May 2019
Girl Scouts of Central Indiana
For families and volunteers
Girl Scout STEM Pledge champions I’m thrilled to tell you that Girl Scouts of Central Indiana has partnered on a first of its kind, new STEM school just for girls in grades K-8. And here’s why… Across the Girl Scout movement our organization is energized around an initiative called the Girl Scout STEM Pledge. The STEM Pledge is a promise to the country that by 2025 there will be 2.5 girls in the STEM workforce pipeline because of what they experience in Girl Scouts. And don’t be mistaken, I used the words “experience in Girl Scouts” not “experience in our STEM pillar” purposefully, because while we do have stellar STEM programming, it doesn’t stand alone. The power in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience comes from participation in all types of Journeys and badges. From trying activities in all four pillars, the integration of discovery, hands on learning, both indoors and out, and the recognition that learning can be fun – the
application of knowledge when girls “make the world a better place” means taking action. As such, Girl Scouts who earn STEM badges will be the engineers, pilots, scientists and doctors of tomorrow. Not only because of the science, technology, engineering and math they learn, but also because our activities are integrated into holistic experiences in the outdoors, with embedded life and leadership skills, alongside women role models, while having fun with friends. I am confident we will do our part to help the Girl Scout Movement achieve 2.5 million by 2025. We will do this by building on the 19,000 STEM badges earned in central Indiana last year, by continuing to invest in new opportunities for STEM camps and hands on STEM activities at Circle the City and in our Math and Science Center. We will do this by growing the number of activities offered through our STEM vans and through an exciting new program
partnership with a first in Indiana all-girls STEM school to open in fall of 2021. We are excited to be a part of what will become a rich STEM learning space for girls in grades K-8 in Indianapolis, while collaborating on how the school can be a reciprocal program site for Girl Scouts across all 45 counties.
Danielle Shockey Chief Executive Officer
Renew today All girls who renew by June 15 will receive this patch! For more information on renewing and incentives check out our renewal article inside this newsletter.