News from Girl Scouts: Check out our new programming, catch up with some impressive alums, and more!

It’s Back to Troop Time! [View in Browser]( [girl scouts]( September 16, 2018 A Message from Girl Scouts of the USA's CEO, Sylvia Acevedo Hello, Girl Scouts! It’s an exciting time of year for our Movement, because back to school also means back to troop! Girl Scouts and volunteers across the country are embarking on a new year of fun and adventure as they plan new activities, learn new skills, take on new challenges, and explore the world around them. It was an incredible summer for Girl Scouts. We launched [30 new badges and two new Journeys]( for girls ages 5–18 in subjects such as cybersecurity, environmental advocacy, college prep, mechanical engineering, robotics, computer science, and space exploration. Our new programming continues to push girls to be forward-thinking and equips them with the skills they need to be leaders in their lives and in the world. (See the first story below for more on one of several exciting new programming opportunities for older girls.) Last month’s announcement of [our new gluten-free cookie]( has been met with much anticipation, and it was a great chance for us to remind everyone of the power of our [Girl Scout Cookie Program]( which teaches girls how to set goals, create budgets, manage finances, cultivate customers, and be savvy decision makers. At Girl Scouts, we’re proud to be in our second century of [building girls into leaders](. We know the unique strength that every girl possesses, and we’re dedicated to helping girls harness that strength; make a real difference in their communities; and grow into happy, successful, and civically engaged adults. So if you want to make the world a better place for girls and society, help girls reach for the stars by giving them the best leadership experience in the world! Thank you for all that you already do for Girl Scouts—and if you or a girl in your life is not a member, I encourage you to [volunteer]( with or [join]( us or deepen your commitment to our influential mission by [becoming a lifetime member]( today. Last, as we prepare this newsletter for delivery, please know that our thoughts are with the thousands of Girl Scouts, volunteers, and families who reside in Hurricane Florence’s path. Once the storm’s impact becomes known over the days and weeks to come, we’ll post updates on our social media channels about how Girl Scouts can help. Yours in Girl Scouting, Sylvia Decode the New “Think Like a Programmer Journey,” Sponsored by Raytheon As you may know, Girl Scouts of the USA collaborated with Raytheon to launch the Think Like a Programmer Journey this summer for middle and high school girls. This exciting Journey prepares girls to pursue computer science careers in fields such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, robotics, and data science. Through activities that girls work through with their friends, they learn key concepts of computer science while building essential leadership skills. The Journey provides a strong foundation in computational thinking and is the framework for Girl Scouts’ first-ever national Cyber Challenge, coming in 2019! [LEARN MORE]( JOANN and Girl Scouts Celebrate the Anniversary of Our Partnership! We’re happy to share that JOANN and Girl Scouts recently passed the one-year mark on our partnership to inspire girls to lead lives full of creativity, curiosity, and service. Through the partnership, JOANN has opened its doors to Girl Scouts for cookie booth sales, recruitment and meeting spaces, and more. Additionally, any current Girl Scout, volunteer, Girl Scout council staff, or Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) staff is eligible for the Girl Scout Rewards Card. Card holders receive 15 percent off every purchase from JOANN, with 2.5 percent of each purchase going back to GSUSA------ for a total minimum of $1.5 million. They also receive one month of Creative Bug for free after signing up. Since August and throughout the rest of September, JOANN has been running a register campaign at each of its stores to collect donations for Girl Scouts. [CHECK OUT THE DETAILS]( Save 15% on Your Order at the Girl Scout Shop!* Enter Coupon Code: FALLFEVER at checkout! [New to Girl Scouts or bridging to a new grade level? Build a Starter Kit!]( [Starter Kit]( Includes classic Girl Scout uniform pieces and Girl Guide books [GET STARTED]( [Headed back for another great Girl Scout year? Build an Essentials Kit!]