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Girl Scouts of North East Ohio Announces Grand Opening of the Vivian von Gruenigen, MD STEM Center of Excellence and Daley Family Campus for STEM Innovation
Girl Scouts of North East Ohio (GSNEO) is excited to announce the grand opening of the Vivian von Gruenigen, MD STEM Center of Excellence on the Daley Family Campus for STEM Innovation at Camp Ledgewood in Peninsula, Ohio.
Festivities were hosted by GSNEO Board Chair and STEM Center supporter, Kathy Moock, and included special guests, Bonnie Barczykowski, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) and U.S. Congresswoman Emilia Sykes.
“The STEM Center of Excellence will provide an exciting asset for learning and exploration for Girl Scouts and school children in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District,” said United States Congresswoman Emilia Sykes. “I promised I would help secure federal funding at the groundbreaking for this center, and I am proud to now deliver this resource to invest in our future workforce and the success of young women in our district. I’m proud to have partnered with the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio to get this project started and see it to completion. And the best part is completing this project is actually just the start! Now with the site in place, boundless learning and exploration will take place here.”
This 8,000-square-foot STEM Center offers a wide range of program spaces, including a wet lab, tech workshops, outdoor classrooms, and an observatory for stargazing. A green roof provides an innovative space for studying alternative energy, while the STEM Center’s commitment to sustainable, nature-inspired design reflects the Girl Scouts’ emphasis on environmental stewardship. Since the introduction of new STEM badges in 2017, Girl Scouts has continually enhanced its offerings, ensuring that girls develop critical skills for careers in STEM that this region needs to thrive.
“This is the only Girl Scout camp in the country located in a national park,” said Jane Christyson, CEO of Girl Scouts of North East Ohio. “That is why the theme of the building is ‘making the world a better place through nature inspired design.’ Visitors will come to understand that nature is the best engineer and inventor, and we know they will be inspired to create their own big ideas using STEM technology, showcased in and around the building.
The area’s almost 19,000 Girl Scouts will use this facility and will be joined by girls and boys from all over the region when they visit on field trips. More than 100,000 K-5 students live within a 30-minute drive time of this location, whether in the urban core or rural communities.
The building was designed by SoL/Harris Day Architecture and constructed by the female-owned Regency Construction. It was funded by a number of generous individuals, corporations, foundations, and government donors including The Daley Family Foundation, Kathy and Andy Moock, Dr. Vivian von Gruenigen, FirstEnergy Foundation, KeyBank Foundation, Nordson Corporation Foundation, Parker Hannifin, State of Ohio, TransDigm Group Inc., U.S. Congresswoman Emilia Sykes, The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation, Swagelok & The Lozick Family Foundation, The Sherwin-Williams Company, JobsOhio, and The Timken Company. Over 300 donors supported the project, and the fundraising capital campaign surpassed its goal, raising $8.5 million.
With an $8 million construction budget, this center is an investment in a future workforce. The Girl Scout’s comprehensive program is built on four core program pillars – Life Skills, Entrepreneurship, Outdoors, and STEM – empowering participants with hands-on, age-appropriate experiences in fields like engineering, computer science, robotics, and more. This focus helps build their confidence, competence, and interest in subjects that will shape their futures. This dedicated space is more than just a center – it’s a gateway for a future where youth are not only encouraged to explore STEM, but are fully prepared to lead it. Together, we are cultivating the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and trailblazers.
Camp Ledgewood is open year-round and is located in the village of Peninsula in Summit County, within the boundaries of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The 350-acre camp features low and high ropes courses, zip lines, archery range, hiking trails, amphitheater, observatory, and Lake Loomis for canoeing, kayaking and nature studies. The camp is accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA) and has an average of 3,400 Girl Scout visits each year.
May 05, 2025
