JACKSON, Wyo. — Former Mayor of Jackson Hailey Morton Levinson is keeping her family traditions alive by starting a new Girl Scout troop.
Morton Levinson told Buckrail that being a Girl Scout not only informed her early years growing up but led her to impart wisdom to her daughter by forming Troop 1106 in 2024. The Daisies consist of 12 students in Kindergarten and first grade, including her daughter.
Morton Levinson explained that Girl Scout troops were more prominent in Jackson back in the ‘90s.
“I was a Girl Scout in first grade all the way through to my senior year in high school,” Morton Levinson said. “I made my closest friends in my troop. There were a lot of troops for each grade when I was growing up. My grade alone probably had three individual troops.”
Girl Scouts was a family affair for Morton Levinson; her sister was also in a troop that her mother, Amy Morton, led. It was back then that she decided, if she ever had a daughter, she would also be a troop leader one day.
This past fall, when her daughter entered first grade, she realized that there was a gap in Girl Scout troops.
“There’s a third grade troop right now … there’s definitely a presence,” Morton Levinson said. “But when I started looking into it for first graders, there didn’t seem to be a troop. I thought, well, I guess I will be starting one.”
Morton Levinson then pulled her mom out of Girl Scouts retirement and roped in her former troop leader, Linore Wallace, to help teach her daughter’s newly formed troop. She added that her experienced co-leaders have helped her to learn all of the different steps that the girls need to take when acquiring badges.
For the duration of the school year, Troop 1106 meets after school every week in the Girl Scouts room at the Snow King Sports and Events Center. Morton Levinson said that the room still has plaques hanging on the walls from her early days in Girl Scouts.
“There are plaques from when we earned our Golden Award in 2003,” Morton Levinson said. “It’s kind of cool to see those now.”
Morton Levinson explained how Girl Scout activities can increase confidence and overall independence. She said that the Daisies are learning how to become good citizens by being kind, considerate and confident.
Troop 1106 is on track to become Brownies next year, and, if they continue, they will eventually become Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and then Ambassadors. While troops are aligned with age, girls need to acquire different badges and milestones to move up through the ranks, according to Morton Levinson.
“You’re learning life skills,” Morton Levinson said. “Girl Scouts encompasses everything from outdoor adventure, camping, entrepreneurship and setting goals individually and as a team. I think that’s really special.”
This month, all of Teton County’s Girl Scout troops are learning the business of selling cookies. Morton Levinson said that for a period of approximately two weeks, each girl set a goal for how many boxes she wanted to sell for themselves and the troop. Online cookie sales end this weekend.
“We raise funds for activities and field trips, as well as a community service aspect,” Morton Levinson said. “We also use some of the funds to help others or to do a food drive.”
