Girls Scouts of the USA is the world's pre-eminent organization dedicated solely to girls. The Girl Scouts help build character and skills for success in the real world. The program includes enriching experiences, including field trips, sports skill-building clinics, community service projects, cultural exchanges, and environmental stewardships. The program encourages increased skill building and responsibility, and also promotes that development of strong leadership and decision-making skills. Chartered by the US Congress in 1950, there are nearly 3.7 million Girl Scouts today and more than 50 million women have been members of Girls Scouts of the USA. The Girl Scout Program covers topics such as leadership, environmental education, and global awareness in an after-school setting. Girl Scouts has always been concerned about the health of the environment and the relationship of girls to it. By participating in outdoor activities after school, both in their own community and at camp, girls discover the interconnectedness of all forms of life. They also take part in conservation projects after school and on the weekends throughout the United States.

Girl Scouting is open to all girls ages 5 to 17. There are five age levels in Girl Scouting: Daisy Girl Scouts (5-6 years old); Brownie Girl Scouts (6-8 years old); Junior Girl Scouts (8-11 years old); Cadette Girl Scouts (11-14 years old); Senior Girl Scouts (14-17 years old).

Since students have a strong natural interest in the outdoors, understanding about their environment through field trips, cultural exchanges, and community service projects, the Girl Scout Program is an effective way to create broader environmental knowledge.

• Improves science learning;
• Provides experiences in service learning;
• Can be used in conjunction with current school curriculum;
• Can be adapted to fit any region;
• Helps develop life-long habits of active citizenship and environmental stewardship;
• Helps develop values to guide their actions and provide the foundation for sound decision making;
• Contributes to the improvement of society through leadership skills and cooperation with others.

Girl Scouts publishes a wide range of books, reports, resources, and other publications that provide valuable information to girls, parents and guardians, troop leaders, volunteers, researchers, media and the general public. The environmental education materials of the Girl Scout program include colorful two-page backgrounders, specific handbooks, activity guides, fact sheets, monographs, and software. Joining the Girl Scouts or participating in activities within the Girl Scout Program not only help you learn about environmental education, but they can also earn merit badges for hands-on application of their knowledge of environmental education, environmental health, and outdoor adventures and learning.

Teachers have described the Girl Scout Program as a fun way to meet other youth in the community while helping improve the environment.

To learn more about the Girl Scout Program or to become a leader, go to http://www.girlscouts.org/ or call (800) 478-7248. You can also find the Girl Scout council near you or find out about upcoming after school environmental education activities or events in your community by going to http://www.girlscouts.org/contact.html.