Girls Scouts add badge to award work in video game design

New patch: The Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles has partnered with the non-profit organization Women In Games International to introduce a new patch to award work in video game design

The Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles has partnered with non-profit organization Women In Games International to introduce a new patch to award work in video game design.



The new video game patch is being introduced a little over one month after the Boy Scouts introduced a similar Game Design merit badge of its own .



However, a representative from the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles told NBC News that the organization has been working with WIGI, works to promote the inclusion and advancement of women in the global games industry, for more than a year to introduce a new game design merit system for members of the chapter.

Sheri Rubin, president and chief executive of Design, Direct, Deliver and a member of WIGI's steering committee, told NBC News that the latest merit badge fits with both organizations' missions.



‘Social media campaigns like #1reasonwhy and #1reasontobe show just how important it is to reach girls at a young age and introduce them to video game development career choices,’ she said.

The new program will require local Girl Scout members to learn how to program for games as well as design them, Rubin said.



The GSGLA will use a customized version of Gamestar Mechanic, a published video game platform that teaches children how to design their own games.

The software will allow troop leaders to track each Girl Scout member’s progress as she begins to build her own game.



Rubin and the GSGLA said that they hope to bring the new video game patch initiative to other local Girl Scout chapters across the United States.



‘Girl Scouts has a long history of developing pioneers in the fields of science and technology, so we are excited about collaborating with Women in Games International to ignite girls’ interests in STEM-related subjects,’ Lise Luttgens, Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles chief executive officer, told GamePolitics.com .

Hopes to expand: Rubin and the GSGLA said that they hope to bring the new video game patch initiative to other local Girl Scout chapters across the United States







