That “something” has much do with a cycle of discouragement that leads to girls backing down from their aspirations. They’re opting out of activities they once loved. Some of them are even shying away from raising their hands in class.

What is happening? What is so discouraging for girls today?

The short answer is unsupportive environments. For girls, negative influences abound, including peer pressure not to stand out, a lack of role models and mentors, unhealthy and unattainable media images about beauty, and the bullying mentality of peers.

It’s the perfect storm. An unsupportive environment gives a girl discouraging messages starting in grade school, and continuing for the rest of her life. If this goes unchecked, millions of girls will never realize their full leadership potential. They’ll opt out of pursuing their ambitions and never dare to believe in their own potential.

Research bears out the magnitude of the problem. A recent study by the Girl Scout Research Institute shows that 61 percent of girls are either ambivalent about leadership or say it’s not important to them at all. Of the 39 percent of girls who aren’t disaffected, only one in five believes she herself has what it takes to lead.

What a waste of talent. There are girls in our community and across the country who have the brains and the talent to discover a cure for cancer or Alzheimer’s disease or AIDS. They have it within them to launch the next great tech startup that will make us more efficient and create thousands of jobs in the process.

If only they don’t opt out before they get there.

We can’t afford to let that happen – as parents, as citizens of our community, as a nation. If we invest in girls now, the payoff for our community and our country will be tremendous.

We at Girl Scouts have been in the business of helping girls find the leader within for a hundred years now. In honor of our centennial, we have launched ToGetHerThere, a call to action for all of us to be part of the solution—of getting girls to stick with it and realize their full leadership potential.

Your involvement can be as easy as learning more about the issues and taking our pledge at ToGetHerThere.org, as meaningful as volunteering with organizations that support girls, or as profound as mentoring a girl and helping her to see her possibilities in life. I can assure you that at GSCI, we always have room for one more troop leader or adult volunteer.

In whatever way you chose to get involved, you’re creating an environment that supports successful futures for girls. The only thing this requires is a sincere desire to make sure every girl reaches her potential.

Which will be a win for all of us. However you choose to participate, I’m asking you to join the ToGetHerThere cause campaign today – because when a girl succeeds, so does society.

Amy Lefringhouse
Director of Property

World Thinking Day is part of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts Global Action Theme (GAT) based on the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which aim to improve the lives of the world’s poorest people.

The theme for World Thinking Day 2012 is girls worldwide say “we can save our planet.” This theme is based on United Nation’s Millennium Development Goal 7 focused on environmental sustainability.

The World Thinking Day award activities are designed to complement the Girl Scout leadership journeys and reinforce the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (PDF).

The World Thinking Day Award for:

• Girl Scout Daisies
• Girl Scout Brownies
• Girl Scout Juniors
• Girl Scout Cadettes
• Girl Scout Seniors
• Girl Scout Ambassadors

For more great ideas on how we can save our planet, also visit Girl Scouts Forever Green 100th Anniversary Take Action Project.

Welcome to the GSCI 2012 Summer Activity Guide, packed full of summer opportunities for girls of all ages.

If you have joined us for summer programming before, then you know some of the exciting things that await you inside these pages. However, be sure to check out what’s new, because our summer camp directors are always looking for the latest, greatest adventure for girls and they are committed to bringing you new programs every summer along with your tried-and-true favorites.

If you are new to Girl Scouts or not yet a member, then we hope you’ll be as excited as we are by the wide array of offerings we have available this summer: horseback riding for grade 4 – adult and all levels of ability; two challenge courses featuring high and low ropes courses and a variety of elements; canoeing, kayaking, sailing, swimming, and water sports for water lovers; orienteering, backpacking, and primitive camping for the truly adventurous; progressive teen camps to ignite your sense of challenge and adventure; archery; creative arts; and so much more.

Parents and guardians, you can rest assured that when girls join us for summer programming they are not only having the time of their life and building lasting memories; they are also increasing their skills, strength, and independence, developing their leadership potential, and discovering the power of teamwork and cooperative, hands-on learning in a safe, nurturing, all-girl environment. This is what Girl Scouting has been providing girls for 100 years and will continue to deliver for the next 100 years and beyond.

Day camp, resident camp, teen leadership camp, mini-resident camp, and weekend and family events are all available. We invite you to browse these pages, mark your favorite choices, and start making your plans to join us at camp, where there is truly something for every girl, troop, or family, no matter your interests, abilities, and passions. It is our hope that you will use this Activity Guide to set your sights on adventure and let us be your source of great, girl-inspired fun for the summer of 2012!

We look forward to seeing you at camp!

Pam Kovacevich
CEO, Girl Scouts of Central Illinois

Written by Melinda Caroll, the song features the voices of up and rising young singing stars, Ani Hesse, Malia Lane, Kalehua Katagiri and Kalia Medeiros!

Help this YouTube video go viral – click here to watch and help go viral!

This video shows the dance moves for the FLASH MOB for the official theme of the 100th Anniversary Sing-Along Celebration.

