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New Leadership Program Opens To High School Girls
Girl Scout Leadership Institute Invests in Teens’ Transition to Adulthood
September 16, 2024
ST. PAUL, MN – A new program is launching in the Twin Cities metro area with the mission to help teen girls and gender-expansive youth successfully navigate the challenging transition from adolescence to adulthood. Called the Girl Scout Leadership Institute, the new program will enable participants to get answers to questions on everything from personal finance and paying for college to mental health and building community with others.
“We’re responding directly to the needs of post-pandemic youth, who know this world is changing fast,” said Paulette Bonneur, Director of New Strategic Initiatives for Girl Scouts River Valleys. “Our aim is to plant the seeds of success for them to be set up for real-world wins from the moment they leave Girl Scouts. We’re equipping their toolboxes with critical skills needed for the next chapter and beyond.”
Beyond specialized knowledge and critical thinking skills, participants in the Girl Scout Leadership Institute will benefit from a cohort-style program where they can learn from each other while beginning to build their networks in a safe, supportive, and affirming environment. Girl Scout Leadership Institute is dedicated to the holistic development of young leaders, with a strong emphasis on mental health, college preparation, and career development, ensuring that participants are well-prepared for what lies ahead.
“Girl Scouts has equipped young women with the courage, confidence, and character they need to lead since 1912,” said Girl Scouts River Valleys CEO, Marisa C. Williams. "Our focus today builds on this expertise, helping to cultivate the next generation of leaders that our communities need.”
Enrollment for both current Girl Scouts and non-Girl Scouts opens online at gsrv.gs/future today, September 16, ahead of an October 10 launch event at North Hennepin Community College. The Girl Scout Leadership Institute officially kicks off with programming on November 9.
About Girl Scouts River Valleys
Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys’ work is supported by 6,300 volunteers who deliver the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to nearly 17,200 girls in southern Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and one county in Iowa. Girl Scouts River Valleys is one of 111 Girl Scout councils that make up the national Girl Scout Movement, sharing the mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.
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