U.S.
Senator Charles E. Schumer, alongside Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) CEO Anna
Maria Chávez, leaders from New York’s seven Girl Scout councils, and Girl Scout
Gold Award recipients from throughout New York, today kicked off a year-long
celebration of the centennial of the Girl Scout Gold Award.
Throughout
2016, Girl Scouts across the country are inviting alumnae and supporters to join
them in “Celebrating 100 Years of Changing the World” by highlighting girls and
women who have received the Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can
earn. The Gold Award centennial recognizes a century of girls whose service
projects have created meaningful, sustainable change in their communities and
around the world. Schumer, who has been working to bring attention and applause
to New York-based organizations that have helped boost New York’s economy,
joined GSUSA in celebrating the many Girl Scout Gold Award recipients who have
positively impacted New York and the country with their creative, substantive,
and sustainable “Take Action” projects.
Similar
to attaining the Eagle Scout rank, earning the Girl Scout Gold Award is a
powerful and transformative experience that speaks to the commitment of the
girls who work tirelessly to receive it. According to the Girl Scout Research
Institute, Gold Award recipients receive greater lifetime benefits than their
peers, reporting a more positive sense of self; more leadership experience; and
greater life satisfaction, life success, community service commitment, and
civic engagement—thanks to their Girl Scout experience, including earning their
Gold Award.
Additionally, in March, both the U.S. Senate and House introduced a congressional resolution honoring Girl Scouts and 100 years of the Gold Award. Schumer was an original cosponsor of the resolution. In April, the Senate unanimously passed the resolution.
As
further background, Girl Scouts has nearly 60 million living alumnae—many of
today’s most powerful women in business, government, the arts, and beyond,
including 75 percent of women in the United States Senate, who can trace their
success back to their experience as Girl Scouts. Since 1916, Girl Scouts have
been earning their Gold Award and discovering their passions, connecting with
others to solve community problems, and making the world a better place. Girl
Scout councils across the country will be hosting events in their communities
to celebrate 100 years of the Gold Award throughout 2016.