Bridgeport Girl Scout Troop Grows, Teaches Life Skills

photo by: Josie Burkhart
Bridgeport Girl Scouts troop leader Misty Corley teaches girls about basic life skills and safety during their time in the troop.Participating, from left, are Heather Barath, Karlee Bowers, Corley and Courtney Morehead.
A Girl Scout troop from Bridgeport that has been around for more than 70 years is growing as it teaches members life skills, safety skills and first-aid.
The Bridgeport troop used to be called Sunny Hill Girl Scouts and formed before 1951. Misty Corley became the troop leader in 2021 after former leader Kathy Brown retired from the role. When Corley took over, only six girls remained in the troop, so members decided to combine what used to be different age level troops into one troop called the “Bridgeport Girl Scouts” that has grown to include 41 girls today.
Corley signed her daughter up for Girl Scouts and wanted to volunteer as a chaperone, but Brown asked if she’d like to be the leader. Corley “took a chance” and stepped into the role, she said.
“I love it, getting to know these girls, getting to help them learn new things,” she said. “It’s a learning process myself, but it’s a good time.”
Corley has two assistants who help her run the troop, Katelyn Johnson and Kayla Smith.
Corley described the activities of the organization as showing girls different types of skills they could use throughout their lives, one skill being self-defense. Every year, the troop has a professional come in and show the girls how to defend themselves in case of emergencies.
The troop is around 85% member led, which means the girls choose what the troop does. They meet two to three Sundays a month at the Kirkwood Presbyterian Church.
The Bridgeport Girl Scouts are on a hiatus right now due to winter weather, but at the troop’s last meeting it had a Christmas party where all the girls attended and got to do fun activities.
One act of service the troop did last year was visit the Soup Kitchen of Greater Wheeling, where the girls volunteered all day. The troop members have also been in the Bridgeport Christmas parade and caroled at nursing homes.
“We get the girls out in the community and show them what it’s like to give back and do good things,” Corley said. “Part of being a Girl Scout is making the world a better place, and I try to implement that and our truth.”
Corley said the troop is always accepting new members. People can register by going online to girlscouts.org and typing in the area code or by calling Corley at 740-381-7765.