The Girl Scout Leadership Experience

Girl Scouts prepare for fun, friendship, and new adventures while making the world a better place.

Girl Scouts look at our world and take action to change it for the better. They make friends, challenge themselves with new experiences, write their own stories, and develop the skills and confidence to say, “I know I can do this!”

So how do we do it? It's all part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it’s what makes Girl Scouting a unique experience for girls.

Girl-led

Girl Scouts follow their own lead, no matter their age. From selecting the badges they’ll pursue to how they’ll organize an activity, Girl Scouts have the chance to follow their dreams and grow their skills—and the confidence that comes with that.

Learning by Doing

Hands-on activities are fun for Girl Scouts of any age, but they also help them feel empowered to shape their own experience. Girl Scouts unlock their “I got this” attitude as they discover they can always dust themselves off and try again when things don’t go according to plan.

Cooperative Learning

There’s power in having a tight-knit group of friends who will learn with you, grow with you, and always cheer you on. Girl Scouts see firsthand that teamwork, respect, and collaboration can fuel them through any challenge that comes their way.

By participating in fun activities through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, Girl Scouts:

Discover

They’ll find out who they are, what they care about, and how to best use their unique talents.

Connect

They’ll collaborate with others, both locally and globally, to learn and expand their horizons.

Take Action

They’ll do what Girl Scouts always do: make the world a better place.

With the help of supportive adults and troop leaders who help bring these three unique processes to life, girls try new things, share their full selves, and see how good it feels to lead from the heart.

STEM

OUTDOORS

LIFE SKILLS

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

STEM

A brighter future for us all can be a reality, thanks to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Research shows that girls are keenly interested in STEM and excel at it. Yet, for a variety of reasons, girls often don’t pursue STEM—starting as early as elementary school.

Girl Scouts lets your girl see that STEM can help her make the world a better place! When girls participate in focused STEM programs, they are more interested in STEM and careers in tech—including app development, robotics, coding, and cybersecurity—and they:

Become better problem-solvers and critical thinkers (OR learn to think scientifically to solve problems)
Have confidence in their STEM skills and abilities

Get excited about STEM subjects and want to learn more about them
Learn the importance and relevance of STEM to people and society and options for their own career paths

Outdoors

Studies show that girls today are not spending nearly enough time outdoors. Technology and structured activities leave less time for girls to get outside and enjoy nature. But as a Girl Scout, she’ll have plenty of opportunities to create her own outdoor adventures and develop a lifelong appreciation for nature and the out-of-doors—whether with her troop, at camp, or with friends and family.

And that’s great news—because when Girl Scouts get outside, they:

Discover that they can better solve problems and overcome challenges
Develop leadership skills, build social bonds, and are happier overall
Become team players and care more about protecting our environment

Life Skills toggle arrow

Girl Scout badges covering topics like civic engagement, healthy living, and communication skills help Girl Scouts grow in confidence as they develop the skills to lead their best life!

Whether by exercising and staying healthy, developing strong relationships with family and peers, advocating on behalf of others, protecting our environment, or exploring careers that can truly change the world for the better, girls:

Gain the skills and the inspiration to accept challenges and overcome obstacles

Develop greater confidence and a stronger sense of self
Are happier overall and display more positive values throughout life

Entrepreneurship toggle arrow

Research shows that girls are actively interested in becoming entrepreneurs, developing financially stable futures, and using their skills to make a big impact on the world.

But there are stumbling blocks on a girl’s path, including fear of failure, concerns about bringing big ideas to life, and the perception that men are more likely to be entrepreneurs than women. While entrepreneurship may not be right for every girl, every Girl Scout will benefit, and maybe even discover a future career path, by learning to think like an entrepreneur.

As an important part of learning vital business skills, girls will:

Discover how to set and achieve realistic goals in their lives and future careers

Make better decisions and build stronger interpersonal skills
Develop a valuable work ethic and a sense of empathy for others

Junior Girl Scout smiling, showing off her vest with badges

Check out new badges you can earn.

Discover all the friend-making, skill-building, world-changing experiences just added to the Girl Scout program!

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Lead YOUR Way!

Wondering how you're “supposed” to lead? The best part is—there’s no one right way. Lead with what drives you through Girl Scouts’ NEW Leadership Awards.

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