Girl Scouts Love State Parks
Thousands of Girl Scouts across America put on their scout vests and made the trek to their nearest state park for Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend.
The Florida Park Service partnered with Girl Scouts of the USA and the National Association of State Park Directors to host the first-ever Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend on July 13 - 14.
Seventeen Florida State Parks hosted events for Girl Scouts, who earned Junior Ranger badges, explored trails and learned STEM skills. Nationwide, nearly 400 state parks hosted events.
The national event provided an opportunity for young people and their families and friends to experience the great outdoors. The Girl Scouts organization plays a major role in providing young people with access to outdoor activities and programming. Girl Scouts and Florida State Parks want to get even more girls outside through Girl Scouts Love State Parks.
Park rangers hosted events that engaged scouts in environmental conservation, outdoor science, technology, engineering and math. Girl Scout troops from Miami-Dade County gathered at Oleta River State Park, where Park Service Specialists Alex Stauber and Sheldon Laurie used an Enviroscape to demonstrate how watersheds impact the environment. The group played games and went on a hike in search of native plants and wildlife. After completing the Florida State Parks Junior Ranger activities, the group received Junior Ranger badges and official Girl Scouts Love State Parks badges.
“Bringing the Girl Scouts into the park allows them to not only enjoy the natural history of Florida habitat and what is happening in their environment, it allows them to gain an appreciation of the state park system,” park volunteer Pam Jones Morton told the Naples Daily News. “We want to bring all generations into the state park. This is the generation that is going to help preserve it for the future.”
Do you know a group of scouts or students who can benefit from exploring the Real Florida? Scouting groups can stay overnight at group camps. On occasion, they can trade volunteer services at the park instead of paying camping fees. Teachers and students frequently use state parks as outdoor classrooms. Florida school groups, including vocational schools, colleges and universities, can visit a state park without paying the day-use entry fee. Call the park you’d like to visit for more information. The Florida State Parks Foundation’s Yellow Buses in the Parks program offers grants for paying transportation costs for school groups.
