In honor of Women’s History Month, Girl Scouts at Sator Sanchez Elementary School in Joliet, Illinois paid homage to famous Girl Scout alumnae during an after-school performance.
Aranza S., an 11-year-old Girl Scout Junior, presented the biography for Christa McAuliffe, a former Girl Scout and troop leader. She was an astronaut killed in the Space Shuttle Challenge disaster in 1986.
“The thing I like most about being a Girl Scout is that we get to learn about different things,” Aranza said. “I liked learning about Christa because she went to outer space. I’m really into space and like to learn about all the different planets.”
Other famous Girl Scouts honored during the performance included Josephine Groves, who founded the first African-American Girl Scout troop in 1942; Sandra Day O’Connor, retired associate justice of the Supreme Court; and first lady Michelle Obama, the honorary national president of Girl Scouts of the USA.
“I never knew she was a lawyer and a writer,” said Luz M., an 11-year-old Girl Scout Junior, who presented the biography for Obama. “It also surprised me she was born in Chicago.”
During the performance, the girls also thanked United Way of Will County for supporting the GirlSpace program, which serves girls in at-risk communities and seeks to bring the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to life through a variety of curricular areas, including science, technology, engineering and math, financial literacy and healthy living.
“Without the generosity of supporters, such as United Way, we can’t make this program grow,” said Patricia Colin, a GirlSpace facilitator.
Erika Diaz, assistant principal at Sanchez Elementary School, said it’s important for girls to learn about other influential Girl Scouts, especially during Women’s History Month.
“A lot of times, girls don’t hear about women scientists or inventors,” said Diaz, who was a Girl Scout growing up. “They need to feel empowered.”
Lisa Marie Moreno, principal of Sanchez Elementary School who was also a Girl Scout, agreed.
“It’s so necessary for girls to feel confident, have a sense of purpose and learn about giving back to the community,” she said.