Bossy. Pushy. Domineering. Negative words like these discourage girls from taking the reins of leadership and holding tight. Especially for young girls, these words can have a huge impact and might explain why by the time a girl reaches middle school she is 25% less likely than her male peers to seek a leadership role. That’s why Girl Scouts of the USA and the Lean In Foundation teamed up to launch the Ban Bossy campaign. Ban Bossy aims to end the use of words like bossy by encouraging girls to lead at home and school. We want to Ban Bossy to teach girls to be strong leaders and show girls that leading is a strength, not a flaw. We spoke with three San Antonio leaders and asked them to share their path to leadership and vision for the next generation of leaders. A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
By the time a girl reaches middle school she is 25% less likely than her male peers to seek a leadership role.
THREE SAN ANTONIO LEADERS
share
their path to leadership
and vision
for the next generation of leaders.
Sheryl Sculley Sheryl Sculley has served as the San Antonio City Manager since November 2005. She is the Chief Executive Officer of the municipal corporation of 12,000 employees, an annual operating and capital budget of $2.4 billion and a city population of 1.4 million. Sculley has worked in city management for more than 40 years, standing out in a field that has only a handful of women executives nationally. She has led fundraising efforts for the education of single mothers, victims of domestic violence and research for the cure of autism. Sculley is a former Girl Scout. What is your impression of the word bossy? The word “bossy” has such a negative connotation. When was the last time you heard a man called bossy? It’s only used for women. I think strong, competent women are a threat to many men, not every man, but many men. It shouldn’t be that way but it still is. I’ve been in this business for 40 years. I’ve seen some progress but there is still a lot of work to do. Educating women about the positive ways they can handle themselves is the best approach. What the Girl Scouts do in terms of helping women in constructive activities and helping them build their self-esteem does that. What is your advice to the next generation of leaders? There are no entitlements in life. You have to work very hard. You have to be focused. You have to earn your education. Continue learning and honing your skills. You have to be strategic and focus on what you want to do this year, the next three years and beyond. Plans can change and need to be updated but you have to know where you’re going. Were you ever called bossy? Yes, I’ve been called bossy - but I’ve always been in a leadership role, in my family, in school, in Girl Scouts and in my professional career. I’ve always been the first woman in each of the professional positions I’ve held, except for here. So there are a lot of eyes watching you to see if you stumble. You have to exert extra effort because there are so many women coming up behind you, and if something goes wrong you know they’ll say “it’s because we hired a woman.” Who were your role models when you were a girl? My dad worked two jobs to support our family of nine. My mom managed the household and kept us very active in constructive activities. I’d describe her a little bit as a drill sergeant. I guess you have to be when you have seven kids. I was left in charge often and told, “Don’t mess up because you have six brothers and sisters following you in school.” There were high expectations of me. My parents expected us to be the best in everything we did. They instilled self-esteem and let me know I could be anything I wanted to be.
