Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians honored education champion Dr. Edna Varner at the 2025 Trefoil Society Luncheon, an annual event recognizing a distinguished woman in each region who exemplifies the spirit of Girl Scouting. The luncheon celebrating Varner was held at Waterhouse Pavilion in Chattanooga on October 28, 2025.
A Chattanooga native, Varner was the first in her family to attend college and has continued to support educational achievements throughout her career as an educator, administrator and advocate.
“We encourage Girl Scouts to pursue meaningful ways to contribute to their communities and Dr. Varner is a great example of a leader who has made a real difference,” said Lynne Fugate, CEO of the Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians (GSCSA). “We’re pleased to pay tribute to a public servant whose efforts continue to support education, fine arts and affordable housing in Tennessee and North Georgia.”
Varner has served in education for more than 30 years. She was a founding faculty member for the Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences and retired as principal of The Howard School. She continues to serve as a teacher coach and senior advisor for the Public Education Foundation.
Varner remains active in public service. She serves as board secretary for Chattanooga Girl Leadership Academy and Chattanooga Prep, board treasurer for ArtsBuild and education chair for the NAACP. She is president of the Chattanooga Rotary Club and serves as a board member for the UC Foundation, the Sports Authority, as well as a commissioner and vice chair of the Chattanooga Housing Authority.
The Trefoil Society luncheons are named after the trefoil-shaped pin that Girl Scouts receive to symbolize the acceptance of ethical leadership values and are held in the council’s Appalachian Highlands, East Tennessee and Tennessee Valley & North Georgia regions each year. Anna Catherine Critchfield, a 2025 Gold Award Girl Scout, spoke at the luncheon about how Girl Scouts impacted her life.