At a time when it seems like the world is more divisive than ever, I think there’s one thing we can all agree on: We all want to build a better world. Every day, Girl Scouts are hard at work building a better world for all through Take Action projects, community service, and volunteering efforts. In fact, 187,500 volunteer service hours were donated back to the community this year alone by River Valleys’ Girl Scouts taking action (talk about girl power)!
While Girl Scouts can – and should – be building a better world as young as Daisies, the highest awards (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) are truly a place for this spirit to shine. Here’s how Girl Scouts are building a better world through highest awards:
Girls address issues in their community.
A highest award project begins by girls seeing an issue in their community that they want to fix and researching the root cause of the issue so that they can come up with a creative solution. Whether they are building confidence with hearing aid bling, creating and teaching art classes in underserved schools, or sewing dresses for girls in orphanages — Girl Scouts are truly building a better world.
Girls become better leaders.
Highest awards are girl-led because everything from identifying an issue they want to address to creatively finding a way to solve it, begin and end with the girl herself. Starting at the Bronze level, highest awards help girls build confidence in their own ability to make a real difference and gain leadership skills that will help them build a better world now and in the future.
Girls inspire others.
Using active leadership to work with, rather than for, their communities, Girl Scouts who undertake highest awards projects are shining examples for others (younger and older!) to take action themselves. In fact, the community members a Girl Scout involves in her highest award project are often so inspired by her that they become advocates for the cause themselves!
Girls have an impact beyond their community.
Issues like literacy, hunger, clean water, and STEM education are issues that affect not only people here at home, but across the world. The sustainability aspect of a highest award means not only that the project itself will continue to have impact, but that its impact can be multiplied and replicated by others – creating a ripple effect that can touch every corner of our beautiful planet!
Has your troop or a girl you know done anything to build a better world? (I’m thinking ALL of you can say yes to this!) Remind your girls to take the Girl Scout Challenge and share their awesome stories for a chance to inspire readers far and wide and win a $500 scholarship! The 2016 Girl Scout Challenge ends December 27, so share today!
Inspired to support girls to build a better world through highest awards? You can ensure the girls in your community have the right tools to change the world by donating on Give to the Max Day, November 17th!
Natasha Brownlee – Natasha is a Program Specialist at River Valleys, where she develops and leads awesome Girl Scout events – and runs the In the Loop blog! Her background is in curriculum development, programming, and creative writing. She has BA’s in Peace Studies and French and a MSc in Gender, Development & Globalization and has worked with various girl-centered organizations in the US and abroad. Natasha loves traveling around the world, practicing yoga, and hanging out with her dog, Rooney!