Today's Washington Times features a profile of our new Chief Marketing Officer, Laurel Richie and her mission of making Girl Scouts a more relevant brand for today's girls.
Please read it and let us know what you think!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Washington Times Covers New Girl Scout CMO
Today's Washington Times features a profile of our new Chief Marketing Officer, Laurel Richie and her mission of making Girl Scouts a more relevant brand for today's girls.
Please read it and let us know what you think!
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19 comments:
This is a good article overall but can anyone tell me why it started talking about feminism and politics? This was supposed to be about the new CMO not the criticism of the Girl Scout organization. Girl Scouts are trying to teach today's girls that they are beautiful, can be self sufficient and can do anything their heart desires. This is what our society needs. Call it feminism all you want, but the world is changing and we need to work hard to prepare the minds of young girls so they can become women of "courage, confidence and character." I believe the Girl Scouts is doing a wonderful job and should keep up the good work!
Glad to hear that "they are doing a good job." Shouldn't that be a "we?"
I too find it a bit divisive to add in the negative responses about Girl Scouting leaning "leftward" away from tradition. It somewhat implies that change is negative, and a new CMO is too? I'm not sure why it was even mentioned. Miss Richie discusses building strong confident young ladies and about gender equality, sure that's the heart of feminism, but in no way does it automatically mean that tradition will be thrown out the wayside. In fact she is very careful to say that the core of Girl Scouts remains the same. If anything being a girl scout offers opportunities to explore traditional gender roles as well as non-traditional. It is providing a well rounded picture of what kind of woman one can become. Allowing the girls to choose a path for themselves. How amazing is that? Very. I love the Girl Scouts and I certainly hope they continue to provide a wholesome outlet for our future generations.
I love Girl Scouts, too. My wife and I and a another mom are co-leaders of our Cadette level troop. I'm still a little worried about the direction Girl Scouts is taking. Sure, the camping and other activities aren't being discarded, but it's always said with an air of toleration instead of promotion.
From the article: "The Girl Scouts will continue its long-standing traditions of camping, hiking and community service, but it also is promoting programs that help build self-esteem and encourage healthy living choices".
This sentence encapsulates the worries of traditionalists like myself. We've always incorporated the self-esteem and healthy living choices into the camping, hiking and community service. You should see the satisfaction my girls have in being able to put up their gigantic tent while some parents are trying to figure out how to get their brand new tents put together. That's self-esteem. Meal planning for camp includes healthy living choices. And campfire talk is a great time to talk about other choices in life.
I do appreciate the attempt to promote the Girl Scouts more. And I'm open to the argument that the girls should be choosing their program. When the awards and advancement start requiring a different type of program, though, I start feeling like my traditional view of Girl Scouts is being denigrated and that they method I'm using to teach girls about their abilities and leadership isn't valued.
I will admit that girls don't like getting stuck in the arts and craft area. When I tell girls about our adventures they perk up with interest. Many of the drop-outs, not due to lack of parental support, are because the girls didn't like doing stuff they thought was boring. I'll spread the word about the new opportunities available, but I'm still going to promote the outdoors more.
This article was but it did say some negative things about the program saying that it is feminism and it leans leftward. Girl Scouts is not pushing a type of political veiw. I am a girl scout and I personally lean right. Girl Scouts is about Leadership, Community Servie, and being Understanding.
The only constant in our lives is change. I LOVE the broader opportunities the program is offering to our girls. I am mom to a 2nd year Cadette and to hear her planning for earning her Gold Award some day and becoming an Ambassador is exciting. She is so busy now with AP classes and extracurricular activities. She loves the "get in where you fit in" feel of the expanding program and I love the retention factor the expanding program will bring about. Our older Girl Scouts are such valuable resources!
I love the "Girls Can Do Anything" direction of Girl Scouting, but I, too, worry about losing the traditional themes we all love. Don't throw out the stories and rituals we have always used in our rush to modernize and stay current. History and traditional values help us stay connected. Something that lasts this long must have value!
