Congressional Aide fact sheet History For the past 40 years, Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital has partnered with Congressional offices to provide a week-long shadow program to Girl Scouts in 11th-12th grades who expressed an interest in government. Congressional Aide is a truly unique program offering girls in the Greater Washington Region a closer look into government. During the 2014 program, 72 Girl Scouts and 39 Congressional offices participated. Mission The Congressional Aide program builds girls’ civic knowledge and professional skills and inspires a lifetime commitment to public service. We work with participating offices each year to give as many girls as possible the opportunity to work with and learn from Members of Congress and their staff.
Program Goals/Leadership Outcomes Girl Scouts of the USA has identified leadership outcomes achievable through Girl Scouts. The Congressional Aide program: • Encourages civic engagement • Inspires a commitment to public service • Facilitates interaction and learning between Girl Scouts and elected officials • Develops girls’ professional skills Why It Matters Participation in Girl Scouts instills leadership in young women like no other program in the country. The core principles of Girl Scouts have an enormous impact and lead girls to do great things. Your participation in the Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital Congressional Aide program will expose young women to the political process at a critical time in their lives. Ways to Involve Your Congressional Office The Congressional Aide program offers a great opportunity for
Congressional leadership to mentor girls interested in civic engagement. The girls are selected through a highly competitive process. They can competently shadow staff members, greet visitors & give tours, assist with research, attend hearings, answer phones, learn about the Federal government, and assist with other office needs. More about the Girls Participating girls are from the Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital, which includes 25 counties in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Girls will be entering 11th grade, 12th grade, or their first year of college and have expressed an interest in government. Contact Us If your office is interested in hosting a girl for a week during this summer or you have more questions, please contact Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital at 202-274-2170 or complete the interest form at www.surveymonkey. com/s/65PYT6N.