How Athletics Empower Girl Scouts
Children often deal with mental health issues living in a world where regular or overuse of social media and the internet are second nature. It can become very difficult for teenagers, especially to not compare themselves to how they see or perceive their peers online.
“I’m speaking from when I was a young kid, athletics did not come naturally to me. And I believed that because I was not good at them, I should not do them,” Vikki says.
Looking back, she shares that she now knows she was wrong. “You’re building confidence and discovering that there’s value in things even if you’re not good at them.”
For our Girl Scouts, it’s important they know that regardless of where they come from, they can take charge and use athletics to get involved, relieve stress, make new friends and achieve their goals.
Over the years, the outlook on girls and women in sports has changed tremendously. In 1967, at a time when women could only compete in road races up to two miles in distance, Kathrine Switzer proved the world wrong by becoming the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as an officially registered competitor. Even after being charged at by the race’s co-director, who tried to tear off her official number to prevent her from continuing, she showed that anyone can push their limits and do difficult things even in the face of extreme adversity if they just keep going.
This spirit of empowering courageousness is exactly why the Boilermaker partners with us: to show our Girl Scouts and member community that you don’t have to run faster than the person ahead of you to prove your worth or fuel your future. You just have to do your best and never give up.
Impacts Already Made
In July 2024, several council staff members ran the Boilermaker as charity bib participants to raise money for our GSNYPENN Girl Scout Gold Award Staff Scholarship. To participate, each runner raised a minimum of $500 toward our scholarship program.
In November 2024, Vikki saw the direct impact that the Boilermaker had on our Gold Award Girl Scouts. She attended our celebration and saw our staff scholarship, funded by our charity bib runners, awarded to one of our amazing Gold Award Girl Scouts. As an alum and Bronze and Silver Award recipient, she knows the value of this accomplishment. The money from our Gold Award scholarships helps power the future of our Girl Scout alums through their post-high school transition to studies in institutions of higher education, trade programs and employment.
How Girl Scouts Can Get Involved With the Boilermaker
As a Junior Girl Scout, you can earn your Practice with Purpose badge by exploring the fun of running with the Boilermaker! Participants receive a running log and earn the badge once the log is filled out. The Boilermaker also has an upcoming event on April 12 open to all ages. Any Girl Scout who attends receives a fun patch. Check out our council social media or Events List in the upcoming weeks for more information.
We’re so excited to have Boilermaker Road Race as a Community Partner to help empower Girl Scouts through running and athletics. To learn more about Boilermaker, visit boilermaker.com.
If you’re interested in learning more about the variety of Community Partners across our footprint, visit gsnypenn.org/communitypartners.
