Welcome to “On the Road with Anna,” in which we continue following Girl Scouts of the USA CEO Anna Maria Chávez as she travels the country meeting the girls, volunteers, and council teams that help make Girl Scouts such a powerful force for change.
I
returned this week from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where I had a
fantastic visit with girls and volunteers from Girl Scouts of Eastern
Massachusetts.
The
best part of traveling is having the opportunity to meet the girls of our
Movement and see firsthand the impact our work is having on their lives. On
Thursday, I got to meet girls who participate in the FaB Factor program at the
Dudley School in Roxbury.
FaB
Factor encourages girls to discover their inner fabulousness in finance,
fitness, leadership, and STEM. I had a chance to talk with Girl Scouts Tatyhana
and Amaryllis, who shared their experiences learning new STEM skills and talked
about the opportunities Girl Scouts has given them to try new things and take
up leadership positions.
I
also met with some of the amazing council volunteers who serve as curators of
their council museum. These incredible women are the keepers of the history and
legacy of Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, and their passion for Girl
Scouts, and their commitment to our Movement and the girls of their council, really
shine through.
“I
have the opportunity to be in the community with the girls, addressing and
staying contemporary with their needs, and really making a difference in their
lives,” said Laure Donkin, a GSEM staffer. Another GSEM staffer and volunteer
troop leader, Toni Dixon, said, “I really enjoy the opportunity to see my
daughter grow alongside the other girls in the troop.”
Maybe
most importantly, I got to hear directly from our bosses—a group of teenage
Girl Scouts from the council, who outlined some major goals they have for our
Movement. It’s always great to hear directly from the girls we serve about the
vision they have for their Girl Scout experience!
Check
out the video to see more.
Until
next time…