GIRL SCOUT COUNCIL OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS INC

THE GIRL SCOUT COUNCIL OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS (GSCSA) IS A MISSION-DRIVEN, GIRL-FOCUSED ORGANIZATION THAT STRIVES TO BUILD GIRLS OF COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, AND CHARACTER, WHO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. THROUGH PROGRAMS OFFERED TO GIRLS K-12 IN 46 COUNTIES FROM SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA, THROUGH EAST TENNESSEE, AND INTO NORTH GEORGIA, GIRL SCOUTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND ABILITIES CAN BE THEMSELVES AS THEY DISCOVER THEIR STRENGTHS AND RISE TO MEET NEW CHALLENGES. BACKED BY TRUSTED AND DEDICATED ADULT VOLUNTEERS, MENTORS, AND ALUMS,GIRL SCOUTS LEAD THE WAY AS THEY FIND THEIR VOICES AND LEARN THEY CAN DO ANYTHING THEY SET THEIR MIND TO. FOR MORE THAN 112 YEARS, GIRL SCOUTS HAS BROUGHT TO LIFE THE DREAMS OF GIRLS AND WORKED TOGETHER TO DEVELOP OUR NEXT GENERATION OF SUCCESSFUL FEMALE LEADERS.(CONTINUED ON SCH. O.)GSCSA CONTINUES TO CREATE NEW PROGRAMMING TO SUPPORT AND EDUCATE ITS GIRL MEMBERS. THE PROGRAMS AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS PROVIDED BY GIRL SCOUTS ARE NEEDED TODAY MORE THAN EVER.GIRL SCOUT PROGRAMMING IS PROVIDED THROUGH THE GIRL SCOUT LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE AND GIRL SCOUT COMMUNITY TROOPS, SERVING 6,497 GIRLS IN OUR 46-COUNTY FOOTPRINT. THE COUNCIL ENDED THE 2025 MEMBERSHIP YEAR (OCTOBER 1, 2024 - SEPTEMBER 30, 2025) WITH 9,837 GIRL AND ADULT MEMBERS. IN ADDITION TO INDIVIDUAL TROOP ACTIVITIES, APPROXIMATELY 1,421 GIRLS PARTICIPATED IN MORE THAN 317 PROGRAMS, EITHER ORGANIZED BY GSCSA STAFF OR ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS PARTNERS DURING THE 2025 MEMBERSHIP YEAR. GIRLS DID EVERYTHING FROM STEM WORKSHOPS TO RAFTING TO HELPING OTHERS, MANY EARNING BADGES ALONG THE WAY. IN THE GIRL SCOUT LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE, GIRLS LEARN THROUGH ACTIVITIES THAT EARN THEM BADGES FOR THINGS LIKE LEADERSHIP, STEM, FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS LITERACY, HEALTHY LIVING, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP. GIRL SCOUTS HELPS GIRLS LEARN THESE FIVE ATTITUDES, SKILLS, AND BEHAVIORS OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP:1. STRONG SENSE OF SELF2. POSITIVE VALUES3. CHALLENGE SEEKING4. HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS5. COMMUNITY PROBLEM SOLVINGWHY DO THESE FIVE OUTCOMES MATTER? WHEN GIRLS EXHIBIT THESE ATTITUDES AND SKILLS, THEY BECOME RESPONSIBLE, PRODUCTIVE, CARING, AND ENGAGED CITIZENS. STUDIES SHOW THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ATTITUDES, BEHAVIORS, AND SKILLS LIKE CONFIDENCE, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, AND PROBLEM SOLVING ARE CRITICAL TO WELL-BEING AND RIVAL ACADEMIC AND TECHNICAL SKILLS IN THEIR CAPACITY TO PREDICT LONG-TERM POSITIVE LIFE OUTCOMES.A RECENT RESEARCH STUDY PROVIDES EVIDENCE THAT GIRL SCOUTS STAND OUT SIGNIFICANTLY FROM NONGIRL SCOUTS, DEMONSTRATING MORE WELL-ROUNDED LIFESTYLES AND A STRONGER PROPENSITY FOR SUCCESS. COMPARED TO NONGIRL SCOUTS, GIRL SCOUTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO: EXHIBIT STRONG LEADERSHIP OUTCOMES EARN "EXCELLENT" GRADES EXPECT TO GRADUATE COLLEGE