Fairfax Station Teen Paddles Through Northern Minnesota

Fairfax Station's Emily Latta was selected by the Girl Scouts to attend North Country Rock-n-Wilderness in northern Minnesota.

She was one of about 15 Girl Scouts who traveled by canoe and portaged through the area of northern Minnesota known as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Quetico Provincial Park in southern Canada. On the trip the participants learned life skills such as small group living, teamwork, paddling skills and how to travel safely in the wilderness. 

“I met Girl Scouts from across the country," said Emily, who is an 8th grader at South County Middle School. "In the wilderness, I found I had strength I never knew I had."

Emily had previously canoed at girl scout camps in Stafford and Quantico during the summer, but had never done anything this huge before. To build arm strength in preparation to carry the 85 pound canoes with team members, she trained using the rowing machines in the South County gym and doing push-ups at home.

“North Country Rock-n-Wilderness is a life changing event for many of the participants," said Paisley Nash-Dooley, former program director for Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin Lakes and Pines Council. "Many girls come back the following summer to participate in a longer trip or to attend our Guide in Training program." 

The destination is one of many trips offered through Girl Scouting around the United States. Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin Lakes and Pines Council has offered this program for the past 18 years and has hosted girls from throughout the world.

North Country Rock-n-Wilderness is open to any girl ages 13-17.  For more information please call (800) 862-0875 or visit www.studio2B.org/escape.

Girl Scouts is an authority on girls’ leadership development. For more information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect or donate to the Girl Scouts Council of the Nation’s Capital visit www.gscnc.org.