The creation of a Lego robot has introduced some Central Texas Girl Scouts to new life skills they hope to share with other girls.

The troop was awarded 1st place for core values by the First Lego League, for two consecutive years. This year’s Girl Scout Showcase was held over the weekend at Chapa Middle School.

Lead core value member Jessica Rodriguez, 13, said creating and programming a Light LEGO Mindstorms EV3 Competition Robot that travels based on reflective light intensity was rewarding, but not as rewarding as learning to be an inclusive team member.

Rodriguez and her troop faced real life obstacles, such as leaders who unexpectedly quit and learned to understand people with mental illness.

“We are extremely inclusive and diverse of a team. Some of our team members struggle with depression and anxiety, so we learned to be extremely open and supportive of each other,” Rodriguez said. “We have had two coaches quit and almost our entire team quit our first year because of that. We are always trying to make sure that everyone knows they’re welcome.”

Rodriguez was one of several central Texas Girl Scouts displayed their achievements at the event.

CEO of Central Texas Girl Scouts Paula Bookidis said that Girl Scouts allows rural area girls to explore city life and vice versa. The program allows them to explore their passions through sisterhood.

“We have girls of many ethnicities, people who live in small towns and big cities. When they come together for camp, where they come from doesn’t matter. They have Girl Scouts in common,” Bookidis said. “I can see in my daughters and the girls we serve that they have more confidence to raise their hand in class. The cookie program helps them learn entrepreneurship skills such as looking people in the eye.”

The showcase, sponsored by Girl Scouts of Central Texas (GSCTX), invited girls and their families to explore the variety of activities and opportunities Girl Scouts offers. In addition to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), programming included outdoor activities, entrepreneurship and life skills ranging from healthy living to readiness for college and career.

To join a Central Texas Girl Scout Troop, visit gsctx.org.