Granger Girl Scouts react to new STEM badges

GRANGER, Ind. --- Girl Scouts of America made a huge announcement this Tuesday the organization is adding 23 new badges focused on science, technology, engineering, and math.

This is the largest addition of badges in a decade for the girl scouts ---

“Building bridges, building structures to hold books it coding just using graph paper before even using computers,” said Abby Schooner, troop support supervisor at the Northern Indiana/Michiana Girl Scouts Troop. “So it really gives them an easily accessible way to practice science and engineering but get that full experience.”

She said her troop had already partnered with Notre Dame and the Society of Women Engineers for STEM related programs , she said she knew there was definitely an interest.

“Sometimes they get pulled away from other activities as well so they have to make some tough choices along the way so i think girl scouting does is help to see women that are in those careers in action,” said Schooner.

Shania Diamond is a high school junior but has been a girl scout since kindergarten. She said that they have a lot of badges already but the STEM badges are different from the rest.

“They thought girls can’t do engineering at one point,” said Diamond. “And they thought only boys could do it but now girl scouts is getting badges for engineering.”

According to the US Department of Commerce, women hold less than 25 percent of America’s STEM jobs and hold a disproportionately low share of STEM undergrad degrees.

Michelle Epp, Shania’s mom, said back in her day stem was something she never even thought about.

“From there they learn that this is something that as a female they can do in their career possibly later on,” said Epp.

The badges are only available for those scouts in kindergarten to fifth grade, because, according to the organization, 1.4 million scouts are in that age group.