Girl Scouts are Outdoor Explorers

Guest Post: Girl Scouts are Outdoor Explorers

Guest Post from Vicki Wright, GSUSA Outdoor Initiative Lead, Lifetime Girl Scout, Former CEO of multiple Girl Scout Councils

Girl Scouts Launches Inaugural Badge Series Chosen by Girls

This year, on its 103^rd Anniversary, Girl Scouts is celebrating our commitment to providing fun and beneficial outdoor experiences for girls with the launch of a new series of outdoor badges, chosen by Girl Scouts themselves.

Outdoor experiences are an integral part of Girl Scouts and are woven into Girl Scout program in such a way that girls feel comfortable trying new things and testing their limits, and gain confidence and acquire new skills in a safe and supportive all-girl environment. From a relaxed nature hike through the forests to teaming up on a wildlife conservation project to high-adventure rock-climbing, Girl Scouts offers girls a variety of opportunities to learn and grow inside and out.

My first experience with Girl Scouts was in an outdoor setting where I learned to become comfortable in the outdoors and with myself.  I did not understand at the time all that I was learning while having so much fun.  I can honestly say that my love for the outdoors came from those experiences and truly molded the person I became.

In the month of November, GSUSA began the polling process for the Girls’ Choice Outdoor Badges by inviting girls to vote on a diverse option of outdoor badge themes. Outdoor Explorer emerged as the overall theme, with five age specific Badge offerings: Outdoor Adventurer, Horseback Riding, Archery, Paddling and Ultimate Recreation Challenge.

But why is this so important to us?

According to our research (Girl Scout Research Institute’s study, More Than S’mores), girls benefit immensely from time outdoors. Girls who spend time outdoors eclipse their peers in environmental stewardship, more readily seek challenges, and are better problem solvers, all of which are traits needed for 21st century leadership.

Outdoor experiences through Girl Scouting, such as camp, are beneficial to girl leadership development across ethnicities. Latina (38 percent) and African American (40 percent) girls are more likely than their peers (28 percent) to say they overcame a fear of the outdoors through Girl Scouting; seventy-nine percent of Latina girls say they first tried an outdoor activity in Girl Scouts, and an overwhelming 59 percent of Latina girls say Girl Scouts has offered them outdoor activities they would not have otherwise had access to.

Simply put, this is important to us because it is important to girls. Once exposed to the outdoors, girls love it.  And, now more than ever, research shows us that getting outdoors is so important to the physical, social and psychological development of our girls and the health of our planet.

We want to get more girls outdoors, more often and in varied ways. Please join us in this effort.

Lynelle McKay's Wells Fargo Kick-Off Speech

Society encourages girls to reach for the stars, to never give up, but if their community doesn’t provide them with the tangible tools and knowledge to do so, then we are failing them. Confidence, character and leadership skills are all traits fostered by Girl Scouting. They are also the foundation to becoming upstanding citizens.

Girl Scouts surprises Wells Fargo with a big welcome. 

Financial literacy is a subject more and more people are talking about--especially regarding girls and women. A recent Prudential Research study revealed  that women have more acquisitional power today than ever before, yet fewer than two in 10 of them feel “very prepared” to make wise financial decisions. Women have a longer life expectancy—sorry, guys!—but smaller retirement savings goals. This is unacceptable.

The statistics are clear; both Girl Scouts of Central Texas and Wells Fargo are aware of it. This is why we’ve teamed up to provide the girls of Central Texas with a patch program that will introduce them to personal finance management and empower them to manage their money wisely.

It’s not just the program we’re here to announce, though. We’re also here today to thank Wells Fargo for their generous donation of $30K, which will allow us to bring this program to 46 counties and over 19,000 girls that we serve. That means that after completing the program, 19,000 Central Texas girls have the knowledge and skills required to manage their finances as confidently as their male counterparts.

Girl Scouts of Central Texas is committed to providing high-quality and relevant leadership experiences to the girls we serve. We know these girls, the future beacons of our community and decision-makers of the world rely on us as a council, troop leaders and volunteers to provide them with the tools not just to survive, but to thrive in all aspects of their lives. Today, thanks to Wells Fargo, we can go even further in our mission. We can’t wait to see how far we’ll go with Wells Fargo.

From everyone at Girl Scouts of Central Texas--every member of the board, all staff members, and every single girl: Thank you, Wells Fargo!

It's Almost Time for Cookie Season!

The holiday season may be over but Girl Scout cookie season is right around the corner! We are only a few days away from the start of cookie sales here in Central Texas. Which cookie are you most excited for? Did you know that there is a new cookie this season? You can read all about our new cookie here.

Is your mouth watering yet? While you think of the delicious taste of our beloved Thin Mint, you should also consider what cookie sales does for the seller. The Girl Scout behind the cookie booth is learning money management, people skills, business ethics, goal setting and decision making. Did you know that? Don't take our word for it. Read about how cookie selling helped a local Girl Scout come out of her shell here.

Cookies arrive January 16 in Central Texas! For more on cookies such as nutrition facts, recipes and the new cookie, visit www.abcsmartcookies.com. 

The Cool Side of Girl Scouts

Marisa's Daisy Bridging Ceremony

I joined Girl Scouts as a Daisy and consider it one of the best decisions of my life so far. Girl Scouts was a big part of my childhood and majority of my memories stem from experiences as a Girl Scout. I fondly remember all of the troop meetings with my fellow Girl Scouts, the exciting trips to new places and all of the fun camp outs. I also went on to earn my Silver and Gold Award, which are two of the highest honors in Girl Scouting. 

Never for a second did I doubt my decision to stay in Girl Scouts through my senior year of high school. I continued to enjoy activities like selling cookies and I got to travel to Europe with my troop and be a part of the National Convention one year in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a moment I will never forget and not one I could have experienced otherwise. Friends and classmates questioned my Girl Scout membership but that’s only because they were unaware of all the opportunities available to me.

Marisa's Gold Award Ceremony

After I earned my Gold Award and graduated from high school, I decided to join Girl Scouts as a lifetime member. And I didn’t stop there. I am currently the Graphic Designer for the Central Texas council; the council I was once a part of as a girl. Being able to give back to the organization that helped shape who I am today and being able to do what I love is a dream come true.

I strongly encourage all girls to stick with Girl Scouts or whatever interests them. Sometimes it isn’t most popular choice but in the end, you will reap the benefits and be glad you stuck with it.

-Marisa Webre

Year of the Girl Campaign Launches Today!

January 31st marks the launch of the Girl Scouts centennial celebration.  2012 begins the Year of the Girl campaign coupled with a larger cause campaign, ToGetHerThere.org focused on balanced leadership in one generation.

This morning, Katie Couric interviewed our National CEO, Anna Maria Chavez, and spoke with GMA host Robin Roberts about Girl Scouts. Check out the full interview here.

What Girl Scouts Means to Me & What It Can Mean for You.

When I entered high school, I was suddenly introduced to tons of new and really exciting opportunities, and in the first few weeks of freshman year I’d already signed up for the rock climbing club, made the junior varsity volleyball team, and landed a big role in the school musical. I was also victim to a whole new level of homework – high school classes gave SO MUCH homework!! At a new school, I made lots of new friends, and so on top of all of my new responsibilities, I wanted free time to hang out with them.

It would have been easy for me to simply quit Girl Scouting, like a lot of people I know had done. However, I really enjoyed scouts, and I knew that Scouting could offer me lots of new and exciting opportunities in high school. In high school, Scouting opened doors for my personal growth through national and international study. I was chosen to represent Texas at the international Leadership Conference of Girl Scouts in Indianapolis in my sophomore year of high school, where I got to meet and work with Scouts from across the globe. The Girl Scouts also sponsored me on a service trip to Costa Rica, where I camped on the beach for 2 weeks and surfed for hours every day. And this summer I am taking a long backpacking trip along the Appalachian Trail with a group of Girl Scouts. These are the kinds of fun opportunities that are only available to high school aged Girl Scouts.

Being in Girl Scouts has also really helped me get into the college of my choice. I was recently accepted into Plan II at the University of Texas, UT’s prestigious honors program, and my acceptance was largely due to my continued participation in Scouting. Not only does my long career as a Girl Scout represent a lot of community service work, it also proves that I am dedicated and can stick with something I’m passionate about.

I am forever grateful for all that Girl Scouting has done for me, and I am SO glad I stayed in Scouting, even when I had a million other things on my plate! I encourage every Girl Scout to continue with the organization! It’s worth it!!!

-Annie L.

Courage, Confidence and Character

It's no secret that the mission of Girl Scouts is to build girls of courage, confidence and character but sometimes that idea gets lost in the shuffle of planning troop activities, earning badges and making sure the needs of each service unit are being met. For Girl Scout Mari of Round Rock, that mission statement is a reality. Cookie seasons come and go, but this one in particular meant quite a lot to her and her mom. Her mother tells GSCTX that Girl Scouts helped her once shy daughter come out of her shell and she made new friends and sold lots of cookies because of it. “I don’t think she slept the night before [her first booth sale], she was so excited,” said Mari’s mother. “She practiced on her brother and sister at home and practiced at her troop meetings.” And in the end, it all paid off.

So when you take a bite into your beloved Thin Mint, remember what you did for a girl. You helped get her one step closer to being the strong leader she is capable of being. To Mari and everyone else who participated in this year's cookie sale, great job! GSCTX is proud of you and your accomplishments.

Nationwide Survey Finds a Disconnect Between How Teenage Girls Portray Themselves Online and in Person

The increased exposure to social media puts teenage girls in a confusing situation where a girl’s image is not always what it seems, as nearly 74% of girls believe other girls their age use social networking sites to make themselves “cooler than they really are,” according to a national survey released by Girl Scouts of the USA.

The nationwide survey, which included more than 1,000 girls ages 14 through 17, finds that girls downplay several positive characteristics of themselves online, most prominently their intelligence, kindness, and efforts to be a positive influence. In person, girls say they come across as smart (82%), kind (76%), and a good influence (59%), whereas online, girls consider themselves fun (54%), funny (52%), and social (48%). Girls with low self-esteem are more likely to admit their social networking image doesn’t match their in-person image (33% vs. 18% of girls with high self- esteem) and are also more likely to claim that the image they portray online is sexy (22% vs. 14%) and crazy (35% vs. 28%).

The Girl Scout survey also sheds light on the fact that a majority of girls understand their emotional safety and reputations are at risk online, yet 50% admit to not always being as careful as they should be online. Sixty-eight percent of girls have had a negative experience on a social networking site, such as having someone gossip about them or being bullied. Furthermore, many girls are concerned that they won’t get into their college of choice (42%), will miss a job opportunity (40%), and will get into trouble with parents and teachers (40%).

In contrast, the vast majority of girls prefer face-to-face communication. Ninety-two percent would give up all of their social networking friends if it meant keeping their best friend. The study also finds that social networking provides an avenue for girls to maintain better relationships and feel more connected to causes they care about. Fifty-six percent of girls agree that social networking helps them feel closer to their friends, and 36% think that social networks have increased the quality of their relationships. Fifty-two percent of girls have gotten involved in a cause they care about through a social network.

Watch What You Watch

Girl Scouts of the USA, along with the National Association of Broadcasters, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, and The Creative Coalition, believe every child deserves to live in an environment that fosters confidence and character. We recognize that as children's media use continues to increase, all youth would benefit from experiencing healthy and positive messages about girls and women.

"Watch What You Watch" hopes to build awareness about the need to pay attention not to just what kids watch, but how they watch it. Now more than ever, tools such as media literacy, public education and career exploration can be invaluable to young people. "Watch What You Watch" offers a clearinghouse of resources and tools that girls, parents, communities, and the media industry can use to help young people encounter and use media content that inspires, empowers, and engages.

Watch What You Watch is directed by The Creative Coalition Co-President Tim Daly and features Felicity Huffman, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Andrea Bowen, Seth Green, Rachael Leigh Cook, Kaycee Stroh, Kathryn Joosten, Carrie Ann Inaba, Teri Polo, Shay Mitchell, Ayla Kell, Josie Loren, Vanessa Lengies, Rachel Blanchard, Brooke Nevin, Lisa Gay Hamilton, and Chuck D. -GSUSA

Girl Scouts Rock the Grand Canyon!

This past June 10-year-old Madison R. took an eight day trip along with her troop to the Grand Canyon! Traveling in a charter bus, the girls kept themselves busy with different activities such as making postcards for those back home. They even got to take some time to learn more about the Indians’ culture by studying their history along with sampling some unique food. Madison tried blue corn muffins, popcorn and tanka bites, which are dried buffalo meat and berries. She loved the tanka bites so much that she continued to eat them long after the other girls had fallen asleep on the bus.

Madison’s troop made several stops along the way in order to take advantage of all the historic and scenic sites in their path. Her favorite site was Carlsbad Caverns, where she was able to view the ‘King’s Palace’ room. Madison particularly enjoyed this room due to its realistic, yet creative setting. The room was set up like a palace, but everything in it was made from a part of the caverns.

