Fred Goodwin, CMA
2007-04-17 13:45:20 UTC
Sisterhood of Girl Scouts becoming ethnic patchwork
<http://www.columbusdispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/
2007/04/16/SCOUTS.ART_ART_04-16-07_A1_GU6D2CV.html>
http://tinyurl.com/2ut5uc
Monday, April 16, 2007 3:29 AM
By Sherri Williams
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The 12 girls are beautiful, always moving and free, like monarcas,
Spanish for a type of butterfly.
But the lessons on appearance for the young Latinas aren't just on how
to look pretty; they're meant to boost the confidence of the girls,
who are members of Girl Scout Troop 1118, the Monarcas.
At a recent troop meeting on the West Side, volunteer stylists gave
the girls tips on dressing appropriately. They created a mixture of
hairspray and happiness, along with lip gloss and laughs, to help the
girls earn their "looking your best" badge.
"The things they put on my face made me feel real pretty," said
Yomaris Sierra, 6, who strutted across the room like a model, showing
off her light eye shadow and sparkly stickers. "You should dress like
a lady."
The Girl Scouts are celebrating their 95th year, and the organization
is pushing to recruit more immigrants, especially Latinas. Nationally,
the participation of young Latinas increased 22 percent between 2003
and 2006, said Marion Swan, spokeswoman for Girl Scouts of the United
States of America.
Central Ohio has troops that are predominantly Latina or Somali. The
area's growing ethnic communities led to the outreach, said Donna
Hughes, membership director of the Girl Scouts Seal of Ohio Council.
"The program that we offer girls to help them achieve their goals and
raise their level of confidence really has no racial or ethnic
boundaries," she said. The council, which serves 17 counties including
Franklin, had 403 Latinas, 303 Asians, 67 American Indians and 1,800
black scouts as of the end of March.
Besides being happy when they're together, the Monarcas "are becoming
responsible," said their troop leader, Carla Breckenridge.
They will use the fashion tips they learned to become bien bonitas at
the Princess Ball, a dance arranged for scouts in the Westland Service
Unit next week, Breckenridge said.
Most of the girls were recruited from the Ohio Hispanic Coalition's
after-school program. The troop's weekly meetings are held at the
coalition's office on Sullivant Avenue.
Maria Camargo said her daughters, Yomaris and 12-year-old Luz Reyes,
are surrounded by girls in the troop who are a positive influence.
"I don't have time to take them to the park to be with friends," said
Camargo, who works full time. "Here, it's fun and entertaining, and
they learn."
Girl Scouting, which exists around the globe, is popular with Latino
parents in Columbus, Breckenridge said. "In Latin American countries,
it's like a privilege, like a social status."
Scouting helps boost high-school and college graduation rates for
Latina girls, Breckenridge said.
"It's not just having kids. Most of them think that is their
fulfillment in their life," she said, "but there is more than that."
Two predominantly Somali troops are based at Westside Academy, a
charter school at 4330 Clime Rd. The troop of girls between sixth and
eighth grades started in January, and a Brownie troop of first-
through third-graders started Wednesday.
The girls have sold cookies, attended a basketball camp and gone to
Ohio State University and Ohio Wesleyan University women's basketball
games, said Heather O'Bannon, director of the Westside Academy and
troop leader for the older girls.
"They can still stay true to their family roots, but there are some
good things they can do to take part in American culture and be OK,"
O'Bannon said.
The troop of African, Arab and black girls also attempts to appeal to
all of the interests of the girls, including faith, by having them
work toward religious badges and share their work, O'Bannon said.
The ethnic troops interact with other local troops in competitions and
gatherings, Hughes said. For instance, during a chili cook-off in
February, the Westside Academy troop won a prize for their Somali
chili-type stew served with rice.
Eighth-grader Saynab Hussein, a native of Somalia, said girls in her
troop are like sisters.
"We learn about all of us, African-American girls, African girls, Arab
girls," Saynab said. "We learn about how we can work together."
