WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A Girl Scout troop is getting a fresh start at Pleasant City Elementary School in West Palm Beach, giving local girls an opportunity to make new friends, learn new skills and build confidence after the school lost its previous troop.
The Related Ross Foundation helped restart the troop after Executive Director Jeremy Morse learned students at the school no longer had the opportunity to participate.
For the girls now learning the Girl Scout sign and promise, the new troop is already becoming a place to set goals, help others and find a sense of belonging.
Girls find friendship and a place to grow
For Girl Scout Tanisha Smith, joining the troop is about learning while helping those around her.
"Girl Scouts is about learning to be ladylike and to help other people," Smith said.
Fellow Girl Scout Kennedy Harper said she is looking forward to the friendships that could come from participating.
"My favorite thing about Girl Scouts [is] because I feel like it's gonna help me make more friends," Harper said.
Smith said she also sees the troop as a welcoming place for girls who may be hesitant to speak up or meet new people.
"If you're shy, it could help," Smith said. "It can help you make friends, and if you don't know much, you can either ask questions or learn it."
Foundation helps restart Pleasant City troop
The opportunity was not available at Pleasant City Elementary until the Related Ross Foundation stepped in to help bring the troop back.
"When I heard that Pleasant City Elementary School lost their troop, I thought, you know, this is our opportunity to restart it, so that they can have this opportunity to continue that journey," Morse said.
The girls have already begun earning patches while deciding what they want to accomplish together.
"I hope to accomplish working together," Harper said.
Building courage, confidence and character
Lisa Johnson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, said she has spent 30 years working professionally with Girl Scouts and believes girls should have access to the opportunities the program provides.
"Being able to see girls reach their full potential to really develop the courage, confidence and character that is going to serve them their entire lives," Johnson said.
At Pleasant City Elementary, that work is starting again with a new troop, a new leader and a group of girls beginning to determine what Girl Scouts can mean for them.
For students like Harper and Smith, the restart offers something immediate: a place to make friends, work together and grow.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
