Who are Girl Scouts?
Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low assembled 18 girls from Savannah, Georgia, on March 12, 1912, for a local Girl Scout meeting. She believed that all girls should be given the opportunity to develop physically, mentally and spiritually. With the goal of bringing girls out of isolated home environments and into community service and the open air, Girl Scouts hiked, played basketball, went on camping trips, learned how to tell time by the stars and studied first aid.
In its 100th year, Girl Scouts of the USA has a membership of over 3.2 million girls and adults, a significant growth from its modest beginnings a century ago. Girl Scouts aims to empower girls and to help teach values such as honesty, fairness, courage, compassion, character, sisterhood, confidence and citizenship through activities including camping, community service, learning first aid, and earning badges by acquiring other practical skills. From our willingness to tackle important societal issues, to our commitment to diversity and inclusiveness—Girl Scouts is dedicated to every girl, everywhere.
Locally, the first troops were started in 1917, with the Nashville Girl Scout Council receiving its charter in 1926. Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee currently serves 39 counties that include 7,130 volunteers and 14,031 Girl Scouts. Where else can you learn new dance moves, go camping, take care of the planet, develop your leadership skills, contribute to your community, learn business skills, experience art, stay healthy and active, become independent and work together as a team in one place? Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee prepares girls for their future by educating them in the areas of leadership, STEM, healthy living, financial literacy and the arts. Join us as we continue Juliette Low’s mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
The Basics of the Girl Scout Tradition:
• meet new people and have fun in a troop setting
• discover what interests you
• develop confidence and grow together with other girls and young women
• become independent and gain courage
• contribute to your community
• learn business skills and how to budget and save
• set individual and group goals and connect with others
• earn some of Girl Scouting’s highest honors - Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards
• have access to many leadership opportunities that aren’t available anywhere else
• travel the world!
Girl Scout Grade Levels
Girl Scout Daisy (grades K-1)
Girl Scout Brownie (grades 2-3)
Girl Scout Junior (grades 4-5)
Girl Scout Cadette (grades 6-8)
Girl Scout Senior (grades 9-10)
Girl Scout Ambassador (grades 11-12)
Click here to learn more about Girl Scout grade levels.
The Girl Scout Promise
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
The Girl Scout Law
I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout.
Beliefs and Principles
We, the members of Girl Scouts of the United States of America, united by a belief in God, hold that the Girl Scout Promise and Law is the cornerstone of our Movement, and inspired by the Founder of the Girl Scout Movement in the United States, Juliette Low, and by the aims of the Founder of the Scout Movement, Lord Baden-Powell, attest to the following:
Girl Scout Mission
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
Spiritual Force
The motivating force in Girl Scouting is spiritual. The ways in which members identify and fulfill their spiritual beliefs are personal and private.
Open Membership
The Girl Scout Movement is open to all girls and adults who accept the Girl Scout Promise and Law and meet membership requirements.
Patriotism, Citizenship and Community Service
Local, national, and global service and action are core elements of the Girl Scout experience.
Diversity and Pluralism
Girl Scouts advance diversity and pluralism in our Movement and in the communities in which we live.
Responsibility for the Movement and the Democratic Process
The ultimate responsibility for the Girl Scout Movement rests with its members. We govern by an efficient and effective democratic process that demonstrates our leadership in a fast-changing world.
Girl Adult Partnership
Adults partner with girls to guide and inspire growth and achievement. Volunteers are essential to the strength and capacity of our Movement.
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)
We are active partners in a worldwide sisterhood through our affiliation with WAGGGS. We work with WAGGGS to address the needs of girls and to build a network of global citizens.
Community Partners
We take an active leadership role and are collaborative partners in the community.
Voice
We are a premier voice for girls and an expert on their growth and development.
How much does it cost to be a Girl Scout?
The yearly membership fee to be a Girl Scout is $12, which goes directly to Girl Scouts of the United States of America.
What do Girl Scout parents say?
“The best part about being a leader is seeing the young girls become confident young women.” - Kelley Ball, volunteer
Kailee, my daughter, has been going to camp for 5 or 6 years and looks forward to it every year. She always wants to go to the 2 week all day horse camp - she can’t get enough of the horses and would sleep with them if she could. I just wanted to say thanks for all everyone does to make camp successful. All the counselors and staff are so cheerful (even though it was HOT!) and they do such a good job of making everyone feel welcome.” - Melinda Evans, Girl Scout mom
“As a leader of a group of Girl Scouts from a small town, I found myself in a situation where little girls needed courage and confidence. Because we have learned to earn our own way, we have been able to go places, see things and achieve goals that some of these girls would not have been able to do otherwise.” - Ann Jones, troop leader, Hendersonville
“My motivation began as an attempt to be a positive and involved member of our community…the rewards are greater than the investment, hands down.” - Brandi Seilheimer, troop leader, Manchester
To read more about what parents and volunteers are saying, click here.
How do I start a Girl Scout troop?
Be involved in a girl’s life. Being a Girl Scout leader can take as few as six hours a month to as much time as you choose to spend. You have the flexibility to decide when, where and how often your troop will meet. Remember the days of ice-skating? Throughout the year you can take your troop to programs and events like the symphony, nature conservatories, self-esteem seminars and swimming at camp. For more information about being a role model and volunteering, click here.
Sign up.
For more information about being a Girl Scout or Girl Scout leader, please contact us.
