Girl Scouts Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

From September 15 – October 15, Girl Scouts of the USA is proud to celebrate the diversity and rich culture of Hispanics, across America and beyond. During this month we pay homage to Latinos who honor their indigenous, Spanish and African roots. Today more than 44 million people in the United States are of Hispanic origin, 270,000 of whom are young Latinas who proudly call themselves Girl Scouts. Through Girl Scouts, girls can not only earn patches for learning more about Hispanic heritage, they can also hold Quinceañera celebrations, attend leadership development training, and build the confidence and self-esteem to become the leaders of tomorrow.

Hispanic Heritage Month is the perfect time for girls of all backgrounds to come together to discover, connect and celebrate the Hispanic culture, as well as commemorate the amazing work that is being done everyday by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) with locations across the globe including places such as Spain and Nicaragua.

We invite you to celebrate with Girl Scouts as we strive to provide young Latinas—and every girl—with the leadership skills and opportunities so they can make a powerful, positive and profound contribution to their community—and to our world.

What Latina Girls Say About Leadership

Change It Up! What Girls Say about Redefining Leadership brings the voice of girls age 8 to 17 to the forefront on a broad spectrum of issues related to leadership: how they define it, their experiences, and their aspirations. (Boys were also included for comparison purposes.)

What follows is what Latina girls are clearly saying: We need to "Change It Up!" (PDF) in how we define and think about leadership:

Insight #1
Girls are redefining leadership in meaningful terms
For Latina girls, preferred definitions of leadership imply personal principles, ethical behavior, and the ability to effect social change. Being a leader is important to 66% of Latina, 70% of African American, and 56% of Asian American girls compared to 49% of Caucasian girls. Nearly 90% of Latina girls want to be the kind of leader who stands up for her beliefs and values, brings people together to get things done, and tries to change the world for the better.

Insight #2
Self-Confidence + Skills = New Girl Leaders
Latinas report high self-regard on a number of leadership skills and qualities and are likely to aspire to leadership. The desire to be a leader is higher among Latina (50%), Asian American (59%), and African American girls (53%) compared to Caucasian girls (34%). Nine out of ten (90%) Latina girls agree that no matter who they are, girls can learn to be good leaders, and 79% agree that girls can be leaders whether or not they are in positions of authority.

Insight #3
Opportunities + Experiences + Support = New Girl Leaders
Families, particularly mothers, are a major positive influence on Latina girls' leadership aspirations. So are their fathers, relatives, teachers, and friends. Three-quarters (75%) of Latina girls say their mothers encourage them to be leaders, followed by teachers (54%), fathers (50%), friends (48%), and siblings and older relatives (31%).

In Their Own Words, Latina’s describe the mission of Girl Scouting.

Sylvia Acevedo – GSUSA National Board Member
“At my very first Girl Scout meeting, I saw that the Brownies were pledging allegiance to America, preparing for a day camp (fun!) and were practicing safety skills. After that first meeting, I raced home to share with my mother that Brownies do fun things, they help you plan, be good citizens and they take care of you… Even though she spoke little English, my mother, encouraged by my troop leaders, began to volunteer. As I was earning badges, my mother’s new friends, the troop leaders, helped her learn English and to pass the citizenship test to become a US citizen. As I was earning badges, my mother’s new friends, the troop leaders, helped her learn English and to pass the citizenship test to become a US citizen. Through Girl Scouts, my mother and I gained an entire new world of opportunities that added to our Latina heritage and strengthened our entire family.”

Susana Morales - Parent and Girl Scout Volunteer
“Girl Scouts has influenced me by giving me the strength that anything is possible as long as we stick together our voices will be heard and we can make a difference in our community. There are so many opportunities to be gained thru this journey of Girl Scouts that once you have become involved you will always want to be around and be able to make a difference. I am proud of being a Latina and showing everyone that any dream is possible.”

Stephanie Cabrera – Manager, Girl Leadership Strategies - Girl Scouts of the USA
“My role is to create leadership opportunities for young women to help influence the decision-making processes in Girl Scouting including the National Young Women of Distinction, GSUSA Summer Internship Program and National Board Leadership Lanes. My Latina heritage helps me to understand the power of uniting young women of all backgrounds… Today’s Girl Scouts are harnessing this power by traveling to other countries, implementing large scale take action projects to address global issues… Girl Scouts thrive in a changing society that is increasingly multicultural and global. As a Latina, I am proud to be a part of the Movement.”