Janie Barrera Janie Barrera is the founding President and CEO of LiftFund, a nonprofit agency that provides small loans and management training to microenterprises. She has served on the Federal Reserve Board’s National Consumer Advisory Council and in 2011 was appointed to the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability. In January she began her second three year-term on the board of directors for the Federal Reserve of Dallas’ San Antonio Branch. Were you ever called bossy? I don’t know that I was ever called bossy but I was put in my place. There’s a saying “You should only speak when spoken to.” I was reminded of that a lot, but always questioned it. Growing up I had very strong women role models. My grandmothers were so strong. I grew up in a Catholic environment and all of my teachers were sisters (nuns). I saw that they lived by themselves and took care of themselves. So when I was told “don’t speak unless you’re told to speak,” but then I saw these strong women and I just knew those things didn’t connect. That’s what we need to teach young women. Being strong and being silent don’t go together. What is your leadership philosophy? Part of my philosophy is that you surround yourself with smarter people, passionate people and people that have big hearts who want to help. I used to think when I was younger that I had to please folks or do things that I didn’t want to do but I thought I had to do. As you get older you figure out, no I don’t. What is your impression of the word bossy? We need more awareness of that word and what it does. As we help young women mature we have to be cognizant of the fact that words do matter. To replace the word “bossy” with the word “leader” is a super idea. If we don’t take this on it’s not going to happen. San Antonio is unique and has a high number of women in leadership positions in both the public and private sectors. How do you think we’ve made these strides? It’s because women have brought up their sons to think about women as leaders. A generation ago young boys were not being told this. In my generation guys didn’t iron or wash the dishes. But now my great-niece’s husband is a stay-at-home dad and she’s the breadwinner. That would have never happened a generation ago. It’s not even questioned now. It’s not a big deal. There is change happening now. What is your advice to the next generation of leaders? I think girls need to remember that the world hasn’t always been this way. Struggle is good. Challenge is good. You have to remember that or we’ll go back to it. It’s scary when people forget history. Those of us who have been blessed with strong mothers know that strong role models are so important and not everyone has that. That’s why it’s so important for Girl Scouts to offer those strong female role models. We need that voice in our community that tells our girls they can be leaders and repeat it and repeat it!
Jackie Gorman Jackie Gorman is the immediate past Chair of the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas. Gorman served on the board for 12 years including four years as board chair. She is also the Executive Director of SAGE, a nonprofit that serves as the growth engine for San Antonio’s East Side. Gorman is a U.S. Army veteran and a lifelong Girl Scout. What is your impression of the word bossy? The word bossy and how it affects you depends on how you see yourself. I am in no way offended by the word bossy. I probably even own it. On the other hand I can imagine that a young woman who is not comfortable with herself and is trying to find her place would be very offended by that. What is your leadership philosophy? The first thing is you never ask anyone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself. You have to respect the people you are leading and know that everyone brings a different skill set. I believe in teams but don’t believe in leaderless teams. Someone has to be held accountable. If no one is accountable, nothing gets done. Girls are often deterred from leadership roles because they want to be liked, what advice would you have for them? You have to like yourself and not depend on someone else to tell you that you’re wonderful. You have to know you are wonderful in yourself. When you do that you’ll be surprised at how many people like you. But you have to have the confidence to be true to yourself. What are your thoughts on the Ban Bossy campaign? Ban Bossy is a good thing because people use the word as a pejorative. If we can stop making young girls feel bad about being natural leaders, about being that person that people push to the forefront, then we’ve done something great. Then we won’t lose our girl leaders when they become 12 or 13 and go to middle school and are called bossy. The reason I stayed involved with Girl Scouts no matter where I moved is because it was immediately a safe place for me. We have to be that place where girls can go and no one will call them bossy. Where leadership is rewarded and leadership is encouraged and they are trained to be leaders. What do you say to people who disagree with banning the word bossy? I don’t think it’s about the word as much as about what the word represents. It’s about the meaning behind the word. It’s about the feelings the word engenders. This is about instilling confidence in women. Bossy is not the problem. Bossy is a picture of the problem. Bossy is belittling women from being strong women and strong leaders. You can call me bossy though, I don’t care.
A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
Do Your Part to Ban Bossy Ban Bossy is a public service campaign with the mission to encourage leadership in girls and raise awareness of the power of words. Did you know that elementary and middle school boys receive eight times more classroom attention than girls? When students do not volunteer responses, teachers are more likely to encourage boys over the girls to give an answer or an opinion. It’s no wonder that between elementary and high school, girls’ selfesteem drops 3.5 times more than boys.
