LIMA — Girl Scouts of Western Ohio and Girl Scouts of the USA have released new badges in science, technology, engineering, math and the outdoors, areas girls are not typically encouraged to explore outside of Girl Scouting.
The badges will debut on the organization’s first digital platform for volunteers.
At a time when 81 percent of American voters think preparing girls for leadership roles should be a national priority, Girl Scouts offers girls opportunities to learn skills and empower themselves with the experiences they need to succeed in life. The Girl Scout Research Institute has released new findings that confirm the outstanding leadership outcomes that Girl Scouts exhibit compared to their non-Girl Scout peers.
Through hands-on and age-appropriate experiences for girls as young as 5, Girl Scouts is both enhancing the important outdoor opportunities the organization is known for and addressing the lack of exposure many girls have to STEM. In fact, Girl Scouts are almost twice as likely as non-Girl Scouts to participate in STEM (60 percent versus 35 percent) and outdoor activities (76 percent versus 43 percent). With the introduction of 23 new badges, which marks the largest programming rollout in almost a decade, Girl Scouts can design robots and racecars, go on environmentally conscious camping trips, write code, collect data in the great outdoors, try their hands at engineering, and so much more. GSUSA created programming with contributions from the STEM-focused Code.org, GoldieBlox, SciStarter, Society of Women Engineers, and WGBH/Design Squad Global, as well as the outdoor-focused Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.
The new Girl Scout programming builds girls’ skills and encourages their interest in STEM and environmental conservation from an early age, increasing their confidence in these areas in an all-girl environment, where they feel comfortable trying new things, taking appropriate risks and learning from failure.
A new report from the Girl Scout Research Institute, The Girl Scout Impact Study, shows that participating in Girl Scouts helps girls develop key leadership skills they need to be successful in life. Compared to their peers, Girl Scouts are more likely than non-Girl Scouts to be leaders because they have confidence in themselves and their abilities (80 percent vs. 68 percent); act ethically and responsibly, and show concern for others (75 percent vs. 59 percent); seek challenges and learn from setbacks (62 percent vs. 42 percent); develop and maintain healthy relationships (60 percent vs. 43 percent); identify and solve problems in their communities (57 percent vs. 28 percent); and take active roles in decision-making (80 percent vs. 51 percent).
Importantly, what girls gain through Girl Scouting positively affects all areas of their lives. For example, Girl Scouts do better than their non-Girl Scout peers in the classroom, earning better grades and aspiring to higher educational attainment, and are more likely to seek careers in STEM, law, and business — industries in which women are underrepresented. And the benefits of Girl Scouting are not exclusive to any particular demographic, which means that no matter where girls live or what their ages or backgrounds, Girl Scouts can help them develop to their full potential and excel in all aspects of life.
The new Girl Scout program elements are now available to more members than ever before via the recently expanded Volunteer Toolkit, Girl Scouts’ first “digital assistant” for troop leaders and parents, allowing them to more easily plan meetings and activities, keep track of important information and, ultimately, make it easier to support amazing experiences for girls. In the toolkit, most Girl Scout programming for girls in grades K-5 is auto-populated so that troop leaders can view activity plans and necessary materials, customize meeting plans, track troop finances and more, all in one place. Further, the instructions that are included throughout make subjects that might otherwise intimidate some volunteers — like STEM — accessible and understandable, so that they can confidently lead troop activities.
“It’s not just what girls learn, it’s how they learn it, in an all-girl, girl-led, collaborative environment,” said Roni Luckenbill, GSWO CEO. “Only Girl Scouts brings the time-tested methods and research-backed programs that speak to the strengths of girl leadership development.”
“At Girl Scouts, we believe there is a wellspring of passion, determination, and courage residing within every girl — and our organization offers a nurturing environment where she can develop skills to unleash her potential,” said GSUSA CEO Sylvia Acevedo. “Data shows Girl Scouts excel in life because of our innovative programming, so we’ve expanded our offerings to include even more engaging, fun and impactful activities for girls of all ages — including Daisies as young as 5. We’ve also simplified the process for volunteers through our online Volunteer Toolkit. Simply put, Girl Scouts is on the cusp of a leadership renaissance for girls, and we’re always looking for more go-getters, innovators, risk-takers and leaders to enhance our ranks.”
Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, create lasting relationships and find dynamic solutions to social issues — all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day and empower themselves for life.
For information, visit www.gswo.org/join.
