Lehighton Girl Scouts celebrated Girl Scouting's 100th reunion by hosting a 100th Anniversary Alumnae Tea Sunday at Zion United Church of Christ.

Kathy Hosler, service unit manager, welcomed the Girl Scouts and the former and present leaders to the event, which focused on remembering the good times they have shared.Carla Hickey, director of Community Partnerships, North Team, was the keynote speaker. She presented a PowerPoint presentation on the 100 years of leadership development.After sharing the development of Girl Scouting in the United States by Juliette Gordon Low, Hickey spoke of the high points of development in 10 to 15 year increments. The program, which started March 12, 1912, has grown worldwide and includes girls from every country, religion, color and focus.Currently, the local council has 41,000 girls and 15,000 adults.Low was a daughter of a Confederate general and actually met Sir Robert Baden-Powell, who founded Boy Scouts in 1907. Low recruited orphans and wealthy, mixed religions to join Girl Scouting.Presently there are six levels of Scouting to accommodate girls along their journey of growing from a Daisy at kindergarten level to Ambassador, which is a girl in her senior year of high school.Hickey said during World War II, Girl Scouts logged 15 million hours for the war effort. She also noted that in 1964, there were three million girls enrolled in Girl Scouting, which has never again reached that pinnacle.She also noted that in the 1970s, Girl Scouting focused on the environment and on teaching girls career exploration, while the 1980s focused on contemporary issues. She added that 2012 is the Year of the Girl.Following Hickey's presentation, Hosler offered photos and comments of Girl Scouting in Lehighton. She said that the Women's Club of Lehighton sponsored the first Girl Scout Troop in Lehighton in 1915. In July of 1917, the Girl Scout Council became the fifth chartered council in the United States.Lehighton became part of Great Valley Council in 1961 and in May 2007, it became part of Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania.Following the programs, leaders were served tea and a light luncheon by members of Girl Scout Senior Troop 3802. The tea sandwiches were prepared by Brownie Troop 3862.