Valley Stream Girl Scouts teach religion

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Four Cadette Girl Scouts from Troop 2033 were tasked with solving a concern within their community to earn their Silver Award. Taking into account Valley Stream’s diversity, these Girl Scouts decided to research and present Valley Stream’s different religions’ practices to their peers on April 3 to foster understanding amongst people of different faiths.

“I think it’s important that they know that their differences aren’t that different,” said Dawn Samuel, the troop advisor.

Each of the four Girl Scouts chose which religion they would like to teach their peers about. Klaudia Kurek was raised Catholic so she presented on the Catholic religion. Similarly, Asmita Jaiswal was raised Hindi and taught other students about her religion. The other two Girl Scouts presented on religions that they were not familiar with. Shania Adams, for example, was raised Christian, but decided to teach Boy Scouts, friends and religious education students about Buddhism and Kristen Samuel was raised Catholic, but decided to do present on Islam.

To learn about these religions, the Scouts spent more than 25 hours researching the religion’s practices, beliefs, important days and events. As part of her research, Kristen Samuel was invited to attend the South Shore Islamic Center in Valley Stream. She spent one day in a seventh and eighth grade classroom. Klaudia is also inviting her peers to experience the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. She will be at the church to give newcomers an overview of the practice and purpose for this ritual. “Some of the girls took their own belief to a higher level and some expanded themselves to learning a new religion,” said Dawn Samuel in a statement.

Once the Girl Scouts show others about the religion’s practices, the troop will decide whether to create pamphlets about the religions or contact religious communities in Valley Stream.