Youth Organizations

The Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) describes itself as an "informal educational organization dedicated solely to girls." GSUSA seeks to help girls to develop character and skills, which will help them to succeed throughout their lives. The GSUSA program, promise, and law are all designed to promote the four main goals of the organization. First, GSUSA strives to help girls to develop their full potential. Girls gain competencies through participating in activities and are expected to develop positive self-esteem as a result. Second, GSUSA fosters the development of social skills, including understanding and respect for one another and for individual differences. Third, GSUSA aims to promote sound decision-making skills and the ability to enact decisions based on values, ethics, ideals, and convictions. Fourth, GSUSA encourages Girl Scouts to use their talents and work cooperatively with others to improve their communities and society.

The Girl Scout programs involve participation in a variety of activities. Individual girls and troops choose activities based on the interests and needs of members. Activities are focused in the following areas: (1) arts; (2) environment; (3) global awareness; (4) health and fitness; (5) literacy; (6) mentoring; and (7) science and technology. Badges are earned to recognize skills and knowledge that girls have gained through participation in a set of activities. Girl Scout camps are available throughout the country, and girls are encouraged to attend the camps in order to develop skills and accomplish goals in the camp setting.

History

Juliette Low founded the Girl Scouts of America (GSA) in 1912 to expose girls to outdoor experiences and to involve them in community service. Initially she modeled the Girl Scouts on the British Girl Guides. The first group of eighteen Girl Scouts met in Savannah, Georgia. GSA was incorporated as a national organization in 1915 and grew and diversified rapidly to a membership of 137,000 girls by 1926. Since its inception, Girl Scouts has sought to be inclusive. African Americans, Native Americans, and girls with disabilities were members as early as the 1920s. Girl Scouts changed programs and activities to meet the needs of girls and to adapt to historical circumstances throughout the twentieth century. The GSUSA was reincorporated under a congressional charter in 1950.

Legal Status and Governance

GSUSA is a nonprofit organization governed by the National Board of Directors. The national president provides leadership for the National Board. A national executive director leads the national staff. Most (99%) of the 915,000 adults who work for the Girls Scouts are volunteers. There are approximately 300 local Girl Scout councils throughout the United States. Girls join local troops of which there are 233,000. The local troops are led by volunteer leaders who receive training through their local councils.

Membership

Girl Scouts are organized into small groups that meet with leaders who have been trained to facilitate the programs. Girls between the ages of five and seventeen may join Girl Scouts at any time. Girls join at the appropriate age level and are not required to have been a member at previous levels. Levels include Daisies (five years old or kindergartners), Brownies (six and seven years old), Juniors (eight through eleven years old), Cadettes (eleven through fourteen years old), and Senior Girl Scouts (fourteen through seventeen years old).

Publications

GSUSA publishes numerous books, reports, and pamphlets. Books for use by leaders and scouts are available. The Research Institute of GSUSA sponsors and publishes research on the needs and development of girls.

Influence and Significance

The GSUSA conducted an extensive evaluation in 1997. Girls, their parents, and adult volunteers reported that scouting had made positive contributions to their development. In another study, Louis Harris and Associates interviewed a sample of women listed in Who's Who of American Women and found that 64 percent had participated in Girl Scouts compared with 42 percent of a random sample of adult women in the United States. Respondents identified contributions that belonging to Girl Scouts had made to their development.