GIRL SCOUTS OF CENTRAL MARYLAND INC

GIRL SCOUTS OF CENTRAL MARYLAND (GSCM) OFFERS RESEARCH-BASED AND EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS IN A VARIETY OF VENUES IN BALTIMORE CITY, ANNE ARUNDEL, BALTIMORE, CARROLL, HARFORD AND HOWARD COUNTIES, PROVIDES EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TECHNIQUES THAT PRODUCE IMPACT AND POSITIVE OUTCOMES IN MORE THAN 10,316 GIRLS K-12, IN THE NATIONAL PRIORITY AREAS OF STEM EDUCATION/CAREER ASPIRATIONS, THE OUTDOORS, LIFE SKILLS, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. THESE PROGRAMS HELP A GIRL TO INCREASE READINESS FOR AND OPPORTUNITIES TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL, ASPIRE TO PURSUE CAREERS, MAINTAIN PRODUCTIVE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH A FOUNDATION OF STRONGSELF-IMAGE/SELF ESTEEM, AND RESPECT AND APPRECIATE THE OUTDOORS AND ITS RESOURCES.GSCM OFFERS THE CORE GIRL SCOUT PROGRAM INCLUDING EARNING SKILL-BUILDING BADGES WHILE ALSO OFFERING A VIBRANT TROOP PROGRAM DELIVERED BY 6,392 ADULT MEMBERS, WHO ARE TRAINED IN THE GIRL SCOUT LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE. GIRLS ARE GUIDED TO COMPLETE IMPACTFUL SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECTS. FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2023 MORE THAN 492 GIRLS ACHIEVED THEIR BRONZE (251), SILVER (182), AND GOLD AWARD (59) THE HIGHEST AWARD LEVEL FOR THEIR AGE GROUP. COMBINED THIS WAS MORE THAN 18,840 HOURS OF SIGNIFICANT SERVICE TO CENTRAL MARYLAND COMMUNITIES. THE GOLD AWARD IS THE HIGHEST ACHIEVEMENT A GIRL CAN EARN AND OFFERS BENEFITS SUCH AS ACCESS TO COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AND HIGHER RANKING IN THE MILITARY. AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE GIRL SCOUT EXPERIENCE IS CAMP. TYPICALLY, GSCM OFFERS OVERNIGHT CAMP AT CAMP CONOWINGO (CECIL COUNTY) AND WEEKEND TROOP CAMP AT WHIPPOORWILL AND CAMP WOODLANDS (ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY) WHICH INCLUDES A NATURE CENTER. GSCM DELIVERS OUT-OF-SCHOOL-TIME PROGRAMS IN BALTIMORE CITY, BALTIMORE, AND HARFORD COUNTIES TITLE I. IN 2023 GSCM INCREASED THE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS TO GIRLS IN THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL PROGRAM. GSCM SERVED MORE THAN 857 GIRLS IN COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. PROGRAMS TYPICALLY INCLUDE READING AND FINANCIAL LITERACY, ROBOTICS, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, ANTI-BULLYING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. IN 2023 GSCM PILOTED AN EXPANSION OF A 30-WEEK PROGRAM COMPONENT. IN ADDITION, GSCM CONTINUES TO OFFER ITS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED BEYOND BARS PROGRAM. TO DATE, THE PROGRAM HAS SERVED MORE THAN 400 GIRLS SINCE 1992. THE PROGRAM WAS FOUNDED IN MARYLAND THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE AND THE MARYLAND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION FOR WOMEN AND HELPS GIRLS MAINTAIN A BOND WITH THEIR INCARCERATED MOTHERS THROUGH GIRL SCOUT ACTIVITIES IN THE PRISON, AND PROGRAMS OUTSIDE OF THE PRISON SUCH AS CAMPING AND COLLEGE TOURS.