Auburn Girl Scouts celebrate annual Bridging Ceremony
Published 9:56 am Monday, June 22, 2026
When Alayna Johnson, 16, and other members were asked what being a Girl Scout means to them, they each emphasized the importance of community and being a part of the broader organization.
Johnson said that for her, it is about “helping others and building a sense of belonging in the community.”
The girls were part of the annual Girl Scout Bridging Ceremony at Game Farm Park June 12 in Auburn hosted by Western Washington’s Girl Scouts Service Unit 021. The event recognized the Girl Scouts of Western Washington’s Auburn Service Unit’s progression throughout their Girl Scout journey.
The Bridging Ceremony is “a defining moment when a Girl Scout becomes aware of her achievements and is ready for new adventures and responsibilities,” the Girl Scouts of the USA explains.
There are six different levels of the Girl Scout leadership experience, ranging from kindergarten (Daises) to 12th grade (Ambassadors).
“[The ceremony] serves as an inspiration for younger scouts, encouraging them to persevere from Daisy to adult,” Girl Scout Hannah Cooper, 15, said.
Girl Scout Madelyn Davidson, 16, added that “bridging represents new beginnings and opportunities to learn more from the people around me.”
Particularly, Davidson reflected on bridging from the level of Daisy to Brownie.
“Getting all of my daisy flower petal badges to…more professional skills badges was monumental to me,” she said.
As the Girl Scouts of the USA recognize, “for Girl Scouts, the act of crossing the bridge is both a physical and symbolic step.”
Davidson put it simply: “When I think of what being a Girl Scout means to me, I think of the word community.”
Davidson continued to express the importance of the theme of community.
“Growing up and learning how to grow into stronger, more confident people with one another has really tied us together,” she said.
Ambassador Olivia Revelee, 15, shared that she believes “being a Girl Scout means learning new skills and working together.”
Ashlie Marrufo, 18, graduated from high school this year and celebrated bridging to Adult Girl Scout at the ceremony. Marrufo expressed that she is “thankful for this opportunity to become a girl scout and how grateful…to my leaders for supporting me and helping me grow as an individual.”
Girl Scouts were founded in 1912 in Savannah, Georgia by Juliette Gordon Low, and the organization currently hosts 2 million members and over 50 million alums.
Marrufo provided words of encouragement for other girls to join this organization.
“I enjoyed these past few years as a Girl Scout and hope that more girls in the Auburn community discover that Girls Scouts are an amazing thing to be a part of,” she said.
