Friday, March 31, 2023

A Note of Thanks from GSUSA CEO Bonnie Barczykowski to Girl Scout Volunteers



Hello, Girl Scouts, and happy Volunteer Appreciation Month!

As we enjoy the change of season and the new beginnings it brings, I wanted to tell you about another new beginning: my name is Bonnie Barczykowski, and I am the new CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA.

I am honored and humbled to take on this role after spending the last ten years as the CEO of Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri. It is a privilege to provide girls opportunities to explore their worlds, develop skills, and make important connections and friendships that will last a lifetime.

I saw firsthand the tremendous impact of our volunteers. This is why Volunteer Appreciation Month is so important—it’s a time to honor, celebrate, and salute the dedicated volunteers who bring the Girl Scout experience to life for Girl Scouts in communities across the country and the world. They serve as inspirational role models and mentors—championing, challenging, encouraging, and inspiring Girl Scouts to set and achieve new goals, form lasting bonds of friendship, and become courageous and confident leaders of today and tomorrow.

Our volunteers lead incredibly busy lives, and we are so grateful for the commitment they make and the passion they bring to helping the Girl Scouts they serve be their best selves.

During the last few years, Girl Scouts have also experienced more anxiety and mental health challenges in their day-to-day lives. Volunteers have created an invaluable space for them, and we know that Girl Scouts feel the impact of volunteers—because they’ve told us so! In a survey of our girl members:
  • 90% say they feel like they can be themselves in Girl Scouts.
  • 94% say they feel safe in Girl Scouts.
  • 63% say they get to do things that they cannot do in other places.
  • 90% say their troop leader cares about them as a person.
  • 65% say they are a leader in more activities because of their experience with Girl Scouts.
On behalf of the entire Girl Scout Movement, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the troop leaders, service unit volunteers, delegates, outdoor trainers, troop cookie managers, chaperones, parent helpers, and the many others who choose to volunteer with Girl Scouts. They are making a huge difference in girls’ lives and helping build the next generation of exceptional leaders and change-makers.

Happy Volunteer Appreciation Month! Please enjoy some of our favorite volunteer moments, and stay tuned for exciting ways to celebrate the special volunteers in your life throughout the month of April!

Yours in Girl Scouting,
Bonnie Barczykowski
Chief Executive Officer
Girl Scouts of the USA
Friday, March 10, 2023

Get inspired by Girl Scouts making history in their communities!

Women’s History Month is celebrated each March to honor the achievements of women who have made the world a better place for everyone. The trailblazers, groundbreakers, and icons of the past are truly inspiring, but what about the go-getters who are sparking real change in their communities right now? This year, we’re all about celebrating HERstory in the making: Girl Scouts who aren’t asking for permission and are actively improving their communities—and the world—one good deed at a time.


Thanks to Girl Scouts Avery, Ella, Maggie, and Virginia, local students can feel more confident and comfortable as they get dressed for school each day. After extensive research, the Girl Scouts worked together to propose revisions to the school district’s dress code to be more equitable to all students, including changes on how skirt and dress hemlines should be measured. Their petition received over 1,000 signatures and support from the school board to adopt their changes in January 2023.
In true “prepared for anything” fashion, Girl Scout Troop 60601 knew a certain member of the family was left out in the storm when it came to hurricane prep in their community. For their Girl Scout Silver Award, the troop motioned their state government to include pet supplies on tax-exempt hurricane sales. They presented their educational brochures and a petition signed by members of their community to legislators at their state capitol.


Girl Scout Troop 82394 proves there’s no age minimum to start making the world a better place. When they heard about the impact pesticides were having on local wildlife, the troop of Girl Scout Juniors connected with their state representative to bring awareness to the issue as they worked toward their Girl Scout Bronze Award.


Girl Scouts Ava and Jillian know that students need menstrual support in public schools—period. They’re working directly with the California State Majority Leader to introduce legislation to expand the Menstrual Equity for All Act of 2021, which has now been renamed the Girl Scout Period Equity Act. The Girl Scouts have been gathering photos, videos, and letters to support legislation that aims to ensure public schools serving grades three through 12 provide free menstrual products to students. This change is prompted by recent studies from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services indicating a trend in earlier onset of menstruation than previously documented, especially among Latina and Black participants as well as students in lower income communities.