Changing face of Girl Scouts
The rise in membership of some ethnic groups in Girl Scouts, from 2003
to 2006:
· Latinas: 22 percent
· Asians: 13 percent
· American Indians: 8 percent
Source: Girl Scouts of the United States of America
<http://www.columbusdispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/
2007/04/16/SCOUTS.ART_ART_04-16-07_A1_GU6D2CV.html>
http://tinyurl.com/2ut5uc
Monday, April 16, 2007 3:29 AM
By Sherri Williams
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The 12 girls are beautiful, always moving and free, like monarcas,
Spanish for a type of butterfly.
But the lessons on appearance for the young Latinas aren't just on how
to look pretty; they're meant to boost the confidence of the girls,
who are members of Girl Scout Troop 1118, the Monarcas.
At a recent troop meeting on the West Side, volunteer stylists gave
the girls tips on dressing appropriately. They created a mixture of
hairspray and happiness, along with lip gloss and laughs, to help the
girls earn their "looking your best" badge.
"The things they put on my face made me feel real pretty," said
Yomaris Sierra, 6, who strutted across the room like a model, showing
off her light eye shadow and sparkly stickers. "You should dress like
a lady."
The Girl Scouts are celebrating their 95th year, and the organization
is pushing to recruit more immigrants, especially Latinas. Nationally,
the participation of young Latinas increased 22 percent between 2003
and 2006, said Marion Swan, spokeswoman for Girl Scouts of the United
States of America.
Central Ohio has troops that are predominantly Latina or Somali. The
area's growing ethnic communities led to the outreach, said Donna
Hughes, membership director of the Girl Scouts Seal of Ohio Council.
"The program that we offer girls to help them achieve their goals and
raise their level of confidence really has no racial or ethnic
boundaries," she said. The council, which serves 17 counties including
Franklin, had 403 Latinas, 303 Asians, 67 American Indians and 1,800
black scouts as of the end of March.
Besides being happy when they're together, the Monarcas "are becoming
responsible," said their troop leader, Carla Breckenridge.
They will use the fashion tips they learned to become bien bonitas at
the Princess Ball, a dance arranged for scouts in the Westland Service
Unit next week, Breckenridge said.
Most of the girls were recruited from the Ohio Hispanic Coalition's
after-school program. The troop's weekly meetings are held at the
coalition's office on Sullivant Avenue.
Maria Camargo said her daughters, Yomaris and 12-year-old Luz Reyes,
are surrounded by girls in the troop who are a positive influence.
"I don't have time to take them to the park to be with friends," said
Camargo, who works full time. "Here, it's fun and entertaining, and
they learn."
Girl Scouting, which exists around the globe, is popular with Latino
parents in Columbus, Breckenridge said. "In Latin American countries,
it's like a privilege, like a social status."
Scouting helps boost high-school and college graduation rates for
Latina girls, Breckenridge said.
"It's not just having kids. Most of them think that is their
fulfillment in their life," she said, "but there is more than that."
Two predominantly Somali troops are based at Westside Academy, a
charter school at 4330 Clime Rd. The troop of girls between sixth and
eighth grades started in January, and a Brownie troop of first-
through third-graders started Wednesday.
The girls have sold cookies, attended a basketball camp and gone to
Ohio State University and Ohio Wesleyan University women's basketball
games, said Heather O'Bannon, director of the Westside Academy and
troop leader for the older girls.
"They can still stay true to their family roots, but there are some
good things they can do to take part in American culture and be OK,"
O'Bannon said.
The troop of African, Arab and black girls also attempts to appeal to
all of the interests of the girls, including faith, by having them
work toward religious badges and share their work, O'Bannon said.
The ethnic troops interact with other local troops in competitions and
gatherings, Hughes said. For instance, during a chili cook-off in
February, the Westside Academy troop won a prize for their Somali
chili-type stew served with rice.
Eighth-grader Saynab Hussein, a native of Somalia, said girls in her
troop are like sisters.
"We learn about all of us, African-American girls, African girls, Arab
girls," Saynab said. "We learn about how we can work together."
Changing face of Girl Scouts
The rise in membership of some ethnic groups in Girl Scouts, from 2003
to 2006:
· Latinas: 22 percent
· Asians: 13 percent
· American Indians: 8 percent
Source: Girl Scouts of the United States of America