From the Penn State Mining Society, Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity, and Scheyer for Women to Restore Eyecare, several area organizations and individuals are interested in sharing their expertise with our troops! There are opportunities for all scout levels to work with these subject matter experts to earn badges or just explore a fascinating topic.

If you need more information or phone numbers for any of these opportunities, please Contact Us.

PSU Mining Engineering

My name is Katie Hutton and I am a senior at Penn State in the Mining Engineering program, as well as the President of our Penn State Mining Society. I am reaching out because I would like to visit a troop and share a lesson on the importance of mining. You may be familiar with the Boy Scout’s Mining in Society Merit Badge, but as far as I know, the Girl Scouts do not have an equivalent badge. In an effort to create a similar experience for girls, my fellow officers and I would like to come teach a brief lesson on the many ways that mining is integral to our daily lives, how to be safe in a mine, and land reclamation after mining. As a female going into a male-dominated industry, I think I can also serve as an encouraging role model for girls to explore engineering and industrial fields. After the lesson, I would like to play a game that will teach how to identify some commonly mined minerals, and as prizes, I have kits with real samples of some of these minerals. Depending on the troop size, every girl could receive a mineral kit. I think this could be a great event to teach the girls something new. As a former Girl Scout myself, I have always wanted to be able to come back to the organization and give girls positive experiences like I have had. I hope we can coordinate something, and I look forward to hearing back.

Thank you and best regards,

Katie Hutton (khutton95@gmail.com)

PSU Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity

Hello! My name is Kate Sellers, and I am the service chair of the Penn State chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, a professional music fraternity here on campus. We are very interested in helping out the local troops in earning their music badges. We were involved in a similar event in the Pittsburgh area, and would love to bring that sort of thing to our local troops. We could come to your meetings, or we could arrange something at the college. A lot of us are music education majors and would love a chance to sharpen our teaching skills, as well as bring the joy of music to local girls! Please contact me by email kas6376@psu.edu. Thank you!

PSU Schreyer for Women

Schreyer for Women is a newly-formed organization whose mission is “to engage students within the Schreyer Honors College community through events meant to bring focus and alleviate barriers to women and girls’ potential in both our local and global communities. One of the ways we wish to accomplish this is through meaningful community service projects. We would be honored to work with Girl Scouts and I would love to further discuss how the members of our club could work with your troops.” Contact Hali Jiang (hali.jiang97@gmail.com) if you are interested in having Schreyer for Women work with your troop.

Restore Eyecare

Troop leader/optometrist Tracy Sepich and Restore Eyecare are working with the Pennsylvania Optometric Association to promote the Parapotometric Association’s Vision Awareness Girl Scout patch program. They are working on getting it approved as an official “Council’s Own” badge.