Girl Scouts of Connecticut welcome new members

As summer draws to a close and parents and caregivers begin preparing for back to school, Girl Scouts of Connecticut is inviting all girls K-12 to join the fun and Take the Lead like a G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, and Leader). Girl Scouts brings the timetested methods and research-backed programs that speak to the strengths of girl leadership development. Girls and interested adults can learn more about Girl Scouts of Connecticut at its two Kickoff events on Wednesday, Aug. 23, from 6-8 p.m. at the West Side Middle School in Waterbury, and Saturday, Aug 26, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at RHAM High School in Hebron.

The Girl Scout Leadership Experience, a one-of-a-kind, proven leadership development program, pairs girls with strong, caring role models and mentors who prepare them to take the lead from age 5 to 18 and into adulthood.

A new report from the Girl Scout Research Institute, The Girl Scout Impact Study, shows that participating in Girl Scouts helps girls develop key leadership skills they need to be successful in life. Compared to their peers, Girl Scouts are more likely than non–Girl Scouts to be leaders because they:

Have confidence in themselves and their abilities (80% vs. 68%); act ethically and responsibly, and show concern for others (75% vs. 59%); seek challenges and learn from setbacks (62% vs. 42%); develop and maintain healthy relationships (60% vs. 43%); identify and solve problems in their communities (57% vs. 28%); and take an active role in decision making (80% vs. 51%).

Importantly, what girls gain through Girl Scouting positively affects all areas of their lives. For example, Girl Scouts do better than their non–Girl Scout peers in the classroom, earning better grades and aspiring to higher educational attainment, and are more likely to seek careers in STEM, law, and business— industries in which women are underrepresented. And the benefits of Girl Scouting are not exclusive to any particular demographic, which means that no matter where girls live or what their age or background, Girl Scouts can help them develop to their full potential and excel in all aspects of life.

“At Girl Scouts, we are the organization creating— through our skill-building Girl Scout Leadership Experience—the female leadership pipeline and the go-getters, innovators, risk-takers, and leaders of tomorrow,” said Mary Barneby, CEO of Girl Scouts of Connecticut. “Through our fun, exciting, and challenging programs, Girl Scouts not only participate but also take the lead in a range of activities— from kayaking, archery, and camping, to coding, robotics, and financial literacy training (and beyond)!”

Girl Scouts also makes it easier than ever to be a Girl Scout volunteer.

The new Girl Scout program elements are now available to more members than ever before via the recently expanded Volunteer Toolkit, Girl Scouts of Connecticut’s first “digital assistant” for troop leaders and parents, allowing them to more easily plan meetings and activities, keep track of important information, and, ultimately, make it easier to support amazing experiences for girls. In the toolkit, most Girl Scout programming for girls in grades K–5 is auto-populated so that troop leaders can view activity plans and necessary materials; customize meeting plans, track troop finances, and more, all in one place. The instructions that are included throughout make subjects that might otherwise intimidate some volunteers— like STEM—accessible and understandable, so that they can confidently lead troop activities.

To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit gsofct.org.