The Brownie/Daisy Troop #154 from Staples recently went on an adventure that involved a threemile walk and a list of questions.

They were working on a Girl Scout badge which is available for all Girl Scouts to earn, “Turning Beauty Inside Out.” As part of that badge, the girls interviewed several Staples residents along their walking route to ask, “What does inner beauty mean?”

Of the people interviewed, Megan, Libby, Beverly, Bobbi, Kris, Mary, Inez, Gloria, Gary, Dawn, Brenda and another Mary, most of the people talked about kindness and a friendly personality.

Some talked about the passion someone feels for their job or how they feel after they exercise, that they feel good and that gives them inner beauty.

The girls regrouped and talked about what they had learned throughout their badge learning experience.

They had reviewed portraits painted by Van Gogh, Klimt and Monet; and saw how women in the past were revealed. They also reviewed a magazine “GL” to see how women are currently featured. They talked about how sometimes the exterior photograph of a person does not necessarily capture the inner beauty or qualities of kindness that a person has.

Seated for lunch, the girls went around the table and each were able to think

of simple statements that

described inner beauty -- kindness, love, friendliness,

etc. One girl, at the end of the day said, “I think inner beauty if when you have a kind heart, and you love Jesus.”

Working on badges is a part of the Girl Scout experience, and girls of many ages have the opportunity to participate in various badges as posted on the Girl Scout website. These first and second graders learned a lot about inner beauty and they decided that the sweaty three-mile walk they took did not detract from their inner beauty; and they learned how to look “through” the exterior and find beauty within.