Karen - Girl Scout Cadette
“I can say that girl scouts has helped me be able to appreciate… and follow [the] traditions of my heritage. Through Girl Scouting I can share this with other girls and let them know that they to can be who they are [and] be proud of it.”

Chanel Morales – Girl Scout Ambassador
“As a Latina and a current Girl Scout, Girl Scouting has helped me become more responsible, independent, be a leader and not be afraid of Taking Action in my community in order to make a difference.”

Camp Hemisphere - Helping Girls Discover Hispanic Heritage

Janet Henry, the Outdoor Program Director for GSUSA's Lake Rickbear facility, helps the girls from GSUSA's Northern New Jersey Council discover and celebrate the Latin heritage of their South American sisters who belong to the Girl Guides of Peru. Early in 2009, Janet founded Camp Hemisphere, which will unite Girl Scouts and the Girl Guides of Peru in a traditional camp setting.

Camp Hemisphere launches in 2011, but Janet has found a way to bring the Girls from the Northern New Jersey Council and their Peruvian sisters together today: Camp Hemisphere has opened online! "We worked with the Girl Guides of Peru and developed a Facebook page where our girls could build their own camping community," Janet Henry said. "Today, over 300 girls participate in Camp Hemisphere via Facebook and Skype," Henry said. "The girls use the online version of Camp Hemisphere to post photos of their participation in Girl Scout/Girl Guide activities and to learn about their different cultures."

Girl Scout members of Camp Hemisphere have learned to make Peruvian crafts ad all the girls have participated in various programs, including Spy Girls, Fusion Flavor and Travel Bug.

"The program has been a sellout hit," Henry said. "Its electrified us all and shows that a small group of people can make a difference in the lives of girls all over the world."

Twinning - Connecting Girls Globally

In partnership with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), Girl Scouts of the USA has connected with WAGGGS member organizations in Latin America to give girls the opportunity to develop leadership skills through cross-cultural and global awareness programs. 

Latinas Leading Globally

Challenge
How do you talk with your friends about the dangers of Juvenile Diabetes—and the importance of exercise and eating right—when your 3,000 miles apart?

Opportunity: Girl Scouts Learn Locally, Lead Globally
The Girl Scouts of the Nassau County Council had become proud peer educators on the dangers of Juvenile Diabetes, a disease that affects three-million children and teenagers in the United States. Lisbeth, Andrea, Ashley, Jocelyn and other girls in the Council wanted to share information about Juvenile Diabetes—and the importance of exercise and good nutrition—with young people in Nassau County and throughout the world. But how?

Nassau County Girl Scouts: Reaching, Teaching and Transformation
The Nassau County Council launched a partnership with a WAGGS member organization, located in Lima, Peru. Using videoconferencing technologies and a chat room, Girls Scouts and WAGGGS members shared information about Juvenile Diabetes, Obesity and Hunger. The girls discussed how self-esteem, self-confidence, exercise and a good diet were important building blocks to living a healthy life.

The girls also discussed the similarities—and differences in their cultures. Their questions ranged from Jocelyn asking Brenda, a Peruvian Girl Guide, about her favorite role model (Brenda's answer: Mother Theresa), to who was the person some of the girls would like most to meet. Their answer: President Obama!

The Power of Partnership: Results

• Girls Scouts created an international forum connecting them with WAGGGS members.

• Girls Scouts educated their peers about juvenile diabetes and empowered them with information about living healthily.

• Girl Scouts and Girl Guides shared information about the differences in their cultures.

Taking the "Encuentro Conference" Global

In January 2008, GSNC established a Twinning project with "Guias Scouts del Ecuador"—and almost immediately, their new collaboration reaped results. In March 2008, seven girls and two adults from Guias Scouts del Ecuador attended GSNC's Encuentro. Inspired by the Encuentro's ability to prepare large numbers of young people for leadership through public service,  Guias Scout del Ecuador hosted an Encuentro of their own in August, 2009. Their GSNC Twinning partners will visit Ecuador in 2010 and work with Guias Scouts del Ecuador on a range of public service projects and badge exchanges.

The Girl Scouts of the Nation's Capitol (GSNC), were the proud organizers and sponsors of Encuentro de Chicas Latinas de las Girl Scouts, a conference that empowered Latina youth with opportunities to acquire leadership skills and to spearhead public service projects within their schools and communities.

For GSNC's third conference, in March 2008, the girls of GSNC were determined that their Encuentro would fulfill Juliette Low's promise of Girl Scouts being "Something for all the girls of the world." But how would the girls find a way to keep Juliette's promise and stay true to the Encuentro's mission of empowering Latina youth?