When I was a drop-out Brownie some 30-ahem years ago, my troop worked on badges like Basketry and Arts & Crafts. But now I’m kind of wishing I could go back and do it all over again because this fall, the Girl Scout organization has announced a new collection of badges for girls of all ages, all focusing on STEM.
From long-term curricula that focuses on engineering, computer science, and the outdoors, to smaller-level badges that introduce robotics and mechanical engineering to girls as young as kindergarten, these are the real deal. Seriously, Girl Scouts has come a long way since I was one.
Related: These rad prints celebrate women in STEM. A must-have for your own girls.
To be fair, along with the classics like horseback riding and camping, Girl Scouts have actually been teaching STEM-related content to their members for awhile now. My own daughter has earned Entertainment Technology, Computer Expert, and Inventor badges, which have been around for years.
But no doubt, this new collection is their biggest STEM promotion in a decade. It includes 23 new badges, some in partnership with some of our favorite tech groups — like GoldieBlox, Code.org, and the Society of Women Engineers, to name a few. Girls from kindergarten to high school will learn everything from how robots move to how to plan and carry out an eco-camping tour.
For one badge, they’ll be required to create an algorithm, perhaps to help them sell even more Thin Mints? Oh man, we don’t stand a chance.
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