Girls who do not want to be leaders attribute their lack of motivation to fear of being laughed at, making people mad at them, not being liked or coming across as bossy. BUT THERE IS GOOD NEWS. We can reverse the trends that hold girls back. The Ban Bossy campaign is working to raise awareness. As parents, friends and educators we can make small changes that have big impact on a girl’s ambitions, whether that girl seeks to be the CEO of the world’s largest company or the CEO of her family at home. START BY MAKING SIMPLE CHANGES. Parents are children’s first role models and their words and actions shape a girl’s leadership potential. Unfortunately, as early as middle school, parents place a higher value on leadership for boys than for girls. Parents can encourage a girl’s most ambitious
dreams with acknowledgment and encouragement. Ask your daughter how she would change the world. Invite her to tell you what leadership means to her. Does she see herself as a leader? What are the ways she leads now, and in what ways would she like to lead more in the future? In the work place, managers can ensure women get the credit they deserve and look for opportunities to celebrate their success. Women get less credit than their male counterparts for their role on a team. Women often deflect praise with self-deprecating comments. Help women identify their own success on a regular basis with questions like “What progress have you made since we last spoke?” or “What are you most proud of this month?” Teachers and friends can start by changing their language. Avoid words that hold girls back. Calling a girl “bossy” sends the message that she should not speak up. These words can silence a girl during her most formative years. Constructive criticism is vital to learning but take care to avoid references to gender in your feedback. Encourage girls to avoid using words that reinforce stereotypes such as “Girls aren’t good at math.” Use this as a teachable moment to explain stereotypes and ask girls to find examples that defy these labels. Together we can encourage girls to become the leaders they are meant to be. Go to girlscouts.org/BanBossy or BanBossy.com for more leadership tips.
Widening Our Reach: West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center In partnership with the City of San Antonio, Edgewood ISD and the Westside Development Corporation, Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas expanded its footprint on San Antonio’s west side in October 2012 by signing a three-year lease to use 39,000 sq. ft. of the former Coronado-Escobar Elementary School, including the gym, cafeteria, green space and playground. The organization’s vision was to establish a West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center that would provide an array of holistic services for girls and their families. The center contributes to the economic development of the west side of San Antonio while delivering Girl Scout program to girls and adult leadership development opportunities for their families. The West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center represents a major expansion and a $2 million investment in the west side community. The center hosts troop meetings and houses a STEM (science,
technology, engineering and math) and robotics lab, art studio, Girl Genius tutoring center, a volunteer resource center and rooms for each membership level from Girl Scout Daisies to Gamma Sigma Pearls and Gamma Sigma Girls®. The center also hosts Camp Metro, eight weeks of summer day camp that provide girls the opportunity to spend time bonding with others their age while focusing on the arts, healthy eating, positive self-esteem and being active. The West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center is unique in its focus on comprehensive family services, strengthening parents and guardians so they can support their daughters’ leadership development, largely through partnerships with area agencies. Parents and guardians also benefit from a wide array of adult development courses in financial literacy, parenting styles, communication, computer skills and adult GED preparation.
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Be the Role Model She’ll Always Remember We all have a role to play in helping girls obtain a successful future. What is yours? As a Girl Scout volunteer, you belong to a network of adults who share an important commitment: preparing girls to lead successful lives. You'll serve as a partner and role model to girls, discover your own skills and abilities, meet new people, and "learn by doing" alongside girls at every step.
You'll be their cheerleader, guide and mentor, helping them develop the skills and confidence that will last long after the meeting is over. Imagine the smiles, the excitement, the memories made-those are the moments you'll share at Girl Scouts. Whether you have one weekend a year or several nights per week to contribute to the cause of furthering girl leader-
ship, Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas has a place for you. There is no Girl Scouting without Girl Scout volunteers. Be the role model she'll always remember. Volunteer today! For more information and to register as an adult member, visit girlscouts-swtx.org/join.
Calling all cookie lovers! Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas invites you to Fiesta® with this year’s cookie —the Tagalong! The third medal in this five-cookie series, the Tagalong is a crispy cookie layered with peanut butter and covered with a chocolaty coating. Which cookie will next year’s medal depict? Celebrate the Girl Scout Cookie Program, a $790 million girl-led business, by collecting them all! Girl Scout cookie Fiesta® medals are available at the Fiesta® Store and the Girl Scout Shop at the Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center (811 N. Coker Loop, San Antonio, Texas 78216) and the West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center (5622 W. César E. Chávez Blvd, San Antonio, Texas 78237).
