Girl Scouts are back at Academy360!

After a years-long pause due to the pandemic, the lower school administration has revived its popular Girl Scout troop. First on the agenda was finding a new troop leader, as the troop’s longtime leader music teacher Linda Feldman had retired in 2022.

Stepping up to the challenge was middle school teacher Nora Rigolosi. A former Girl Scout herself, she recognized the incredible potential of the program to help girls with autism and related challenges build friendships, learn essential life skills and participate in meaningful activities. Nora’s goal is to create a nurturing space where the girls can bond, boost their confidence and enjoy socializing outside of their daily routines.

“Be Prepared!” is the Girl Scout motto, and with Nora’s firsthand experience in scouting and working with students with special needs, she is exceptionally well-equipped to adapt Girl Scout resources to meet the needs of her students. She skillfully balances activities for members of different levels—Brownies, Cadettes, and Juniors—so everyone can meaningfully participate in cherished Girl Scout traditions.

Scouting often plays an important role in growing up. The newly formed troop currently has six members, ranging from preschool to 8th grade, and meets once a month. With its focus on arts, crafts, and fostering social connections, Nora hopes to cultivate a strong sense of belonging and community for the girls in this newly launched troop.

The program also emphasizes valuable skill-building in areas like cooking, crafting, and teamwork. The iconic Girl Scout cookie sales, for example, provide fantastic opportunities for the girls to practice scripts, polish their sales pitches and master counting money. This combination of creative, social, and practical activities helps build confidence and achieves the ultimate Girl Scout goal: preparing young women for adulthood and beyond.

Each meeting begins with the Girl Scout Promise and Law, instilling core values of respect, responsibility, and community engagement. Activities are a mix of traditional Girl Scout experiences and thoughtful adaptations tailored to the girls’ individual needs.

Earning badges is among the most exciting aspects of Girl Scouting, and this will certainly be true at Academy360. Upcoming projects include working toward a first aid badge, which will incorporate important skills like visiting the doctor and creating items to donate to a local animal shelter. In March, the girls will explore culinary arts and different cuisines as they work toward their snack badge. By May, outdoor adventures will take center stage, with Brownies earning a bugs badge and Cadettes focusing on trees and nature.

Do your best to be kind to others, respect yourselves, be honest, help people at all times, and to make the world a better place are key tenets of the Girl Scout experience for troops around the world, including at Academy360. Nora envisions the troop flourishing, growing in both size and scope, with more girls joining and a broader range of enriching activities. She is thrilled to watch the girls earn more badges, develop new skills, and forge deep, lasting friendships.