From India to Illinois: Girls Around the World Have the Same Hopes, Dreams and Goals

Villie M. Appoo, CEO

All around the world, girls have many of the same hopes, dreams and goals.  They desire to make lifelong friends, learn new things, become strong and confident and make a difference in their communities.   They dream of days filled with laughter and fun, of adventures they will  go on, of having successful futures and taking a stand on issues that matter most to them.

From India to Illinois, these are things girls and their families tell us they want in Girl Scouting.  This was what I wanted as a young girl growing up in Mumbai, India as a member of the Girl Guides.  And, this is what I perceive that our Girl Scouts and their families in southern Illinois want today. 
 

As Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois  for the past five years, it has been my goal, and that of the Board of Directors and our dedicated staff to give our Girl Scouts what they say they want and need.  How does a girl accomplish her goal of learning about robotics?  Or defy gender stereotypes and become a firefighter, leading a team of heroes?  Or set in motion her dream of becoming a leader when opportunity seems like only a buzzword to her?

How?  It’s simple...Girl Scouts.
 

Growing up in India, my experience with the Girl Guides was instrumental in my decision to pursue a career in social work.  It was the Girl Guides that started me on my journey and led me to where I am today...leading 4,500 adult volunteers to provide a premier Girl Scout Leadership Experience for our 14,000 girls in southern Illinois.   One of my most memorable experiences as a Girl Guide was working with the Society for the Education of the Crippled which ran a school for physically challenged children.

We took these children camping one year -- which was a fantastic experience for both them and us.  Many of these children had never been away from home, and had never gone out of town on a train.  Taking care of them 24/7 was a great responsibility as well as a very enriching experience.  Today, I see this same compassion and love for helping others in our girls and volunteers right here in southern Illinois.   Our girls love to help others and make the world a better place by sewing blankets for sick children in local hospitals, sending care packages to our service members overseas or visiting with senior citizens at local nursing homes.

Girl Scouts is making the world a better place while making lasting impressions in the lives of both its volunteers and girl members.  Demonstrating this, a recent Girl Scouts Research Institute study shows that 94 percent of Girl Scout volunteers and 97 percent of girl members believe Girl Scouts provides them with new, fun, and exciting experiences.  And, Girl Scout research also shows that when parents were asked to describe the benefits of Girl Scouting using one word, the top responses were:  friendships, confidence, fun, community and leadership.

At Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, we are committed to serving more girls and providing them the tools, resources and experiences that will help them achieve their hopes, dreams and goals.  But, we can’t do it without YOU!  We need more volunteers to help us mentor a Girl Scout robotics team, to teach a girl how to paddle a canoe at camp or give her words of encouragement so she can gain the courage, confidence and character to make the world a better place for her family, for her community and for her country.

From India to Illinois, dedicated volunteers, parents, donors and supporters are working together to ensure girls have experiences and opportunities to make the world a better place for all of us.  For more information on how you can be involved with the Girl Scout movement and help more girls on their journey, visit the Girl Scout website at www.gsofsi.org or check out all of the great things our girls and volunteers are doing on our Facebook page.

Together we can ensure that Girl Scouting is a place where all girls from India to Illinois can achieve their hopes, dreams and goals.

  

Villie M. Appoo
Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois
Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Girl Scouts is Great For Both Girls and Volunteers!

 

 

 

Girl Scouts really is great for everyone! While there are possibly too many positive outcomes associated with being a member of Girl Scouts to list, there is some compelling research which illustrates just how good Girl Scouts is.

 

Results of a summer 2014 pulse poll conducted with more than 3,500 volunteers and parents of Girl Scouts in the K−5 age range show positive effects on members of all ages. Ninety-seven percent of parents agree that Girl Scouts has been a positive activity for their daughter, that she has had fun and exciting new experiences (95 percent), and that she has learned or tried something new (96 percent). In addition, 94 percent of parents say that because of Girl Scouts, their daughter feels special, has more friends (95 percent), is more confident (90 percent), and is happier (89 percent).

While GSUSA boasts more than two million members nationwide, there are more than 30,000 girls on waiting lists who want to join Girl Scouts but can’t because there are not enough volunteers in local communities to help deliver the Girl Scout experience. Data shows it is not just girls who benefit from participating in the organization: 94 percent of volunteers have made new friends, 88 percent believe their life is better because they volunteer with Girl Scouts, and two-thirds believe their volunteer experience has helped them professionally. Ninety-five percent of Girl Scout volunteers are happy knowing they are making girls’ lives better.
 

"Girl Scouts has provided a safe, fun, and engaging place for girls and adult volunteers to lead and thrive for over 100 years," said Anna Maria Chávez, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. "We know the majority of volunteers feel their Girl Scout experience has helped them both personally and professionally, but in many places throughout the country, the lack of volunteers is what keeps girls on waiting lists. Every adult who volunteers for Girl Scouts can help us bring fun, new experiences to at least five girls. Imagine what that can do to shape the next generation of female leaders."
 

Girl Scouts gives girls a place to explore topics of interest in a judgment-free space outside of classroom confinements, and it cultivates cooperative and self-directed learning, as well as the growth mindset (the understanding that intelligence and talent can be developed)—all of which help foster a lifetime passion for learning. The variety of experiences and the value for the money the Girl Scout program provides are also popular selling points. Eighty-nine percent of parents say their daughter gets a greater variety of experiences from Girl Scouts than she does from other extracurricular activities, and the majority of parents feel Girl Scouts is a great value for the money compared to other extracurricular activities. Overall, parents consider Girl Scouts one of the most beneficial extracurricular activities for their daughter.
 

“The value of the all-girl, girl-led environment offered by Girl Scouts cannot be overstated, and is so important to the social-emotional and personal development of girls,” said Dr. Andrea Bastiani-Archibald, Chief Girl Expert at Girl Scouts of the USA. “Girl Scouts is a place where girls are free to be girls; to try new things, experiment, and have fun learning from and leading one another. There is no other leadership development program in the world that offers girls this inclusive, safe space, without the distractions and pressures of school and other social settings.”

 

Girl Scouts is open to all girls from kindergarten through grade 12. The more adults step forward to volunteer, the more girls will get the chance to be a Girl Scout. Adults over age 18 may become volunteers, and both girls and adult volunteers can join at any time of the year. Girl Scout volunteers come from all walks of life; they are men, women, young professionals, retirees, college students, and more. To join or volunteer, please visit: www.girlscouts.org/join.