The Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana said it best when we named our special Girl Scout Spark Day event. “Girls Like Bugs, Too!”The Bug Girls, along with owner Bob Dold and several Rose staff, welcomed 30 insect-loving Brownies and Junior Girl Scouts from the Greater Chicago Northwest Indiana Council to their headquarters. The STEM program was held in Northfield, Illinois, on Saturday, May 7th.

What is Girl Scout Spark Day?

Girl Scout Spark Day programs offer young girls a unique chance to explore STEM careers through hands-on, interactive activities. As public health leaders in pest management, Rose’s experts are passionate about teaching people of all ages about insect and rodent biology and the delicate balance between humans and nature. That’s why partnering with the Girl Scouts was a perfect fit for us. During Spark Day at Rose, Brownies and Juniors had the opportunity to earn their Bug badges and STEM career badges while diving into the fascinating world of science.

Rose’s Spark Day

A family-owned pest management business offers a wide range of professional careers you might not expect at first. It takes many skilled experts from different fields to keep a company like ours running smoothly. We wanted the girls to see this firsthand.

Marketing Career

We began the morning upstairs with Janelle and Anna, our Bug Girls, who introduced the Rose logo and branding. They discussed how we build trust in the communities we serve and explained what our company does. The scouts then created and personalized name tags to showcase their own personal brands. Rose’s President, Congressman Bob Dold, an active Eagle Scout, shared our family business history and challenged the scouts with a fun bug quiz.

Customer Service Career

As we moved downstairs to our Care Center, the scouts met a few team members who handle customer calls and emails. Dejah explained how every request is managed and how the team helps people. The girls asked thoughtful questions about the different types of calls we receive. From ants to rats and everything in between, their reactions ranged from gasps and laughs to “ewwww.” Some even shared their own stories about bee stings, mosquitoes, and ants.

Entomologist and Beekeeper Careers

In our large training room, the Girl Scouts explored several hands-on stations. At the beekeeper, entomologist, and service technician dress-up areas, they learned about the science behind our work. We discussed the balance between nature and humans, along with the importance of inspections and accurate biological identification. The scouts observed specimens through a digital microscope, examined the inside of a real wasp nest, and used tools that beekeepers rely on to care for honeybees.

Licensed Service Professional Careers

One of our customer favorites, Service Professional Paolo, joined the Girl Scout Spark Day! He showed the girls his most important tools, starting with the flashlight, which he calls the number one tool for every expert. Paolo demonstrated how he removes cobwebs from tall, hard-to-reach places and shared some of his protective gear with the scouts. Safety always comes first!

Crafting with the Bug Girls!

Back inside, craft tables invited the Girl Scouts to create honeybees, ladybugs, butterflies, and caterpillars. Our Bug Girls, both former Girl Scouts themselves, helped guide the activities. Janelle often credits her craft skills to what she learned as a Girl Scout, so of course, crafting was a must!

Live Bugs!

One of the highlights of Rose’s Spark Day was definitely the live Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. The Girl Scouts showed no fear as they petted and even held the roaches! They learned how these fascinating insects breathe through tiny holes called spiracles and even watched a roach molt, shedding its skin. The girls also had a blast answering trivia questions about bugs, rodents, and bats.

Pollinating Friendships and Saving the Bees

Spending the morning with these Girl Scouts was truly inspiring. They brought so much energy, asked thoughtful questions, and absorbed a wealth of knowledge. Each girl left with an insect habitat, fun toys and goodies, pollinator-themed cookies, and fresh roses. We’re excited to host more STEM programs like this and can’t wait to nurture all the new friendships we’ve made.

And speaking of pollination, we set up a pollinator seed bar to teach the girls about native flowers that support local pollinators. They assembled take-home seed bags to plant in their own backyards, helping to do their part in saving the bees!