Photo courtesy of Katy Anderson.
Troop 86 Green, one of the first all-female scout troops in the state, started up this February.
For many years, there have been Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. The ideas were similar, but didn’t always offer the same activities.
So when it was announced last year that Boy Scouts had evolved to Scouts BSA and girl troops would be welcomed into the same activities, curriculums and pathways, Troop 86 out of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church looked to their community.
“When the announcement came out about Scouts BSA opening up for girls, a couple of leaders with Troop 86, the male troop, got an interest group together, reached out to families with girls and had a meeting about who might be interested,” Katy Anderson said.
Families got together in the fall to try some activities the girls might experience through Scouts BSA, like basic climbing at Horse Pens 40 and an overnight camp out.
“It was very well received,” said Anderson, who is now the Scoutmaster for Troop 86 Green (for girls), the sister troop of Troop 86 Blue (for boys). “They were very excited, ready to jump in and get started.”
Troop 86 Green officially started Feb. 1 and has girls from Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills and Hoover. In total, there are 11 girls in the troop.
Anderson has been involved in scouting for many years through her son’s troops and worked with a Venture crew, which operates as co-ed. That program has similar values and efforts, she said, but is more focused on high adventure.
“I love the program, I believe in the program,” she said. “I’ve seen what it’s done for my two boys, who are both Eagle Scouts.”
She described working as a scoutmaster for the area’s first all-girls troop as “an exciting new adventure.”
Anderson said when the troop was first formed, a lot of people thought the requirements would be different. But that is not the case.
David Self, program director for the Greater Alabama Council, also said many people thought the troops would be co-ed, but given that troops often go on overnight trips, that would not work.
“They’re completely separate,” he said, although they may interact at different events and classes.
The model of the program follows what Scouting has done for years: weekly meetings, a campout and other events scheduled throughout the month — such as backpacking, archery, horsemanship and rock climbing — and rank advancements are available.
Girls are still given the opportunity to earn the rank of Eagle Scout, and even those who are older and might graduate in the near future, but joined this year, can apply for an extension to complete their rank. Each summer, the troop will attend a week-long summer camp, and the option for a high adventure camp, like Philmont, is there, too.
Self said the only difference between the all-girls troops and the all-boys troops are in the books — specifically, the pictures. Images in the book have female representation now, “that way they can see themselves in the book,” he said.
Tye Warren, who helped drive the creation of Troop 86 Green last summer and is a scout leader himself, said he is really happy with the support the new troop has gotten and that adult female leadership in the troops is important for the girls and their troops.
“I’m pleased to see so many adult females stepping up and leading these girls. What is happening at Troop 86 [Green] is absolutely awesome,” he said.
“We’re basically opening the doors for the girls to be able to do the exact same thing the boys can do,” Anderson said. “I love the outdoors, and to be able to share that with them, and the scouting program, what that can offer to them, it’s really special.”
Troop 86 Green meets at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesdays at St. Luke’s Scout House, and girls ages 11-17 are welcome to join the troop. Email Troop86Green@gmail.com for more information about the troop. For more information about Scouting, go to scouting.org.
