Girl Scouts of the USA
 http://www.girlscouts.org


Contact Information:

420 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10018-2798
Phone: 212-852-8000
Fax: 212-852-6509 or 6510


CENTER DESCRIPTION

Founded in 1912, the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), has long been preparing girls for leadership roles. As the largest voluntary organization for girls in the world, the Girl Scouts are committed to peaking the interest and listening to the voices of millions of girls, as well as the women and men who serve them. The purpose of Girl Scouting is to inspire girls with the highest ideals of character and conduct, so that they may become capable and inspired citizens. Girl Scouting seeks to accomplish this goal through innovative programs that provide girls with opportunities to explore the world's possibilities while having fun with their peers in supportive, all-girl settings.

AREA(S) OF EXPERTISE


RECENT PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES

The Girl Scouts have a program with age appropriate and progressive resources based on four program goals for girls. Every girl who particpates in Girl Scouting benefits from the following four program goals:

  • Developing to her full potential.


  • Relating to others with increasing understanding, skill and respect.


  • Developing values to guide her actions and to provide the foundation for sound decision-making.


  • Contributing to the improvement of society through the use of her abilities and leadership skills, working in cooperation with others.


    • Below is a sampling of the kinds of newer initiatives that are adjuncts to the core program:

  • Community Service
      • All Girl Scouts are encouraged to perform community service projects. Once girls reach the age of nine, and through the age of 17, they can take on projects of increasing complexity and can receive nationally-recognized awards for their achievements.

  • Cultural, Racial, and Ethnic Diversity
      • Thinking Day. Held annually on February 22, the Girl Scouts celebrates girls and the diverse cultures in which they live by learning more about sister Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from neighboring countries. Girls at every Girl Scout age level engage in many activities that foster respect for others and respect for themselves.
  • Environment
      The Elliot Wildlife Values project is the environmental education unit of the organization. Under its umbrella, a variety of projects take place. Some examples are:

        Linking Girls to the Land. In cooperation with various environmental agencies, Girl Scout Councils plan outdoor recreational activities and environmental education programs, including service projects in natural areas for local Girl Scouts groups.

        EarthPACT (plant and animal conservation team) supports partnerships between Girl Scout councils and local environmental education, nature, or science-related institutions to involve girls in field conservation activities and provide career exporation activities.

        From Sidewalks to Treetops- Neighborhood Environmental Exploration workshops in Spanish and English teach council staff and administrative volunteers how to use the streets of their own communities as outdoor learning centers for girls. The workshop is also available as a training video in English and Spanish for leaders.

        As part of a collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, young adults are provided with ongoing ocean science and exploration experience, including working in the field with scientists, designing projects to continue at home, and an e-mentoring project between girls and NOAA ocean scientists.

  • Financial Literacy


    • A curriculum that promotes financial iteracy, an e-learning web site, and grants for locally-administered projects have been launched to teach girls the skills they need to become fiscally responsible.

  • Girls and Adolescents
      • The Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) is a center for research and public policy information on the healthy development of girls as they mature toward adulthood. The GSRI, through synthesis of original research and existing material, is building a body of knowledge on girls and key issues affecting them and encourages practical use of the information by policy makers, educators, youth-serving organizations, volunteers, parents, and girls. Girl Scouts has completed a national research study focused on girls ages 11-17 and, based on this research, has designed new ways for girls in this age range to participate in Girl Scout activities. With a new line of resources and new opportunities to connect with other girls and adults, this project gives girls the benefits of belonging to a larger youth organization while individualizing the program to suit specific needs and interests.


  • Grants/Scholarships
      • The Juliette Low World Friendship Fund (JLWFF). Named in honor of the founder of the Girl Scouts, this fund fosters foreign exchange programs, special projects to fight illiteracy, hunger, and disease (often in cooperation with the United Nations), and provides aid for any Girl Scouts or Girl Guides worldwide abated by natural disaster.
  • Health -- Sports and Fitness
      • GirlSports 2000. Initiated to encourage healthy living, GirlSports creates opportunities for girls to engage in various sporting events and to cooperate with others to develop leadership and healthy living habits. National participating organizations include the Ladies Professional Golf Association, American Youth Soccer Organization, Amateur Softball Association/USA Softball, US Swimming, United States Tennis Association, USA Volleyball, Women's National Basketball Association, Women's Sports Foundation, and the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sport.
  • Literacy
      • Follow the Reader, a Girl Scout/White House Family Reading Project, is a series of activity books in Spanish and English that girls and families use together to explore the world of reading. Local community projects based on the activity books extend the scope of this initiative.
  • Mentoring


      • The Mentoring Girls Project, made possible by the Metropolitan Life Foundation, is specially designed to link adults with girls between 11 and 17 years of age.
  • Science and Technology
      • The Intel Fair Play Camp Initiative provides project mentoring, career exploration, and assistance with science fair projects to girls at sites across the country.

      The Lockheed Martin Science Career Exploration Fund gives girls and young adults experiences in science, ranging from space journey simulations to paleontologist digs.

      GirlFACTS (Girls, Families, and Communities Together in Science) encourages girls' interest in science by involving their families as well.
  • Violence Against Girls
      • Project Anti-Violence Education (PAVE the WAY). A major federally funded project for Girl Scouts to work with local communities on prevention and intervention to stem the tide of violence in children's lives on both a personal and community level. The project was started in Missouri, and extensive national development is planned to end the current trend of the violent victimization of youth.


    PUBLICATIONS

    The Girl Scout Research Institute produces original research studies, research reviews,and outcome measurement guides focused on issues for girls ages 5-17. For the latest information on these publications, see the GSRI (www.girlscouts.org/about/ResearchInstitute/GSRIMain.htm).

    Other publications of interest include:
      Girl Power! With the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Girl Scouts offer constructive resource guides for 9-14 year olds and the adults who most influence them. These guides promote creative problem-solving techniques and practical communication strategies in order to influence positive and healthy decision-making (1998).

      Just for Girls Web Pages (jfg.girlscouts.org). Receiving awards for excellence of content, these pages include the extremely popular "Ask Doctor M" column, in which girls can ask questions about their concerns and hear from both a developmental psychologist and her daughter. The web site also contains information on Girl Scouting, updated activities for girls, links to the Girl Scout Virtual Museum, badge work, and profiles of high-achieving contemporary career women.
  • Videos: