This Is Me

Your opportunity to create, define and be yourself happens on June 12 at Texas State University. Register now and tell the world "this is me."

Girls' Respect Conference: Registration Special

World travel, social media, health, music, self-respect, college admissions, dating - that's what real high school girls are talking about.

Girl Scouts of Central Texas is proud to announce that on June 12, we're going to talk about all that and more with hundreds of the state's high school girls.

Planned by a committee of high school girls, the Girls' Respect Conference is especially for teenage girls in Texas. It is all about the things they care about, are interested in and need to talk about.

In hands-on workshops, girls will live out the conference's theme of "create, define, be yourself." Each girl will pick her workshops that day, giving her an experience that is as unique as she is. With dozens of options, the conference can be molded to the interests of any and every girl. Parents are also invited to attend and will have a special adult track. Please note, to give everyone the best and most tailored experience, girls and parents will not participate in workshops together.

This week, as an added bonus, the first 100 girls who register will receive a free conference t-shirt. Register now.

Connect with the Girls' Respect Conference

• Check out who else is coming by visiting the Facebook event.
• Follow updates about the conference on Twitter using the tag #GRC10
• Scope out Texas State University as part of your conference experience by staying in the university's dorms on Friday night. Sign up to stay overnight.

-Cheryl Black
GRC Staff Committee

Free t-shirts are limited to the first 100 girls to register during the week of April 19-24.

Self-Confidence: A Barrier to Girl Leadership

Self-confidence is a belief in oneself to be able to achieve goals and objectives. This self-confidence or self-esteem comes from inside each of us. However, many of the individuals I’ve talked with believe self-confidence is the “the greatest single barrier to leadership for girls.” Several studies show that girls' self-esteem and self-confidence tends to decline after about age nine as girls enter puberty.

Timothy Judge, et al. (2002) contends that self-confidence is “an indicator of low neuroticism and is predictive of leadership. [Neuroticism is defined as] representative of the tendency to exhibit poor emotional adjustment and experience negative affects, such as anxiety, insecurity, and hostility” (p. 767). Although there is contention as to whether it is an inherent trait or a learned skill, self-confidence is a vital quality of a leader and this belief is supported by literature, theory and practice.

How can we help girls overcome this barrier and assist them in developing the self-confidence that is within them? Here are a few tips to consider:

1. Provide positive role models
2. Promote a healthy body image
3. Recommend participation in new activities (i.e. hobbies)
4. Support their interests
5. Grant them the opportunity to share in planning and decision-making
6. Actively listen to them
7. Provide a safe environment
8. Teach them to give genuine compliments and receive compliments

Peter Northouse (2004) describes the importance of self-confidence as “a trait that helps an individual be a leader … [by possessing] the ability to be certain about one’s competencies and skills … where one believes that she or he can make a difference and be an influence to others” (p. 19). As a parent of a beautiful young woman, I’m going to do all I can to ensure her self-confidence level is a healthy one. I’m envisioning her making a difference in our world. Join me by doing all you can to aid in developing your daughters, granddaughters, nieces and student’s self-confidence. The success of our world is depending on it.

 -CJ Harris

Carlena "CJ" Harris joined IBM in June 1997 and has held various roles within the IBM Software Group division. She has eight years of experience leading and managing virtual teams. Currently, she is a Global IT Program Manager. She holds degrees from University of Houston (Information Systems Technology, BS) and St. Edward's University (Organizational Leadership & Ethics, MS). CJ volunteers as a motivational speaker and life/career coach. She is also a wife, mother of two, coach, mentor and an aspiring writer.

Girls View Leadership as Taking a Stand

In meeting with Rusine Sinclair, CEO of the North Carolina Girl Scouts Council, she shared with me that she believes young women are concerned about making a difference in the world. They are interested in something that would improve a situation. They are defining those things that are important to them and using the leadership from within to improve things in their world.

This stuck with me and motivated me to learn how many girls actually want to be leaders. According to a nationwide survey, conducted by the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI), they found that thirty-nine percent of girls want to be leaders, and that the desire for leadership is higher among African-American (fifty-three percent), Hispanic (fifty percent) and Asian-American (fifty-nine percent) girls compared to Caucasian girls (thirty-four percent).

Victor Inzunza, author of the press release titled, “Nationwide Study Finds That Girls Aspire to a Different Kind of Leadership,” reported that the data from the survey indicates girls aspire to a different type of leadership, which focuses on personal principles, ethical behavior, and the ability to affect social change. The young women I met from McNeil High School during my research on “Young Women and Leadership” also echoed that they believe leadership for them means taking a stand and making a difference. All of the young women agreed that a leader is a person who is not afraid to step up, blaze a new path for change, and teach individuals.

How inspiring!

 -CJ Harris

Carlena "CJ" Harris joined IBM in June 1997 and has held various roles within the IBM Software Group division. She has eight years of experience leading and managing virtual teams. Currently, she is a Global IT Program Manager. She holds degrees from University of Houston (Information Systems Technology, BS) and St. Edward's University (Organizational Leadership & Ethics, MS). CJ volunteers as a motivational speaker and life/career coach. She is also a wife, mother of two, coach, mentor and an aspiring writer.

Girls Care About Leadership

Girls care about leadership and girls’ definition of leadership changes as they age. By knowing how girls define leadership, we can help guide them in more successful development.

The Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) focus groups revealed that as girls grow and develop new skills and ideas about the world, leading moves from a more singular approach with elementary school age girls (girls lead with action—what I can do) to influencing others at the middle school level (girls lead with voice—how I can impact others). As girls enter high school their ideas about leadership become inner-directed again with an emphasis on confidence (girls lead with vision—who I am as a leader) as they seek to validate their own ideas and become comfortable acting on them (GSRI, 2006, p.19). The GSRI included in their report that there are two major approaches to leadership development in girls’ programming:

• The individual (i.e., “being in charge”) and
• The collective (collaborative activity)

The GSRI report also included research by the Ms. Foundation for Women in regards to the two approaches. The Ms. Foundation for Women (2000) research with girls in community-based organizations (part of the Collaborative Fund for Healthy Girls/Healthy Women Initiative) acknowledges the need for both approaches in working with girls. One approach does not exclude the other and each can emphasize a different aspect of a girl’s experience. The Ms. Foundation (2000) research identified three strategies that reflect aspects of the individual and collective approaches:

• Leadership through Voice and Culture - Building girls’ ability to use their voices in celebrating their culture
• Leadership through Social Action/Change - Community change that affects the environments girls participate in
• Leadership through Traditional Achievement - Building girls’ competencies, skills and qualities so that they can advance in the world

These strategies suggest that programs that encourage girls to be engaged in the community by acting as agents of change may also enable girls to internalize individual qualities and assets that they can use for their own benefit in the future (GSRI, 2006, p.21). By exercising their voices on issues they care about and taking action in the community, girls are exercising their personal power and amassing skill sets that enrich their individual competencies (Ms. Foundation for Women, 2000). These explanations are among the many reasons why the Girl Scout Journeys and Discover, Connect, Take Action model are utilized to grow girl leaders.

Resource: Girl Scout Research Institute (2006). Unpublished Pilot Survey Results on Girls and Leadership. NewYork: Girl Scouts of the USA.

 -CJ Harris

Carlena "CJ" Harris joined IBM in June 1997 and has held various roles within the IBM Software Group division. She has eight years of experience leading and managing virtual teams. Currently, she is a Global IT Program Manager. She holds degrees from University of Houston (Information Systems Technology, BS) and St. Edward's University (Organizational Leadership & Ethics, MS). CJ volunteers as a motivational speaker and life/career coach. She is also a wife, mother of two, coach, mentor and an aspiring writer.

Teenagers Ready to Do the Right Things—With Our Help

Are young people today more moral and ethical than they were a generation ago?

If you’re prone to watching television shows like “Gossip Girl,” your answer is likely to be no. The truth, however, is that the popular media’s depiction of young people as morally adrift, materialistic and disaffected is wrong. The great untold story about young people today in Central Texas and across the country is that they are much more apt to make responsible choices and refrain from risky behavior than in the recent past.

Research is increasingly bearing this out. There has been a substantial drop, for example, in teenage crime over the past decade. The dropout rate has also decreased and college attendance among young people reached an all-time high in 2008. And recently, the Girl Scout Research Institute published a nationwide survey of young people in middle and high school. The study, almost identical to one done in 1989, paints a fascinating picture of the beliefs and ethical values of young people and how they have changed in just two decades.

