Girl Scout Alums Katie Couric, Queen Latifah, Melinda Gates, Dolores Huerta, Karlie Kloss, and Others Remind the World That Girl Scouts Grows Female Leaders Who Drive Powerful Change
“Lifetime of Leadership” PSA premieres at G.I.R.L. Agenda event that celebrates leading positive change through civic action
May 15, 2018—Yesterday, Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) released a new national PSA, “Lifetime of Leadership,” heralding the organization’s legacy of fostering female change-makers and preparing girls for a lifetime of leadership, success, and adventure. Featuring notable Girl Scout alums in fields such as technology, politics, media, and sports, the PSA showcases the positive change these powerful female leaders have created through activism, speaking up, breaking glass ceilings, and more—and illustrates the importance of Girl Scouts in providing girls with the leadership experiences they need to make their voices heard and effect change.
From philanthropist Melinda Gates and athlete Venus Williams, to supermodel and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss, Girl Scout alums highlighted in the PSA have inspired people worldwide. Narrated by Queen Latifah, the PSA also features Dolores Huerta, Barbara Walters, Katie Couric, Senator Tammy Duckworth, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Ellen Kuras, Dr. N. Jan Davis, Tyra Banks, Sheryl Crow, Céline Dion, Dakota Fanning, Susan Wojcicki, Senator Susan Collins, and Cassandra Levesque, a 19-year-old Girl Scout alum who worked to ban child marriage in New Hampshire.
“Lifetime of Leadership” brings to life what recent studies have shown: Girl Scouts have better life outcomes than their non–Girl Scout peers. They are more confident, seek challenges to a greater degree, are more active decision-makers, and are more proficient problem-solvers in their communities. The PSA also shows how civic engagement is a core part of the Girl Scout DNA—which is why it premiered today at G.I.R.L. Agenda 2018: Leading Change Through Civic Action. This unique event, which took place in Philadelphia, featured a keynote address from educator and former second lady of the United States Dr. Jill Biden, and a panel moderated by writer, professor, and television host Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry. Thousands of girls and those who care about them joined in-person and virtually for a conversation about preparing girls to lead positive change. The PSA brought to life what a Girl Scout’s leadership journey can look like as she grows into a woman, and it inspired all in attendance to take the lead and take action in support of causes they care about.
From Sylvia Acevedo, CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA
“We are proud to premiere our powerful new PSA and showcase the impactful change that Girl Scout alums have created to make the world a better place,” said Sylvia Acevedo, GSUSA CEO. “We know that leadership and meaningful civic action start at a young age—at home, at school, and in local communities. This PSA is a rallying cry for more girls to realize their leadership potential with Girl Scouts. The world is counting on them, and we hope our more than 50 million alums will be inspired to reconnect with us and share their leadership journey with the next generation of girls who will lead our country into the future.”
From Karen Hill, Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts of Oregon and SW Washington
“Girl Scouts has been the premier girl leadership development organization and girl expert for over 100 years,” says Karen Hill, Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts of Oregon and SW Washington. “There is no organization that more thoroughly understands the value of programming designed specifically for girls. We offer girls the single best leadership experience in the world and help develop girls into strong, confident women.”
From Dr. Jill Biden
“I have no doubt that the girls of today will become the leaders and change-makers of tomorrow. Supporting them, empowering them and ensuring they have the opportunities they deserve is good for all of us,” said Dr. Jill Biden. “My Girl Scout experience taught me confidence, perseverance, and gave me skills that inspired me to pursue public service and helped me become a better leader. Girl Scouts is the preeminent organization that gives girls the place and the opportunity to develop their powerful voices.”
The new Girl Scout PSA was created and written by Girl Scout alum, Rachel Howald, founder and CCO, Invisible Man.
To watch the PSA and for more information about Girl Scouts, visit www.girlscouts.org/leadership. To join or volunteer, visit www.girlscouts.org/join.
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ABOUT GIRL SCOUTS OF OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON (GSOSW)
Girl Scouting inspires millions of girls and women—including more than 23,000 active members in Oregon and Southwest Washington—with the highest ideals of courage, confidence, and character. Our council serves 13,955 girls in 37 counties with the help of nearly 10,000 volunteers. The Girl Scout mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Every opportunity in Girl Scouting develops these essential skills in an all-girl, inclusive, safe environment. For information, please visit girlscoutsosw.org.
ABOUT GIRL SCOUTS OF THE USA (GSUSA)
Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure and success. To volunteer, reconnect, donate or join, visit www.girlscouts.org.
NEW GSUSA PSA (Video): Lifetime of Leadership, http://www.girlscouts.org/leadership
About the G.I.R.L. Agenda Powered by Girl Scouts
A nonpartisan initiative to inspire, prepare, and mobilize girls and those who care about them to lead positive change through civic action, the G.I.R.L. Agenda makes expert-curated civic engagement resources, derived from Girl Scouts of the USA’s programming, accessible to all girls, as well as adults. The free tools give hundreds of thousands of girls and adults tangible ways to take civic action on topics of their choosing. To advance the G.I.R.L. Agenda and for tips on leading positive change through civic action, visit www.girlagenda.org.