The girls eventually arrived at their destination -- the Grand Canyon! From first glance, Madison explains she felt very small in comparison to this historic national park. She was in awe of the landscape and amazed to learn about the formation of it. Madison and her troop visited different areas of the canyon in several ways. They were able to travel using jeeps and even mules! One of their activities included a treasure hunt where their goal was to identify as many different rock formations as possible so they could scratch it off their list. They were not only able to have fun experiences such as this one, but her troop was also able to earn badges in the process!

Madison believes this trip helped her in many ways. It was her first big trip away from her parents and while she missed them, it helped her see that it wasn’t so bad to go on a trip without them. Her troop also played a large role in planning for the trip and because of its success; Madison is excited to start planning their next trip to Kansas City! Madison is a prime example of the ways many Girl Scouts take these unique opportunities available to them and come away from them with the courage, confidence and character to do more great things in the future! Great job, Madison and Troop 781! We can’t wait to see what you do next.

For comments or questions on planning a troop trip of your own, please contact Girl Scouts of Central Texas.

Your Date with the Future

After 98 years, Girl Scouts remains the premier leadership organization for girls. Posted by GSUSA, this video is an example of how far we've come and yet, stayed the same. Volunteers are still one of the main reasons Girl Scouts of Central Texas continues to reach over 21,000 girls. Here's to another 98 years of building girls of courage, confidence and character!

Girl Scouts Celebrate Father's Day

It’s no surprise to see Gene Brotherman help Girl Scout Daisy Troop 1390 put on their life jackets before they paddle down Lake Brownwood for their first canoeing experience. Today, many committed dads actively serve as Girl Scouts of Central Texas volunteers and troop leaders proving that Girl Scouts isn’t just something mothers and daughters can do together.

“I have learned that Girl Scouts is not just limited to moms and daughters, but dads are more than welcome to be a part of the experience. My commitment to Girl Scouts shows my daughter that Girl Scouts is important and it makes her want to do more,” says Gene Brotherman, Girl Scout Troop Leader.

Brotherman’s enthusiastic participation in Girl Scouts allows for him and his daughter to learn and grow together. Consequently, his time, energy and passion helps Troop 1390 become the leaders of tomorrow.  By modeling authentic, purposeful leadership fathers help girls develop their own strong sense of self and their own leadership style.

“It is amazing to watch them grow and exhibit the qualities they are learning in the Girl Scout Law. We are teaching them strong values, to give back to society, how to be leaders and much more,” says Brotherman.

Girl Scouts of Central Texas acknowledges the hard work and dedication of all of our volunteers, but today we would like to especially thank the fathers for building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

To learn how you can help Central Texas girls become leaders, visit www.gsctx.org or call (800)733-0011.

-Kandace Fierro

25 Days!

25 days. The first day of resident camp is only 25 days away! In 25 short days school will be over and summer camp begins.

I remember each summer during check out hugging my brand new, lifelong friends goodbye. We had only know each other for one week but in camper world we had lived a lifetime together. We had sunny days just waiting till it is time to jump in the pool to cool off. We had crazy rainstorms that came out of nowhere and produced lakes of mud. We had mud football games and games that counselors made up that made no sense but were amazing fun. We had scary nights learning to not be afraid of sleeping in a new place. We had nights giggled away in our bunks till we didn’t even know why we were giggling anymore. We had hikes in the woods with that counselor who always new the name of every bug and flower and tree and plant. We had pounded our names into leather bracelets and bookmarks and painted flowers onto rocks. We had sung silly songs until our voices were tired and sang old songs that connected us to the campers before. We had lived camp.

I can still remember not being able to contain my excitement driving up through the gate for check in. I remember my counselor Tammy whose real last name was Camp. I remember how funny it was during mail call whenever Lacy Fell had mail and everyone would laugh and yell in unison “Is she alright?” I remember my counselor Misty Dawn would let us call her Drizzly Morning. I remember every joke the director told. I remember the year we covered all our bunk bed and cabin rafters in sheets and towels to make caves and never walked on the cabin floor. I remember getting care packages from my grandmother and sharing with my whole cabin.

How do we have so many memories from something that only lasts a week? For each of us that went to camp we know the answer. It’s camp. Camp is special.

And in 25 short days it begins again. A new little girl will go to camp and experience the joy that we hold onto from those summers years ago. A new little girl will become a camper. 

-Maranda Ribera

Troop 23's Cookie Success

From a troop email for Troop 23...

The girls did a great job this year--it seems like they really got into it and sold many more cookies than last year. Altogether, our troop sold 2,016 boxes. We will receive $778.82 from council as our troop profit. I will be taking about 160 boxes to council for the soldiers.

