Girl Scouts of the U. S. A.

Mission Statement

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Girl Scouts ayuda a las niñas a desarrollar la confianza en sí mismas, el valor y los principios para hacer del mundo un mejor lugar.

The Girl Scout Mission statement has been updated to clearly reflect who we are today. This change was voted on by councils and members during the 2005 National Council Session/ Convention. The Girl Scout mission has evolved ever since the organization’s inception in 1912, in order to remain relevant and meet the ever-changing needs of girls.

Girl Scouting Today

Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. is the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls-ALL GIRLS- where, in an accepting and nurturing environment, girls build character and skills for success in the real world. In partnership with dedicated adult volunteers, girls develop qualities that will serve them all their lives- like strong values, social conscience, and conviction about their own potential and self-worth.

Girl Scout Goals 2003-2008

• Provide a cutting-edge and diversified Girl Scout program that assures girls develop values and skills that last a lifetime.
  
• Be recognized as the leading expert on, and advocates for, girls.
  
• Create and deliver a Girl Scout experience that results in a 13% membership share of the 5-17 year-old girl population (more than 500,000, or 18% girl member increase) while achieving a member population more reflective of the demographics of the US.
  
• Create and deliver an adult Girl scout experience that results in an increase of adult Girl scouts, to achieve and maintain a way three-to-one ratio of girls to adult members, and develop ways in which adults can have a life-long affiliation with Girl scouts.
  
• Implement innovative systems and strategies to attract, retain, and effectively utilize high caliber and diverse volunteers and staff leaders at all levels, that work synergistically to advance the Girl scout Movement.

History

Scouting for boys was begun by Sir Robert Baden-Powell, a British Army officer. The scouting movement began with a troop in a camp on Brownsea Island, England. Soon thereafter, Agnes Baden-Powell organized a group of girls, who would become known as Girl Guides.

Juliette Gordon Low, an American woman living in England, became good friends with the Baden-Powell's, and began working with Girl Guides in Scotland.

Juliette, who went by the nickname "Daisy," dreamed of giving the United States "something for all the girls." She envisioned an organization that would bring girls out of their cloistered home environments to serve in their communities and experience the open air. Within months, girl members were hiking through the woods in their knee-length blue uniforms, playing basketball in a curtained-off court, and going on camping trips.

Nurtured by Daisy's personal funding - she sold her extremely valuable necklace of rare matched pearls to finance operations in the early days - and her unique brand of enthusiasm, the Girl Scout movement attracted the attention of many talented, educated women and girls by providing an outlet for their abilities. Initially, Girl Scouting in the United States was dependent on the British Girl Guide example for its name, uniform, handbook and basic ideas.

Scattered troops coalesced into a national organization. Girl Scouting was incorporated in Washington, D.C. on June 10, 1915. Girl Scouts established a system of national training schools for leaders. A number of colleges and institutions of higher learning offered Girl Scout Leadership Training Courses to young women and many universities began offering scholarships for Girl Scouts. The Executive Board inaugurated a fund raising plan to finance the organization and relieve the burden on Juliette Low. A National Director position was funded.

In 1917, the organization chartered the first Girl Scout council in Toledo, Ohio; the first troop for disabled girls met in New York City; first Girl Scout troops were formed in Hawaii; and the first Black troop began. Membership further diversified with the establishment of the first Native American Girl Scout troop in 1921 outside of Syracuse, New York and the organization of the first troop of Mexican-American girls in 1922 in Houston, Texas.

By 1920, Girl Scouts was growing in its independence, with its own uniform; its handbook, Scouting for Girls; and its own constitution and bylaws, contained in the Blue Book of Rules for Girl Scout Captains.

By the time Girl Scout membership reached 137,000 in 1926, the organization had its own national training center for Girl Scout leaders, Camp Edith Macy in upstate New York.

By 1929, membership was over 200,000, the khaki uniform was replaced with a green one, and Girl Scout camps were setting national standards for safety and health.

The severe economic hardships of the Great Depression in the 1930s tested the resourcefulness of the organization and its members. Girl Scouts proved worthy of the challenge as they joined the relief effort, collecting clothes, food, and toys; volunteered in hospitals; and worked on community canning projects.

In 1936, the national Girl Scout organization began the process to license the first commercial baker to produce cookies that would be sold by girls in Girl Scout councils. Enthusiasm for Girl Scout cookies® spread nationwide. In 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales.

When the United States entered World War I, Girl Scouts served their country on the home front, working in hospitals, growing vegetables, and selling defense bonds. After the war came The Golden Eaglet, a feature film about Girl Scouting shown in theaters across the country, and The American Girl (earlier called The Rally ), a popular magazine for young girls.

GSUSA was chartered by the United States Congress on March 16, 1950. Bought in 1953 and later restored, the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace in Savannah, Georgia, was opened as a house museum and national program center for girls in October 1956.

The social unrest of the 1960s was reflected in organization actions and Girl Scout program change, including introduction in 1963 of four program age levels for girls: Brownie, Junior, Cadette, and Senior Girl Scouts.

The National Board went on record as strongly supporting civil rights. Senior Girl Scout Speakout conferences were held around the country and the "ACTION 70" project was launched in 1969, both as nationwide Girl Scout initiatives to overcome prejudice. "Eco-Action," a national environmental program, and swearing in of the first Black National President, Gloria D. Scott, were turning points of the seventies.

The 1980s began with the introduction of new program resources, a new Daisy Girl Scout age level for girls five years old or in kindergarten, and the opening of Edith Macy Conference Center. It also introduced a series of publications dealing with contemporary issues, such as child abuse, youth suicide, literacy, and pluralism.

During the nineties, Girl Scouting experienced a renewed emphasis on physical fitness with the inauguration of a health and fitness national service project in 1994 and the GirlSports initiative in 1996.

Today, nearly 4 million girls are served by 767,000 adult volunteer leaders, consultants, board members and staff specialists in over 300 girl scout councils. It is the largest voluntary organization for girls in the world. It is open to all girls ages 5-17 (or in Kindergarten through grade 12) who subscribe to its ideals, as stated in the Girl Scout Promise and Law. The opportunity for girl scout membership exists for every girl, everywhere.

Through membership in the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, GSUSA is part of a worldwide family of ten million girls and adults in 144 countries.

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