FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- For more than 100 years, the Girl Scouts have helped girls and young women build character and leadership skills, and one event had three Fort Rucker troops doing just that as they used their wits and physicality to get through a myriad of events.
The 1st Warrant Officer Company hosted the Girl Scout Olympics on Guthrie Field Oct. 14 where Girl Scout Troops 9395, 9272 and 9052 came out for a bit of friendly competition meant to build courage, confidence and character, said Corey Conner, Troop 9052 troop leader and service unit manager for the Wiregrass area.
"By taking part in the Girl Scout Olympics -- a collection of engaging, challenging and fun activities -- each girl partakes in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience," she said. "When you're a Girl Scout, you're also a G.I.R.L. -- go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader -- the Girl Scout Olympics are a way for the girls to have some friendly competition, celebrate a sisterhood and lead like a girl."
The Girl Scout year begins Oct. 1, so the event is a way to kick off the year with challenging events to help build knowledge, team building and leadership skills through science, technology, engineering and math events meant to challenge their brains, as well as physical activities to challenge their bodies.
Some of the STEM events included creating boomerangs using only the sticks provided by positioning them in a way that enables the sticks to stay together without using glue or tape. Another event included creating a slingshot by choosing only two types of supplies from a table of supplies. But one thing that all the activities had in common were that they were all meant to challenge the minds of each Scout.
"We want to push their limits, and get them to think differently and know that they can do anything they want no matter what their circumstances are or where they are in the world," said Conner. "They can do and be anything they want to be."
The girls were also encouraged to take part in an obstacle course and relay-type race, culminating with a tug-o-war between the troops.
For Jennifer Briggs, Daisy Troop leader for Troop 9272, the Girl Scouts was a great opportunity for her and her daughter, Savannah, to be able to bond in activities that they're able to do together.
"I thought it would be good for her socialization -- and this gets her out and about on Saturday mornings and they have a lot of good ethical views, and we really liked that," she said. "It was nice for me and her to do something together. She loves doing that with me and it gives us that one-on-one time together.
"I hope this helps us bond together, and helps me to help her look at the ethical side of life through volunteering together," she continued. "I want to show her where things go from there to become an adult and prosper in life."
That growth is something that isn't only seen in the mothers of the Scouts, but the warrant officer candidates, like WOC Chase Geiger, 1st WOC, who volunteered their time to help out with the events.
"A lot of us have families of our own and kids, so we thought it would be a really good way to just give back to the community right now," said Geiger. "It was a great experience to be able to work with all these kids.
"Having kids of my own and speaking for all of these guys who have kids, too, being able to work with kids after we've been doing academics and physical exertion for the past two weeks has been a really good break," he said. "It's been really nice to help out."
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