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Other women who make a difference:
Trefoil Honorees For 27 years, Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas has selected an outstanding woman and dedicated community leader who embodies the beliefs and principles of the Girl Scout Movement. This exceptional woman is presented with the celebrated Trefoil Award.
Cyndi Taylor Krier-1988 Irene S. Wischer-1989 Edith S. McAllister-1990 Mary Nan West-1991 Elizabeth H. Maddux-1992 Josephine Musselman-1993 Sally Cheever-1994 Aaronetta H. Pierce-1995 Amy Freeman Lee-1996 Suzy Finesilver-1997 Janey Briscoe-1998 Charline McCombs-1999 Veronica Salazar Escobedo-2000 Jocelyn L. Straus-2001 Vikki Carr-2002 Rosemary Kowalski-2003 Lila Cockrell-2004 Nancy Zachry-2005 Nancy Loeffler-2006 Jimmie Ruth Evans-2007 Dela W. White-2008 Linda Whitacre-2009 Harriet Marmon Helmle-2010 Suzanne Goudge-2011 Esperanza “Hope” Andrade-2012 Carri Baker Wells-2013 Suzanne Wade-2014
Making All the Difference: Leading Businesses Invest In Girls What could the future workforce accomplish if all businesses— large and small—took a vested interest in advancing female leadership today? By investing in a girl’s success at an early age, each of us plays a vital role in ensuring the future of the community and the country is in good hands.
CPS Energy and Environmental Awareness Through CPS Energy’s Environmental Awareness Initiative, girls learn that reversing environmental threats and improving quality of life is the work of their generation. *Did you know: For girls ages 11-12, 73% reported improving the world around them as their favorite activity (e.g. activities related to the environment or helping others.)
H-E-B and Healthy Living Girl Scouts recognizes that physical health, emotional health and self-esteem are connected. H-E-B’s Healthy Living Initiative educates girls about keeping bodies healthy, minds engaged and spirits alive. *Did you know: Over the past 25 years, the percentage of overweight girls has more than doubled. Thirty-one percent of girls admit to starving themselves or refusing to eat as a strategy to lose weight.
With a combined contribution of $120,000 to GSSWT, CPS Energy, H-E-B, Valero Energy Corporation and Wells Fargo have all taken the lead in supporting innovative patch programs for each company’s area of expertise.
Valero Energy Corporation and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)
Women continue to have a greater impact in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math than ever before. Whether they’re building robots, learning the mechanics of a car’s engine or creating a chemical reaction, girls are unlocking unexpected talents through Valero Energy Corporation’s STEM Initiative. *Did you know: When today’s girls graduate from college, America will need 3 million more scientists and engineers. However, girls tend to leave science to boys as early as the 5th grade.
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Wells Fargo and Financial Literacy Wells Fargo’s Financial Literacy Initiative provides girls the resources and knowledge to set fiscal goals and become financially accountable when earning and managing money. *Did you know: Women-owned funds significantly outperform funds in general, even during tough economic times. Yet women managed only 3% of hedge funds and 10% of mutual funds in the year leading to the 2008 recession.
Who We Are
Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) is dedicated solely to girls in grades K-12. For 103 years we have enabled girls to build character and skills for success.
Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas (GSSWT) is chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA to provide program in 21 counties. We are headquartered at the Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center in north central San Antonio.
• Founded in 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low
TO VISIT OR CONTACT GSSWT
• More than 2.8 million members throughout the United States* (*including U.S. territories, and in more than 90 countries through USA Girl Scouts Overseas) • GSUSA is a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) • WAGGGS is a family of 10 million girls and adults in 145 countries
HOW TO BECOME A GIRL SCOUT Call 210-349-2404/1-800-580-7247 or visit girlscouts-swtx.org to find out about Girl Scouts in your neighborhood! • Be a girl in grades K-12 • Accept the Girl Scout Promise and Law • Pay national membership dues of $15 (financial assistance is available)
West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center 5622 W. César E. Chávez Blvd. | San Antonio, TX 78237 Phone 210-319-5775 | 1-800-580-7247 Fax 210-349-2666
Frequently Asked Questions Q: What happens after a girl becomes a Girl Scout?
