GSSEF Fact Sheet

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Facts About Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida

Who We Are

Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida was formed in 2008 through the merger of Girl Scouts of Broward County and the Girl Scouts of Palm Glades Council, which served Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee Counties. Bringing together decades of rich Girl Scouts history, expanded program opportunities and enhanced services for adult volunteers, the merger has strengthened the Council’s resources to better provide a quality Girl Scout program in the 21st Century. Its jurisdiction includes the following six counties: Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee Counties.

Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida is one of more than 100 councils that make up Girl Scouts of the USA – the world’s preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls.

Mission

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.

What We Do

Girl Scouting is the nation’s premier leadership experience for girls. The Girl Scout program is girl-driven, reflecting the ever-changing needs and interests of today’s girls. It is a safe place for girls to engage in Girl Scout activities while they discover more about themselves and the world around them, connect with others, and take action to make the world a better place.

Girl Scouts focuses on girl-planned, hands – on learning made enjoyable by experiencing the world together with other girls. Through programs including community service, healthy living, science, technology, engineering and math, outdoor and environmental awareness, Girl Scouting provides girls with opportunities for fun and friendship while nurturing the development of leadership skills and their self potential.

Why Girl Scouting is important

In today’s world, every girl is at risk. For example,

41 percent of pre-teen girls are afraid of being bullied.

1 in 4 girls say they want to leave home because of family violence.

6 out of 10 teen girls diet. 12 percent go to extremes like vomiting, laxatives, and diuretics.

26 percent of teen girls who feel physically unsafe use alcohol.

For girls who are Girl Scouts show that only 1 percent of Girl Scouts ever go before a juvenile court.

For girls who stay in Girl Scouting five or more years:

90% do not feel pressured to drink alcohol;

96% avoid drugs; and

98% will not experience a teen pregnancy.

Fast Facts on Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida

Serves girls ages 5 -17 in the following counties: Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties

More than 15,000 girl members

More than 6,000 adult members

Girl Scouts contribute over 70,000 hours of community service annually throughout the Council’s jurisdiction

Maintains three camp properties – Camp Nocatee, Camp Telogia, and Camp Welaka

Operates two Council Service Centers – Jupiter, Palm Beach County and Oakland Park, Broward County

Membership

Girl Scouting is for every girl between the ages of 5 – 17 who accepts the Girl Scout Promise and Law; and adults over the age of 18 who accept the organization’s principles and beliefs as stated in the Preamble of the Constitution of the Girl Scouts of the USA. Annual membership dues are $12 for both girl and adults members.

Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida serves more than 15,000 girls and 6,000 adults in the diverse six-county jurisdiction of Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties.

Program

The Girl Scout Program is focused on three keys of leadership:
Discover, Connect and Take Action. Through the program, girls discover more about themselves, connect with others and take action to make the world a better place.
Girl Scout Pathways – the ways that girls participate in Girl Scouting – offers girls a wonderful opportunity to experience Girl Scouting through one or more pathways including joining a troop, participating as an individual Juliette Girl Scout, and through special interests and events. There are six Girl Scout Pathways: Camp, Events, Series, Travel, Troop, and Virtual. No matter how a girl participates, the Girl Scout program is delivered based upon several grade level groups:

Girl Scout Daisy – Kindergarten and 1st grade

Girl Scout Brownie – 2cd and 3rd grade

Girl Scout Junior – 4th and 5th grade

Girl Scout Cadette – 6th , 7th and 8th grade

Girl Scout Senior – 9th and 10th grade

Girl Scout Ambassador – 11th and 12th grade

Girls now have two series of leadership journeys (Girl Scout program) to choose from: It’s Your World—Change It! and It’s Your Planet—Love It!

Demographics

Approximately 240,000 girls between the ages of 5 and 17 live in the six county jurisdiction of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. The Council currently serves approximately one in seven to eight girls, providing us the opportunity to reach girls in diverse communities.

Council-wide Community Service Projects

Baby Basics – October 2010

(New Date for the 2010 – 2011 Girl Scout year)

“Feeding Florida Together” Food Drive – March 1-31 2011

• View GSSEF Community Service Council-wide Projects.

Council Facilities

Both Service Centers house our administrative offices , Girl Scout Shops, meeting rooms and an archive library (Jupiter).

Jupiter Service Center
1224 West Indiantown Road
Jupiter, Florida 33458
561–427–0177
866–727-GIRL
Fax: 561–427–0187

Oakland Park Service Center
4701 NW 33 Avenue
Oakland Park, FL 33309
954-739-7660
Fax: 954–735–2402

Camps

In addition to these offices, Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida operate three camps – Camp Welaka, a 640 acre camp located in Jonathan Dickinson Park; Camp Nocatee, also a 640 acre camp just outside Clewiston and Camp Telogia, a 13 acre camp situated in Parkland. These camps offer a variety of activities such as Core Camps, canoeing, swimming, archery, hiking and more.

For more information about Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, please contact either of our Service Centers for assistance or visit www.gssef.org