You can watch live, the launch of The Year of the Girl and the ToGetHerThere campaign.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 – 11:00 a.m. ET
The New York event features a panel discussion with key thought leaders in education, business, government and entertainment. ABC News journalist Deborah Roberts will moderate the panel, which will explore ways members of society can support girls in reaching their leadership potential. The program will include:

• Connie L. Lindsey, national president, Girl Scouts of the USA
• Anna Maria Chávez, president and chief executive officer, Girl Scouts of the USA
• Michele Kwan, public diplomacy envoy, U.S. State Department and Olympian Figure
• Joanna Coles, editor-in-chief, Marie Claire
• Jean Chatzky, best selling author, personal finance expert and correspondent, NBC “Today”
• Linda Descano, president and chief executive officer, Women & Co., Citi
• Kristen Sanchez, Deputy Managing Partner, Markets & Offerings, Deloitte LLP

Also on January 31 tune into Good Morning America when National CEO Anna Maria Chávez will be interviewed by Katie Couric. And look for an article running in the business section of The New York Times.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Washington, DC event assembles top public policymakers to discuss the state of girls today and set forth a resolution to foster supportive environments and help girls achieve their full potential. To date, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and Representative Nancy Pelosi have confirmed their participation.

Instructions for Accessing Live Webcast

URL: livestream.com/girlscouts
Password: togetherthere

Logon time: 10:45 a.m. ET on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 (accessible from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET)

Participants can go to livestream.com/girlscouts at any time, enter the password “togetherthere,” and view the static slate that reads “Tune in on January 31 for the launch event for ToGetHerThere.”

Welcome to the Year of the Girl!

Running a Girl Scout cookie booth is easy! Depends on who you ask! A few tips can make your cookie booth extremely successful.

GSCI cookie booths run from March 9th through April 15th. Sign up for cookie booths begins January 31st. All area cookie booths (with the exception of the Peoria Service Center area) can be arranged on the www.abcsnap.com website. To reserve cookie booths in the Peoria Service Center, you must fill out the Cookie Booth Reservation Form on our website and turn in the completed form to the Peoria Service Center.

Running a successful cookie booth requires planning. Preparation goes into successfully coordinating a tasty table of treats! If it helps you can use the 4 “S” method to success: Scheduling, Scouts, Supplies and Stock.

Scheduling – Location is key!

• It’s important that you sign up for booths when first available.
• Scope out the locations where you want to set up your cookie booths. Do they have full parking lots? What times are they the most busy? Look for locations is popular areas full of people.
• The best time for booths are weekend afternoons and weekday nights.

Scouts – Training for success!

• Schedules your girls at the booth is important. Cookie booths should not be manned by the parents or troop leaders. Girls should be available for cookie booths. Depending on the age level of your girls, schedule between 2 to 4 per girls and 1 to 2 parents or troop leaders per every two hours. This gives everyone the responsibility to take part and earn funds for the troop.
• Your girls behavior should be appropriate for selling at your cookie booth. Girls should not be eating at your booth. They should be standing – ready and eager to assist customers. Each customer should be asked if they would like to purchase cookies. Girls should look the customers in the eyes and smile. Always take rejection cheerfully. Let the girls take breaks during their shifts. Make sure they use the buddy system when they are away from the booth.

Supplies and Stock – Be prepared!

• At least 2 card tables (put the word out with your troop; more than likely, you will be able to borrow and not have to buy any).
• One Girl Scouts tablecloth per table.
• A chair for the cookie adult and/or the girl on break.
• Handmade signs promoting the cookie booth.
• Cookies of course! Be sure to have enough cookies on hand for your location and time day.

If you have any questions regarding cookie booths, please contact your membership specialist in your area or the office coordinator at your service center.

Operation Cookie Share has been a huge success. Girl Scouts of Central Illinois has provided almost $500,000 worth of Girl Scout Cookies to the women and men of our armed forces at home and abroad. In fact, our Girl Scouts were so successful that this achievement is entered in the Illinois Congressional Records.

How Operation Cookie Share Works
On each girl’s order card there is a column listing each variety of cookie plus one additional column labeled “Cookie Share.” Girl Scouts ask customer if they would like to buy cookies for themselves and/or if they would like to purchase any cookies for military troops. The customer first chooses and enters the amount and variety of cookies they want for themselves in the appropriate column and then enters the number of boxes they would like to share with the military troops. Customers do not have a choice of the variety of cookies to be sent to troops.

How are the Cookies Delivered to Military Troops
A special thanks to our Good Neighbor, State Farm! State Farm will deliver the Cookie Share cookies through their Adopt-a-Soldier program. In the last two years Operation Cookie Share reached Military troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Haiti.

Amy Lefringhouse
Director of Property

More than fifty years ago Dr. King singles out the Girl Scout Movement as “a force for desegregation.” We are still a powerful force for equality and positive change as we develop the leadership skills of nearly two and a half million girls from every race and every walk of life. Our girls teach people to read, clothe and comfort the homeless, perform community service, and much more – all in all make the world a better place. Through acts of compassionate public service, they continue Dr. King’s work of transforming our world.

Girl Scouts – Leading the Way for 100 Years

• The first Girl Scout troop for African American girls was formed in 1917.
• By the 1950s, GSUSA had begun significant national efforts to desegregate Girl Scout troops and camps.
• In 1956, Martin Luther King, Jr. applauded the Girl Scouts as a “force for desegregation.”
• In 1969, the Girl Scouts launched a nationwide project to help support civil rights and fight against prejudice.
• Gloria D. Scott, an African American, was elected National President of the Girl Scouts in 1975.