What do Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, and Sandra Day O’Connor have in common? They were all Girl Scouts. Today, young girls who participate in Girl Scouts are opened up to almost everything under the sun. The College of Communication & Information recently held the first of two Fall sessions for the Girl Scout Council of the Florida Panhandle (GSCFP) to help with the organization’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) initiative.

Organized and run by students from the CCI Leadership class and FSU STARS Alliance, the sessions included classes in computer hardware, iMovie, Photoshop, coding, and web design.  The sessions are part of a long term partnership started in 2012 with the Girl Scouts to attract girls to technology programs.

“Getting young women interested in technology early can open a wide array of career paths for future leaders,” said Associate Dean Ebe Randeree. “CCI has had numerous outreach programs to reach young women and keeps girls interested in STEM.  We have had classes for Girl Scouts 2-4 times per semester for the past 2 years”

Kelby Mahoney, a STARS student that assisted with the camp, said that, “being able to kindle an interest in technology is crucial to the success of tomorrow’s young leaders; I really enjoyed the opportunity to laugh and teach with the Scouts.”

The experience was impactful for everyone involved, something Courtney Lisenbee, STARS student & FITC Ambassador, finds most enjoyable: “The attention and enthusiasm from working with the Girl Scouts is truly rewarding. I’m glad I have the chance to spark the interest of technology and help the Girl Scouts earn their STEM badges.”

Getting young girls involved in tech and STEM initiatives is becoming a nationwide push. “I think that STEM is very important and working with the Girl Scouts to help them earn their STEM badges was a great experience and a lot of fun!” shared Milton Ramer, a STARS student and ambassador for FITC.

“The biggest priority in our camps is to show young girls that it is possible to enter STEM fields as a woman,” said Stephanie Plucinksy. “It was enlightening to see that more than half of them are interesting in pursuing their dreams in one of those careers.”

“The FSU team did an amazing job; the feedback we are getting from scout leaders and students is very positive,” shared Amy Jones, Membership & Community Development Officer from GSCFP.

For more information on Girl Scout STEM Camps, contact Amy Jones of GSCFP at 850-386-2131 or ajones@gscfp.org. For students interested in assisting in this outreach project, contact Ebe Randeree at Ebe.Randeree@cci.fsu.edu.