—by Lois Chazen

When Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts in 1911, she enlisted her niece, who also lived in Savannah, Georgia, as the first Girl Scout. Mrs. Low envisioned the Girl Scouts as an international organization. She began the scouting movement in the United States after a conversation with Robert Baden-Powell, the man who established the Girl Guides and Boy Scouts in the United Kingdom. Mrs. Low’s admonition to include girls from all backgrounds is even more in practice today.

All Souls has sponsored scout troops meeting at St. Edwards the Martyr Episcopal Church at 109th in East Harlem for more than sixteen years. Funding is derived from the proceeds of the Heart & Soul Charitable Fund’s annual auction. When All Souls first sponsored the Scouts, all the leaders were from All Souls. Six years ago, when Sandra Fisher was named Coordinator of All Souls sponsored Girl Scout Troops as well as liaison to The Girl Scout Council of Greater New York, she made two policy changes: First, Sandra believes that the girls benefit if their families become involved. To this end, she invited mothers to volunteer as leaders. Second, the families should share, as much as possible, in meeting expenses such as dues, uniforms and field trips. “This partnership works well,” said Sandra, “Everyone benefits.” The Girl Scout budget for this year and last was $11,000. This includes space rental, security, and all activities and equipment. Scout parents are also active in the annual December Cookie Sale as well as the annual Family and Friends Fund Drive in October. Sandra prepares the budget for each troop using the prior years’ budgetary needs, the number of girls expected and their age group. The budget is then presented to All Souls for approval.

The goals and values of the Girls Scouts remain much the same from generation to generation. Building character through achievement in countless activities including athletics, the visual and performing arts, crafts, all kinds of field trips and projects, experiencing and learning about nature and the environment, sportsmanship, safety and first aid, helping others and the community, and teamwork are each integral elements of the program. In addition, the older group, the Cadettes, also spend considerable time and energy devoted to personal development encompassing themes such as managing personal finances, fashion (how to design an outfit which can be worn from morning to evening) and nutrition. The girls are introduced to resources and explore opportunities, and receive guidance and encouragement to prepare for college and a career. There are group forays to an outside lecture or seminar. More frequently, guest speakers who are authorities in a field make presentations or give instruction to the girls at their scheduled scout meetings. Some areas of interest covered are photography, art, travel, writing, knitting, crafts and cooking.

Recently, Nicole Kinealy Stone and on another occasion, Lisa Cannizzaro from All Souls offered their expertise. Patrice Rodden, a Cadette Troop Leader reports, “We rely on the girls’ interests in designing a program. Each event requires considerable time and planning as well as creative thinking.”

Amy Nadler is a 14-year old junior high school student who started as a Brownie and worked her way through the ranks to Cadette. Amy does well in school, plays the cello, belongs to the school Drama Club and is writing a play. This past summer, Amy attended a special science program for high school students at Smith College. Afterwards, she made a two-week visit to a family living in the country. This was her third year with the same family. Initially, the arrangements were through the auspices of the Fresh Air Fund. Summing up what the Girl Scouts mean to her, Amy said, “The Girl Scouts have taught me so many things. I have opportunities to do so much. It would not have been possible for me otherwise. The Girl Scouts kept me away from bad things,” she remarked shyly.

Due to financial constraints, the two-week Girl Scout Summer Camp is a relic of the past. Instead, the scouts have a weekend outing known as Spring Fling at Camp Kaufmann in Dutchess County. There are many additional outings for each age group. Last Spring, the third annual Camp-In took place at All Souls. Patrice said that 35 girls, leaders and mothers took part. The Cadettes, in grades 7 to 9, organized an impromptu play since they bunked in Reidy-Friendship Hall, which has a stage. The Brownies, in grades 1 to 3

and the Juniors, in grades 4 to 6, camped out in adjoining rooms. They were an appreciative audience. The Cadettes made a two-day excursion to Pennsylvania to visit the Amish Country and the Hershey Chocolate Plant. The girls and chaperones were surprised to find Scout Coordinator Sandra Fisher, who arrived before their 5am Saturday departure from a downtown bus terminal to see them off. In November, the Juniors had a skating party at the Chelsea Piers, and last year, toured the USS Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum accompanied by Sandra Fisher. Another popular trip was a scavenger hunt in Chinatown. There is Christmas caroling at the holidays and Halloween parties. “Learning should be sprinkled liberally with fun,” Sandra said. “It makes the process more palatable and certainly more enjoyable.”

Sandra knows whereof she speaks. Her teaching, political activism, and her management and consulting business make her uniquely qualified as Girl Scout Coordinator. A native of New Jersey, her college years were spent at the University of Pennsylvania where she campaigned for George McGovern. After marriage, she taught at Lower Merion High School. Her course was titled “World Cultures and American Social Problems.” She then became an active member of Suburban Teachers Against Racism. When she lived in Philadelphia with her husband and two boys, she continued teaching at the Friends School and joined People for Human Rights. Two programs at Outward Bound changed her life, Sandra said. She enrolled at Columbia University and earned an MA in Applied Exercise Physiology. For years, Sandra wrote a newspaper column on fitness.

Following a move to New York and a divorce, she became Director of Fitness and Health for the YWCA of New York. Subsequently, she created her own business in professional development and career management, marketing and promotion. In the summer, she teaches these skills at the University of Oslo, Norway. Next summer will mark her seventh year.

As a community service, the Scouts conducted the Troop-to-Troop Project. The Junior and Cadette girls wrote to soldiers in a unit stationed in Iraq. The Brownies made Valentines and delivered them to residents of a neighborhood assisted living facility.

Currently, there are three troops at St. Edwards and 39 scouts. The year begins in October and parallels the school year. Each troop meets once a week for 1½ hours, from 6:30PM to 8:00PM. The crowning event of the Girl Scout year takes place at All Souls. It is the Court of Awards in June. Merit Badges are awarded at this end-of-year gathering. Healthy competition is apparent among the girls as to who has the most decorated uniform.

The leader-scout ratio is remarkable: 1-to-7, 1-to-3 and 1-to-3.5 from Brownies to Cadette. Extrapolating from the numbers, it is likely that as the girls move up, the number of scouts could approach 50. The situation this year is such that the girls receive highly personalized attention. The leaders can learn each girl’s abilities and interests as well as the weaknesses to ameliorate. Besides Sandra and Patrice, other All Souls members involved with the Girl Scout program include Barbara King who is the other leader of the seven Cadettes. The Brownies number 14 led by parent leaders Paulette Thierens and Lidia Maldonado. All Souls member Miriam Murphy works with the largest Scout group, the Juniors, numbering 18, along with Geneva Garland and parent leader Sophia Ramirez and assistants Elena Musse-Cordero and Shawn Pressley. The leaders are well trained by Sandra under the strict regulations of the Girl Scouts. It is a remarkable organization. The world needs more troops of this kind.