10 minute read
Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas
A New Decade of Girls’ Leadership
A New Decade of Girls’ Leadership
The Girl Scout Research Institute in May 2020 conducted a national research study of 3,000 girls and 1,000 boys ages 8 - 21 to better understand how young people define, experience, and aspire toward leadership now and in the future.
The findings in the report focus on gender, politics, and civic engagement—and the results are clear: Members of Generation Z are ready for change.
Photos courtesy of Girl Scouts of the United States of America
Did you know?
Fifty-six percent of women in the 117th Congress are Girl Scout alums: 71 percent of female senators, and 53 percent of female delegates
and representatives.
Here’s a rundown of the study’s findings:
More than seven in 10 young people believe women and men make equally good political leaders. • Three in four young women (ages 11–21) know the U.S. Congress consists of more men than women and want to increase the number of women elected. Women make up only 27 percent of all members in the 117th Congress, and that is the highest it has ever been.
• Today’s young people also want to see a woman in the Oval Office. Nearly nine in 10 girls/young women and six in 10 boys/ young men would feel positive about a woman being elected as president of the United States.
Girls and young women are finding ways to civically engage and take action.
• Sixty-two percent of young women ages 18–21 intended to vote in the November 2020 election, including 82 percent of those who are already registered. • Girl Scouts’ 2021 report on Girl Scout alumni showed that 86 percent are registered to vote and 73 percent vote always or nearly always. • Among girls who aren’t old enough to vote, nearly two in three (65 percent) have engaged in civic or political activities—getting involved in causes they care about, supporting their local communities through volunteer work, and/or reaching out to their elected officials.
Looking into the future, girls want to take the lead in public service and advocacy.
• Eighty-two percent want to make a positive impact on society through their work and nearly all want a future workplace where employees are treated fairly and paid equally, regardless of gender. • Nearly six in 10 (59 percent) are interested in being a future leader in advocacy or public service, or in having a career as an elected official. • Girls care most about the environment, girls’ and women’s issues, LGBTQ and racial equity, and disability rights.
Regardless of the careers they choose, girls want to make a difference.
• Eighty-seven percent of girls are concerned about gender parity and think it is important that employees are paid equally, regardless of gender. This is particularly important, given research that shows women make between 81 and 92 cents for every dollar that men make, and this gap widens for Black, Latina, and Indigenous women. • Eighty-six percent think it is important that in their future workplace, everyone is treated equally. • Eighty-two percent want to make a positive impact on society through their future work.
Girls who express an interest in public service, advocacy, or politics are our future change makers—they are more likely to agree that in the future, they’ll have the power or ability to influence or change things in their community than those who are not interested in these careers.
The Girl Scout Leadership Experience
As you can see by the study results, girls are ready to tackle big problems and dream big dreams. That’s what Girl Scouts do: They look at our world and take action to change it for the better. They make friends, challenge themselves with new experiences, write their own stories, and develop the skills and confidence to say, “I know I can do this!”
So how do we do it? It’s all part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it’s what makes Girl Scouting a unique experience for girls.
Photos courtesy of Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas
A Girl Scout enjoys the ropes course during her stay at GSSWT’s Camp La Jita, a beautiful 236-acre camp situated along the Sabinal River near Utopia, in summer 2021. Girl Scouts from Troop 893 helped clean the Olmos Basin area as part of earning their Girl Scout Way badge in 2021.
Girl-led
Girl Scouts follow their own lead, no matter their age. From selecting the badges they’ll pursue to how they’ll organize an activity, Girl Scouts have the chance to follow their dreams and grow their skills—and the confidence that comes with that.
Learning by Doing
Hands-on activities are fun for Girl Scouts of any age, but they also help them feel empowered to shape their own experience. Girl Scouts unlock their “I got this” attitude as they discover they can always dust themselves off and try again when things don’t go according to plan.
Cooperative Learning
There’s power in having a tight-knit group of friends who will learn with you, grow with you, and always cheer you on. Girl Scouts see firsthand that teamwork, respect, and collaboration can fuel them through any challenge that comes their way.
