Girl Scouts: Nurturing the Next STEM Generation

In 2016, the Girl Scouts of America took a bold step, recognizing the pivotal role of STEM in empowering girls for rewarding careers. STEM was elevated to the status of a pillar within the organization, standing alongside the outdoors, entrepreneurship, and life skills. The commitment to this vision led to the introduction of over 160 STEM badges, spanning from kindergarten to twelfth grade. “We tell our girls to discover the things that they're passionate about, connect those passions to the community, and then do a project that makes lasting change,” said Jane Christyson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio.

From this commitment to STEM education, a visionary project in Peninsula, Ohio emerged—an 8,000-square-foot STEM center nestled within the picturesque Camp Ledgewood, uniquely situated in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The center, which commenced construction in August of the previous year, seeks to inspire girls through the concept of biomimicry. The goal is to encourage them to draw inspiration from nature's engineering marvels, fostering a deep-seated interest in technology and manufacturing for their future endeavors. The Girl Scouts aim to open the STEM Center in the fall of 2024, a testament to the urgency and commitment to STEM education.

The Girl Scouts will camp at the new STEM facility during the summer and on weekends throughout the school year, but its doors will be open for field trips for both boys and girls during the school year. This inclusivity reflects the Girl Scouts' aspiration to extend their role beyond their organization, transforming into community problem solvers. “By the time girls get to high school, only about 11% say they can take on a STEM career. It's not a whole lot better for boys—about 16 or 17%, so if we could make that pie bigger, we could inspire kids at a younger age and get them to stay in the game,” said Christyson. Christyson’s council, which spans 18 counties and serves approximately 19,000 scouts, achieved a remarkable milestone last year, earning almost 50,000 badges. Over 10,000 of those were STEM badges, demonstrating a significant and growing interest in STEM activities.

One captivating STEM badge offered by the Girl Scouts is the "STEM Exploration." The organization recently collaborated with Swagelok, a manufacturing company, for a Brownie-level STEM exploration badge event at Swagelok's world headquarters in Solon, Ohio. During this event, girls delved into Swagelok's maker space and technical equipment, guided primarily by female staff through stations covering mechanical engineering, aerospace, and fluid mechanics. The girls engaged in age-appropriate activities and successfully earned the badge over the course of a couple of hours.

Girls Scouts of Northeast Ohio also has a longstanding partnership of 20 years with CMHA (Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority) to represent underserved populations and overcome volunteer shortages. This collaboration allows the Girl Scouts to hire staff who create troops directly within metropolitan housing or neighborhood facilities. These troops operate similarly to traditional troops, engaging in activities such as selling cookies, going on field trips, and participating in community service. Generous grants from the state of Ohio, Jobs Ohio, and Sherwin-Williams help facilitate these activities, with plans underway to expand efforts in Cleveland, hire staff in the Akron area, and increase the overall staff dedicated to these initiatives.

One troop in Cleveland regularly meets at MAGNET, Ohio’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership, to leverage the facility for activities like earning an automotive design badge. Recently the troop was able to use Sherwin-Williams’ products to paint cars. “We know partnerships is where it's at. We don't have the expertise and we understand the importance for these girls to see near peers and women who look like them who are thriving in a career is such an inspiration for them to take on that badge and to really explore STEM careers,” said Christyson.

U.S. Senator, Sherrod Brown of Ohio is hoping to inspire the future workforce too. Brown’s manufacturing camp was hosted by the Girl Scouts this past summer. This all-girl camp is one of only two overnight camps associated with this initiative, underscoring the burgeoning interest in manufacturing among girls. Participants gained a profound understanding of manufacturing by undertaking the ambitious task of building prosthetic arms. They visited three different manufacturing areas, including Jergens, Haas, and Swagelok, to prototype and test their products, determine pricing, think about distribution, and make presentations. The culmination of the camp showcased the girls' confidence in presenting their inventions and comparing them to others, highlighting the transformative impact of intensive manufacturing experiences. “Ohioans are proud of our state’s long manufacturing history. To keep up that tradition, we must get a new generation interested in our changing manufacturing sector. That’s what these camps are all about,” said Sherrod Brown.

The Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio and all across the nation are demonstrating their commitment to fostering STEM interest among girls. From the introduction of STEM badges to the construction of an innovative STEM center, the organization is on a mission to inspire, educate, and propel girls toward fulfilling careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. As the STEM Center prepares to open its doors to both girls and boys, the Girl Scouts are not just shaping their own future but also contributing significantly to filling the talent pipeline in STEM fields. This collaborative and inclusive approach is a testament to the Girl Scouts' dedication to creating a diverse and empowered generation of young STEM enthusiasts.

Learn how Girl Scouts are shaping the future of STEM