By Girl Scouts has a long and storied tradition of bringing girls together for fun, challenging experiences and spurring lifelong friendships. For more than 59 million women in America today, Girl Scouts is a cornerstone of their childhood (and adolescent) experience. Two GSGLA Cadette Girl Scouts are honoring Girl Scouts’ beloved place in our collective memory—for their Silver Award project, Olivia K. and Ciara D. of Troop 925 co-curated a Girl Scout history exhibit at the Santa Monica History Museum. We spoke with the girls to learn more about the exhibit which opens Tuesday, Jan. 24.
How did you get the idea for your exhibit, “The Journey of Girl Scouts: Empowering Young Women”?
The idea to make a Girl Scout exhibit was based off Ciara doing community service at the museum. After discussing what her Silver Award project should be with her troop leader, Gloria Halfacre, she decided it would be a great idea to let people know how important Girl Scouts is. She brought this idea to Olivia, a fellow Girl Scout. Together, we started planning out our Silver Award—which ended up becoming the Girl Scout history exhibit.
What were the most challenging parts of your project?
Gathering items and contacting people. To collect the items, we had to find out who had them and would be willing to donate them. We had to ask around for a while until we found people who—in addition to the GSGLA Heritage Committee—were willing to donate. Another challenge we faced was arranging time to pick up the items. We had to take time off of school and drive to multiple places.
What was the most interesting thing (or things) you learned over the course of your project?
We learned more about the rich history of Girl Scouts empowering young women. Girl Scouts isn’t just about selling cookies but about learning skills that you can use in the real world and we specifically learn about having confidence and believing in ourselves which we really think empowers women.
What do you hope your exhibit teaches people?
We hope that this exhibit shows people how far Girl Scouting has come, and that it really has a positive impact on girls’ lives.
How has Girl Scouts empowered you?
Girl Scout has shown us that if you really put your mind to a goal, you will be able to achieve it no matter what.
Thank you and congratulations, Olivia and Ciara!
Show your support for our Girl Scouts and visit “The Journey of Girl Scouts: Empowering Young Women” exhibit, on display from Tuesday, Jan. 24 through Wednesday, March 29 at the Santa Monica History Museum (1350 7th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401). Visit the museum’s website for details on hours and tickets.
Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles 