Girl Scout Week , which is March 10-18, will commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of Girl Scouting in the United States.
The Girl Scouts of the Santiam Council will kick off the week with Girl Scouts from across Oregon with a friendship circle at the state Capitol Building at noon on March 9. All past and present Girl Scouts are invited to join in the celebration.
“Juliette Gordon Low wanted every girl to learn new skills and have new experiences,” Girl Scout of Santiam Executive Director Stephanie Smetana said. “When she began planning the first Girl Scout troop meeting, she said, ‘I have something for all girls of Savannah and all of America.’ Ninety years later, we’re still offering opportunities to help girls grow along.”
Milestones in Girl Scouting includes the following:
– March 12, 1912 — Juliette Gordon Low founded Girl Scouts with 18 girls in Savannah, Ga.
– In 1917, Girl Scouts volunteered their services during World War I by working in hospitals, staffing railroad station canteens and collecting peach pits for use in gas masks.
– In 1936, the first official sale of commercially baked Girl Scout cookies took place. In 1938, Girl Scouts implemented a series of program changes, which included the establishment of the Brownie, Intermediate and Senior Girl Scout age levels and the grouping of program activities into distinct fields.
– During the early 1960s, Girl Scout programs and projects focused on overcoming prejudice and building relationships with those of all ages, religions, classes and races.
– In the 1970s, the organization launched Eco-Action, a nationwide environmental education and improvement program. Girl Scout programs continued to address fitness concerns, science and technology and the arts while society at large had just begun to address these issues.
– In 1984, a new Daisy Girl Scout age level for 5-year-olds was established, and Girl Scouts adopted both new uniforms and a contemporary logo.
– By the 1990s, Girl Scouts reached the 3 million mark in its membership, establishing itself as the largest organization for girls, with more than 300 councils nationwide.
In the new millennium, Girl Scouts of the USA has established a research institute, received government funding to address violence against girls and is addressing the “digital divide” with learning activities that encourage girls to go into science, math and technology fields.
“The 90th anniversary of Girl Scouting is not just a time to reflect on our accomplishments,” Smetana said. “But more importantly to move forward to make sure that every girl everywhere can develop into tomorrow’s leaders.”
Girl Scouts of the USA has a membership of more than 3.7 million girls and adults. Today, as when founded, Girl Scouts helps cultivate values, social conscience and self-esteem in young girls. It also teaches them critical life skills that will enable them to succeed as adults. In Girl Scouting and its special girl-only environment, girls discover fun, friendship and the power of girls together.