Girl Scouts STEM it Up during COVID
During February of 2020, Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan (GSHOM) launched robotics programming for the Council’s community troops (formerly community outreach) meeting at the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Great Lakes Bay Region in Bay City. Plans were also underway to bring this programming to the Clubs in Essexville and Pinconning. Thanks to support from the Bay Area Community Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council and Women’s Philanthropy Circle, girls were looking forward to developing, programming and showcasing their own robots—and learning about careers in robotics in the process.
Shortly after the program’s launch, though, an unforeseen obstacle—aka COVID-19—presented itself. In-person programming at the Clubs slowed and then, for several weeks in March of 2020, came to a halt altogether. It quickly became apparent, though, that keeping girls connected with their adult mentors and peers during this unprecedented time was critically important for their socioemotional health. And because of the loss of classroom time that occurred for many students when Michigan’s stay-at-home policies went into effect, GSHOM’s community troop facilitators believed it was also important to continue to provide learning experiences like the robotics program.
To make this happen, GSHOM and the Boys and Girls Clubs immediately began work on a plan that would address these two needs: the Clubs developed and implemented a plan that would give Girl Scout community troops the ability to meet in a safely socially distanced environment following all COVID-19 protocols. That included bringing virtual robotics programming to each Clubs location. GSHOM staff worked with the Clubs to provide the organizations’ staff with an outline of each meeting’s activities and the supplies needed for those activities. Community troop facilitators then took advantage of the Clubs’ virtual programming capability, and met with girls on line. Meetings included demonstrations of the steps for completing the development, coding and showcasing of robots, discussions on careers in robotics and a chance for girls just to “hang out” and connect with one another. Clubs’ staff were on hand to help with any hands-on details girls weren’t sure about. By the conclusion of the programming, 97 girls had built their own robots, including robotic hands and scribble bots, which are designed to write and draw simple objects—and 27 more girls were excited to develop their own robots during some 2021 winter/spring sessions.
“The girls were so happy that they could continue in Girl Scouts during COVID,” notes Lisa Ingram, Outreach Manager for GSHOM. “And we’re so grateful to the Bay Area Community Foundation for helping us to give girls these great experiences during this really challenging time!” Lisa also notes a special thanks to all the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Great Lakes Bay Region for helping work through the obstacles presented by COVID: “They really helped make a difference in the lives of our Girl Scouts!”
We're Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan
With over 15,000 members across 34 counties in Michigan, we believe girls can change the world. It began over 100 years ago with one woman, Girl Scouts' founder Juliette Gordon "Daisy" Low, who believed in the power of every girl. She organized the first Girl Scout troop on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, and every year since, we've made her vision a reality, helping girls discover their strengths, passions, and talents. Today we continue the Girl Scout mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. We're the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs for girls from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan offers every girl a chance to do something amazing. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.gshom.org.
The Bay Area Community Foundation
The Bay Area Community Foundation has a passion for connecting people who want to make a difference with organizations that are creating change, serving as a catalyst for charitable giving in Bay and Arenac counties.
Since 1982, our community has used our resources to make charitable gifts more effective. We provide maximum flexibility in establishing, managing, and distributing your gifts. Through the generosity of our donors, we are able to help support arts and culture, community initiatives, education and youth, environment, health and wellness, human services, and recreation in our area.
September 30, 2022
