Girl Scouts adds STEM badges for robotics and computer science
It’s their latest step in encouraging girls to pursue these technical fields.
The Boy Scouts have been in the headlines recently for all the wrong reasons (they've since distanced themselves from the politics within the president's speech), but the Girl Scouts are doing something right. They've added new STEM badges for robotics, computer science and engineering.
The badges include Engineering: Think like an Engineer, which they can earn by participating in design challenges, and Robotics, which allow them to design their own robots. They can also score a Mechanical Engineering badge through such activities as building and testing roller coasters and an Outdoor STEM: Think Like a Citizen Scientist badge by undertaking a citizen science project. The Computer Science: Think Like a Programmer badge allows girls to understand how programmers solve problems.
While girls often show an early interest in STEM fields, they often decline to pursue those paths for myriad reasons, including a lack of encouragement and support. Last year, Netflix and the Girl Scouts teamed up to encourage young girls to seriously consider STEM fields as a career option. In June, the organization introduced cybersecurity badges, which will make their debut in the fall of next year. This is just the latest step in the Girl Scouts ensuring that their young members have exposure to many different fields, not just the ones that are considered traditional paths for young women.
