Elements of Setting: Rationale

All Girl Environment

✓ Girl-Only environments increase girls’ interest and/or participation in topics and activities (e.g., STEM, outdoor and physical education activities) by reducing restrictive gender-stereotypes. (Sadker, 1994; NEA; Natl Coalition for Girls’ Schools, 2013)

✓ They provide a space where girls feel more free to talk about issues, try out new activities without a fear of failure, and experience less pressure to look or act a certain way. (Exploring Girls Leadership 2007; NEA)

✓ Girls like and benefit from the all-girl environment of Girl Scouts (GSVC – Girl 2017):

85% of K5 girls like that Girl Scouts is just for girls

− K5 girls who like that Girl Scouts is just for girls fare better on the GSLE Outcomes (8% difference)

78% of K5 girls who like that GS is just for girls are Highly Satisfied whereas only 60% of girls are Highly Satisfied if they do not like that GS is just for girls

Motionally And Physically Safe Space

✓ Emotionally safe spaces are inclusive and welcoming. Girls who do not feel like they belong in GS are less satisfied and less likely to continue in GS. (GSVC-Girl 2017)

✓ Safe spaces—physical or virtual— are free from harm, harassment, and bullying. To flourish and try new things, children need to feel they are safe. (PYD Literature)

Group Of Girls

✓ Troop leaders are more likely to say their troop is just the right size when it has 11-13 girls. (GSVC-TL 2017)

✓ Declines in troop success (parent and girl satisfaction and NPS, girl outcomes) occur when there are fewer than 10 or 15 or more girls per troop. (CEM 2017)

✓ Girls want troops of ~10 girls to build lasting friendships, complete projects and get ample attention from adults. (Smarty Pants 2006)

✓ Working together in a group of girls is essential to Cooperative Learning, which drives satisfaction, NPS, and achieving the GS outcomes. (GSVC-Girl 2015-2017)

✓ Parents who said their girls improved in teamwork were more highly satisfied (85% vs 38%), likely to stay (86% vs 50%), and likely to recommend (NPS=54 vs. -25). (GSVC-Par 2017)