Girls Make a Difference in the Fight Against Girl Bullying

Meet Lily, Juliana, Janelle, and Catherine!

They represented Girl Scouts of the USA and Southern Nevada by participating in a panel in front of more than 700 people at the National Girl Bullying and Relational Aggression Conference in June.

Teacher, counselors, and school administrators from all over the country gathered to discuss the issue of girl bullying and relational aggression in hopes of learning tools to recognize and stop it from happening in their schools.

Lily, Juliana, Janelle, and Catherine offered their opinions and personal experiences in the hopes that they might help change the life of girls all over the country. Here are a few of their ideas on how to combat girl bullying and relational aggression:

Take the bully out of the equation. When helping a friend deal with a bully, speak to the bully in private about the situation. A bully might not even realize the harm they are causing. By taking the bully out of the situation, they don't have to worry about what peers will think of them.

Find your (true) friends. If you've been bullied with rumors or gossip, to help ease feelings of hurt and isolation, find one or two true friends and confide how the gossip has hurt your feelings. Set the record straight by telling your friends quietly and confidently what's true and not true about you. Hearing a friend say, "I know the rumor's not true. I didn't pay attention to it," can help you realize that most of the time people see gossip for what it is — petty, rude, and immature.

Practice confidence. Practice ways to respond to a bully verbally or through your behavior. Practice feeling good about yourself, even if you have to fake it at first.

Most importantly is talk about it. It may help to talk to a guidance counselor, teacher, or friend — anyone who can give you the support you need. Talking can be a good outlet for the fears and frustrations that can build when you're being bullied.

Camp Foxtail - So much fun... and so much more.

Ask a girl about Camp Foxtail and she'll probably tell you all about the fun - but camp is so much more. A camp experience:

enhances teamwork and social skills through community living and group play

develops skills, knowledge and self-confidence through exciting, challenging and fun activities

strengthens self-reliance and independent living skills by being away from home and providing girls with exciting and enriching opportunities for personal growth.

This summer hundreds of girls will head to Camp Foxtail - many for the first time. While there, girls will participate in programs that encourage leadership through activities such as hiking, biking, rock climbing, high and low adventure courses, singing, arts and crafts, and campfires. They will make new friends and cherished memories that will last a lifetime. But most importantly, they will gain important leadership skills that will serve them well the rest of their lives.

Girl Scouts of Japan Relief Efforts

We are devastated by the catastrophe in Japan and, on a personal level, are deeply concerned about our sisters there, the Girl Scouts of Japan. USA Girl Scouts Overseas has served American military and civilian families in Japan for many years, and has extremely close ties with Girl Scouts of Japan. In fact, many of our overseas troops and Girl Scouts of Japan are sister troops. We have received many calls from Girl Scouts around the country asking how to help and are happy to report that the policy that prohibits Girl Scouts from raising money for other organizations has been temporarily suspended. To contribute to earthquake and tsunami relief efforts, you can make an online donation to the newly established Girl Scouts of Japan Relief Efforts. At times like these, Girl Scouts throughout the world come together in sisterhood to help those in need. We have seen our Movement rally in support of the victims of Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters over the years, and will continue to do everything we can to help our sister Girl Scouts of Japan in the weeks and months ahead.

Where will the funds go?

We can assure you that 100 percent of all relief funds will go to the national organization, Girl Scouts of Japan to be used for families affected by the earthquake and tsunami. If you have any questions, please feel free to email globalgirlscouting@girlscouts.org.

Make checks payable to Girl Scouts of the USA:

Girl Scouts of the USA-Fund Development

P.O. Box 5046

New York, NY 10087-5046

Memo: Girl Scouts of Japan Relief Efforts

Four Ways to Celebrate Girl Scouts' Birthday

Girl Scouts is 99 and looking great! The Girl Scout Birthday, March 12, commemorates the day in 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the organization's first 18 girl members in Savannah, Georgia.

Here are some fun ideas to get the celebration going:

1. Throw a Girl Scout Bash - Ask the girls how they want to celebrate the Girl Scout birthday as a group. You may suggest cooking foods from Savannah, trying Girl Scout cookie recipes, or decorating cupcakes with green frosting.
2. Visit with Juliette Low - Let the girls design an event around Girl Scouting's early years. Activities can include music, art, and the culture of Savannah or their own hometown.
3. Create a Scrapbook - Suggest the idea to the girls - they can bring in photos, drawings, and poems of what Girl Scouting has meant for them. The girls can decorate the pages and the cover together.
4. Focus on Environment - Explain how Girl Scouts prides itself on making a positive impact in communities and the natural environment. Talk with the girls about leaving the world a better place than they found it. Ask them how they might make a difference in their neighborhoods. The ideas can be placed in a hat and one can be selected for the girls to do as a group. If the girls are stuck for ideas, suggest planting a tree in a local park or a recycling activity.

