For more than 100 years, Girl Scouts has encouraged and inspired young women to lead independent, educated, and diverse lives. Years before women in America had earned the right to vote, Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low envisioned an opportunity for young girls to unite, and gain skills that would enable them to be anything they wanted to be. Today the institution has almost three million members across 92 countries, including more than 25,000 participants in Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, which serves Howard County.
Those of us outside of the organization may be most familiar with the Girl Scout Cookie program, which allows troops to raise money for activities, while the rest of us indulge in yummy, annual treats. But in addition to that, and producing our next generation of female leaders, Girl Scouts has a great impact on our area with regard to service. In each level of the Girl Scout process, members have a chance to go on “journeys,” where they earn patches and learn to make a difference. Each journey involves identifying a problem to solve, creating a plan for a solution, and then putting it into action. Girls can earn special awards based on their service projects, judged among other criteria for influence and sustainability, including the highest honor: the Gold Award.
This year is the “Gold Award Centennial,” celebrating 100 years of impact and positive change. As a part of the Girl Scout birthday, held annually on March 12, Girl Scouts of Central Maryland is promoting a day of service. As this is the 104th anniversary of the first organized Girl Scout troop, our local chapter is hoping to see at least 104 separate projects, such as food drives, tree plantings, or neighborhood cleanups, occurring on that day. Already in progress is the Harvest for the Hungry Spring Forward Drive, benefitting the Maryland Food Bank. But now may also be a good time to locate the nearest troop in your area to see how you can help.
Some examples of local projects that have earned gold awards recently include the “Girls Code Project,” established by a scout in Ellicott City. This project involved the creation of an after-school workshop for middle school girls, helping to further their interests in computer science and coding. Arden Coffelt of Elkridge also earned a Gold Award for her work in teen suicide prevention. She created a workshop, a website, and a public service announcement to raise awareness about youth suicide. With each endeavor by these young women, Howard County reaps the benefits, as many of the programs founded here stay in effect years after awards are earned. Research has also been done to show that it increases a girl’s desire to continue with public service as an adult, creating a chain of positive influence.
For more information about Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, or how you can get involved or donate, click here. And be sure to keep up to date with Her Mind’s own list of events and opportunities to do good in your neighborhood.
