Introduction to the Girl Scouts’ DreamLab
Girl Scout Braiya Thompson, 7, stood mesmerized as she peered into a green-tinted box. The laser-cutting machine hummed with life. After activity guide Ella Daniels fiddled with the laptop connected to the machine, a zap. Then, a flash. The machine, called an xTool, carved Braiya’s name on a small piece of panel — a charm that she could loop onto a bracelet. This would be among the keepsakes from being a part of Troop 305, adding to her collection of colorful patches scattered across her brown vest.
In the “tinker room,” Braiya was surrounded by high-tech gadgets and her fellow troop members. She was among the 300 attendees to celebrate the opening of the Dallas County Girl Scout Dream Lab in southern Dallas on Saturday morning.
The DreamLab Facility
The repurposed 10,000-square-foot facility includes climbing walls, a podcasting room, kitchen, outdoor space, a multipurpose room and more. The DreamLab aims to spark curiosity in STEM among young women and make inroads with underserved communities.
People mingle during the public opening of the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas’ DreamLab.
Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer
Girl Scouts’ Mission and Impact
“It’s a space built for girls by girls,” said Jennifer Bartkowski, the Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. “We are thrilled to be able to offer this to the girls of southern Dallas.”
The 113-year-old national organization saw a significant drop in membership during the pandemic. Girl Scouts youth membership dropped from about 1.4 million in 2019-20 to just over 1 million in 2021, according to the Associated Press.
It was a flashpoint for Girl Scouts to reimagine itself, as Bartkowski still sees concerning statistics indicating that girls desire belonging and community. Girl Scouts is committed to serving “more communities in more inclusive ways,” homing in on “underchampioned” areas, like southern Dallas, she said.
Activities and Events at the DreamLab
On Saturday morning, Girl Scouts crowded into the DreamLab for some fun. Adventurous souls tried tackling a rotating rock-climbing wall, which slowly spun as the climber stretched for the blue, pink and purple holds.
Susanne Elliott, 5, of Troop 1608 uses the rotating rock climbing wall during the public opening.
Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer
Podcasting and STEM Activities
Sitting in a booth, Aanya Lakhani, 15, exclaimed about the blue specks she observed through the lens. Aanya hopes to be a doctor, but on Saturday morning, she was a podcaster.
As part of the Girl Scouts’ podcasting club, she was set to interview Krys Boyd, the host and managing editor of KERA-FM’s flagship midday talk show Think. The DreamLab had just the right place for these budding journalists to conduct the interview: a brand-new podcasting studio.
