Xavier Campus Scouts

Senior Alicia Dean leads the Xavier Campus Girl Scouts in

their fifth year on campus doing volunteer work and building confidence in local girls.

They coordinate their volunteer work with the Western Ohio

Girl Scout Council, helping Girl Scout troops whose members are generally 10 to 15 years of age. Most girls quit Girl Scouts as they transition from middle school to

high school. Dean believes Xavier Campus Girl Scouts helps the girls involved to understand that being a Girl Scout is still a beneficial thing, even in college. "I think that Girl Scouts in general is a confidence booster… they love seeing the older girls. You are an older role model. We

bring a happy atmosphere," Dean said.

The Xavier Campus Girl Scouts' most common volunteer

opportunity is working as camp counselors for the younger

troops. At these camping trips, they utilize their motto "where

girls grow strong" to guide and motivate the adolescent troops. These opportunities are offered every weekend. In the near future, Dean hopes to organize a camping trip for the Scouts to do as a club bonding activity. "It's a positive thing to go into the community and teach younger girls self-confidence," Dean said. In the past, they have organized educational outreaches off-campus for younger troops because inner-city Cincinnati schools do not usually have Girl Scout troops. The Scouts occasionally go

into the schools and have a troop meeting with the girls during their extracurricular class. This year, they did not participate in the outreach but hope to participate during

the upcoming 2012-13 school year. This October the Scouts had their first fundraiser. At a soccer game earlier this year, they sold hot chocolate to raise money so that an adolescent troop could go on a camping trip. In March, the

Scouts help local troops set up cookie booths and sell cookies on Xavier's campus. Dean sees the club as another way to volunteer and still be in multiple clubs. They invite new members throughout the year who want to volunteer and work with younger girls and members

are not required to be a registered Girl Scout. For those interested, their meetings are at 7 p.m every other Sunday in Gallagher Student Center room 330.