NATCHEZ — Organizers in Natchez and Adams County are kicking off a community Girl Scouts troop this month for kindergarten through fifth-grade students and parent volunteers.

The first Girl Scouts meeting will be 2 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Duncan Park Golf building — where non-members may also register and receive a wealth of information, said Matilda Stephens, program manager and director for Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi.

Stephens said the Girl Scouts program is “not your mother’s Girl Scouts” as it has evolved to incorporate a variety of educational and career opportunities for young women.

“Girl Scouts is very different than what it was,” Stephens said, adding she recalled a stronger emphasis on home economics, arts and crafts and very few outdoor activities growing up. “Now you have kindergartners that learn outdoor survival skills and game coding. … It really takes the idea that there is nothing girls can’t do to the extreme.”

With Sylvia Acevedo, a female engineer and former rocket scientist, acting as CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA, Stephens said the programs has shifted its focus to careers and studies that traditionally belonged to men, particularly science, technology, engineering and math and also places a strong emphasis on community service and leadership.

“There are 42 new badges and probably half of them are STEM badges,” Stephens said. “There is also a broader range of outdoor adventure experiences: everything from hiking to snowboarding to kayaking — you name it. Girls are also exposed to future employment opportunities with non-traditional jobs.”

Despite these inspiring changes, Stephens said the number of active Girl Scouts in Adams County had declined.

Stephens said she and Fay Minor, the Natchez Adams County Recreation Commission program director, have worked closely to change that trend by informing new troops about the program.

“Normally, Girl Scouts troops are organized and run by moms and dads, but the number of girls registered has declined,” Stephens said. “It’s very hard to find adults who are interested in being leaders. … I am hoping we can change that with this troop and other parents would step forward to help spin off their own troops next year.”

Registration for Girl Scouts is $25 per student for one year, Stephens said.

Registration forms may be filled out online at www.gsgms.org or at the Sept. 22 meeting, Stephens said.