In kindergarten, Samantha Arnet, freshman, joined a Girl Scout Troop of about 30 girls, yet was reluctant to participate in activities like selling cookies.
Now in high school, Arnet feels more confident. Her troop, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri (GSEM) troop 2401, is made up of four members and Arnet said she’s more interested in leading activities and engaging with others.
“I’ve started to figure out how to connect with people and communicate more to get these amazing things done,” Arnet said.
Arnet said one of the things she’s working on is her Gold Award project. To earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, girls must find an issue they are passionate about, research it, and then find a way to handle the problem, according to the Girl Scouts’ website.
Arnet’s goal is to set up a board game area at one of the Girl Scout camps in order to promote togetherness and lower screen time.
Arnet said she enjoys being a part of Girl Scouts because it provides her opportunities to meet people and have an impact on her community.
“Being a Girl Scout to me means that you get to join a really great community and try things and experience things that you never thought you would in normal circumstances,” Arnet said.
Sammie Aldenderfer, junior, has also participated in scouts since kindergarten.
“Some of my favorite memories were with my Girl Scout troop and my longtime best friends I’ve made through Girl Scouts,” Aldenderfer said.
Aldenderfer is currently working on her own Gold Award project that involves isolation in the elderly. Aldenderfer said she’s planning on starting a club at Marquette High School to help solve this issue.
Aldenderfer said that as she’s gotten older it can be difficult to find time to participate in group activities and help out younger kids at camps as she and the other girls in her troop have gotten busier.
“We might not meet as much as we used to, but we still try to make time,” Aldendefer said. “It works around our schedules.”
First grader, Tegan Merritte, said that being a part of Girl Scouts has let her make new friends through participating in activities like painting at Pottery Hollow, going camping, and learning how to manage money.
“I like helping the community and giving cookies to people that need them,” Merritte said.
Dr. Natissia Small, CEO for the Eastern Missouri chapter, has worked in higher education for around 30 years and has worked with students from pre-k to adults. She said she joined Girl Scouts in April of 2023 because it allowed her the chance to deepen her reach into the community with the focus of uplifting girls.
“I am a true believer in the power of service and as a leader, I am committed to providing access and opportunity to impact the lives of others,” Dr. Small said.
Dr. Small said the organization looks to make girls well rounded in having entrepreneur skills, leadership and mental health support to prepare them for the workforce.
“We have a very comprehensive approach at Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri so that our girls are cultivating empathy, exposure to global awareness, and engaging in collaborative experiences with others,” Dr. Small said.
Implemented in the summer of 2024, the GSEM’s Advance Her Leadership movement was created to provide girls with exposure to post secondary opportunities, Dr. Small said. These opportunities range from college visits, completing the financial aid application, scholarships, help understanding college and career options and more.
Dr. Small said girls who are a part of GSEM can participate in a variety of activities that include STEM challenges, outdoor adventures through camp activities, community service projects, as well as domestic and international travel.
“We really do have a plethora of opportunities for girls to engage in from activities that will fuel their creativity through unique experiences and opportunities offered to sharpen their skills to become our future leaders,” Dr. Small said.
Dr. Small said she recognizes that girls today are combating issues like anxiety, low self-esteem and social isolation, so she wants to ensure that GSEM can provide a place for girls to find a home and thrive.
“It exposes girls to the unmatched experiences that reinforces our mission to promote confidence and courage in every girl, and we’re here to empower and uplift you along the way,” Dr. Small said. “We want to ensure that every girl that participates in GSEM knows that they are unstoppable, and this world truly has a space for them to lead.”
This story was originally published on Marquette Messenger on April 2, 2025.