Saratoga News

Among Saratoga girls who think Girl Scouting is the greatest are these members of 'Brownie Bolts' Troop 625, who participated in a bridging and fly-up ceremony at Hakone Gardens in June. They return this school year as Junior Girl Scouts.

Saratoga leads county in its Girl Scout enrollment

By Sarah Lombardo

Not to be outdone by their male counterparts, the Girls Scouts of Santa Clara County are planning to add at least five new troops to their Saratoga service area during the month of September. Saratoga Boy Scouts are adding one new troop.

The increase will bring the number of troops in Saratoga from 17 to 22, comprising girls from Redwood Middle School, Argonaut Elementary, Sacred Heart, Saint Andrews, Foothill Elementary and Saratoga Elementary.

If 22 troops sounds like a lot, it is.

Melanie Kimbel, membership development director for the Girls Scouts of Santa Clara County, said that in Saratoga, one in every five girls from kindergarten through eighth grade belongs to the Girls Scouts, compared to one in every nine girls in the rest of the county. That makes for 262 active Girl Scouts here. And, Kimbel said, the Girl Scouts are continuing to grow in number. Saratoga membership is up 10 percent from last year, and countywide, the number of Girl Scouts is expected to go up from 12,500 to 13,100 by the end of this summer.

Kimbel said she chalks the high number of Saratoga Girl Scouts up to, in part, dedication on the part of the parents in the community.

"Saratoga is a wonderful place for Girl Scouts," she said. Kimbel said that Saratoga parents are among the most active.

"Saratoga remains one of the only towns that has day meetings," Kimbel said, pointing out that most of the day meetings for parents boast complete attendance in Saratoga.

Kathy Mockler, former leader of Girl Scout Troop 803, said she was surprised that even working moms make sure to make the time for meetings and functions.

"I even had moms who were lawyers and they would take a day off work to attend," she said. "They take the time off and do whatever is needed."

School-enrollment figures could be another reason Girl Scouts are on the increase. After declining from the late 1970s through the mid-'80s, enrollment has been on a steady increase since 1988. Currently, the Saratoga Union School District has 2,277 students, up by almost 300 students from 1980.

Headquartered in New York, the Girls Scouts organization celebrated its 85th anniversary this year.

Kimbel said that each Saratoga Girl Scout troop will have about 15 girls. Formation of the troops will happen next month. Parents interested in more information about the Girl Scouts may call Kimbel at 287-4170, ext. 249.

[ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ]