Girl Scouts of Rhode Island Inaugurate New Leadership Center

Girl Scouts of the USA CEO Anna Maria Chávez was in New England today to help the Girl Scout Council of Rhode Island cut the ribbon on its new leadership center in Warwick, Rhode Island.

Chávez and Jean McGrane, chief executive officer of the Girl Scout Council of Rhode Island, made an appearance on The Rhode Showon WPRI, the CBS affiliate in Providence, to discuss the new center and how it will serve Girl Scouts from throughout the region. Check it out here!

Centennial Silver Dollar is Great for Gold!

The sales of the 2013 Girl Scouts of the USA Centennial Silver Dollars has been growing steadily for the past few weeks, and coincides with the rising sales of the U.S. Silver Dollar as a whole, as reported by Silver Coins Today. We hope that all active members and alumnae will help GSUSA by purchasing this token of tradition, as a promise to continue the important mission of Girl Scouts. The coin represents the past 100 years, and is a symbol of our continuing commitment to equality and the advancement of young girls across America and the world. Please help us, as we move into another chapter of our already exceptional history.

Across the country, many are using the 2013 Girl Scouts of the USA Centennial Silver Dollar as a gift when a Girl Scout is celebrating a monumental milestone in her life.

In Louisiana, eight Girl Scouts received the coveted Gold Award while attending a pinning ceremony and reception at the Governor’s mansion. The Advocate reports that the girls who received this award were Kathleen Smith and Jordan Etheridge from Baton Rouge; Kristen and Sarah Grego, of Prairieville ; Danielle Blazek, from Gretna; Hannah Gaudet and Caitlin Moroney from Mandeville; and Allison Ducote, of Covington.

The officials presenting these awards were State Rep. Paul Hollis, board First Vice Chairwoman Linda Law Clark, and Louisiana East CEO Jackie Alexander. Included with the Girl Scout Gold Award Pin the honorees were presented with a 2013 Girl Scouts of the USA Centennial silver dollar.

National Council of La Raza to Honor Anna Maria Chávez

Girl Scouts of the USA Chief Executive Officer Anna Maria Chávez will be honored by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) with its Graciela Olivarez La Raza Award at the organization’s annual convention in New Orleans in July.

The Washington, D.C.-based National Council of La Raza is the largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. The award, named in honor of attorney Graciela Olivarez for her commitment to Hispanic women’s rights, is presented each year to an individual or organization that has made significant contributions in promoting the interests of Hispanic Americans.  Olivarez was the first woman to graduate from the University of Notre Dame Law School and later became the highest-ranking Hispanic woman in President Jimmy Carter’s administration. 

Previous honorees include U.S. Ambassador Mari Carmen Aponte, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Maria Otero, undersecretary of state for democracy and global affairs.

Chavez is the recipient of many awards. She is listed among The NonProfit Times’ Power & Influence Top 50, and the 100 Women Leaders in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) by STEMconnector. In 2012, she received the Chairman's Award from the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and earlier this year, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund honored her with its Excellence in Community Service Award.

The 2013 NCLR conference, themed “Rise as One,” features a list of impressive speakers that was unveiled today, including legendary entertainer Rita Moreno, National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial, W.K. Kellogg Foundation President and CEO Sterling Speirn, Telemundo news anchors José Díaz-Balart and María Celeste Arrarás, baseball great Minnie Minoso, and many more.

STEM Workforce Equality: Engaging Girls and Women

Today in Washington D.C., the American Chemical Society Science & the Congress (ACS) and Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) are sponsoring a briefing and panel discussion on STEM Workforce Equality: Engaging Girls and Women.

Honorary co-hosts are Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) will be joined by moderator Madeleine Jacobs, Executive Director, American Chemical Society, who will facilitate a panel  discussion on options to foster youths’—particularly girls’— curiosity and build a future STEM workforce that reflects the national population and helps to deliver prosperity to our communities.  Panelists include Anna Maria Chavez, CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA; Carol Amos, Manager Field Engineering Program, DuPont, Cassandra Alexandra, Gold Award recipient, Girl Scouts of Alaska Council; and Judy Brown, Senior Vice President of Education, Miami Science Museum.  Anne Hogan, CEO, Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay Council, will be attending along with girl scouts from Senator Coons’ state of Delaware.

The topic is of great importance given that a workforce trained in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) drives innovation and a strong economy.  While young people possess a natural excitement for STEM, young women represent a minority of STEM workers.  Panelists will speak to best practices in out-of-school settings to engage and energize girls into STEM interests with a focus on the K-12 age group.

Celebrate This July 4th with A Gift of Girls’ History: 2013 Girl Scouts of the USA Commemorative Silver Dollar

As we look to celebrate America’s Independence Day, share your love of history with a keepsake of one of American’s great organizations—the Girl Scouts of the USA Commemorative Silver Dollar.  For the first time ever, the Girl Scouts has a commemorative coin, one of only two commemorative coin programs from the United States Mint this year, and the first dedicated to a girls’ organization.  It’s a fresh gift idea that both inspires and pays tribute to a piece of history—over 100 years of the premier girls’ leadership organization. President Obama himself signed the legislation authorizing minting of the coin after passage in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

This beautiful coin features three girls of different ages and backgrounds on the heads side, and on the reverse side it shows the Girl Scouts’ 100th Anniversary logo, along with the inscription COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, CHARACTER (from the Girl Scouts mission to “build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place”). See more about the coin at www.fchiase.com.

The Girls Scouts of the USA Centennial Silver Dollar will be available at $55.95 for uncirculated and $59.95 for proof quality. Orders placed prior to 5 p.m. March 29 will receive a special introductory pricing of $50.95 for uncirculated and $54.95 for proof quality.  $4.95 shipping and handling.  Place your order by calling 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468) or order online at www.usmint.gov.

Support the future of Girl Scouts while also giving a piece of history. The Girl Scouts of the USA will receive a $10 surcharge (already included) from your purchase for national program development and delivery.

Jobs@GSUSA- Shonda Prince

Once a month, we show how our readers a behind-the-scenes look at our work here at Girl Scouts' national headquarters. In each profile, we spotlight employees from different departments and the work they do to serve our 3.2 million members. Today, we are looking at Shonda Prince, Manager of Corporate Communications at Girl Scouts of the USA.

Shonda Prince never has a typical day working at GSUSA, and she likes it that way. When she first joined the organization in 2006, she worked as a communications consultant, writing articles to showcase the work we do on behalf of girls. Now, as a communications manager, her work has expanded to include not just writing, but also engaging communities at large in Girl Scouts’ mission.

As part of her job, Shonda writes press releases and develops communications plans for GSUSA events and programs, such as the launch event for Girl Scout University. She also worked closely with GSUSA’s Human Resources department to create the organization’s first-ever booklet on national board and staff diversity, The Architecture of Inclusion, establishing the first-ever section on diversity and inclusion for the corporate website in our organization’s history.  She works on public relations projects, establishing relationships with different external partners to spread the word about Girl Scouting. In addition, she uses writing and public relations to help pull off some of GSUSA’s biggest events. Among other national gatherings, Shonda coordinated and produced the organization’s 2011 Convention and 100th-anniversary kickoff event, the Girls’ World Forum, and several other girl-focused events. To accomplish all of this, Shonda liaises with many GSUSA departments every day, helping to make sure these programs and events are produced seamlessly. Currently, she’s on the team to help plan the 2014 National Council Session/53^rd Convention, to be held in Salt Lake City.

Shonda loves taking an idea and moving it from something that is small and vague to a fully formed program or event. She thrives in a sink-or-swim environment, moving from project to project and mastering the demands of each. Through her work, she hopes to demonstrate to others that a writing background (she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from S.U.NY. College at New Paltz and a Master of Science from New York University) and determination can serve someone in any field. A proud mother of two with a daughter who herself is a Girl Scout, Shonda is driven by the knowledge that all the work she engages in—and every project she helps execute—contributes to the benefit of girls.

A former supervisor once told Shonda that if you’re not taking risks, you’re not doing your job—advice she takes to heart. It’s clear that Shonda dedicates herself fully to everything she does for GSUSA.

This interview was conducted by Elizabeth Venere, who is not only our social media content scout, but also a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient entering her senior year of college this fall. She provides GSUSA with awesome social media content.

Lucy Liu on the Importance of Girl Scouts

Refinery29 has an interview with Lucy Liu that sheds light on the actress’s belief in the power of female mentorship — and in organizations that provide opportunities for growth, like the Girl Scouts. An excerpt:

Tell us about why you're involved with Girl Scouts. We know your goddaughter is a Girl Scout, but what else about the organization makes it personal?

"Today is her birthday! She’s turning nine. She’s doing her bridging ceremony on Friday, so she’s becoming a Girl Scout from a Brownie and changing her vest for her sash, so it’s a really big deal,” says Liu. “I love their work with the community and that they give back, because when you’re that young you’re really learning what it means to share and what it means to give back. I didn’t really learn that until much later, you know after I started working and people started inviting me to go to charity events and dinners for different organizations."

Lucy Liu is an American actress, model, artist, and occasional film producer.

Happy Father's Day Video from Girl Scouts!

Happy Father’s Day from Anna Maria Chávez!

Guest Post: A Message from Anna Maria Chávez

A special message from Anna Maria Chávez, CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA

Today we say thanks to dad, for all the sacrifices he makes and love he imparts everyday to help guide and shape our lives.  Behind so many of the girls in our Movement is a proud father, grandfather, or caretaker, who encourages and inspires her to reach her fullest potential.  His limitless love forms a solid foundation of support which helps girls develop the courage, confidence and character they need to make the world a better place.

Throughout my life, my dad encouraged me to dream big about my future.  He supported my desire to join the Girl Scouts when I was 10 years old, and he guided me on every step of my journey from law school to my current position as CEO of the Girl Scout Movement.  I wouldn’t be where I am today without his love and enthusiasm.  He believed in me, and that helped me believe in myself.

A father represents love and strength, and his wisdom, humor, and kindness informs the person we become.  So take a moment today to thank the man in your own life that supports and champions your dreams.

A very happy Father’s Day to dad’s everywhere!

Alaska Girl Scouts to Tour Hawaii

Congratulations to Girl Scout troop 4026!  As featured in Juneau Empire, the troop, based in  Alaska is off to Kauai, Hawaii on a 10-day field trip that they sponsored themselves.   Four years of hard work has paid off for this group of exceptional girls.

Each year, a portion of the Girl Scout cookie money they earn they get to put aside and decide as a group how they want to use.  After three years of saving, the troop leader Melanie Coleman, and co-leader Tina Strong asked the rest of the troop where they would choose to go with the money had saved. Hawaii was the unanimous answer.

The girls took on many fundraising projects to meet their goal, including bake sales, cookie sales, babysitting and events such as the clean-up at the Chapel by the Lake, litter free trash pickup sponsored by John Logan, CPA, and  helping run the annual overnight field house event to name a few.  They even made and sold their own hand-stitched ski hats, pajama pants and other hand-made products.

The girls will snorkel, explore and hike the surrounding countryside of Kauai, Hawaii, while staying in a villa overlooking Anini Beach. One of their goals is to also meet up with their sister scouts who live on the island.

The adventures don’t stop there however, as the troop plans to travel to Europe and visit the historical sites Pax Lodge in London and Our Chalet in Switzerland, which also serve as two of the Girl Scouts world headquarters. This motivation comes from watching their fellow troop 4009 of Juneau travel to these locations after they graduated High School.

Girl scouts Sierra, Allyson, Janae, Laurel, Ashleigh and Kristen, who are on the trip, are great examples of what wonderful things you can do when you apply the Girl Scout values of strength and perseverance to make your dreams come true!

Girl Scouts Beyond Bars Continues to Enhance Lives

Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains Troop 10065 was featured in a story in the New Hampshire News (NHN) for their participation in Beyond Bars titled Girl Scouts Meet Behind Bars. Interviewing girls from the troop and their mothers, the story focuses on the positive impact that the program has on participants, as they grow closer -- even with the obstacle of incarceration. Girl scouts Alivia and Jade, 12 and 9 respectively, talked to the NHN about their improved relationships. Nicole Mullen, a member of the Green and White Mountain Council, emphasizes the value of peer understanding among the girls through their shared experiences having incarcerated mothers. The article highlights how program activities help the girls and their parents form stronger connections. "The best part so far is being with my mom.  Hanging with my mom. That's my favorite part." says Jade, whose won’t see her mother, possibly for another 35 years. For these girls, it’s as simple as that.

Girl Scouts’ Beyond the Bars program aims to strengthen the bond between mothers and daughters who cannot see each other under normal circumstances, or who require more emotional support than normal prison visitations can provide, with great results for both the adults and the children involved. For more information look here.

Girl Scouts of the USA Partners with the American Red Cross

The Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) and the American Red Cross announced today a new partnership that provides Girl Scouts across the country access to Red Cross training at reduced rates under a nationally standardized agreement. This agreement allows for an easier, more streamlined process of signing up for preparedness courses to help save lives. Councils, who will have an appointed Red Cross representative to work with, can select either full service trainings (e.g. directly) from the Red Cross, or they can choose to have staff trained to work as authorized providers. Training options under the agreement include core trainings such as CPR and First Aid, as well as Water Safety and Rescue, Wilderness and Remote First Aid, Lifeguarding, Babysitting among others.  The trainings are available to both adults and girls, as age appropriate. Girl Scouts love to help others to make the world a better place.  This new partnership provides a national framework to help both adult and girl members better able to provide quality public service to their communities.

Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida Highlighted at Congressional Press Event for STEM Legislation

Johnette Hardiman, Chair of the Board for Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida, Maria D. Tejera, CEO, and Girl Scouts from the local council joined Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL) to announce a federal science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) bill that will be introduced later this month with a focus on girls and underrepresented minorities.

The bill, which is expected to be introduced in Congress in the next several weeks, is a necessary step forward in achieving effective programs to increase the likelihood of more girls having a positive attitude toward STEM fields, and then pursuing a STEM career.

The legislation, developed in partnership with Girl Scouts of the USA, would provide competitive grants to community-based nonprofit organizations to provide after-school and outside-of-school programs that engage the interest of girls and underrepresented minorities grades K-8 in STEM.  Funds can be used to teach students about STEM careers, link students with mentors in the STEM field, provide hands-on project based learning opportunities, enable students to attend STEM events and competitions, and engage parents in their students STEM learning.

Girl Scouts has a long history of engaging girls in STEM activities and encouraging girls to pursue STEM interests both in and outside of the classroom.  In 1913, the first Girl Scout badges in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields – the electrician badge and the flyer badge – were introduced. Today, Girl Scouts continues to encourage girls’ exploration and pursuit of education and careers in STEM to increase their awareness of opportunities in these fields. Girl Scouts’ goal is to have every Girl Scout to explore different aspects of STEM each year by offering girls K-12 the national program which includes the two curriculum resources:  Leadership Journeys and proficiency badges. For a dive into current Girl Scouts STEM offerings, check out Girl Scouts: Changing the World Through STEM.

The bill aligns with findings from Girl Scouts Research Institute’s Generation STEM report that highlights girls are interested in making a difference in the world and need more STEM exposure, education, and experience with the help of key adults in their lives in order to see how STEM fields can achieve their goals now and in the future.

Button Bay State Park Buttons Mystery Solved

Vermont State Parks Blog reports that in 1962, the International Girl Scout Roundup took place in what is now Button Bay State Park in Vergennes. That event celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Girl Scout organization. Over 10,000 Girl Scouts participated.

There is a twist.

“Of course you know that state park rules forbid the removal of any item from the park, including the Button Bay buttons, clay deposits formed over time on the floor of the lake,” according to the article. “The Girl Scout Roundup in 1962 preceded the formation of the park, so the collecting did not break any rules.  However, a box full of buttons arrived recently at State Park headquarters from a Girl Scout in Ohio who has been feeling guilty about the buttons in her possession.”

The returned buttons will become part of a special display in the Button Bay Nature Center celebrating the story of the 1962 Girl Scout Roundup.

Girl Scouts Honored with Two AEP Awards

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) is the proud recipient of two awards from the prestigious Association of Educational Publishers (AEP). Established in 1895, AEP instituted its award programs approximately three decades ago to recognize significant and excellent achievement in supplemental educational products and education marketing.

GSUSA received honors for two educational programs aimed at helping girls develop more confidence in dealing with the situations they will face in life. The programs honored were:

BFF (Be a Friend First), a national bully-prevention initiative for middle school girls. Based on GSUSA's popular aMAZE! leadership curriculum, the program helps girls to recognize and intervene in bullying situations and lead positive change in their schools and communities. BFFwon The Distinguished Achievement Award in the category of "Life Skills and Character Education”.

Financial EmpowermentK-12 Program, which creates financially empowered leaders, won the Beacon Award for "Excellence in Education Marketing". Through Financial Empowerment, girls build skills as they progress through the K−12 curriculum to become knowledgeable, confident, and self-reliant participants in a global economy. Whether a girl is working to earn the Financing My Future badge or the Money Manager badge, she is developing financial savvy, business skills, and innovative thinking.

AEP is the community for anyone interested in high quality educational resources and solutions. Promotion of quality content and increased awareness of its importance in both the education space and to the general public is an important part of the organization’s core purpose. The AEP Awards support this mission by honoring the highest quality products for teachers and learners as well as the best education marketing materials produced each year. Receiving an AEP Award is considered one of the highest, most prestigious honors within the community and represents dedication to education and increasing access to quality materials that will increase knowledge for all.

Zoë, a Girl Scout, Talks About Bullying

Zoë, a Girl Scout Ambassador from Georgia, says that when she was in middle school she thought bullying would never end. But now that she's in high school, she has found ways to move past it, including Girl Scouting.

Girl Scouts of the USA recently launched BFF (Be a Friend First), a national bully-prevention initiative for middle school girls. Based on GSUSA's popular aMAZE! leadership curriculum, the program helps girls to recognize and intervene in bullying situations and lead positive change in their schools and communities. Sadly, statistics show that when a girl is bullied, 85 percent of the time nobody steps in to help her.

Additional research shows girls are more likely to bully others subtly, through relational aggression--manipulating their relationships with other girls online and off--as opposed to using physical aggression. The same studies also show that bullying behavior peaks in middle school, when the need for social acceptance is high, making this a crucial time to help girls learn to prevent bullying.

"Girl Scouts is about growing girls into leaders, which includes teaching girls to recognize when something is inhibiting their development, such as relational bullying," said Anna Maria Chavez, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of the USA. "Giving girls the skills, support, and tools they need to stand up for themselves and others is a key component of leadership. We are creating a program that, with the guidance of adults, can help girls to make their world a better place on an issue that is important to them."

Celebrating Outdoors Week, Girl Scout Style!

Girl Scouts are celebrating the great outdoors this week! Emily Smith, chief marketing officer for Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada, has penned a column for Parents Guide of Las Vegas titled “The Lasting Benefits of Summer Camp”.

In the article, Smith counts down four benefits kids get out of summer camp. From  the Parent’s Guide of Las Vegas:

1. The Road to Independence Camp is a safe place for kids to learn responsibility as they are empowered to take care of themselves. Camp counselors provide structure and guidance, but kids at camp are responsible for getting themselves up and ready for the day, making their beds, keeping track of their personal belongings, and finding their way to and from the dining hall.

2. The Great Outdoors Prevails to Electronic “Time Suckers” Camp is a perfect way to get kids outside and active! With so many inside distractions, it can be hard to pull kids away from their cell phones and Wii’s long enough to see the sun. At camp, kids trade their button pushing and joystick maneuvering for rock climbing, mountain biking, ropes course challenges and more! 

3. There’s a Leader in Every Kid The camp setting is a small community unlike any other. The unfamiliar setting, new people, and shortened time together help kids make friends and bond. As kids make choices and direct projects, their leadership instincts progress. They learn to get along with others and become self-reliant without parents there to save the day. 

4. I Can Do Anything! Camp, the ultimate self-esteem boost For many kids, camp is their first time away from mom, dad, and their extended family. This can be a huge boost to their self-esteem. Summer camp is a place where children can express themselves, discover their own abilities and mature through experiences that challenge them to discover resilience and good decision-making.

In May of this year, Girl Scouts in Nevada rocked Hoover Dam. Rock the Dam celebrated Girl Scouting with the exchange of S.W.A.P.S., a sing-a-long and bridging fun with a walk across Hoover Dam. Check out the Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada’s Facebook Wall for more pictures from Rock the Dam! Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls – all girls – where, in an accepting and nurturing environment, girls build character and life skills for success in the real world.