Jody’s guest blogger today is Amy Foster, Director of Program Services

Wow!  I can’t believe the school year is almost over.  When I think of the end of the school year, I think of graduations, girls moving to new schools, endings, and new beginnings.  There’s been a lot going on in Girl Scouting these last several years!  Locally, this has been a year of new beginnings for all of us…new council, new jobs, new friends to meet, and the New Girl Scout Leadership Experience. 

There have been many stepping stones on the trail to work towards the New Girl Scout Leadership Experience.  Coming out of Girl Scouts of the USA’s (GSUSA) strategy work in 2004, a collective decision was made to focus clearly on what we know we do best — leadership.  GSUSA then began partnering with girls to define leadership and came away with the 3 keys: Discover, Connect and Take Action.

GSUSA just recently published specific outcomes in Transforming Leadership; these outcomes represent our intentions for girls.  GSUSA developed them with lots of input from — girls and adults in Girl Scouting as well as youth development experts. 

Girl Scouts is, as it always has been, the organization best positioned to offer girls the tools they need to be successful leaders now and throughout their lives.  As Girl Scouting approaches its 100th anniversary, the Movement is using its expertise to create a completely new approach for what girls do in Girl Scouting, how they do it, and how they will benefit. 

Now we are ready to roll out new program experiences intentionally designed based on our outcomes.  This fall we will begin the journey to launch the NEW Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and I know you and your girls will find the new materials relevant, exciting, fun and easy to use! 

I know there are many questions about the details and I invite you to Discover, Connect and Take Action! Discover the possibilities, Connect with myself and others to answer your questions, and Take Action to spread the excitement.  Check out the new web page with information about what is coming this fall, with links to FAQ, how to manage the multi-year transition, where to ask questions and more!

Imagine the power of 33,000 girls in West Central Florida becoming leaders – not just in the future, but being a leader in her life today.  With 33,000 girls in West Central Florida and 2.6 million girls across the country leading the way – the world really will be a better place!