When Girls Get to Be Boy Scouts

Visuals by Paola Chapdelaine

Dr. Song is an OB-GYN and a scout leader. Ms. Chapdelaine has been photographing Troop 163 for more than a year.

When my son, Daniel, was 6 years old, he joined the Cub Scouts, and my husband and I became his den leaders. I watched older scouts mentor younger ones and children develop a particular kind of confidence — not the kind that comes from being praised but the kind that comes from being cold and wet and figuring it out anyway.

At the same time, I was leading my 8-year-old daughter’s Girl........

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