Girl Scout
History
Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low assembled 18 girls from
Savannah, Georgia, on March 12, 1912, for a local Girl
Scout meeting. She believed that all girls should be
given the opportunity to develop physically, mentally,
and spiritually. With the goal of bringing girls out of
isolated home environments and into community service
and the open air, Girl Scouts hiked, played basketball,
went on camping trips, learned how to tell time by the
stars, and studied first aid. Within a few years,
Daisy's dream for a girl-centered organization was
realized.
Girl Scouts has
grown from 18 members in Savannah, Georgia, to 3.7
million members throughout the United States, including
U.S. territories, and in more than 90 countries through
USA Girl Scouts overseas, a significant
growth from its modest beginnings nearly a century ago.
In fact, more than 50 million women in the U.S. today
are Girl Scout alumnae.
Today, all
experiences in Girl Scouting incorporate the
Discover,
Connect,
and
Take Action
keys to leadership,
which are girl-led encouraging learning by doing
(experiential learning), and cooperative learning. These
three processes promote the fun and friendship that have
always been so integral to Girl Scouting
All Girl Scout
experiences are designed to tie to one or more of the 15
national leadership outcomes, or benefits, categorized
under the three keys to leadership. Girls learn how to
think and act with strong values, ready to face the
challenges that lie ahead as they become young women.
Girls have told us
that these opportunities matter very much to them—both
in their daily lives and as they prepare for their
futures.
Click here to read more about the history of the Girl
Scout Commonwealth Council of VA, Inc.
