News from Girl Scouts: Announcing the Cookie Pro Contest, Establishing the Gold Award Girl Scout Family, and More

Happy New Year—It’s Girl Scout Cookie Season! [View in Browser]( [girl scouts]( January 19, 2019 A Message from Girl Scouts of the USA's CEO, Sylvia Acevedo Hello, Girl Scouts! It’s that time of year again: Girl Scout Cookie season! This is a great opportunity to satisfy your Thin Mint cravings ([use the cookie finder]( to find your favorites near you) and support the largest entrepreneurial and financial literacy program for girls in the world. When you buy Girl Scout Cookies, you are [making an investment in girls]( and in your local community, because 100 percent of Girl Scout Cookie proceeds stay local to power year-round troop activities, including outdoor adventures, trips to museums, community projects, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programming. Many girls put the money toward impactful projects right in their own backyards, from supporting animal shelters and food banks to working with local and state legislators to change laws. I know firsthand the power of the Girl Scout Cookie program because I myself was a cookie entrepreneur. Selling Girl Scout Cookies as a seven-year-old Brownie forced me out of my shell and enabled me to build self-confidence and resilience. I learned about being enterprising and persistent, and how to create opportunity by setting goals, creating budgets, cultivating customers, and making business decisions. These lessons and skills have enabled me to pursue and achieve my life’s dreams. As you see Girl Scouts selling cookies this cookie season, know that in addition to offering a delicious treat, they’re also [building essential skills]( that last a lifetime and help them become the business leaders of the future. Yours in Girl Scouting, Sylvia Acevedo [CP Image]( The 2019 Cookie Pro™ contest is [officially open for entries]( Girl Scouts has teamed up with the [DC Super Hero Girls]( for this year’s contest to provide young cookie entrepreneurs with a chance to win big ------ 24 Girl Scouts, four per grade level, will win a trip to California for the Cookie Entrepreneur Experience of a lifetime featuring VIP adventures at Warner Bros. Studios. The contest will stay open for entries through April 30, 2019. Want to learn more about submission tools and resources, including the contest’s official rules and FAQs for participants? [LEARN MORE]( Are You Familiar with the Gold Award Advantage? [Gold Award Image]( In the process of earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, girls not only develop sustainable solutions to some of society’s biggest challenges------ for example, cleaning up our oceans, increasing girls’ access to education, and addressing public health issues------ they grow more confident and strengthen skills that guide them toward success in both school and their future careers. When a girl becomes a Gold Award Girl Scout, she feels the satisfaction that comes from working to support an issue she’s passionate about; she also gains an edge in applying for competitive scholarships and in the college admissions process. [WATCH THE VIDEO]( Did You Earn the First Class, Curved Bar, Golden Eaglet, or Gold Award? [Proclamation Image]( Hear ye, hear ye! All Girl Scouts who have earned their First Class, Curved Bar, Golden Eaglet, or Gold Award are part of the Gold Award Girl Scout family. To make it official, we’re offering you a digital credential to display on your LinkedIn profile and/or other sites to show that you’ve earned the highest award in Girl Scouting. Show the world (including potential employers!) your Girl Scout pride------ and that you can triumph over any challenge that comes your way. Follow the link to access your digital badge, and if you’re a recipient of one of the prior awards, you can get your Gold Award pin, too! [LEARN HOW]( [GSM Image]( [SHOP NOW]( Coming This February—Outdoor Photo Challenge [Outdoor Image]( Between February 1 and February 22, 2019, Girl Scouts of the USA and the [Elliott Wildlife Values Project]( will offer a series of unique #GSoutdoorsSweepstakes [photo challenges]( encouraging girls to explore the great outdoors and discover wildlife in thrilling new ways—and inspiring them to keep the adventure going all year long, including at [Girl Scout camp]( and on [Girl Scout Destinations]( At the end of each of the three challenges, Girl Scouts will randomly select one lucky winner to receive a state-of-the-art camera and smartwatch from the Elliott Wildlife Values Project. Exciting stuff! Review the [official sweepstakes rules]( and [FAQs](. And keep your eyes peeled for [Girl Scout Blog]( posts following each challenge that highlight how wildlife and other outdoor experiences have positively impacted Girl Scouts across generations. [READ ABOUT THE CHALLENGE]( [LTM Image]( If you’re like us, you believe today’s girls will transform our world for the better. Girl Scouts’ lifetime members are passionate about creating a world that is equitable and fair—where unstoppable girls can grow into fearless female leaders who unleash their full potential and make a difference in the lives of everyone around them. When you join us as a lifetime member or give someone [lifetime membership in Girl Scouts]( you give a one-of-a-kind gift that helps drive meaningful change today and build a better world for us all tomorrow. [JOIN OR GIFT LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP]( The New Year's Resolutions You Need Now [Resolutions image]( The new year is a time of beginnings and, often, big (and often pretty unrealistic) goals, including for those of us who want to do better in some way as parents or caregivers. Ready to try something different this year? We’ve got a few simple yet effective resolutions to set with the girl in your life. [CHECK OUT THE RESOLUTIONS]( 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]( *To receive free shipping and handling, the merchandise total must be $99 or more before discounts and taxes, with standard 5–10 business day delivery selected at checkout. The discounted rate is for standard delivery only; upcharges for expedited and international shipping will apply. Offer ends January 22, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. ET. 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. [Privacy Policy]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( Our address is 420 5th Ave., New York, NY 10018 © 2019 Girl Scouts of the United States of America. All Rights Reserved.