Making Music with Tallahassee Girl Scout Troop 49
At each level of Girl Scouts, the girls can earn their Music Badge, which includes requirements of learning how music is composed and created, and creating vocal and instrumental music of their own. The Florida State University chapters of Sigma Alpha Iota (SAI), a professional women’s music fraternity, and Tau Beta Sigma (TBS), a band service sorority, joined together to put on a free workshop to help over 100 Tallahassee Girl Scouts earn their music badge in a day-long event.
“We had 57 Brownies, 38 Juniors and 23 Cadets signed up to attend, as well as over 40 parent chaperones,” said SAI service chair Candice Netti, who worked alongside the TBS service chair to coordinate the event. Some of the girls had participated in music lessons or music classes at school, but for others, this was their first experience with music.
Over 30 sisters participated in the Girl Scout Badge Workshop from the two organizations.
“This was a really fun way for not only our two different organizations to come together, but for us to reach out to the community to get these girls excited and interested about music at a young age,” said Stephanie Saunders, an SAI sister.
Sisters from the two groups were paired together to present different lessons on their badge requirements as the girls rotated around the College of Music. The girls learned about the history of Opera, participated in singing Folk Songs and playing instruments in ensembles, and even made their own “Melody Mobiles” as a few of the projects. The “Career Explorations” requirement of the badges allowed sisters from several different majors to share their career aspirations with the girls and talk to them about how they can keep music as a part of their lives.
After enjoying a pizza lunch, the girls went home having earned their music badges.
"Troop 49 enjoyed the Music Badge Workshop put on by the Sigma Alpha Iota and Tau Beta Sigma chapters of Florida State," said Patty Thompson, Leader of Girl Scout Troop 49. "The girls that attended loved dancing to different types of music, making music instruments, and realizing they could make music from many different items. It was a fun day out!"
Submitted by Stephanie Saunders
