Girl Scouts is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success.

Think back on the time when you were in Girl Scouts – the countless wonderful experiences you had the pleasure of taking part in have been crucial in shaping you into who you are today. Here are just a few of the many important lessons from being a Girl Scout.

To Care for My Community
It seems as though volunteerism and kindness for kindness’ sake is becoming a less common practice these days. Being a Girl Scout teaches girls from a young age that it is up to them to do all they can to help better their community, and most importantly to do it for the right reasons. From cleaning cages at the SPCA, to singing Christmas carols to folks in nursing homes, to donating our time and resources to local food pantries, there truly is no better feeling than giving back with no expectation of anything in return. Girl Scouts teaches you how rewarding it is to contribute to your community’s improvement.

Perseverance
There were multiple times that being a Girl Scout teaches you that you can accomplish anything in the world if you work hard and set your mind to it. This is so important to hear as a young girl.

Self-Confidence
This goes hand-in-hand with the last lesson. Every activity you participate in, every badge you earned, reminded you that you are intelligent, capable young girls. Bettering your community while bettering yourselves in the process was one of the most empowering experiences of your youth.

Citizenship
Being a Girl Scout teaches you how to be an upright citizen, a patriot, and an example of dignity and altruism to the entire community. It teaches you that it costs nothing to be a genuine, caring person and that in the long run you would love yourself more for doing so. The morals and values that are instilled upon you early on are irreplaceable

Respect for Others
You not only learn how important it is to have respect for yourself, but also for your peers and higher-ups. Showing everybody a certain level of courtesy is one of the first lessons taught in Girl Scouting, and it remains one of the most valuable. Being polite and complaisant is another lesson you can thank being a Girl Scout for.

A Close Bond with Your Fellow Girl Scouts
One of the most important lessons you will take away from being a Girl Scout is how to be a true friend. Some of your closest friends are the ones who are a part of your Girl Scout experience. There’s such a comfort in knowing that you have life-long friends to turn to always, no matter how far away you might be from each other or how long it’s been since you last spoke. There is no greater gift in this world than true friendship.

Every girl should be given the opportunity to be a Girl Scout and learn lessons that will shape her into who they are today, tomorrow and for a lifetime.

Learn more about Girl Scouts and become a member.