My group of 11 Ambassadors has weathered the changes over these transitional years, but they see some of the changes and additions as "trendy" and mushy, not very solid. If we are truly "girl led" then we have to listen to what they care about. Change just to change isn't good.
The new "ideas" that they are promoting is what we have always done. Our programming has always been girl led. Weh ave always attempted to build self esteem. I have looked through the "journey books" and to me they are similiar to the studio 2b books that were a failure. There is nothing wrong with trying to get these going but keep the tradition side also. I feel like GSUSA is so concerned of numbers that they are slighting the girls who have been in girlscouts while trying to reach out to new girls. They need to be concerned about both.
I completely agree with joshua r. godinez' remarks. I am further concerned that the emphasis seems to be on business or career leadership. Even the leader uniforms are business attire. There are those who will become leaders in other areas of their lives. I will never abandon Girl Scouts, but I believe many of those leadership skills are very well taught with outdoor learning opportunities. The claim is that girls aren't being taught business leadership skills, or math and science. However, it's interesting to note that Boy Scouts does not push a business model....they teach leadership skills in the traditional way they always have, emphasizing confidence building with outdoor skills, and even today, everyone knows what an Eagle Scout is. And don't forget, there are a HUGE number of Girl Scout volunteers and leaders who are stay-at-home moms. Don't alienate them by suggesting that leadership means business or even career leadership. They are leaders in their homes and communities. I want to see our CEOs both at national and council level not just giving lip service to "we still camp". I'd like to SEE them camping in a PSA. I'd like to see them give us a uniform that works both in a indoor meeting setting AND in the outdoors (and I don't mean the casual sweats that they've created) One uniform, all purpose, that we can be proud of and the girls look up to us in it. I want these girls to see we can do anything. We can be in a boardroom and we can hike the Appalachians. I do understand not making it all about the cookies and crafts...but let's add some emphasis on outdoors and high adventure! Let's not lose our older girls to Venture crews!
We don't get the Wahinton Post.I from NY.
I have to agree with the pro-camping comments already posted. As a mother of a 14-year-old Boy Scout and 11- and 8-year-old Girl Scouts, I've seen the excitement, learning and confidence generated by camping. My 11-year-old daughter cannot wait until she's old enough to join a Venturing Crew so that she can do more outdoor, high adventure events. As for those who doubt the benefits in 2008 of camping, think about this: to prepare for a weekend of tent camping, girls need to decide upon a menu, budget and purchase the items, safely store and prepare them, then clean up and repack; plan for activities, lead the activities, help younger or less physically able girls complete them, and evaluate whether to do them again and in what format; pack first aid, toiletries, clothes and equipment; and know how to properly use that equipment. If that doesn't teach valuable and applicable life skills, I don't know what does. And those outdoor, "roughing it" skills do come in handy. Here in Texas, people have been without electricity for anywhere from hours to weeks, thanks to Hurricane Ike. Able-bodied folks who know how to camp can more easily weather a few hours or even a few days without power. (obviously, those with special health needs are in a different category) In addition, for an example of a woman equally comfortable in the board room, the outdoors and the kids' room, look at Sarah Palin. I think she could attest to the value of the outdoors in childrens' lives. I hope the day never comes when GSUSA pulls the plug on its outdoor components.
I've been a leader of a brownie for just over a year now with no previous girl scout experience. I'm a married mother of two and a stay-at-home mom. I've been trained to use the journey books and trained to promote girl-led activities. I don't have the feeling that the "typical" scouting experience of camping and outdoor adventure is being downplayed. Given the opportunity to set their agenda for the semester, our 2nd graders are dying to camp, canoe, hike and do all kinds of outdoor activities. I believe our troop is going to be engaged in the same skill and confidence building activities as scores of girl scouts before them. I suspect that the "old-timers" who are "concerned" about the "left leaning trends" of the GSUSA are reacting more to the marketing campaign (that girl scouts is changing) than to the reality of the core activities that our troops are participating in.
