New Girl Scout badge honors local scientist
FREEPORT — A local Girl Scout troop is tackling a new badge specific to Western Pennsylvania that honors a local female scientist.
Research was the first step for Troop 26460 on the way to earning the Rachel Carson badge, implemented by the Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania in August.
Troop leader Lori Kibler said most of the scouts had heard of Carson, but did not know of her significance in the field of science.
“Some of them did,” Kibler said. “They knew of her but not the extent to why these things are named after her.”
Carson was a biologist, ecologist and writer, who grew up in Springdale, Allegheny County. Early in her career, she received attention for her novels relating to marine biology. But, her novel “Silent Spring,” in which she questions whether humans should forcefully control nature through chemicals and other means, changed the way people think about the environment entirely.
Lori Kibler said Carson is a good role model for the scouts to look up to.
“She found a way to get her thoughts out and how to change history,” she said.
In the culmination of the scouts' research, 12 scouts visited the Rachel Carson Homestead in Springdale, where the world-renowned environmental scientist once called home.
“Sometimes field trips are pretty awesome,” Kibler said. “The girls had an awesome time.”
Kibler's daughter, Rebecca, who is a Cadette from Troop 26460, said their visit helped put Carson's career into perspective.
“Before working on this badge, I didn't know a lot about Rachel Carson or DDT,” she said. “I didn't know how she made a difference in the world.”
Brooke Kmetz, Cadette Scout, said she was surprised to see how small Carson's home was compared to the scientist's family.
“I thought it was interesting to learn how she spent a lot of time on the trails behind her house and studied nature,” Kmetz said. “The best part of working on this badge was probably getting to actually go to the homestead and see where she lived and walk where she walked.”
Stephanie Marshall, public relations and marketing associate for the Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania, said the goal for the Rachel Carson badge and other like it is to show girls that women have done great things in scientific fields.
“Obviously it shows girls that there is a place for them in that environment,” Marshall said.Marshall said the activities also could encourage girls to pursue sciences in the future.“Also, it helps them garner an interest in (sciences),” she said. “That's what all our badges try to do.”Marshall said the local connection is a bonus.Mackensie Livingston, Cadette Scout, said the localization of the badge was what interested her in the first place.“We chose this badge because we were interested in seeing local connections to history,” she said. “We really enjoyed touring the house and hiking on the property around it.”Research was not the final step of the badge for the Cadettes of Troop 26460. Lori Kibler said a shifted focus on a school musical has delayed progress, and they hope to do the next step in better weather.The scouts will investigate the health of simple elements around them, such as water, air and forests. The final step is finding a way to convey these results and conclusions or taking action toward bettering the environment.“We still have some science stuff to get involved in,” Lori Kibler said. “When the weather breaks, we'll get back out there.”She said her scouts are never shy of the outdoors.“They love to get outside and get dirty,” Lori Kibler said. “They dress well, but they get dirty well too.”
