The “dog days of summer” are definitely upon us. Despite the heat, I hope you are enjoying some of the pleasures summer affords us…family dinners around the grill, sipping tea or lemonade by the pool, family vacations that offer either a peaceful escape or a new and exciting adventure, and so on. Often throughout this time of year, we find ourselves being more reflective as we watch a glorious sunset, listen to the birds sing in our backyard, or sway back and forth on our front porch swing. As you’re reflecting on your life, your family, or how quickly your children are growing up, I hope you’ll also join me in reflecting on the many benefits girls reap through their participation in Girl Scouts.
Thanks to the information gleaned through the Girl Scout Research Institute, we are learning more and more about the life-long skills and abilities girls gain through Girl Scouting. I’d like to share a few documented statistics with you:
For girls who stay in Girl Scouting five years or more: ·
90% will not feel pressured to drink alcohol. ·
96% will avoid drugs.
98% will not experience a teen pregnancy.
Girls have a unique definition of leadership that emphasizes developing personal strength and interpersonal skills. Girl Scouts are more likely than other girls to think they have a high chance of becoming President of the United States (55% of Girl Scouts versus 35% of non-Girl Scouts). Nationwide, about 10% of girls are Girl Scouts.
But a full 80% of women business owners and 68% of women in Congress were Girl Scouts.The last 3 three Secretaries of State were Girl Scouts: Madeline Albright, Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton.
92% of female astronauts were Girl Scouts, and every woman who has flown in space was a Girl Scout.
Obviously, girls gain life-long and life-changing skills through Girl Scouting that will guide them their entire lives.
I want to leave you with one last thought to ponder…
Imagine a new generation of leaders:
Who lead in a new way
Who lead out of principle rather than pride
Who care what leadership is for, more than who it’s for
Who step across barriers of class and race every day
Who seek out the work that needs doing in the world
And bring boundless energy to every challenge.
They are today’s Girl Scouts.