I have been hearing that some of the girls have made big strides since last year in being able to present themselves to the public and in developing confidence. I'm very glad to hear those comments. It is neat to see the girls grow and mature. It is also heartwarming to witness repeatedly how generous our customers are. The amount of money given to us in the form of donations, tips, and soldier donations is amazing. Lila has a special place in her heart for those select customers who buy HER a box of cookies! In my last 9 years of selling cookies with my girls, I hear over and over how so many of our customers sold cookies themselves. One customer said her troop made their own cookies to sell--that was in the early years (starting in 1917 when sales first began). My girls have promised themselves that they will always buy cookies from the girls they encounter who are selling them. Thanks to you all for supporting your daughters and standing out in the freezing temps. (This has been the coldest sales period in the last 9 years!) Hopefully our troop experiences paid for with cookie money will be meaningful and memorable to the girls.

-Ann, Troop 23 Leader

Learn more about the Girl Scout Cookie Program. 

A Promise & A Sign

I've been a Girl Scout for a long time and in a variety of capacities. No matter my age or type of involvement though, camp has always been my favorite part of Girl Scouting. And one of my favorite camp activities is not one you necessarily expect to find at camp. It's not horseback riding, not swimming and not eating s'mores.

It's sign language.

I first discovered American Sign Language at Girl Scout camp and the first thing I could sign beyond the alphabet was the Girl Scout Promise. Since learning the Promise brought so much joy, interest and pride to my childhood camp experience, I want to share it with all Girl Scouts.

Click here to open a PDF with step-by-step instructions for signing the Girl Scout Promise. A big thank you to Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas for having this PDF readily available on their Web site!

Now in no particular order, here are some reasons I think its cool to sign the Girl Scout Promise.

• It allows Girl Scouts to share the backbone of Girl Scouting with more of their Girl Scout sisters.
• It can be a great addition to any of your Girl Scout ceremonies or activities.
• It is a relatively quick introduction to American Sign Language.
• A slightly longer reason - American Sign Language can be a good second language option for students who struggle with foreign language or reading. My family discovered this firsthand when a very bright high school counselor suggested it for my brother. Once in the class, he excelled.

Learning this fun and useful language can build girls' confidence and empower them to try even more new things. I hope you find signing the Girl Scout Promise to be as exciting as I found it to be.

-Cheryl Black

P.S. Mastered the alphabet and the Promise and ready to move on? Try teaching yourself the signs to a favorite song! I once learned "Yellow Submarine" and when The Lion King was all the rage, I learned "Can you feel the love tonight."

Girls Conflicted About Body Image, Role of Fashion Industry

New research from the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) supports what many parents, educators and youth advocates have believed for years:

The increased scrutiny of the fashion industry and its use of ultrathin models isn’t without validation, as nearly 9 in 10 American teenage girls say that the fashion industry is at least partially responsible for "girls' obsession with being skinny," according to a national survey released today by the Girl Scouts of the USA.

The research also indicates that girls would prefer to see more natural beauty in the media. In fact, 81% of girls would rather see natural photos of models as opposed to the adjusted and airbrushed versions and 75% say they are more likely to purchase clothes shown on real-size models as opposed to stick thin models.

Yet despite these findings, it's clear that girls have a love-hate relationship with fashion and body image. Contradicting the aforementioned findings, 48% of girls wish they were as thin as the models in fashion magazines and 41% prefer to see the latest fashions modeled on thin women than fuller-figured women.

Other findings from GSRI's research include

• 47% say fashion magazines give them a body image to strive for yet,
• 65% say the body image represented by the fashion industry is too skinny and 28% say the fashion industry body image looks sick.
• 31% of girls admit to starving themselves or refusing to eat as a weight loss strategy and
• 20% of girls consider plastic surgery and/or weight-loss surgery acceptable.
• However 79% of Hispanic girls, 76% of African-American girls and 72% of Caucasian report being satisfied with their bodies.

The tangled web of girl body image can be seen in nearly every one of these findings.

Body image, the fashion industry's role and these survey results, will be addressed at New York City's Fashion Week by Girl Scouts of the USA. The conversation can be viewed live via online streaming video at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/beauty-redefined on Wednesday, February 10, 5 p.m. CST.