A: When a girl joins the organization, she becomes a Girl Scout member. All members may choose any one, all, or some of the flexible pathways to participate in during a single year.
Q: How can I support my daughter’s Girl Scout journey?
PARTICIPATE IN GIRL SCOUTS THROUGH ONE OR MORE PATHWAYS: CAMP. By day or overnight, she can explore nature on two wheels, by the light of the moon or through the lens of a camera. EVENTS. Most girls have more than one passion—maybe storytelling and acting or dancing. Choose events centered on your daughter’s favorites. SERIES. Everything’s more fun when you’re sharing it with others who love the same things. Our series let girls explore interests together in a way that fits their schedules. TRAVEL. Want your daughter to go places? Girl Scouts do. When they see and experience new things, it’s always an adventure they’ll never forget. TROOP. Meeting regularly, girls can share amazing experiences, learn to make a difference in their community and have lots of fun! GIRL SCOUT GRADE LEVELS: GSUSA program at all levels emphasizes development of personal values, appreciation of others, decision-making, leadership and service. Program is adapted for each grade level and for the needs and interests of individual girls. • • • • • •
Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center 811 N Coker Loop | San Antonio, TX 78216 Phone 210-349-2404 | 1-800-580-7247 Fax 210-349-2666
Girl Scout Daisy—grades Kindergarten-1 Girl Scout Brownie—grades 2-3 Girl Scout Junior—grades 4-5 Girl Scout Cadette—grades 6-8 Girl Scout Senior—grades 9-10 Girl Scout Ambassador—grades 11-12
GIRL SCOUTS OFFERS MORE CHOICES AND MORE REASONS THAN EVER TO JOIN. GET STARTED TODAY!
A: Parents/guardians should be familiar with the flexible pathways your daughter can experience. Help her identify her interests and encourage her to participate in various activities. All of the information a parent needs to support their daughter’s Girl Scout journey may be found at girlscouts-swtx.org.
Q: Where do funds come from to pay for books, pins and awards?
A: Through participation in product sales, such as the annual Girl Scout Cookie Program, which provides troops or individual girls with proceeds to help pay for books, earned awards or uniform pieces. Proceeds may also be used to pay for attendance at camp or to travel, as well as various activities offered by the council. Parents/guardians of girls will often pay some of the costs. If a troop is newly formed, a troop leader may request a small amount from the parents to begin the program year. Limited financial assistance for books, membership pins and uniform components is available.
Q: Are uniforms required in Girl Scouting?
A: Uniforms are not required, but are encouraged for visibility and Girl Scout spirit. A girl is always welcome to participate in Girl Scouting whether or not she chooses to have a uniform. The Girl Scout Membership Pin can be worn with or without the uniform. Girls are encouraged to purchase a sash or vest on which to display earned awards and other official insignia. Limited financial assistance is available.
Q: Is financial assistance available?
A: Yes. GSSWT believes no girl should ever be denied the opportunity to participate in Girl Scouts because of financial need. Funds are available to assist girls with council activities, membership dues, books, etc.
Q: Who can be a Girl Scout volunteer?
A: Anyone over the age of 18 and willing to accept the Girl Scout Promise and Law is welcome to volunteer for the organization. Adults go through the following steps when applying to become Girl Scout volunteers: application with criminal background check, appointment for one year, placement and required training. GSSWT offers adult learning opportunities online and in a live class format to provide volunteers with a solid foundation for guiding the leadership development of girls.
Q: Whom do I contact for information or help?
A: Much information may be found online at girlscouts-swtx.org, or call your Girl Scout staff liaison at 210-349-2404/1-800-580-7247.
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