Girl Scouts USA announces six new STEM-focused badges
Digital Reporter
Saturday, August 19, 2017, 8:31 PM -
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA) is teaming up with the SETI institute and NASA to continue their efforts to get young girls more involved in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The worldwide youth organization, with 1.8 million members in the U.S., was originally known for teaching young women and girls to explore the great outdoors. Now, as funded by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, SETI and the Girl Guides have created six new Space Science badges that can be earned at every girl-scout level.
GSUSA Chief Executive Officer Sylvia Acevedo said on Thursday that her time as a girl scout inspired her interest in STEM, and encouraged her future career path. Acevedo is an engineer who started her career as a rocket scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Labs.
Girls are being encouraged to "look to the skies", as arguably the most anticipated sky-watching event quickly approaches.
“This summer, 90 Girl Scouts Councils across the United States received kits filled with materials that allow girls to explore space science and eclipse-related activities, leading up to the August 21, 2017, Total Solar Eclipse,” Girls Scouts said in a blogpost on Thursday.
In July, the organization announced it would release 23 new badges related to STEM and the outdoors.
“Girls can create algorithms, design robots and racecars, go on environmentally conscious camping trips, collect data in the great outdoors, try their hand at engineering, and so much more,” they said in a press release.
The newest badges will have to do with astrophysics, planetary science, and heliophysics.
GSUSA acknowledged the disparity between amounts of women versus men who enter into STEM careers and education.
“Research shows that women are still vastly underrepresented in STEM fields and that exposing girls to these subjects at a young age is vital to ignite their curiosity and close this gap,” they said.
