We’re excited to share that, through our partnership with the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida (GSWCF), the new TECO Solar Powered patch program is now available to more than 20,000 Girl Scouts in the West Central Florida troop.

Developed in collaboration with TECO engineers and Girl Scouts youth development experts, the program features a TECO-branded patch and hands-on curriculum designed to teach girls about solar energy and inspire interest in related STEM careers. In early 2024, we successfully piloted the program with Girl Scouts in Community Troops, offering free Girl Scouting to youth who may not have access to a traditional troop setting.

Girl Scouts earning the patch will explore solar energy through hands-on activities like building a solar oven to make S’mores®, creating a sun tracker and mapping solar-powered sites in their communities. They’ll also learn how TECO powers communities with the sun and how the company uses solar energy to help reduce fuel costs while maintaining reliability and resiliency for customers, highlighting solar’s role in a balanced energy future.

This program builds on TECO’s continued support of STEM education, including our role as the 2025 STEMapalooza Innovator Sponsor, which helped bring hands-on science and technology experiences to Girl Scouts across the region.

We anticipate 500 Girl Scouts will participate in the coming year, helping spark curiosity in clean energy and STEM throughout our communities.

This partnership reflects our shared commitment to inspiring the next generation of energy leaders and advancing access to STEM education across the region. We look forward to seeing the impact this program will have in the year ahead.