The typical rhythms of Bellingham Square were disrupted one morning when members of a Chelsea Girl Scout Troop arrived with cookies and infectious enthusiasm. What began as an ordinary day transformed as the young scouts drew crowds and generated excitement throughout the area. “We even sold cookies in Bellingham Square,” explained Maria Teixeira, one of the Troop’s co-leaders. According to Eileena Teixeira, who founded and co-leads the organization, “The regular crowd didn’t know what to make of us, but we hung in there and it gave the Square a nice image. The girls did a great job.” “It was early in the morning and I wasn’t sure we should be there at first, but then I said, ‘Yea, we should be here,’ and it went off great. The girls loved it and so did everyone else.”
Beyond their Bellingham Square appearance, this newly formed Girl Scout Troop has expanded its reach significantly. The group undertakes service initiatives at the Soldier’s Home, generates revenue through cookie sales, and conducts presentations in local schools. Chelsea had been without an active Girl Scout Troop for many years, as previous groups had dissolved long ago. The current Troop, established approximately one year ago, comprises roughly 15 girls ranging from five to 11 years old and is rapidly gaining traction among Chelsea’s young residents. Eileena became interested in starting the Troop as a potential activity for her own daughter, despite having no personal Girl Scout background. “My daughter had just turned six and last year I was looking for an activity to put her in and I came across the Girl Scouts,” she noted. “For the past 10 to 12 years they didn’t have a Troop in Chelsea and they worked with me to start one here. Girl Scouting is an excellent activity and it really piqued my interest, especially for young girls today…Girl Scouts does seem to be growing and on the move and it’s a wonderful activity.” The response from both the girls and the broader Chelsea community, including the schools, has been remarkably positive. “When we were out doing our community service project, there were people who used to run Girl Scout Troops in Chelsea coming up to us and telling us about their experiences,” Eileena shared. “Everyone has been really supportive of us in every way.”
Enthusiasm extends beyond Chelsea itself. The New England Council of the Girl Scouts has expressed particular excitement about Chelsea’s Troop revival. Furthermore, a separate Troop for younger girls is launching at the Chelsea Schools’ Early Education Center. “We’re really putting an emphasis on giving the Girl Scout experience for the girls of Chelsea,” noted Stacy Wilbur, Girl Scouts spokesperson. “We’re really excited about this Troop because this is another footprint where we really want to grow membership. There are a lot of opportunities in Chelsea and we feel the Girl Scouts are a great opportunity for girls there. We’re building future leaders and we want all girls everywhere to benefit from that.” Weekly Monday evening gatherings at the Chelsea Boys & Girls Club provide the setting for the Troop’s activities, which include planning trips, discussing service projects, sharing personal experiences, reciting the Girl Scout pledge, and enjoying themselves together. Recently joining the group are Eliza Caraballo and her daughter Victoria Iraola, both enthusiastic about their participation. “My daughter saw it on the television and said she wanted to go to Girl Scouts,” Caraballo stated. “It’s really fun. The parents don’t want to leave when we drop them off. We play games with them and my daughter likes it.” Maria Valles reports that her daughter Iliana Vidal joined around November and now eagerly anticipates each gathering. “One of my friend’s daughters is in the Troop and I didn’t think my daughter would be interested, but she wanted to join,” Valles observed. “I’m glad she did. She wasn’t very outgoing, but she’s really come out of herself and is much more outgoing. I am glad the Girl Scouts are back in Chelsea. I always wanted to be a Girl Scout and never got to be one, so I’m glad my daughter gets to.”
During Monday’s meeting, the Troop prepared for an upcoming trip to Cocoa Keys Water Park this Friday, earned through selling more than 1,500 boxes of cookies during winter and spring. The girls established rules and safety protocols for the outing while discussing potential consequences for violations. In contemporary culture, where young girls encounter predominantly negative messaging, the Girl Scouts’ constructive approach proves particularly valuable. Parents and daughters seek alternatives to the degrading portrayals found in mainstream media, pop culture, and film. This need resonates especially strongly in Chelsea and similar urban communities. The Troop demonstrates this philosophy through its closing ritual: members form a circle and individually compliment either another girl or a leader. These exchanges visibly strengthen the participants’ confidence. The gathering concludes with their signature ‘Girl Scout Squeeze,’ a collective embrace. “One of the goals of Girl Scouts is to equip girls with character and confidence,” Eileena remarked. “The activities and badges, they help to build up their confidence and to accept diversity. We have a diverse group in age and everything else. They learn to get along with each other…It helps create more women leaders and stronger – as they get older – young women and women in general.”
Prospective Girl Scouts in Chelsea can reach Eileena Teixeira at (978) 210-4230 or join the group at Monday meetings held at the Boys & Girls Club.
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