Photos: The Girl Scouts of Troop 19785

Chrystal Singleton, Edith Moreno, Mahogani Joseph and Ashley Osegueda, members of Girl Scout troop 19785, attend a meeting in Watts.  (Christina House / For The Times)

Troop leader Judith Jackson leads Scouts in reciting the Girl Scout promise and laws.  (Christina House / For The Times)

LAPD officers James Kelly, left, and Jesse Ruiz work with the troop. The troop is a partnership between the L.A. housing authority, Grape Street Elementary and the LAPD.  (Christina House / For The Times)

Fifth-graders Libby Garcia, left, and Zenyi Corrales call roll at the start of the Girl Scout troop meeting.  (Christina House / For The Times)

The troop instills pride in girls and offers one of the few activities in the neighborhood geared toward women.  (Christina House / For The Times)

LAPD officer Jesse Ruiz, a driving force behind the troop, looks in on a class at Grape Street Elementary. Scouting “just allows them to be kids, just an everyday kid,” he says.   (Christina House / For The Times)

LAPD Officer Jesse Ruiz, right, chats with Grape Street Elementary School Principal Jera Turner. Turner wants students to have the same kind of empowering experiences in scouting as she had as a child.  (Christina House / For The Times)

Fourth-grader Nakila Hubbard, 11, center, fourth-grader Ladiamond Frison, 9, left, and fifth-grader N’dya Wilson play a game on the school playground after class.  (Christina House / For The Times)

Amy Piox, 6, left, Edith Moreno, 5, and Chrystal Singleton, 5, hold hands in the playground after a Girl Scout meeting.  (Christina House / For The Times)