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Girl Scouts build teamwork in Andersen’s first Camporee

  • Published
  • By By Senior Airman Shane Dunaway
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  More than 35 Girl Scouts from six troops participated in the first Andersen Service Unit Girl Scouts Camporee held May 16 at Tarague Beach.

The Camporee, led by more than 20 volunteers, focused on building teamwork and camaraderie within and between each troop. Rhonda Sprague, Andersen Service Unit leader, planned the event with the help of other Andersen Service Unit volunteers.

"I think [all children] need a safe place to fail," Mrs. Sprague said. "They can make mistakes, but they know that they're going to learn from [them]. Even the shyest girl will come out of [her] shell because they know even if they make a mistake, they're not going to be ridiculed for it. It's a safe place for them to build confidence, connect with the community and become great leaders."

Each troop took part in four different events tailored to the troop's commensurate age level. The hike station consisted of hikes in varying degrees of difficulty. The Daisy Scouts, scouts in kindergarten and first grade, hiked down Tarague Beach and picked up trash and debris while the older scouts hiked down the Tarague interpretive trail.

Other stations included an arts and craft station where scouts painted scenes onto a coconut, a T-shirt design station where each troop designed her own T-shirt to remember the experience and a badge work station where troops learned activities such as posting the colors, folding the American Flag and using sign language, earning merit badges in the process. Each troop spent an hour at each station, convening once for a lunch break at noon.

"I think this has been very fun [for me]," said Lauren Thomas, member of Junior Scout Troop 046. "I hope I'm able to participate in this every year I am here. It's a great experience for every girl. It's like learning and having fun at the same time."

Girls in the older troops camped at Tarague Beach and learned various cooking techniques in the process.

"I've learned a lot [since becoming a Girl Scout]," said Megan Gallino, member of Girl Scout Troop 026. "I've been in Girl Scouts ever since I was four years old and it has changed my life. It's shown me how to be a better person and brought me to the person I am today."