2021 COMBAT Funding: $20,000.00

In The Girl Scout's Own Words

The Girl Scout Outreach Program supports leadership and socio-emotional health development for girls living in high-risk communities through age-appropriate activities guided by supportive adults. Through skill-building activities, girls develop attitudes, behaviors and skills like confidence, conflict resolution and problem solving that are critical to well-being and becoming responsible, productive, caring and engaged citizens.

Social Connections

Girl Scouts Outreach program will be three eight-week sessions provided over the course of the school year (September - May), led virtually by trained GSKSMO staff. In addition to providing leadership, Girl Scouts will also provide the necessary program supplies that girls need for their activities 

We believe that kids need opportunities for social connection now more than ever. Girl Scouts is a way for them to build relationships with other kids, improve their social skills and participate in something fun outside of school. 

•  We will help girls improve their STEM literacy and critical thinking skills from home.

• We will add a physically active piece to get the girls moving during every troop meeting and give them a weekly challenge to help them stay active.

• The troop meetings give the girls a space to process their feelings about what is happening in their world. 

• Girls will work on important social skills during troop meetings, including listening without interrupting, taking turns, sharing, using appropriate manners, greeting each other, playing fairly, and responding to other people’s emotions. This important since they will not have as many opportunities to practice these skills at school or in other extracurricular activities during this time.

At-Risk For Substance Abuse

The girls we serve live in low-income neighborhoods in Jackson County face the greatest risk for substance abuse, violence, deliquency, and school drop out due to multiple factors associated with racial inequality as well as gender and economic inequity. The Girl Scout program mitigates these risk factors through experiences and activities grounded in best practices in youth development and linked to the Search Instititue's 40 development assets, including positive values, social competencies and positive identity, that are related to reducing risky behaviors and increasing outcomes (prosocial behavior, leadership and resilience).  

Outeach Program activities, based on Girl Scouts' research-based curriculum (correlated by grade level to Missouri education standards), processes (e.g., learning by doing, cooperative learning), and relationship building with supportive adults, are responsive to girls' needs in areas in which they continue to fall behind:

STEM/STEAM: We introduce girls at every age level to STEM/STEAM through experiences that  develop their skills and builds confidence to pursue relevant education and critical career tracts. The K-12 Girl Scout STEM/STEAM curriculum is enhanced with 143 active community partnerships for experiential learning and includes a strong programmatic relationship with KC Stem Alliance and Science City. Girl Scouts recently introduced 30 additional STEM badges in areas including robotics, computer programming, and cyber-security.   

ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT: An astonishing 80% of female entrepreneurs were Girl Scouts. Our impressive legacy continues to inspire girls to become business leaders of tomorrow. Girl Scouts know that entrepreneurial innovations can solve social problems to make the world a better place. We prepare girls to solve problems, innovate and take charge of their financial futures. 

ENGAGE GIRLS IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES: Girl Scouts pursue outdoor adventures in an all-girl space where they are free to explore, learn, take healthy risks, and have fun while developing skills that teach valuable life lessons like problem solving, self-reliance, leadership, and perseverance. Girl Scouts are 33% more likely to participate in outdoor activities. Outdoor experiences develop skills and values that help girls achieve better academic and social outcomes. These experiences include camping, day camp, ziplining, rappelling, swimming and excursions like kayaking, multi-overnight camping, hiking and mountain climbing. Many STEM/STEAM activities are also part of the outdoor curriculum.

INSTILL CIVIC ENGAGEMENT VALUES: Girls participate in progressive, multi-year experiences that lead to meaningful community change. As early as Kindergarten, girls mobilize others to support and serve important causes like community food banks and animal shelters. As girls progress through their Girl Scout journey, they advocate for positive change, meet with public officials to educate them about important issues, and work with others to solve community problems. On average, a Girl Scout will provide 30 hours of community service to other community not for profit organizations. With 20,000 girls, this equates to over 600,000 hours given back to communities annually.

Five Important Benefits

When girls engage in these impactful experiences with positive adult role models, they benefit in five important ways: 

1. Strong Sense of Self
2. Positive Values
3. Challenge Seeking
4. Healthy Relationships
5. Community Problem Solving.  

Consequently, they:

1. Are happier, healthier, and less likely to engage in problem behaviors. 

2. Achieve more academically and feel more engaged in school; they are more self-aware and confident about their learning capabilities. 

3. Become strong job applicants by gaining skills such as teamwork, decision-making, and communication skills.    

4. Become successful, well-adjusted adults who are less likely to have substance-use issues.