What's Happening Locally

Girl Scouts of Central Texas (GSCTX) recognizes that adolescence is an especially challenging time for girls and their self-esteem. With programs, volunteer trainings and merchandise, GSCTX continually strives to help girls develop into confident young women. Through its "grow strong" initiative, Girl Scouts of Central Texas hopes to help girls untangle their body image and develop a strong, healthy sense of self. Programs such as the Girls' Respect Conference encourage open, healthy conversations about relevant issues like body image and self-esteem, and ultimately assist in the development of confident young women.

Additionally, GSCTX offers merchandise through the shops that girls can feel confident and stylish in no matter what their size or shape. With 75% of girls citing fashion as very important; stylish, affordable and age-appopriate merchandise is essential to meeting the needs and interests of all girls.

For More Information

• For more survey results visit http://girlscouts.org/news/news_releases/2010/nationwide_study_feelings_about_fashion.asp  
• For more about Girl Scout programs visit http://www.gsctx.org/?nd=gsctx_calendar_list 
• For more about Girl Scout merchandise visit http://www.gsctx.org/?nd=shop
• To contact GSCTX visit http://www.gsctx.org/?nd=contact_us

-Cheryl Black

Not Skinny; Not Fat - Just HEALTHY

Bristol University recently looked at more than 4,000 young people and using some fancy-schmancy technology, compared things like bone density and fat. The results are not shocking: dieting girls aren't developing bone strength to full potential. Read the Press Association article.

On an incredibly regular basis the media inundates us with articles about youth health, especially the extremes of eating disorders. So today, instead of telling you there is a magic number out there or the perfect diet, we'd like to provide a couple resources that focus on helping kids end up somewhere in that happy medium that is health.

• Health and Wellness from Girl Scouts: From getting exercise to handling stress, being drug free to personal safety, these resources cover the gamut.
• Play60: Health doesn't have to just be about vegetables when you join the NFL's finest for an hour of play everyday.
• GirlsHealth.gov: Focused on teens, this is the US government's Web site for everything from healthy eating to dating relationships.
• KidsHealth.org: With three different sections, this Web site helps kids, teens and parents learn and talk about being healthy and happy.

No one of these is the cure-all for building healthy girls and boys but any one of them can offer some good insight to a healthy lifestyle.

-Cheryl Black

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 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.

How Girls Learn Differently

Did you know that boys and girls see differently? Carol Kaufmann, author of “How Boys and Girls Learn Differently” interviewed David Chadwell, the first and only state coordinator of single gender education. Male and female eyes are not organized in the same way, Chadwell explains. The composition of the male eye makes it attuned to motion and direction. The female eye, on the other hand, is drawn to textures and colors. It’s also oriented toward warmer colors—reds, yellow, oranges—and visuals with more details, like faces. To engage girls, instruct them to form a circle facing each other, use descriptive phrases and incorporate lots of color.

If girls work well in circles and are oriented toward visuals with more details, adults should consider the following when assisting in developing young female leaders:

• Provide a mentor/protégé program. Girls need positive role models that they can access and learn from. Women leaders can listen and share their experiences with future young women leaders.
• Create a buddy system. Girls thrive in positive relationships and are open to learn from one another. Maybe it’s a student in the 7th grade teamed up with a student in the 6th grade. It would allow the new student the ability to learn from a student who has completed a year at the school. In return, the 7th grader gets to mentor the 6th grader.(See the Program Aide opportunities at GSCTX.)
  
• No Command and Control. Teach leadership skills that differ from the command and control style. Girls aspire to a different kind of leadership that serves a bigger purpose. They are not interested in power for the sake of power. (Read the BusinessWeek article based on research from GSRI.)
  
• Encourage extracurricular activities. Girls Scouts, sports, critical thinking classes are great examples. Social skills, competition, and self-confidence are skills which are taught successfully in these programs.
• Support their interests. When girls are passionate about something they tend to volunteer to lead. Rusine Sinclair, CEO of the North Carolina Girl Scouts Council, stated, “Young women are concerned about making a difference in the world to see positive outcomes. They are interested in something that would improve a situation. Again, I believe they are defining those things that are important to them and using the leadership from within to improve things in their world.”

In summary, Cunningham and Roberts’ (2006) research indicates men understand the world by constructing systems. Women understand the world by putting themselves in the shoes of others, feeling what they're feeling and seeing what they're seeing (Our Six Themes: Masculine is Hard-Wired to Systemize; Feminine is Hard-Wired to Empathize section, 2006, ¶ 2).

Now that we know that there is a difference. Let’s get busy implementing strategies to support our future women leaders.

-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.