Girl Scouts Go Polar: Exploring Arctic STEM Careers

I'm a Girl Scout volunteer, a science educator, and an Arctic field scientist. Girl Scouts has always been an opportunity to build community, make friends, explore new things, and go on adventures together with kind and generous girls and women.

Sharing my Arctic experience with Girl Scouts advances global Girl Scouting as the Arctic Ocean is so far from most everyone. Girl Scouts explore STEM careers at every age level and earn a badge. I decided to reach out to my local Cadette troop of 7th graders as well as the Girl Scouts in Utqiaġvik, Alaska at the top of the world to share the Arctic buoys, weather and sea ice along with the Float Your Boat program.

Farthest North Girl Scout Council Troop 315 in Utqiaġvik Alaska with Sarah Johnson (far left) and Sarena Padilla (far right) of the National Ice Center (NIC). NIC's mascot Aurora Bearyalis joined us as well as we held the World Association for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts flag.

Sarah Johnson, of the International Arctic Buoy Programme explaining how buoys collect weather observations and track sea ice for Troop 315.

Girl Scouts in Utqiaġvik learn about astrophysics from Sarena Padilla of the National Ice Center

During our time together in Alaska, we learned about many different women scientists using comic cards designed by Karen Romano Young. We also explored USGS Earthshots satellite imagery to better understand environmental change.

Back home in early March in Basalt, Colorado Sarah shared the Arctic with Troop 16109.

Exploring the Arctic buoys and Arctic Buoys in Basalt, Colorado Girl Scouts of Colorado troop 16190 in Basalt, Colorado

Girl Scouts of Colorado troop 16190 in Basalt Colorado decorated Float Your Boat wooden boats to deploy on the Arctic Sea Ice

Francesca Lofaro of Troop 16190 dreams of being a future polar scientist.

Colorado Girl Scout decorated her Float Your Boat to deploy at the Arctic Ocean.

Sarah Johnson teaching Colorado Girl Scouts about Arctic buoys and sea ice motion of the Arctic Ocean.

Finally, during my time in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, my volunteer roles with the World Association for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts continue with virtual meetings and correspondence. It's incredible to have connections with young women mentees and friends around the world while at the top of the world.