk/Shutterstock)

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