Girl Scouts of the USA, commonly referred to as just Girl Scouts, is a youth leadership organization that aims to make the world a better place through building confidence and character for members. The first troop makes its way to Pompano Beach High School, led by English teacher Colleen Crisan. 

Crisan was inspired to start the troop by her own personal experience. As a previous Girl Scout herself, she has been affiliated with the program ever since she was a young child. “I’m a leader for a troop with my daughter, and we have so much fun with it,” she said. “I wanted to start one at the high school level because that’s typically when many girls give up on the extracurricular.”

She also wanted to give girls a chance to grow their resumes and excel in college. “All the people that I talk to that work in admission offices say that Girl Scouts on a resume makes them stand out in a great way,” she said. “They get a leg up so it’s a strong advantage.”

Meetings are designed to be student-driven. “It’s very girl-led, so they decide what direction we go in, and I help plan and organize,” Crisan said. The girls discuss any upcoming events they may have coming up and their way of tackling them. “We might be working on badges, planning events, or preparing activities for younger troops.”

Crisan notes how Girl Scouts has evolved over the years. Past badges focused more on skills like baking and sewing, but today there are a wider range of skills girls can work on. “Now there’s a huge focus on empowerment and exposing girls to careers they might not have considered, especially in fields where women are underrepresented,” she said.

Ultimately, Crisan’s main goal is to provide a supportive environment for girls to grow into themselves. “I know high school can be tough, so having a space where you feel supported, without the pressure of boys around, is really important,” she said. “I want them to be courageous enough to try new things, and I think it offers a lot of opportunity for self-growth.”