Girl Scouts Hit the Trail With Tread Lightly!

Girl Scouts partook in STEM education and off-road fun at this trail ride event.

On March 11, 2023, a group of Girl Scouts from the San Diego area headed out into the desert, accompanied by Tread Lightly! staff, members of the Tierra Del Sol 4×4 club, San Diego 4 Wheelers, and Rigs & Brews. Along with more representatives from BLM El Centro, Rivian, and Total Chaos Fabrication, the Scouts explored a portion of the Anza National Historic Trail. During their day-long Interpretive Trail Ride event, the Scouts experienced a form outdoor recreation that they may not have access to or have never experienced before, and got to hear from women who have pursued careers in STEM fields.

The Tread Lightly sponsored trail ride crew was composed by about 25 attendees. The team, including 5 Girl Scouts, made stops at 4 main points of interest. These included a Geoglyph site, the Yuha well site, and the Anza Overlook and Fossil Beds. Each stop featured a talk from a visiting speaker on her career. From those, the Scouts learned about the vast opportunities available to them from a STEM education.

With the goal to inspire young women to pursue degrees and careers in STEM, the Interpretive Trail Ride introduced Girl Scouts to several powerful role models. Speakers included Carrie Sahagun, Acting Field Manager and Archeologist from the BLM, and Lilly Macaruso, a Senior Vehicle and Prototype Engineer from Rivian. Additionally, Nicole Pittel, owner of Total Chaos Fabrication, gave a talk.

Geoglyph Site

Speakers from BLM El Centro led the group once they arrived at their first stop, a Geoglyph site. “A geoglyph is one type of earthen art that is created on a massive scale across open stretches of desert land and plateaus. Their placement connects them to the land in which they’re based. Geoglyphs can be hundreds to thousands of years old and come in a variety of shapes and designs. There are numerous geoglyphs here in the Yuha Desert, Imperial County, and the American Southwest.” (The Historical Marker Database)

Carrie Sahagun, Acting Field Manager/Archaeologist with the BLM led the talk at this site, which provided an amazing teachable moment. It’s a rare thing that students get to experience the thing they’re learning about as they’re learning about it. These Scouts got the chance. Carrie spoke to the Geoglyphs’ historic significance and connection to the indigenous peoples of the area. She also touched on the effects of vandalization that occurred 50 years ago that is still visible to this day.

“”I’m so grateful to have Tread Lightly!, 4×4 clubs, and the members of the automotive industry working together with the BLM to support and enhance STEM for young ladies in the local and surrounding communities,” Carrie said. “We hope the event will stimulate more women to study STEM topics in higher education, and lead to potential recruitment into BLM positions.”

Yuha Well site

The well, called Santa Rosa de las Lajas (Flat Rocks), was first used on March 8, 1774. The following year, the three divisions of Juan Bautista de Anza’s expedition used this site as a watering spot (NPS). Central to the history of the Anza National Historic Trail, the well was another perfect spot for a talk.

At the Tread Lightly trail ride’s next stop, Nicole Pitell of Total Chaos Fabrication spoke with the Girl Scouts. She discussed the challenges of building a business from the ground up as a woman. (And how their products are some of the best engineered parts one can put on a Toyota).

After Nicole spoke, Mikaela Worthington, a Rivian Engineer, took the stage. She shared about her job with the scouts, and explained that, as a failure engineer, she gets to break things in order to make them better.

 Anza Overlook

The Anza Overlook is another important historical site along the National Historic Trail. In the 1770s, Juan Bautista De Anza led groups of Spanish settlers across the desert from Mexico to San Francisco. During each passage, the Spanish camped below the Overlook in Yuha Wash. (The Historical Marker Database)

At the Overlook, Alexia Williams, Outdoor Recreation Planner with the BLM, spoke on several aspects of wildlife management. She also explored opportunities for biologists in the BLM with the scouts.

Then, Lilly Macaruso touched on how math and planning affect her daily work as a Senior Special Vehicle and Prototype Engineer. Lilly, a competitor in last year’s Rebelle Rally, placed fourth in the most renowned all-female off-road navigation competition in the world.

Fossil Beds

The Girl Scouts’ day finished at the Fossil Beds, where Tread Lightly! arranged for Mayra Martinez, a geologist with the BLM, to educate the group on the geologic history of the area and set everyone out fossil hunting. Then, Nicole Johnson of Rivian talked about the challenges behind designing Human Machine Interfaces and the importance of mentorship.

Education Goes Off-Road

“Tread Lightly! was thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce these Girl Scouts to possible career paths and educate them about the importance of protecting our trails and forests in an outdoor setting. It is critical that we work with younger generations to carry on the ethos of responsible recreation and conservation. We are very grateful to the Bureau of Land Management, local 4×4 clubs, and automotive industry partners for bringing their career insight and passion to these great scouts in-person. Our next event is already in the works and we can’t wait to get more scouts out on the trail!” said Brandon Alvarez, Tread Lightly California Program Manager of the day’s adventure with the Girl Scouts.

We’re excited to hear about the results of the next Girl Scouts trail ride hosted by Tread Lightly! and so many other great off-roading and overlanding brand representatives.