For seven-year-old Rebekah, finding the “bone thief” in
one of her troop's favorite games, Doggy
Doggy Where's Your Bone?, was a snap.
"I have a good autism
brain," she said. Like many children with autism, Rebekah has heightened
senses which allow her to easily identify walking patterns and footsteps.
Rebekah is a part of the
council’s first all-adaptive troop. Led by Cassandra C. and Renee W., the troop is made up
of 1st through 4th grade Treasure Valley girls who have conditions ranging from
autism spectrum disorders (include Asperger's),
DiGeorge syndrome (a chromosome disorder) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD). Despite their various ages,
all girls in the troop are working at a 1st grade level.
"I wanted to start this
troop because of my daughter, Rebekah,” troop leader, Cassandra, said. Cassandra's
older daughter is also a Girl Scout, but Cassandra knew that Rebekah wouldn't
be able to function in a traditional troop.
Two years ago, Cassandra worked with Silver Sage council staff member, Martha Snyder, to get her troop up and running. Since then, she has been learning by trial and error to adapt Girl
Scout curriculum and activities to fit the needs of her troop.
Like all troops, the girls begin
each meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and reciting of the Girl Scout Promise
and Law. They are currently finishing the Daisy curriculum, constructing SWAPS
for World Thinking Day on Feb. 22 and learning about England. Game time is a
favorite among the troop, specifically the snowball fight where the girls throw
small foam balls at one another.
"The little things matter to
this troop,” Cassandra said.
While the girls are not yet able
to work on more in-depth badges, they still earn basic badges and patches through participation in zoo days, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving parades, and other Girl Scout activities and programming. They are also selling
cookies for the first time this year.
The girls hope to earn money for new uniforms as they are bridging to become Brownies this spring.
Since the troop began in 2012, Cassandra
has witnessed the girls blossom in several ways.
"I've taken pictures each
year to document their growth. Look at their expressions. In the first and second photo, you can see their
inner growth and maturity over the year,” she said.
For many of the girls in the
Adaptive Troop, Girl Scouts is one of the few activities that are specifically
tailored for them, allowing them to increase their self-esteem and social
skills.
"They've all gotten more
confident in themselves and who they are. A lot of people do things for them
and they never get a chance to do things on their own. Girl Scouts gives them a
chance to try new things,” Cassandra said.
To learn more about the Adaptive
Troop or how to become involved, please contact Girl Scouts of Silver Sage at
(208) 377-2011.
