[snip]Given that part of the GS listed STEM badges read like the captain planet theme song: Home Scientist (Brownie), Entertainment Technology (Junior), Science of Happiness (Cadette), and Science of Style (Senior). I'm not really sure how much more the CSC could have done.[snip]
The problem at hand (aside from a really poor course title) seems to be that despite if some/majority of girls in a troop are interested, there aren't any badges offered by the GS that would coincide with any of the other STEM courses offered by CSC. If there aren't any badges, why would they spend their only funding on an activity that doesn't actually benefit their time in the GS? And, likewise, why would the CSC spending money prepping for a camp that none of the GS can actually benefit from (as it relates to actual GS participation)? [snip]
Those girl scout badges sound like:
"Home Scientist (Brownie)" -- house cleaning/homemaker. "Entertainment Technology (Junior)" -- dancing, etiquette. "Science of Happiness (Cadette)" -- grace, act happy and vivacious. "Science of Style (Senior)" -- makeup, fashion.
It's like a horror out of the 50's, where women were kicked out of the factories and sent home.
Yes, they are completely separate organizations in the US.
Boy Scouts = often church affiliated, homophobic Girl Scouts = neither of those things.
Though my girl scout troops through the years did often meet in churches, they were never 'sponsored' by the church, as I recall. Granted, this was 10+ years ago so I'm sure things have changed. I don't honestly remember if they had science specific badges back then, though I assume they did. I don't have any of my old badge books to check. FWIW, I do remember making lipstick out of old crayons and having a blast doing it, and I am not a girly girl at all.
In general, even back then there was a big problem with retention, (which is kinda what I get from the museum's response, that they tried to do similar programming but there wasn't interest)--lots of girls in the elementary ages in scouts, but fewer and fewer as I got older. I don't really remember the same thing happening in my brother's boy scout troop, but I paid less attention to them.
My earlier troop (20+ years ago) also had problems with retention, because it was largely boring arts & crafts and cooking, with the rest of it being more of a glorified after school care program. And then my mom took over (thanks mom!) and we actually DID STUFF. Camping, volunteering, museums, the zoo. There was a yearly overnight trip to COSI (http://www.cosi.org/) which, other than summer camp, was what we all looked forward to most.
Girl Scouts, at least for younger girls, is what the troop leaders/adults and community makes it. If it had stayed cooking, cookies, and crafts, I'd have dropped out too.
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(no subject)
Date: 2014-10-02 04:15 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2014-10-02 05:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2014-10-02 06:01 pm (UTC)The museum's response is interesting.
https://m.facebook.com/carnegiesciencecenter/posts/10152808428311518
Are the girl scouts a completely separate organisation in the US? In the UK, both girls and boys can join the scouts.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-10-02 08:09 pm (UTC)[snip]Given that part of the GS listed STEM badges read like the captain planet theme song: Home Scientist (Brownie), Entertainment Technology (Junior), Science of Happiness (Cadette), and Science of Style (Senior). I'm not really sure how much more the CSC could have done.[snip]
The problem at hand (aside from a really poor course title) seems to be that despite if some/majority of girls in a troop are interested, there aren't any badges offered by the GS that would coincide with any of the other STEM courses offered by CSC. If there aren't any badges, why would they spend their only funding on an activity that doesn't actually benefit their time in the GS? And, likewise, why would the CSC spending money prepping for a camp that none of the GS can actually benefit from (as it relates to actual GS participation)? [snip]
Those girl scout badges sound like:
"Home Scientist (Brownie)" -- house cleaning/homemaker.
"Entertainment Technology (Junior)" -- dancing, etiquette.
"Science of Happiness (Cadette)" -- grace, act happy and vivacious.
"Science of Style (Senior)" -- makeup, fashion.
It's like a horror out of the 50's, where women were kicked out of the factories and sent home.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-10-02 09:44 pm (UTC)Boy Scouts = often church affiliated, homophobic
Girl Scouts = neither of those things.
Though my girl scout troops through the years did often meet in churches, they were never 'sponsored' by the church, as I recall. Granted, this was 10+ years ago so I'm sure things have changed. I don't honestly remember if they had science specific badges back then, though I assume they did. I don't have any of my old badge books to check. FWIW, I do remember making lipstick out of old crayons and having a blast doing it, and I am not a girly girl at all.
In general, even back then there was a big problem with retention, (which is kinda what I get from the museum's response, that they tried to do similar programming but there wasn't interest)--lots of girls in the elementary ages in scouts, but fewer and fewer as I got older. I don't really remember the same thing happening in my brother's boy scout troop, but I paid less attention to them.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-10-04 03:57 am (UTC)Girl Scouts, at least for younger girls, is what the troop leaders/adults and community makes it. If it had stayed cooking, cookies, and crafts, I'd have dropped out too.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-10-04 09:25 pm (UTC)...and the only reason I didn't swear out loud is this stupid headache. >.<