ASPIRE TO STEM, BUSINESS, AND LAW CAREERS FEEL HOPEFUL ABOUT THEIR FUTUREACCORDING THE 2021 REPORT THE GIRL SCOUT ALUM DIFFERENCE: A LIFETIME OF COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, AND CHARACTER, GIRL SCOUT ALUMNAE ARE MORE SATISFIED WITH THEIR EDUCATION AND ATTAIN HIGHER LEVELS OF EDUCATION THAN NON-ALUMS. THE LENGTH OF TIME IN GIRL SCOUTS IS POSITIVELY CORRELATED TO ATTAINING HIGHER LEVELS OF EDUCATION. GIRL SCOUT ALUMS WHO PARTICIPATED FOR FOUR OR MORE YEARS COMPLETED MORE YEARS OF EDUCATION, WITH 43% OF ALUMS HAVING COMPLETED AT LEAST A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE COMPARED TO 32% OF NON-ALUMS. IN ADDITION, 78% HAVE ATTENDED AT LEAST SOME COLLEGE COMPARED TO 65% OF NON-ALUMS.IN SHORT, GIRL SCOUTS DO BETTER IN SCHOOL AND, AS ADULTS, ARE BETTER EDUCATED, HAVE A HIGHER INCOME LEVEL, ARE MORE ACTIVE AS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, AND VOTE MORE OFTEN THAN GIRLS WHO WERE NOT. GIRL SCOUT ALUMS SAY GIRL SCOUTING PREPARED THEM TO FACE LIFE'S CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES WITH RESOURCEFULNESS, INGENUITY, AND DISCIPLINE. COMPARED TO WOMEN WHO WERE NOT GIRL SCOUTS, OUR ALUMNAE FEEL MORE CAPABLE AND COMPETENT IN THEIR LIVES, HAVE MORE SUPPORTIVE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND FEEL MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THEIR FUTURES.GIRL SCOUTS PERFORMED MORE THAN NEARLY 6,000 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS IN THE COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR COUNCIL. ADDITIONALLY, GSCSA DONATED APPROXIMATELY 10,842 BOXES OF COOKIES TO FRIENDS OF THE TROOPS, HUGS FOR OUR SOLDIERS, AND OTHER LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS IN NEED. WE ALSO HAD TWO SUCCESSFUL PRODUCT PROGRAMS THAT HELPED FUND ALL THE FUN AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS: FALL PRODUCT AND THE COOKIE PROGRAM. GSCSA IS PROUD TO SAY THAT 3,896 GIRL SCOUTS SOLD 1,081,756 BOXES OF COOKIES AND GIRLS SOLD APPROXIMATELY 50,000 ITEMS FOR THE FALL PRODUCT PROGRAM. BY SELLING COOKIES AND FALL PRODUCT, GIRLS DEVELOP FIVE ESSENTIAL SKILLSGOAL SETTING, DECISION MAKING, MONEY MANAGEMENT, PEOPLE SKILLS, AND BUSINESS ETHICSALL OF WHICH HELP THEM SUCCEED TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE. THEY GROW THEIR CONFIDENCE AND PRACTICE LEADERSHIP, TOO.APPROXIMATELY 300 GIRLS ATTENDED OUR SUMMER RESIDENT CAMP AT CAMP TANASI IN ANDERSONVILLE, TN. WHETHER THEY SPENT A FEW DAYS OR TWO WEEKS, GIRLS LEARNED A VARIETY OF OUTDOORS SKILLS AS WELL AS ABILITIES THEY CAN USE IN THEIR EVERYDAY, INDOOR LIFE. GIRLS ALSO HAD THE CHANCE TO TRY OUT ARCHERY, CLIMBING, SWIMMING, BOATING, AND HIKING. IN ADDITION TO SUMMER RESIDENT CAMP, APPROXIMATELY 440 GIRLS PARTICIPATED IN TROOP CAMPING AT ONE OF OUR THREE BEAUTIFUL CAMPS, LOCATED IN VARIOUS AREAS OF OUR COUNCIL FOOTPRINT. OUR GIRL SCOUT COMMUNITY TROOP PROGRAM HAS GROWN SINCE ITS LAUNCH IN THE SUMMER OF 2018. THIS YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE 211 GIRLS THROUGH 14 COMMUNITY TROOP PARTNER SITES ACROSS OUR COUNCIL FOOTPRINT. GSCSA RECOGNIZES THAT NOT EVERY GIRL IN OUR AREA IS ABLE TO ACCESS GIRL SCOUTS BECAUSE OF LIMITATIONS DUE TO FAMILY FINANCES, TRANSPORTATION, OR FINDING VOLUNTEERS TO LEAD TROOPS IN SPECIFIC AREAS. THAT IS WHERE THE GSCSA COMMUNITY TROOP PROGRAM COMES IN TO ENSURE GIRLS CAN JOIN GIRL SCOUTS AND GAIN THE SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE THAT IS NECESSARY TO SUCCESS. OUR COMMUNITY TROOP PROGRAM IS STAFF-LED IN COMMUNITY CENTERS AND SCHOOLS FROM SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA THROUGHOUT ALL OF EASTERN TENNESSEE AND INTO NORTHWEST GEORGIA. