girl scouts of the colonial coast
On
Thursday, November 29, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast will honor eight women
at the Girl Scouts Famous Formers luncheon. This event is held annually to
honor local women who continue to exemplify the values of Girl Scouts through
their leadership roles in the community. Throughout the month of October and
November, we will share the honorees’ Girl Scout stories on our blog. Vickie
Kearn is one of the eight women being honored this year. She is the Executive
Editor of Mathematics and Computer Sciences at Princeton University Press and a
Girl Scout alum!
A
Hampton Roads native, Kearn started her Girl Scout journey as a Brownie in
Jacksonville, Florida. Her family moved to Venezuela when she was 10 and
Kearn’s mother started a Girl Scout troop there so her daughters could continue
being a part of the best leadership organization for girls. Her most vivid
memories stem from her time spent in Venezuela as she remembered building
campfires, hiking and cooking outside. One award that made her particularly
proud was the Curved Bar Award- now referred to as the Gold Award. Her Girl
Scout experience stayed with her as she went away to boarding school at the age
of 15. Kearn is now a proud Girl Scout alum!
As
a young girl, Kearn developed a strong interest in math despite women being
underrepresented in that field- a reality many women still face today. She was
empowered to pursue her passion for math with the help of the Girl Scout
organization and her math teacher.
“I
never gave a thought to the comment that ‘girls don’t do math.’ If I had not
had that support of the Girl Scouts and my math teacher, I might not have had
the confidence I have today,” she said.
After graduating from the University of Richmond, Kearn went on to
teach for eight years, which allowed her to serve as a mentor to her students-
something she feels every girl should have and something she knows Girl Scouts
can provide girls with.
“Many
young women do not have mentors and others are not aware of the many wonderful
opportunities that exist,” she said. “Girl Scouts can provide all of these
things.”
During
her years as an educator, Kearn witnessed- what she deemed- an educational
crisis: a lack of math skills. A true leader thanks to Girl Scouts and her
mentors, she decided to help address the issue. In 1977, she moved to New York
City to work in publishing and continues to do what she loves- making people
aware of the power, fun and amazement of math through books.
Girl
Scout alum like Kearn are so important to our communities. They show girls that
with Girl Scouts, anything is possible! Help us celebrate Kearn’s
accomplishments and our seven other honorees at this year’s Famous Formers luncheon on November 29 at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are on sale now.
