March 12th will commemorate National Girl Scout Day. this is the day in 1912 when the first eighteen girls were registered in the Girl Scout Organization in Savannah, Georgia. This was the first step taken for the organization of Girl Scouts in empowering young girls through friendship, fun and skill building. Since that date, the Girl Scouts have grown substantially into an organization that currently has 2.8 million members!
The Girl Scouts Mission is to build girls of courage, confidence and character who strive to make the world a better place. Girl Scouts provides this for our children by enriching experiences, skill building, field trips, camping expeditions, cultural experiences, community service and environmental projects. Through these experiences, young girls and women will develop confidence, leadership, respect and understanding of others around them.
What are the Girl Scouts?
The Girl Scouts are open to young girls from grade K to twelve (older women can join as an adult member). Girls would join a local troop in their community and be a part of the national Girl Scouts.
The Girl Scouts are broken down into:
- Girl Scout Daisy (Grade K-1)
- Girl Scout Brownie (Grade 2-3)
- Girl Scout Junior (Grade 4-5)
- Girl Scout Cadette (Grade 6-8)
- Girl Scout Senior (Grade 9-10)
- Girl Scout Ambassador (Grade 11-12)
Becoming A Part of an International Community
When you join the Girl Scouts you become a member of an international community. This worldwide family includes 10 million girls in 145 countries! Pretty amazing, right?! The international community operates out of four world centres in Switzerland, England, Mexico and India. As a member of this community, girls are invited and encouraged to apply to international events and opportunities in these centres.
I was a member of the Girl Guides of Canada and being a member of this international organization is exactly like being part of a family. You are instantly connected and learn about your fellow members all over the world. I was able to experience the Canadian Mosaic in Alberta several years ago. It was definitely an experience to remember! I was able to meet other young Girl Scouts from around the world (Australia, United States, England and more!) and I am still in contact with many of them to this date!
Why This Matters
Young girls are under constant pressure to perform to a high standard, look and act in a certain manner. The Girl Scouts gives young girls a safe environment to grow in confidence and leadership. Girls are encouraged to participate in community events, complete badges but are never forced or made to feel negative about how much they participate.
Interested in joining? Check out the Girl Scouts website!
Were you a member of the Girl Scouts? Do you have a fond memory of your years in Scouting?
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