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO BRING THE GIRL SCOUT LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE (GSLE) DIRECTLY TO THE GIRL IN HER COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO MAY NEVER HAVE THE MEANS TO PARTICIPATE IN GIRL SCOUTS.GIRL SCOUTING GOES WAY BEYOND COOKIES AND BADGES AND ENCOURAGES GIRLS TO MAKE REAL, CONCRETE CHANGE FOR THE BETTER IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. 194 HIGH AWARD RECIPIENTS COMPLETED MORE THAN 5,300 SERVICE HOURS ON PROJECTS THAT MADE THEIR COMMUNITIES A BETTER PLACE.OUR SENIOR AND AMBASSADOR LEVEL GIRLS WORK TIRELESSLY TO EARN THE GOLD AWARD, THE HIGHEST HONOR A GIRL SCOUT CAN EARN. BY COMPLETING A GOLD AWARD PROJECT, GIRLS TACKLE ISSUES THAT ARE DEAR TO THEM AND DRIVE LASTING CHANGES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND BEYOND. TWENTY-FOUR AMAZING GIRLS IN OUR COUNCIL EARNED THEIR GOLD AWARD THIS YEAR. ONE EXCEPTIONAL GIRL SCOUT FROM OUR COUNCIL RECEIVED THE GSUSA GOLD AWARD SCHOLARSHIP IN THE GENEROUS AMOUNT OF $5,000. THE GSUSA GOLD AWARD SCHOLARSHIP RECOGNIZES ONE OUTSTANDING GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUT PER COUNCIL, AND THE 2025 AWARDEE FOR GSCSA IS ORLY B. OF KNOXVILLE, TN. HER GOLD AWARD PROJECT WORKED TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS FOR REFUGEE CHILDREN IN KNOXVILLE. SHE PARTNERED WITH BRIDGE REFUGEE SERVICES TO RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDS. ORLY LEARNED OF THE NEED FOR NEW BEDS FOR 200 REFUGEES WHO ARRIVE IN KNOXVILLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD EACH YEAR.HER FUNDRAISING IMPACT TOTALED ALMOST $11,000 THAT LED TO THE PURCHASE OF 40 NEW BEDS WITH HER INVESTMENT OF 80 HOURS OF WORK TOWARD THE PROJECT. SHE MADE THE DONATIONS EVEN MORE MEANINGFUL BY INCLUDING A BEDTIME STORYBOOK WITH CUSTOM BOOKPLATES. HER OUTSTANDING PROJECT DEMONSTRATES MEASURABLE AND SUSTAINABLE IMPACT AND ADDRESSED AN ISSUE OF NATIONAL AND GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE, PROVING THAT GIRL SCOUTS OF COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, AND CHARACTER TRULY DO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS WILL SERVE AS A POWERFUL EXAMPLE OF GIRL SCOUTING IN ACTION.OUR EXTREMELY POPULAR SUMMER STACK CLUB SUMMER READING PROGRAM COMPLETED ITS SIXTH YEAR AND HAD A PARTICIPATION NUMBER OF 866 GIRLS: 637 MEMBERS FROM WITHIN OUR COUNCIL, AND 229 GIRL SCOUTS FROM OTHER COUNCILS. PARTICIPANTS HAILED FROM 45 DIFFERENT STATES, WASHINGTON D.C. AND PUERTO RICO. READING COMPREHENSION IS SO IMPORTANT TO HELP GIRLS ACHIEVE SUCCESS AND WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAM. WE HAVE RECEIVED POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM PARENTS WHO APPRECIATE HOW OUR CURATED READING LIST HELPED THEIR GIRL FIND A NEW BOOK OR SERIES TO LOVE. PARENTS HAVE ALSO SHARED STORIES OF HOW THEIR "RELUCTANT READERS" BECAME MOTIVATED TO READ MORE WHILE COMPLETING THE PATCH REQUIREMENTS.