Cookies, Camp, and Crafts

                 When people hear the words “Girl Scouts,” they think of cookies, camp, and crafts. GSUSA is trying to change that. Girl Scouts is where “today’s girls become tomorrow’s leaders.” 
                 This is their mission, and it is reality. GSUSA reports that 53% of all business women are former Girl Scouts, and 60% of the women in the House of Representatives were Scouts. Even with these great statistics, the first thing that comes to mind is “Thin Mints!” How does GSUSA fix this?

                 In 2010 there was a major rebranding of Girl Scouts. The logo was updated, it now features a more vibrant shade of green, and a new campaign, “What Did You Do Today?”, was launched to appeal to the perspective of girls. The campaign was designed to target middle school girls, especially those who have dropped out of scouting around the 6^th grade.  

                In 2011, the Girl Scout Badges were completely redesigned for the first time since 1987. The new badges were presented in 2012 along with the new Girl Guides and the Leadership Journey Series.  Gone is the Fitness, Makeup, and Fashion badge from the 80’s. In its place is the Science of Style Badge that focuses on nanotechnology and the science behind fabrics. In 2013, the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles began testing out a new Video Gamer patch in an effort to appeal to modern girls, who are way more interested in technology than they are crafts, while partnering with WIGI to help girls design and program their own video games.

                Local councils, including our own GSCSNJ, are making the push to recruit and retain today’s modern girls. GSCSNJ offers STEM programs, Lego Robotics patches, and the Leadership Journey. According to a representative from our local council, “GSUSA has led the strategic movement for developing a leadership journey modern girls want to see, but GSCSNJ has fully supported these changes to keep Girl Scouts alive.”