Girl Scouts Is The Girl Leadership Expert

Hello Girl Scout Families,

As many of you are likely aware, Boy Scouts of America announced yesterday that they will begin to allow girls into their Cub Scouts program (grades K-5) next year and will develop a separate program for older girls that is expected to be available in 2019, which will allow girls to advance to the rank of Eagle Scout. While our teams, locally and nationally, continue to gather information and learn more about this decision, our Movement remains committed to and believes strongly in the importance of the all-girl, girl-led, and girl-friendly environment that Girl Scouts provides, which creates a necessary safe space for girls to learn and thrive.

Girl Scouts Is the Girl Leadership Expert...as the best leadership development experience for girls, we remain dedicated to ensuring all girls take their rightful place as leaders in their communities, their country, and the world. Girl Scouting's more than 100-year legacy of research, experience, and results prove the success of our focus exclusively on girls and developing programs that meet their needs and interests in a safe, all-girl environment.

As girls, volunteers, alumnae, and family members, you know the value of the incredible experiences we provide girls in leadership, STEM, outdoor, entrepreneurship, and life-skills programming. From our youngest Girl Scouts who are finding their voice and raising their hand to our Gold Award Girl Scouts who are transforming an idea and vision for change into an actionable plan with measurable, sustainable, and far-reaching impact at the local, national, and global levels, our G.I.R.L.s (Go-getters, Innovators, Risk-takers, Leaders) are amazing - and they are only getting started. We encourage you to continue to speak to the benefits of our exceptional program for girls and share the stories of impact that our Girl Scouts make in our communities.

Not only do we all personally know the value, we also have the research and impact studies to prove the effect of our life-changing program. Through The Girl Scout Difference, we can speak to the tangible, measurable outcomes and can quantify the validity of our one-of-a-kind experience that we see in our girls and alumnae. Our Gold Award Girl Scouts are also walking, breathing proof and remarkable examples of our program's impact. Not only are they bettering and empowering themselves through the pursuit of the Girl Scout Gold Award, they are also demonstrating leadership, advocacy, critical thinking, and compassion while taking action to make sustainable change in their communities.

Marketplace competition is not new to our Movement and we continue to focus on what truly matters: our girls. And to great success. For the third consecutive year, Girl Scouts - North Carolina Coastal Pines has seen membership growth, through both retention as well as new girls choosing to join Girl Scouts. We continue to enhance our camp properties and the outdoor experience. Girls are enjoying the 23 recently released STEM and outdoor badges and new Journeys where girls think like engineers, program robots, and will be prepared to take on cybersecurity. We will be deploying a second program vehicle this year in our continued efforts to reach and serve girls throughout our 41 counties. And our members are enjoying the multitude of council and local events, troop support and program opportunities...including our volunteers who are getting ready for an exciting Leaderee weekend. Our council and our Movement have never been better poised to meet our strategic priorities and stand out among marketplace competition while continuing to build upon a legacy of girl empowerment and leadership.

Thank you for allowing Girl Scouts to be an important part of your life and your girl's leadership development. And thank you for your continued support of Girl Scouts - North Carolina Coastal Pines. 

Yours in Girl Scouting,

Lisa Jones
Chief Executive Officer