Girl Scout Andrea also dedicated her Gold Award project, Code Red, to increasing period equity in her community. In addition to her virtual education workshops and drive-through hygiene product donations, she also collaborated with local legislators and gave a testimony to state representatives advocating to make menstrual products tax-free in Texas. 
@girlscouts Drop a 👏 in the comments for this STELLAR #gsGoldAward ♬ smiles & sunsets - ultmt.
As they champion causes they care about in their communities, Girl Scouts continue to be instrumental in provoking historic change to fit their vision for a better world. Feeling inspired? Explore more HERstory in the making by checking out other Take Action projects through Girl Scouts Highest Awards.
Monday, March 6, 2023

Celebrate Girl Scout Week: 7 Days of Awesome




Whether you’re a Girl Scout alum, a current member, a dedicated volunteer, or you simply have an extraordinary Girl Scout in your life, you’re an important part of the Girl Scout family. And you know what families do together? Celebrate!

Girl Scout Week is something to celebrate—seven straight days to show off your Girl Scout pride and lift up all that this worldwide sisterhood has given you, your community, and the world. Join us in treating each day from Sunday, March 12, through Saturday, March 18, as a day of action focused on a powerful yet simple way to get involved.


Sunday, March 12: Girl Scout Sunday

It’s Girl Scouts’ 111th birthday! Honor the Girl Scout Movement by sharing on social media an issue you’re passionate about and what you’re doing to make a difference. You’ve got this, Girl Scout!

Monday, March 13: Make New Friends

Spread the Girl Scout love with those closest to you! Share tokens of appreciation by making items like SWAPS or share the Girl Scout legacy and get new friends to join the sisterhood.

Tuesday, March 14: Take Action

Girl Scouts know how to give back to their communities and make the world better by taking action! Whether it's working on a Democracy badge or earning your Highest Awards, the opportunities to improve the world are endless.

Wednesday, March 15: Get Outdoors

Getting outside is an essential piece of the Girl Scout experience. There’s no better way to celebrate Girl Scout Week than with exploration and adventure! Check out programs like the Girl Scout Tree Promise to get started!

Thursday, March 16: #ThrowbackThursday

Girl Scout Week is a great time to reflect back on all of the things you have accomplished so far as a Girl Scout—and all of the amazing friends you have made along the way! Tag us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook and make sure to use #BecauseofGirlScouts and #GirlScoutWeek2023 when posting.

Friday, March 17: Girl Scout Jummah

Girl Scout Jummah celebrates the powerful ties between Girl Scouting and faith. On this day, Girl Scouts across the country will honor those shared beliefs as they pledge to serve God and others.

Friday, March 17–Saturday, March 18: Girl Scout Sabbath/Shabbat

Besides reflecting on your beliefs and how they’re echoed in the Girl Scout Law, we urge you to take some time on this Girl Scout Sabbath to learn something new about someone else’s faith. 


So, are you with us? Ready to go green and shout your Girl Scout love from the rooftops? Follow along on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more fun all week long.
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Friday, March 3, 2023

What do Girl Scout Daisies do?

Did you know that Daisy troops can grow year-round? You don’t have to wait for a new school year to start your Girl Scout journey! In fact, many new Daisy Girl Scout troops sprout up in the winter or spring instead of the fall—that means it’s never too late to get started.

The first thing to know about Girl Scout Daisies: Making the world a better place has no age minimum! As the youngest Girl Scouts, Daisies have endless possibilities ahead of them as they begin the journey to courage, confidence, and character that is the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

New friends, outdoor adventures, exciting discoveries, and delicious cookies are just the beginning when you join Girl Scouts as a Daisy. With so much to see and do, the best way to grow is one petal at a time.

If you’ve ever seen a Daisy in the wild, you may have noticed a colorful flower on the front of their bright blue uniform. What you may not know is that Girl Scout Daisies earn those petals by learning each part of the Girl Scout Law and applying it to their world.



Each petal represents a new skill or adventure for Girl Scout Daisies to explore together, like learning how to be honest and fair from local female athletes or being considerate and caring as they clean up their communities. As they earn each petal, Daisies discover more about themselves and each other as their troop reaches new heights together.
  

Along the way, the spark of new friendships inspires Daisies to be curious about their world as they learn how they can make it a better place. From learning about inclusivity and celebrating Juneteenth to the iconic bond created by classic friendship bracelets, Girl Scout troop friendships are like none other.
 

As they build courage, confidence, and character, Daisies learn about accountability and the importance of their words and actions. Girl Scout Madison definitely knows what she brings to the table! Shop her Daisy style and explore the full official apparel line here!
 

No matter which petal you begin with, the memories you make with your growing Daisy will plant the seeds for an exciting journey with Girl Scouts. Ready to get started? Join today!


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