Community Troops in Newport News
Girl Scouts are always up for team fun, even in the summer! Through the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast’s Community Troop program, one that serves as an outreach to girls who might not otherwise have a Girl Scout experience, many girls were able to benefit from skill-building while having fun this season. Community Troops offer the same Girl Scout Leadership Experience, including activities like earning badges, selling cookies, and participating in community service, but with the added benefit of being accessible in various community settings. Community troops are designed to meet Girl Scouts where they are — schools, churches, and community centers, as well as virtually, during summer camp, recess, and after-school sessions.
These experiences are made possible through ongoing partnerships with youth-serving organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club of the Virginia Peninsula and GSCCC. This summer, the Boys & Girls Club of the Virginia Peninsula and Pinedale Clubs along with SafeHaven Empowerment Center, all located in Newport News, Virginia, participated in a six-week community troop series. During each session, troops explored a new topic from one of the four Girl Scout program pillars: STEM, Entrepreneurship, Life Skills, and Outdoors.
On July 23, 2025, GSCCC Community Troop Specialist Endya Godwin led the weekly troop meeting at each center about environmental stewardship. The Girl Scouts practiced sorting commonly discarded items such as paper, cardboard, and glass bottles into their appropriate waste or recycling receptacles. Next, they looked over pictures of corals, learning how these marvels protect marine life; then, in groups, they unleashed their creativity by molding colorful reefs out of clay. They giggled with excitement and discovery as they created their own underwater worlds, complete with clay sea turtles and mermaids.
This summer, the Girl Scouts have explored Girl Scout badge topics such as mental wellness, environmental stewardship, and STEM. Along with earning badges, Girl Scouts in community troops learn songs, handshakes, and other traditions. Troops can also choose to participate in the Girl Scout Cookie program, get outdoors, and complete community service projects.
“The community troop program is very beneficial for the Girl Scouts,” Godwin said. “An important part of the program is that we meet the girls where they are. Another key part is that we can be their mentors. It helps to have someone to look up to and someone to show them how Girl Scouts works. They can ask us questions, and we really get to know each other.”
Access to Girl Scouting should not be limited by factors beyond a family’s control. Every girl. Everywhere. That’s our goal! GSCCC’s Newport News community troops are supported by Newport News Shipbuilding and United Way of the Virginia Peninsula. Learn more about our Community Troop Programs.