Whether the girls decide to have a birthday party or plant a tree, the important thing is to provide an opportunity for the girls to celebrate together. Happy Birthday Girl Scouts!

Girl Scout Week 2011

March 12, 2011, marks the 99th anniversary of Girl Scouting. Serving as a Girl Scout today means being part of a worldwide organization that builds leadership skills by providing girls with opportunities to discover their interest, connect with others, and take action to make the world a better place.

Girl Scout Week is celebrated in conjunction with the Girl Scout birthday, starting with Girl Scout Sunday (March 6) and ending with Girl Scout Sabbath (March 12). During Girl Scout week, girls of all ages celebrate being a by demonstrating leadership and commitment in ways that leave a lasting impact on their communities.

Girl Scout Sunday and Girl Scout Sabbath give girls an opportunity to attend their place of worship and be recognized as Girl Scouts. If a place of worship is the group sponsor, girls may perform a service, such as greeting, ushering, or doing a flag ceremony. These days can also be a time when girls explore other faiths.

In celebration of Girl Scout Week, Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada is having a drawing to win a gift basket full of Girl Scout shop items. Come visit the Girl Scout Leadership Center during Girl Scout Week to enter.

Doodle 4 Google!

Girl Scouts of the USA has partnered with Google for the fourth annual Doodle 4 Google contest. Open to K-12 students in the U.S., Doodle 4 Google is an opportunity of a lifetime: design the Google.com homepage doodle for millions to see, and take home a $15,000 scholarship and a $25,000 technology grant for your school. In the spirit of thinking big, the theme this year is "What I'd like to do someday..." - giving all of the talented young dreamers an opportunity to flex their creative muscles.

Get started today! Whether you're a parent of a leader, register your girl(s) by March 2, 2011. Then get out the crayons, paints and marketers and throw your own doodle party!

Please note that all entries must be postmarked by March 16, 2011. Check out contest rules and download the google template here.

Last year, eight-year-old Girl Scout, Indira was a finalist in the Doodle 4 Google contest - view her entry here. Will your Girl Scout be next?

New Year's Resolution - Healthier Girls

Did you make a New Year's Resolution? I made a few - many of the same ones I made last year, and the year before; spend more time with the family, save more money, and of course eat healthier, exercise more, and lose a few of the extra pounds I've been carrying around!

A few days into the new routine, my daughter picked up on the changes I was making and immediately made reference to her eating habits and body type in relation to mine. Our conversation reminded me of a study issued by the Girl Scout Research Institute called The New Normal - What Girls Say About Healthy Living.

We hear so much about childhood obesity and everybody has an opinion on the causes - lack of exercise/too many video games, changes in our food, portions of food, etc. But what is unique about the study issued by the Girl Scout Research Institute is that they asked girls and boys what they thought about healthy living. Here are a few of the major findings of what girls had to say about healthy living:

1. Aspiring to be "Normal Healthy" - 65% of girls said their lifestyle was "healthy enough for my age." For most girls, being healthy has more to do with appearing "normal" and feeling accepted than maintaining good diet and exercise habits.


2. Emotional Health Is Central - One in four girls (26%) has some dissatisfaction with her weight compared with 19% of boys. Most girls view emotional health and physical health as equally important.


3. Tension Between Health Awareness and Behaviors - 60% of teenage girls skip breakfast at least once a week and nearly 20% skip it every day. Although girls demonstrate basic knowledge about healthy foods and eating behaviors, they often do not put this knowledge into practice, and it is "normal" for many girls to make poor choices with respect to diet and exercise.


4. The Influential Role of Mothers - Eighty-nine percent of girls report that their mothers make positive comments about how they look. Mothers were the most frequently cited source of information on healthy living and they clearly function as role models for their daughters.

So what does this all mean? "Do as I say, not as I do" just doesn't cut it when it comes to healthy living. Our girls are watching and for as much as they are influenced by their peers, this is one area where we can make a meaningful difference in their lives. Make your New Year's Resolution to help your girl gain the knowledge and life skills to lead a healthy life.

Need help? Girl Scouts offers more than 60 age-level awards combing physical fitness with good nutrition and a healthy body image to help girls attain an overall healthy lifestyle. Interested in reading more about what girls are saying - visit the Girl Scout Research Institute.

Emily Smith

Chief Marketing & Development Officer