GIRL SCOUTS TAKE OVER THE STATE HOUSE

Legislators and other state elected officials gathered at the Alabama State House on March 8 with more than 100 Girl Scouts, volunteers, and Girl Scout staff in order to educate and raise awareness about issues important to girls and young women.

The day began with Girl Scouts leading the Legislature in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Girl Scouts then greeted elected officials at their offices with Girl Scout Cookies and questions targeting what their specific duties were to Alabama.

"Throughout the day, Girl Scouts from across Alabama shared their leadership experience and were shining examples of G.I.R.L.s (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)," said Karlyn Edmonds, CEO of Girl Scouts of Southern

Alabama (GSSA). "Our goal was to share Girl Scout Programs that GSSA has been implementing all year, and the upcoming vision for the number one girl-led program, Girl Scouts."

In an effort to build the leaders of tomorrow, GSSA prioritized the following initiatives:

• Promote Economic Opportunities for Girls – Increase involvement in STEM and strengthen their financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills.

• Healthy Living Opportunities for Girls – Increase access to outdoor activities and prevent bullying/relational aggression and build healthy relationships.

• Fostering Global Citizenship and a Global Voice for Girls - Girl Scouts is dedicated to ensuring that girls develop an increased awareness of the larger world around them and understand their relationship to it-even if they don't travel beyond their own community-so they can grow into responsible global citizens.

• Supporting a Strong Non-Profit Community That Encourages the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Girl Scouts support policies that help nonprofits screen, recruit, and retain staff and volunteers, as well as incentivize charitable giving. Charitable giving policies fuel the health of our nation and communities around the world.

Girl Scout Advocacy Day is just one of the ways Girl Scouts works across party lines to educate and raise awareness about issues important to girls and young women. Through their advocacy efforts, Girl Scouts demonstrates to

policymakers the need to inspire, prepare, and mobilize girls and those who care about them to lead positive change through civic action.

About Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama serves more than 7,000 girls, ages 5-17 and 3,000 adults who believe in the power of every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader) to change the world. We're the preeminent leadership development organization for girls for more than 100 years. With programming across 30 counties, GSSA offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join call 800-239-6636 or visit http://www.girlscoutssa.org.