Apr 11, 2008 4:29 pm US/Pacific
Bay Area Girl Scout Sees Big Changes In 102 Years
PALO ALTO (CBS 5) ―
Palo Alto resident Marianne Crowder turns 102 on April 23rd. And Crowder has already received a surprise: more than 500 handmade cards from Girl Scouts all over California.
She became a scout in 1918 as a twelve-year-old in Colorado Springs. She earned the highest award, then called the golden eaglet.
"I liked everything about scouting," Crowder said. "We had very few activities aside from that, so everything was wonderful."
Decades later, girl scouts are wearing vests or sashes, no longer the full uniform like Crowder once wore. But scouts are still about having fun learning together.
The core values are still the same, but times have changed, and that's reflected in their badges. The badges, originally numbering two dozen, now span more than a hundred. They reflect current issues like the environment, computers and science. The make-it-matter badge resembles an atom.
"We built circuits and electromagnets," said Girl Scout Emily Katz.
Girl Scout Rebecca Schena is working on the "Stress Less" badge.
"We've done massages and made stress balls, just not stress as much," said Schena.
With national enrollment declining, Girl Scouts are trying to bring the 96 year old group into the 21st century with ads featuring hip hop star Rev Run and his daughters.
The message is that Girl Scouts are about leadership and opportunity, not just cookies and campouts.
Northern California Girl Scouts CEO Marina Park said, "Girls are still having the same opportunities to have fun together, learn new things, but now things that are relevant to today's world."
Girl Scouts called "Space Cookies" compete in robot-building contests at NASA Ames. Just one way of keeping up with today's girls.
"I like all the technology and new things we can do," said Katz.
Even with the image makeover, Girl Scouts agree why they enjoy scouting most.
"I liked the companionship," said Crowder.
A sentiment that ageless.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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