With the help of supportive adults and troop leaders who help bring these three unique processes to life, girls try new things, share their full selves, and see how good it feels to lead from the heart.
Photo courtesy of Vincent Yang
GSSWT has countless stories of area Girl Scouts taking such action and making a difference in their communities by advocating for others. Many earn Gold Awards—the most prestigious award in Girl Scouts—for their efforts.
Girl Scout alum Emma Ramos received her Gold Award in 2020 for her project “Helping Families at the Southern Border,” in which she addressed issues that migrant families face at the Southern TexasMexico border. She provided informational resources and directed migrant families to organizations that can provide donations or other financial assistance. She wanted to inspire others to advocate for children and migrant families, whether it is donating to existing organizations or churches, writing to politicians, or educating further on the issue. Emma graduated from Alamo Heights High School in 2020 and attends George Washington University, majoring in International Affairs.
Alexandra Snow received her Gold Award in 2020 for her project “Clark High School Food Pantry,” in which she addressed the need for food assistance for students at Clark High School and creating suitable storage for the food. By ensuring families and students have food on the table, she found a way to help reduce family stress and allow students to concentrate on their studies rather than their family’s nutritional needs. Alexandra was a Girl Scout throughout grade school and graduated from Clark High School in 2020. She currently attends the University of Texas at San Antonio, majoring in geology.
Photo courtesy of Laura Hill
About Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas
Photo courtesy of Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas. Salinas was named CEO of GSSWT in 2015. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, at the Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center, Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas (GSSWT) was founded in 1924 and serves nearly 12,000 Girl Scouts in 21 counties.
Like all councils, we are diverse and inclusive. Fifty percent of girls in the GSSWT council live in marginalized communities, allowing Girl Scouts to serve as a pathway to reach their goals and achieve success.
Our chief executive officer is Major General Angela Salinas, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret). A Girl Scout alum herself, Salinas served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 39 years. She was the first Latina selected and promoted to the general officer ranks in the U.S. Marine Corps. At the time of her retirement in September 2013, she was the senior ranking woman and Hispanic person in the Corps.
GSSWT is known for our signature in-person programs, based at our West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center or on campuses Major General Angela Salinas, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret) in partnering school districts. These have been adjusted and are offered as synchronous and asynchronous virtual programming to accommodate additional school breaks and necessary safety measures brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about our events, including our summer camp sessions at Camp Ja Lita in the Texas Hill Country along the beautiful Sabinal River near Utopia, at girlscouts-swtx.org.
Y
We Are Girl Scouts.
Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world.
Girl Scouts is the first and largest girl-led organization in the world, and for 110 years has been preparing girls in grades K–12 for everyday leadership, with programs focusing on four key areas STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), Outdoors, Life Skills, and Entrepreneurship. Girls of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends.
Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them.
In a world of problems, Girl Scouts see possibility. We’re a champion for girls because we know their style of leadership is needed now more than ever. How to Become a Girl Scout • Be a girl in grades K-12 • Accept the Girl Scout Promise and Law • Pay $25 for your one-year membership (financial assistance is available)
Q: Are uniforms required in Girl Scouting? A: A girl is always welcome to participate in Girl Scouting whether she chooses to have a uniform. Girls are encouraged to purchase a sash or vest on which to display earned awards and other official insignia. 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 age 18 and older is welcome. GSSWT offers adult learning opportunities online and in person to provide volunteers with a solid foundation for guiding the leadership development of girls.
Q: Who do I contact for information or help? A: Visit us online at girlscouts-swtx.org to learn more, or you can reach us at 210-349-2404 (toll-free 800-580-7247).
Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center 811 N Coker Loop | San Antonio, TX 78216 Phone: 210-349-2404 (toll-free: 800-580-7247) | Fax: 210-349-2666
West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center 5622 W. César E. Chávez Blvd. | San Antonio, TX 78237 Phone 210-349-2404
