When you see a Girl Scout selling Thin Mints in your neighborhood, know that there are more than just cookies in the box. Girls who participate in the cookie program are a part of the largest girl-led financial literacy program in the United States.
Girls who run their own cookie business learn goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics. These skills will benefit them throughout their lives. By supporting Girl Scouts, you make an investment in our community and the next generation of female leaders.
Today’s Girl Scouts is about much more than cookies, though. Participants discover the importance of environmental stewardship as they explore the world around them. Girl Scouts gain exposure to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) careers through robotics competitions and mentoring programs with female engineers. They learn to make healthy food choices and embrace behaviors that promote their lifelong physical and emotional well-being.
Most importantly, Girl Scouts help young women develop the courage, confidence and character to be effective advocates for themselves and others. And that multiplies the benefits of the organization in their communities.
This year, nearly 100 “Girl Scout Gold Award” recipients demonstrated extraordinary leadership through the completion of “take action” projects in their communities. These high school-age participants raised funds to combat Alzheimer’s disease by publishing a children’s book; created a multimedia resource database to raise awareness among girls and their teachers about STEM career opportunities, and increased awareness and availability of native trees for planting in Georgia.
Last year, local Girl Scouts of all ages contributed more than 400,000 hours of volunteer service in the 34-county area served by Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta.
While a majority of girls want to be leaders, not all girls have the same opportunities. Girls in our community face challenges that include high rates of poverty, health issues such as obesity and depression, and limited access to community resources that prevent them from making a successful transition to adulthood.
For these girls, Girl Scouting can make a world of difference. More than 93 percent of girls tell us Girl Scouting helped them discover personal strengths and talents and allowed them to do things they would not get to do otherwise. Women who were Girl Scouts attain higher levels of education and earn higher incomes compared to their peers. The benefits last a lifetime and transcend race, ethnicity and socioeconomic class.
This year, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta will provide financial support to more than 6,000 girls who otherwise would not have access to the life-changing experiences Girl Scouts offers. Join me in making girls — and Girl Scouting — a priority in our community. My goal, by 2020, is to provide financial support to at least 20,000 of the girls who need us the most. When our girls succeed, our community succeeds.
Amy Dosik is chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta.
