Scarsdale-Edgemont Girls Scouts Mark 100 Years of Scouting

This article was contributed by Jordana Cooper, a Girl Scout and junior at Scarsdale High School: On Saturday May 19th the Scarsdale-Edgemont Girl Scout community will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting in a very big way. From 11 am to 4 pm the scouts will commemorate their centennial with crafts, an exhibit of Girl Scout memorabilia, activities and entertainment for all ages at Scout Field on Wayside Lane. The entire community is invited to join in the fun and share the girl’s love of scouting.

The Girl Scout motto of “courage, confidence and character” has helped guide and shape me for the past 11 years. When I was in first grade at Heathcote Elementary School, I wanted to join the girl scouts and asked my mom to help lead a troop for the girls in my grade. I did not know what to expect, but I knew that I wanted to wear the little brown vest that I had seen on the older girls at my school.

Scouting turned out to be about far more than wearing the uniform and brought me years of fun, adventures and new experiences. My favorite Girl Scout event is the annual community camping trip we take each fall to various campgrounds upstate. Several hundred other Scarsdale-Edgemont Girl Scouts come together to share a weekend of tent and cabin sleeping, boating, crafts and many other new and exciting challenges. I am thankful for girl scouting not only for the great times I experienced, but also for providing me with valuable life skills. Learning how to build a campfire forced me to be independent and helped build my confidence. The ropes challenge course I face each year on the camping trip teaches me how to work with others and problem solve as a team. My favorite part of the camping weekend is the sing-along around the community campfire. And, nothing beats making your own s’mores around the campfire you built.

Over the past 11 years, Girl Scouting has also brought me many opportunities to serve my community. Each year I look forward to baking and delivering homemade cookies to local veterans, who are always so appreciative for my visit and treats. For the past three years, I have worked toward and earned my Gold Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve. During this process, I worked with younger girl scouts and shared my project about the dangers of childhood obesity. I taught them healthy recipes that I created and shared what I love about girl scouting.

100 Years of Girl Scouting deserves to be commemorated properly. I’m looking forward to celebrating Girl Scouting on May 19th and hope that many girls, boys and parents will share the fun on Scout Field.