III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 310 

Designating 2012 as the ‘‘Year of the Girl’’ and congratulating Girl Scouts 

of the USA on its 100th anniversary. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 3, 2011 

Ms. MIKULSKI (for herself and Ms. COLLINS) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating 2012 as the ‘‘Year of the Girl’’ and congratulating Girl Scouts of the USA on its 100th anniversary. 

Whereas, for more than 100 years, Girl Scouts of the USA 

(referred to in this preamble as ‘‘Girl Scouts’’) has inspired girls to lead with courage, confidence and character; 

Whereas the Girl Scout movement began on March 12, 1912, 

when Juliette ‘‘Daisy’’ Gordon Low (a native of Savannah, Georgia) organized a group of 18 girls and provided 

the girls with the opportunity to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually; 

Whereas the goal of Daisy Low was to bring together girls 

of all backgrounds to develop self-reliance and resourcefulness, and to prepare each girl for a future role as a 

professional woman and active citizen outside the home; 


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Whereas, within a few years, there were nearly 70,000 Girl 

Scouts throughout the United States, including the territory of Hawaii; 

Whereas Girl Scouts established the first troops for AfricanAmerican girls in 1917 and the first troops for girls with 

disabilities in 1920; 

Whereas today more than 50,000,000 women in the United 

States are alumnae of the Girl Scouts, and approximately 

3,300,000 girls and adult volunteers are active members 

of the Girl Scouts; 

Whereas Girl Scouts live in every corner of the United States, 

Puerto Rico, the territories of the United States, and 

more than 90 countries overseas; 

Whereas Girl Scouts is the largest member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, a global movement comprised of more than 10,000,000 girls in 145 

countries worldwide; 

Whereas the robust program of Girl Scouts helps girls develop as leaders and build confidence by learning new 

skills; 

Whereas the award-winning Girl Scout Leadership Program 

helps each girl discover herself and her values; 

Whereas the Girl Scout Leadership Program leadership 

model helps girls develop skills such as critical thinking, 

problem solving, cooperation and team building, conflict 

resolution, advocacy, and other important life skills; 

Whereas core programs around Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (referred to in this preamble as 

‘‘STEM’’), environmental stewardship, healthy living, financial literacy, and global citizenship help girls develop 

a solid foundation in leadership; 


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Whereas STEM programming, first introduced in 1913 with 

the ‘‘electrician’’ and ‘‘flyer’’ badges, offers girls of every 

age science, technology, engineering, and math activities 

that are relevant to everyday life; 

Whereas the award-winning STEM program helps girls build 

strong, hands-on foundations to become future female 

leaders and meet the growing need for skilled science and 

technology professionals in the United States; 

Whereas healthy living programs— 

(1) help each Girl Scout build the skills necessary to 

maintain a healthy body, an engaged mind, and a positive 

spirit; and 

(2) teach girls about fitness and nutrition, body 

image, self-esteem, and relational issues, especially bullying; 

Whereas through the 100th Anniversary Take Action Project, 

‘‘Girl Scouts Forever Green’’, Girl Scouts is honoring the 

commitment of Juliette Low to the outdoors by engaging 

families, friends, and communities to improve the environment and protect the natural resources of the United 

States; 

Whereas the financial literacy programming of Girl Scouts, 

most notably the iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program, helps 

girls set financial goals and gain the confidence needed 

to ultimately take control of their own financial future; 

Whereas the beloved tradition of the Girl Scout Cookie Program has a proven legacy in the United States, as more 

than 80 percent of highly successful businesswomen were 

Girl Scouts; 

Whereas Girl Scouts has also helped millions of young girls 

become good global citizens through international exVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:14 Nov 04, 2011 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR310.IS SR310

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changes, travel, ‘‘take action’’ and service projects, and 

newer programs such as ‘‘twinning’’ (where girls in the 

United States connect with girls in other countries) and 

virtual Girl Scout troops; 

Whereas Girl Scouts has helped girls advance diversity in a 

multicultural world, connect with local and global communities, and feel empowered to make a difference in the 

world; 

Whereas the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor in 

Girl Scouting, requires a girl to make a measurable and 

sustainable difference in the community by— 

(1) assessing a need; 

(2) designing a solution; 

(3) finding the resources and the support to implement the solution; 

(4) completing the project; and 

(5) inspiring others to sustain the project; 

Whereas the Gold Award honors leadership in the Girl Scout 

tradition because Gold Award recipients have already 

changed the world as high school students; 

Whereas two-thirds of the most accomplished women in public service in the United States were Girl Scouts; 

Whereas research by Girl Scouts shows that Girl Scouts 

alumnae— 

(1) have a positive sense of self; 

(2) are engaged in community service; 

(3) are civically engaged; 

(4) have attained high levels of education; and 

(5) are successful according to many economic indicators; 


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Whereas, in addition to the outstanding programs that Girl 

Scouts offers, Girl Scouts has evolved into the premier 

expert on the healthy growth and development of girls; 

Whereas, since the founding of the Girl Scout Research Institute in 2000, the Institute has become an internationally 

recognized center for original research, research reviews, 

and surveys that provide significant insights into the lives 

of girls; 

Whereas the research conducted by Girl Scouts not only informs Girl Scout program development and delivery, but 

also helps bring the voice of girls to key issues in the 

public sphere; 

Whereas, by bringing greater attention to the health, education, and developmental needs of girls, Girl Scouts provides a voice for girls with policymakers, business leaders, 

educators, and all other stakeholders who care about the 

healthy growth and development of girls; 

Whereas Girl Scouts ensures that issues such as STEM education, bullying prevention, unhealthy perceptions of 

beauty as portrayed by the media, and many other important issues— 

(1) are brought to the attention of the public; and 

(2) are addressed through public policy at the national, State, and local levels; and 

Whereas Girl Scouts of the USA is recognizing its 100th anniversary by designating 2012 as the ‘‘Year of the Girl’’: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the importance of empowering 

3 girls to lead with courage, confidence, and character; 


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1 (2) congratulates Girl Scouts of the USA on its 

2 100th anniversary; and 

3 (3) designates 2012 as the ‘‘Year of the Girl’’. 

Æ 


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