Girl Scouts around the USA just celebrated a very special day. March 12th was Founder’s Day. This day honors Juliette Gordon Low. She started the Girl Scouts way back in 1912. Her big idea changed girls’ lives forever. The Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York (GSNENY) celebrated this event. They looked at how much Girl Scouts helps girls today. You can be part of this amazing journey too!
Juliette Gordon Low’s Big Idea
Juliette Gordon Low had a dream. She wanted to help girls grow. She felt girls needed more than just old ways. Girls should learn many new skills. They should be strong and smart.
She gathered 18 girls in Savannah, Georgia. This was the very first Girl Scout troop. That was 112 years ago! This simple start grew into a huge movement. It now helps millions of girls.
Amanda King leads the Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York. She is their CEO. King says Low wanted to make girls strong. “She wanted to create an organization that would empower girls,” King shared. This meant helping girls feel powerful.
Low wanted girls to use their voices. She wanted them to speak up. They should make a difference in their towns. This was her main goal for every Girl Scout. Are you using your voice?
How Girl Scouts Helps Girls Grow
Being a Girl Scout means learning so much. It is about building important life skills. Girls learn to be brave. They gain confidence. They also build good character. Amanda King shared these key ideas. She said, “It’s about having courage, confidence, and character.”
Girl Scouts also helps girls make the world better. “It’s about making the world a better place,” King added. Girls learn how to help others. They do many good things for their communities. What good things can you do?
Local Girl Scouts shared their stories. Kaela is one Girl Scout. She loves being part of the group. Kaela told WNYT News about her experience. She has made many new friends. It is a fun way to meet people.
Being a Girl Scout also taught Kaela how to lead. “It’s helped me learn how to be a leader,” she said. She learned to solve problems too. “It’s taught me how to problem solve,” Kaela explained. Setting goals is also a big part of it. “We always talk about setting goals,” she said. This helps girls plan for the future.
Chloe is another Girl Scout. She talked about becoming independent. “It teaches you to be independent,” Chloe stated. She learned to do things on her own. It also taught her to be part of a team. “It also teaches you to be a part of a community,” Chloe added.
Chloe feels she is making a real difference. “You’re making an impact on the world,” she said. This makes her feel good. Girl Scouts gives girls a chance to do this. It helps them see their own power.
Skills You Learn as a Girl Scout
What can you learn in Girl Scouts? A lot! The program covers many exciting areas. Girls get to try new things. They earn badges for their efforts. These badges show what skills they have gained.
- Leadership Skills: Girls learn to lead groups. They learn to speak up. They help make decisions.
- Life Skills: This includes things like managing money. It also means planning events. They learn to take care of themselves.
- Outdoor Skills: Girls go camping and hiking. They learn about nature. They learn to be safe outside.
- STEM Activities: This means Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Girls do fun experiments. They learn about computers and building.
- Financial Literacy: Selling cookies helps girls learn about money. They learn about setting prices. They learn about saving and spending.
- Community Service: Girls help their towns. They clean up parks. They visit people in need. They make a real impact.
These skills help girls in school. They help them later in life too. Girl Scouts prepares girls for many things. It gives them a strong start.
Do you want to learn more about the Girl Scout mission? You can visit the official Girl Scout website to learn about their goals.
Earning Top Awards and Making an Impact
Girl Scouts offers special awards. These awards show a girl’s hard work. They show how much she has achieved. The highest awards are:
| Award Name | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Bronze Award | The first big award for Junior Girl Scouts. Girls work together on a community project. |
| Silver Award | For Cadette Girl Scouts. Girls work alone or in small groups. They find a community issue and try to fix it. |
| Gold Award | The highest award for Girl Scouts. It is for high school girls. They complete a big project. This project makes a lasting change in their community. |
The Gold Award is very special. It shows great leadership. It also shows a deep commitment. Girls who earn it have made a huge difference. They have worked hard for a long time.
These awards teach girls how to lead. They learn to solve big problems. They also learn how to help others. The skills they gain are useful for life.
Celebrating Founder’s Day reminds us of this. It shows us how much good Girl Scouts does. From 1912 until now, the mission is the same. It is all about helping girls grow strong. It helps them become leaders. It helps them make the world a better place. You can be part of this positive change too.
Learn more about how Girl Scouts helps young people develop leadership skills by checking out this Girl Scouts Wikipedia page.
