Girls Scouts is so much more than selling cookies.The organization equips girls with the knowledge they need to take action on issues they believe in. Girl Scouts of the USA has just announced 24 new badges designed to help girls practice leadership skills in civics, entrepreneurship, STEM career exploration and automotive engineering.
Civics (Grades K-12)
The Civics badges help girls gain an in-depth understanding of how local, state and federal government works. (Funded by the Citi Foundation).
Entrepreneurship (Grades K-12)
Girls will create and pitch a product or service that solves a real-life problem and build a business plan that explores about topics like production, cost, profit, marketing, and competition. (Funded by Susan Bulkeley Butler and designed in collaboration with VentureLab).
STEM Career Exploration (Grades 2-8)
Explore computer science, nature/environmental science, engineering, design, health, and agriculture. (Funded by IF/THEN, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies).
Automotive Engineering (Grades K-5)
Girls will learn all about designing, engineering, and manufacturing vehicles, as well as the future of mobility. (Funded by General Motors).
Girls can start out by trying these new free badge activity samplers.
“The world has changed drastically this year, and now more than ever, it’s imperative to have strong leaders who can make informed decisions,” said GSUSA CEO Sylvia Acevedo. Our new badges will continue to build the world-changing female leaders of today and the future, particularly in key industries that propel our country forward: automotive engineering, entrepreneurship, civics, and STEM.”
Also beginning this summer, all councils will also have the opportunity to host their own Girl Scout Cyber Challenge sponsored by Raytheon Technologies. Middle and high school girls will learn cybersecurity skills as they compete in challenges such as running traceroutes and identifying phishing schemes. The Cyber Challenge prepares girls to pursue careers in computer science and cybersecurity.
—Jennifer Swartvagher
All photos courtesy of Girl Scouts of the USA
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