'Si se puede!': Iowa's first bilingual Girl Scout troop celebrates culture and girlhood
The majority of young girls in Troop 535 speak Spanish as their first language. Together, they learn the importance of their culture while gaining confidence.
The majority of young girls in Troop 535 speak Spanish as their first language. Together, they learn the importance of their culture while gaining confidence.
The majority of young girls in Troop 535 speak Spanish as their first language. Together, they learn the importance of their culture while gaining confidence.
Each year, thousands of young Iowa girls build courage, confidence and character through Girl Scouts. There is a troop in Central Iowa also breaking barriers. Troop 535 celebrates culture as the state's first and only bilingual troop.
At the group's first meeting of the school year, troop leader Marlu Abarca greets the girls and their parents with a friendly, "Hola!" For the majority of girls in the troop, Spanish is their first language, including Abarca.
"I think the parents, especially, feel very comfortable being able to express themselves in their own language," she says. "It allows them to engage more with their girls' lives and their activities."
Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa says it's intentional about better connecting with families whose first language is not English. Abarca says this way, parents can be involved while the girls can embrace their heritage in a fun way with friends.
"I think this really goes to show that representation matters for the girls," she explains. "So the fact that the girls can see someone their same age who also has parents who speak Spanish at home, and it normalizes it for them."
The troop is getting attention from outside the state. Abarca says she has heard from other troop leaders considering starting their own bilingual troops.
"I love that other people are learning to embrace other all-girl scouts."
Currently, Troop 535 has a waitlist. Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa says its short-term bilingual outreach programming is expanding. GSGI will offer a one-day program in Marshalltown, and several events are planned throughout the fall in the Des Moines metro.
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