Girl Scouts can lead anywhere was the theme of the 51st Girl Scout National Convention held from October 30 to November 2 in Indianapolis, Indiana. I had the privilege of representing the Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast along with eleven Council Delegates. We gathered with almost 10,000 people—including more than 1,800 National Council members and thousands of Girl Scout participants. What did we experience? Interactive exhibits, riveting speeches by adults and girls, entertaining performances and engaging business processes that resulted in important changes for the advancement of Girl Scouting. We celebrated the successful launch of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience – Journeys. We shared knowledge and experience, and we joined hands to continue the work of transforming this great Movement.

Connie Lindsey, the new National Chair said, “Change is inevitable, growth is optional”. Girl Scouts chose the path of growth in 2005, and we have not looked back. Great strides have been made in key areas, including the introduction of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience – an update of the program designed to keep us in the lead as the world’s premier organization dedicated to girls and their development as leaders – locally and globally. 

Over the last three years, through the Core Business Strategy, we have accomplished much toward living our mission - to develop girls of courage, confidence, and character. While the national session allowed us to celebrate our successes, it was also a time when corporate governance responsibilities were blended with open, inclusive formats that allowed members the opportunities to share stories, reflect on their personal leadership, and provide input into important policy changes. Together, all 10,000 members discovered, connected and took action.

One of the highlights of the convention for many delegates, was hearing from guest speakers Geena Davis and Marie Wilson. Many of us have seen Davis on screen and enjoyed her in the role of Commander in Chief.

She founded The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, which seeks to reduce gender stereotyping and dramatically increase the number of female characters in films, TV productions, and other media whose audience are children ages 11 and under. She also spearheads GeenaTakesAim.com, which champions Title IX legislation and girls' participation in sports.

Marie C. Wilson is founder and president of the White House Project, co-creator of Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, and author of Closing the Leadership Gap: Add Women, Change Everything. In 1998, while President of the Ms. Foundation for Women, Wilson founded the White House Project in recognition of the need to build a truly representative democracy— one where women lead alongside men in politics, media, and business. Over the past 10 years, under Wilson's direction, the White House Project has led in the creation of groundbreaking research and program initiatives that work to fill the leadership pipeline with a richly diverse and critical mass of women, including its signature “Vote, Run, Lead” training program, which engages women in the political process as voters, as activists, and as candidates for political office. You can learn more about this exciting work at: http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/newsroom/resources/

Speaking of leadership and advocacy, seven of our council’s Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors joined 2,000 other teens at the Girl Scout Leadership Institute. They were involved in workshops that explored advocacy, emotional health, physical health, and global diversity. They came back charged and ready for action! You will be hearing more in the upcoming CoastLine newsletter about their experience and how they want to take action at home in Colonial Coast.

You can view the proposals and the actions that were taken -- such as increasing the national dues to $12 per year that will go into effect the next membership year. I also invite members and friends to our March 24 Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast Annual Meeting that will be held at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts to view videos from the convention and hear more about how Girl Scouts Can Lead Anywhere!

Sincerely,
Tracy Keller, Council CEO