It turns out that nearly two out of three young people say they would not cheat on a test compared to about half in 1989. Fifty-eight percent say they would refuse an alcoholic drink if offered one at a party. That’s compared to fewer than half (46 percent) in 1989. And only 18 percent say they believe that smoking is alright if a person finds it enjoyable. In 1989, more than a quarter of those surveyed thought smoking was acceptable.

And our young people value diversity and civic involvement in a big way. Nearly six in 10 say that being around people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds is important to them. This appears to be particularly important to girls (63 percent versus 55 percent of boys). And some 79 percent say they are ready, willing and able to volunteer in their communities, and 71 percent of them say their religious beliefs are important to them.

This is not to say that all is perfect. Although many young people have good intentions about making responsible choices, they need help connecting these desires to action and decision making. That’s where we as adults come in. We should be doing all we can to value their voices and create venues for them to get involved. Our young people are as comfortable—if not more so—speaking their minds as previous generations, so let’s give them ample opportunity to do so by engaging them on issues that matter to them and getting them to take action by serving in our community.

This is not an issue solely for our schools; this involves all of us as a community. We at Girl Scouts of of Central Texas offer many opportunities for girls to come together, develop skills and take the lead in projects that serve our community.

The Forever Green project we are piloting allows girls to take lead on environmental projects and initiate a sustainable change in our communities. The girl advocacy network helps girls learn how to impact laws at the local, state and national level. And last but not least, the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards provide project road maps for girls to make the world a better place through a cause of their choice.

We’re certainly not alone in offering young people opportunities to express themselves and build leadership skills, but all of us must redouble our efforts. That's why we want to hear it from you: How do you empower girls to make the world a better place? How do you offer guidance? What activities have been the most successful? What tips can you offer other adults committed to helping girls grow?

If we as a community help our young people, they can fully develop the moral and ethical values that will serve them—and all of us—well for generations to come.

-Etta Moore

Help Her Grow Strong Now

“Growing strong” usually means to eat your broccoli and get some exercise. While those are both important for growing strong, there is so much more. Physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and fiscal strength are all important for our girls to grow into strong, independent women. It can be daunting so here are ten things you can do now to help her grow strong.

1. Be engaged. Keep an eye on her, know her moods and take note when they change. Ask questions and really listen to the answers. Make sure she knows you are there for her.
2. Help her spiritual growth by teaching her that there is something bigger than you and I out there. Whatever you call it talk to her about what is greater than us.
   
3. Talk to her about living within her means. Discuss smart money practices and the pitfalls of bad credit. Use today’s economy as a teaching point, not just a crisis. Explain that while things are nice, it’s what you can’t buy in life that matters most.
4. Encourage her to be socially responsible. From holding the door for others to reading to the elderly, help her identify how she can care for others. Its small acts of kindness that will make her life and the lives of others more fulfilling. (See service project ideas.)
   
5. Allow her to make mistakes and to learn from them. When she’s discouraged because she caused something to go awry, help her see what she can learn from the experience and how she can be a better, stronger, wiser person in the future.
6. Teach her to care for our planet. We only have one chance with our Earth and we shouldn’t take it lightly. Turn off the lights. Take shorter showers. Pick up your trash. There are so many ways you and she can care for our planet together. (See our Forever Green project.)
   
7. Encourage her to be passionate about what she does. If only half her heart is in piano lessons, help her find something her whole heart can be in. Let her experience the joy of really loving whatever she does. Help her go all in.
8. Show her how to be conscious of her surroundings. By knowing where she is, what’s around her, who is nearby and what’s happening, she will be safer. She’ll make smarter decisions about where to go and when to go there. Help her identify safe practices, like parking in well-lit places, and dangerous risks like, walking alone at night.
9. Let her know she’s not alone. No man is an island; we’re all here on this big beautiful Earth together and that’s how it’s going to stay. Each one of us is as important as the next and we should treat each other that way.
10. Set the example. Think of the traits you want her to have and teach them by modeling them. Teach healthy eating by cooking and eating vegetables yourself. Encourage safe driving by practicing it. Educate her about service by serving others. Actions speak louder than words and being a good role model is your opportunity to take advantage of it.

I hope you find these suggestions helpful as you help the girls you care about grow strong. And remember, these don’t just apply to girls; growing strong applies to all of us.

-Joel Franklin