( [Daisy Essentials Kit]( Includes new badge requirements and select uniform items [GET STARTED]( Since 1912, Girl Scouts across the nation have accepted the charge to get outdoors, respect wildlife, and take care of our environment. And our commitment’s only growing. Thanks to funding from the [Elliott Wildlife Values Project]( Girl Scouts has teamed up with the [Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics]( to expand our environmental conservation and stewardship offerings with five new badges! These badges are the first to specifically prepare girls to be environmental advocates who address problems, find solutions, and protect the natural world. By earning the badges, Girl Scouts are taking action in big and small ways to make the world a cleaner, healthier place for all. [READ ABOUT THE BADGES]( Help Her Tell Fake News from Facts There’s nothing new about not being able to fully trust everything you read, see, or hear. But with huge amounts of information coming to our phones, tablets, laptops, and TVs faster than ever----- and with technology making it easier for almost anyone to claim to be an expert on any subject----- it’s become trickier to sort fact from fiction. On top of that, many people with busy lifestyles simply don’t take the time to stop and consider whether what they’re hearing is real or if it’s just what some call “fake news.” And although the presence of fake news is upsetting to many adults, it can be flat-out confusing for children. [HELP HER ASK SMART QUESTIONS]( Alum Feature: Catch Up with the Chuck McLane Scholarship Recipients From 2013 to 2017, Girl Scouts of the USA partnered with [Arconic Foundation]( to provide ten Girl Scouts with the Arconic Chuck McLane Scholarship, a college scholarship available to Gold Award Girl Scouts who completed projects related to science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM). This summer, we caught up with two of the scholarship recipients, Morgan Ferone (2014) and Morgan Barron (2016). We talked about their college experiences, their work in STEM, how they’ve taken the lead in their communities, and the long-lasting and positive effect of receiving the Arconic Chuck McLane Scholarship and participating in Girl Scouts. [READ MORGAN F.'S BLOG POST]( [READ MORGAN B.'S BLOG POST]( The Girl Scout Advocacy Network is a simple way for you to stand up for girls and make your voice heard. As a member of the network, you’ll receive updates on issues moving through Congress and your state legislature that affect girls and Girl Scouts. By joining today, you can educate policymakers about topics you care about and send customized messages to your federal and state elected officials. The network is already over 54,000 members strong------ and growing. [JOIN US TODAY!]( Follow the Girl Scout Network on LinkedIn More than 50 million Girl Scout alums are making a positive impact in their own lives and communities----- there's nothing we can't do! Whether you were a Daisy, Brownie, or higher in Girl Scouts, you can get in on the action by following the Girl Scout Network on LinkedIn. You'll have the opportunity to connect with fellow alums, get updates on how Girl Scouts are making a difference today, and learn how to get involved in advancing girls' and women's leadership around the world. [FOLLOW NOW]( Check Out the Alum Event Calendar Are you a Girl Scout alum? You're an important part of our group of tens of millions of women who understand what it means to lead with [G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™]( spirit to make the world a better place. Reconnect with your Girl Scout sisters at an alum event near you! [FIND ALUM EVENTS]( Girl Scout Partners Girl Scouts of the USA would like to thank the many corporations and foundations that support our mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. To learn more about how each of these organizations supports Girl Scouts, please see [Our Partners]( page. Want to get involved with Girl Scouts? [Join]( | [Volunteer]( | [Become a Lifetime Member]( Have a question? Don't be shy! [Contact us]( for more information. This email was sent to: {EMAIL} You are receiving this e-mail because you have requested to receive information from Girl Scouts of the United States of America. *From September 13-18, 2018, girlscoutshop.com customers can save 15% on orders of $75+ with coupon code FALLFEVER. Offer is available online only, not at council shops. Gift Certificates and items tagged “Ships from Council” are excluded from discount. Shipping/handling and sales tax charges are determined by the merchandise total, prior to discount. Coupon code is good for multiple uses, but cannot be combined with any other offer. No adjustments will be made. Offer ends 9/18/18 at 11:59 pm EDT. [Privacy Policy]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( Our address is 420 5th Ave., New York, NY 10018 © 2018 Girl Scouts of the United States of America. All Rights Reserved.