Sister Scouts: All-Girls’ Troop to Join Boy Scouts Organization in Chehalis

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When Tessa Stidham’s older brothers went to events with their Boy Scout troop, she had to stay behind and hear stories of their adventures when they came back.

Last spring, she got some good news.

“My stepdad came home, and he was like, ‘Girls are allowed to be in Scouts now,’ and I was like ‘Yes!’” Tessa said. “I would be able to get together with my brothers and not stay at my grandma’s house when they went out camping and having fun.”

Following the announcement from Boy Scouts of America that the organization’s main program would be renamed Scouts BSA and allow girls, starting this February, Kendra Guyer — Tessa’s mom — knew she had to get involved as well.

“I wanted to be in Scouts my whole life,” said Guyer, who like her daughter, had to watch her older brothers participate in the program when she was little. “Having the girl program come in, having my daughter in it as well, just seemed like a good idea.”

Guyer will be the Scoutmaster for Troop 7373, an all-girls unit that will join the existing Troop 373 based out of the Chehalis Scout Lodge. The new troop will be activated Feb. 1, with five girls lined up to join and openings for many more. Guyer believes it will be the first female troop in Lewis County.

“Just seeing the girls do an open ceremony and lead a group and go on that campout and be able to do all those things that the boys do, it’s very cool,” she said.

Two of the founding members of Troop 7373 have already been involved in the BSA’s Venture Crew, a co-ed high-adventure program. Elaina Koenig and Allison Hilliker have both enjoyed the activities offered by that program, and they’re eager to be a part of the classic Scouting experience as well. 

“It’s being in a place where I can be what I am without being judged, and not worrying about the boys getting something different,” Allison said. 

The girls have grown familiar with all kinds of adventure in the program, from sleeping in an igloo on Mount Rainier to sailing a boat in the Bahamas for a week.

“One of the best parts about the Scouts is the outings,” Elaina said. “One of the recent activities we did was an escape room in Olympia. Everyone contributed, and we got it in the last two minutes.”



Allison added that she had never been camping before she joined a Scout program, and her favorite outings are the ones where she learns new leadership qualities or skills. As a member of a regular Scout troop, she’ll now have the opportunity to pursue the coveted Eagle Scout rank — which she’s determined to earn. 

“I was pretty pumped, because I knew that I could get my Eagle Scout now,” she said. “I was excited to be able to check off the box on a college application that says I’m an Eagle Scout.”That rank may be a long way off for some of Troop 7373’s younger members, but they’re no less excited to join. Emme Prok said she’s eager to do survival camps and wilderness training, along with one other event that’s caught her interest.

“The polar bear swim, that’s one I’ve always wanted to do,” she said. 

Emme’s mom Sarah Prok will be the troop’s committee chair. She, too, had stories of siblings and sons participating in Scouting, while wishing girls could get involved. Prok noted that allowing girls and boys to participate in the same organization will make it easier on families who often find it difficult to coordinate their kids’ many activities. Many of the girls joining Troop 3737 had been tagging along to their siblings’ Scout activities already, whenever they got the chance.

“(Emme’s) tagged along for a lot of events and activities and camps,” Prok said. “As soon as the council released the availability to join, because we have had so much family involvement, we were excited about it. … It allows the whole family to go as a unit.”

Guyer added: “That’s a big one, because they can do it together. there’s a lot of families out there that the girls do want to do more the outdoors activities. … This gives them the opportunity to get out there and learn the survival skills.”

In addition to the traditional outdoors activities, Scouting offers STEM, science, digital technology, robotics, astronomy and naturalist opportunities through its merit badge program, Prok noted. Anyone interested in those fields could make a good Scout as well. 

Troop 7373 is open to girls 11 to 18, and it’s holding open houses at the Chehalis Scout Lodge on Jan. 23 and 30 from 6 to 7 p.m. for anyone who is interested. Further questions can be directed to Guyer at guyerk8@gmail.com.

The troop will celebrate its formation with a launch campout in February. The girls will have their own meetings and outings, as well as some combined events with the boys in Troop 373.

“We’re excited because we’re a very active troop,” Guyer said. “We want to express to the girls that there’s definitely not a shortage of things we do in our troop.”