Oh, and by the way, feminists can choose to be stay at home moms.
Wonderful article. The negative comment suggesting a leftward trend was inappropriate and not true.. I believe it is very important to constantly assess the needs and challenges facing our girls today. We can hold on to the outdoor traditions while we address the important issues
facing our girls. I applaud the girl scouts for recognizing the need to change and the courage to make this change. They are heading in the right direction.
I am a relativley new leader, A brownie troop and a Junior Troop...I aslo was a Brownie and A Junior about 30-32 years ago.The changes that have been made in the programing are justified in this day and age,that being said nothing replaces or prepares you for more than outdoor challenges. The girls prefer these activities because many of the people who run the indoor activities don't have a clue as to what the girls want to do or what they enjoy doing.Our girls are smart and intelligent and they have excellent ideas, take the time to really practice Girl-Led and the possibilities are endless!!
I was in Girl Scouts for most of my life. I am a Gold Award recipient, was a Girl Scout camp counselor and a Girl Scout leader. Unfortunately, like many other posts here, I felt the Girl Scout program was losing its traditional focus. They have become so worried about gaining the girls they do not have, that they seem to have forgotton about those that they do.
Personally I, like many others, have moved my troop to the Frontier Girls program. This merit badge based program focuses on patriotism, good character, community service, and yes, leadership. They offer more merit badges than any other porgram I have seen including eclectic choices such as beekeeping, spies, roller coasters, and firearms. Troops are set up to accomodate all ages together and the older girls mentor the younger. My own troop has 30 girls ranging in age from 5-13 and we are now starting our 3rd year. The older girls have so many options, that keeping them involved has been quite easy.
I applaud the Girl Scouts for attempting to stay "relevant" and "contemporary", but millions of girls and their families joined the program because they actually enjoy earning merit badges and going camping. The focus of the program has simply changed too much over the last 5 years or so for many of us. As a homeschooling stay at home mom, who was very successful in the business world, I know better than anyone just how many forms "leadership" can take and Girl Scouts seems to be rather limited in their view.
Why is this the last post on the blog? There was a whole national conference for goodness sake. Hello? Is there anybody in there?
This blog needs to be updated!!!
I have been doing GS with my daughters for the past 12 yrs. At this point I am about done. The changes in the Journey books is purely political. I was stunned to to find them focused on environmental justice, advocacy and the global communtiy.
I did Not join my daughters in GS to be part of an agenda with which I do not agree.
If Girl Scouts wants to know why they are losing participation its because those of us that know what Girl Scouts ORIGINALLY was about know that this is NOT IT!
Amen, amen! I've been involved with GS for many years as a leader and an adult facilitator, taking a large group of girls all the way through high school graduation. Adventure kept them involved . . . they were afraid they'd miss the next white-water rafting trip or rock climbing/rapelling opportunity.
The new Journey focus on things like "environmental justice" is just too far to the left!! Do we have any interest in building future leaders by teaching them to think critically, search for truth, and look at all the "angles" of a position's promoters? Why aren't we presenting them with the huge body of scientific work that debunks the entire power-grabbing, redistributive "climate change" theory instead of making them a part of the movement's missionary force??? The entire "Advocacy" approach seems to be based on "who can we persuade to fix this problem for us?" Government would seem to be the only answer. That doesn't teach self-sufficiency.
I know that GS loathes comparison to BSA, but maybe we should take the position that there are basics of life that don't change and that we need to be promoting a "core curriculum" while still maintaining a Girl-led focus. But, please . . . stop with the surveys of "What Girls Want!!" They've changed their minds before the information packets have reached your server!! They think all this effort to appeal to their whims is laughably patronizing.
GS needs to determine what it is that we stand for.
Now, I've got to go find out about this Frontier Girls program! It sounds like the real deal.
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