Girl Scouts of Orange County

STEM

Launched in 2015, the GSOC STEM Consortium is the first collaboration of its kind in Orange County to bring leading local STEM companies together to support diverse and enriching STEM programs and experiences for girls. Through STEM Consortium supported programming, nearly 5,000 Orange County Girl Scouts annually tackle ambitious challenges and earn skill-building badges in high-demand fields such as cybersecurity, computer programming, engineering, and construction. Funding will provide innovative opportunities in STEM to Orange County Girl Scouts through both virtual and in-person events by covering staffing, program supplies, outreach efforts, volunteer recruitment, training and STEM-focused events. To meet growing workforce demands, improve innovation, and ensure social equity, STEM professions need the imaginations and talents of women and underrepresented communities. With this in mind, GSOC’s STEM programming offers more than 85 STEM badges to earn and learn from annually (including two Orange County exclusive STEM badges created in partnership with STEM Consortium members). This type of year-round programming provides hands-on, experiential out-of-classroom learning opportunities that complement national and state science standards, while connecting the dots from classroom textbooks to the real world. And our annual STEM Expo, showcases STEM, robots, innovation, creativity and resourcefulness. With support, GSOC can inspire 5,000 K-12th grade Girl Scouts across Orange County to embrace STEM and exponentially grow our pool of future female STEM professionals. In GSOC, girls gain the life skills and the inspiration to accept challenges, overcome obstacles, and take the lead. Together, we can help thousands of local girls discover their untapped potential and watch them become the leaders that our businesses, communities, and planet require.

Community Program/Outreach

Fueled by an unstoppable drive to bring the life-changing benefit of Girls Scouts to all girls, Girl Scouts of Orange County (GSOC) partners with schools, youth-serving organizations, housing communities, mental health experts, translation service, and volunteers to provide underserved girls an opportunity to participate in Girl Scouting. In Girl Scouts, girls have fun and make friends while they build lifelong skills that help them reach their full potential, equip them to be leaders, and excel academically. We are actively removing barriers to participate and bridging gaps, so even more girls benefit from Girl Scouts. One example - June 2023 we opened a new center in the heart of Santa Ana. Staffed with full-time employees, the center is fully bilingual, English and Spanish, and bicultural in a community that is challenged with an 11.5% poverty rate and is predominately Hispanic. The center not only provides troops a place to meet and engage in activities, but it is also equipped with computers and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education resources to help girls cultivate valuable life skills. Due to the generosity of our donors, we can offer Financial Assistance in three ways: support membership dues to help girls become members, purchase uniforms, and to participate in troop and camp activities.

Outdoor/Camp

Outdoor experiences are a fundamental part of the Girl Scout program because they directly correlate to so many benefits, especially for girls. Participating in outdoor adventures has been shown to increase academic success, challenge seeking, leadership development, persistence, ability to better negotiate decisional ambiguities, ability to experience positive emotions, increased confidence, and stronger problem-solving outcomes. We know girls who spend quality time outdoors thrive physically, emotionally, and intellectually so we offer a wide range of age-appropriate, outdoor adventures all year long for girls to enjoy including hiking, horseback riding, water-based activities (like swimming, boating, and kayaking), camps, and we even teach environmental stewardship and workforce development skills related to the outdoors. Our council also hosts annual outdoor programs like Cadette-O-Rama and GAM: Nautical and Water Fun. In addition, we offer a wide range of camp experiences including local Volunteer-Led day camps, GSOC's owned and operated Camp Scherman provides the perfect setting for our outdoor adventures as well as our family camps, summer camps, and weekend camps. Camp Scherman is a 700-acre property in the San Jacinto Mountains. With its cabins, dining halls, and much more, Camp Scherman can accommodate up to 500 campers at a time. The property has two lakes, a pool, a horse corral, a climbing tower, archery and axe-throwing areas, and hundreds of acres for hiking and exploring. It's staffed with 5 full-time employees. Girl Scouts served more than 2,000 Girl Scouts in 2023 through Outdoor programs. and girls love what we are doing. In FY2024, Girl Scouts in partnership with multiple community organizations received an 89% satisfaction rate. 70% of Girl Scouts say they got the chance to build skills or try new outdoor activities because of Girl Scouts. To encourage participation in a fun way, GSOC offers 44 different Outdoor badges Girl Scouts can proudly earn.

Mental Health

At the very core of GSOC lies a profound dedication to fostering the well-being of girls. In Orange County, on our doorstep, mental illness affects more than 100-thousand children. Our partner NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) reports that 1 in 5 teens is struggling with these issues in silence. At Girl Scouts we use CDC reports and our own proprietary research to stay on top of the challenges and trends facing today’s Girls and their families. The latest CDC report highlighted: 60% of young girls experience persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness, anxiety and depression. And, almost 30% of teen girls have seriously considered suicide. The CDC identified Connectedness as a solution. GSUSA completed Quantitative and Qualitative research in December 2023. Girls are afraid to be their authentic selves. Fearful of trying something new/risk-averse. Feel Pressure to specialize. Experiencing Loneliness and Bullying Those are heavy statistics but Girl Scouts can support, and connect and help our girls. GSUSA launched the Girl Scouts’ Mental Wellness Initiative (2021). As part of the initiative, they launched the Resilient, Ready, Strong patch program, Training for adults – Mental Wellness 101 and Delivering Inclusive Programs (Youth Mental Health First Aid 2022), and expanded the program in 2023 with three more wellness patch programs: Knowing My Emotions, Finding my Voice, and Showing Up for Me and You. We are continuing the work GSUSA started and building on it. GSOC is creating program, training and staff to meet the needs of our struggling teens. Our council continues to expand and evolve our vital programming on Mental Health: - Collaboration with local agencies to bring valuable programs – Laura’s House, Bloom Foundation, and Human Options are a few partners. - Monthly online hangout for teens called the GS Lounge for sisterhood, self-care growth opportunities and meaningful discussions - GSOC’s Summer Book Club, Grow & Glow, designed to encourage all ages to unplug from social media and revive their imagination and creativity. - New patch program: “C.R.E.A.T.E.” Healthy Relationships (connect, respect, empathize, advocate, take action, and empower. - Adult training: Staff Youth Mental Health First Aid Facilitators train adult volunteers. Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) - the GSOC Life Skills Coordinator is a certified facilitator in YMHFA trained to: recognize signs and symptoms of mental health challenges that may impact youth; explain the impact of traumatic experiences and the role of resilience on adolescent development; understand the appropriate steps to take to support youth in crisis and non-crisis situations; and choose appropriate methods for self-care following the application of YMHFA in a crisis or non-crisis situation. - Mental Health-in-a-Box Kits – GSOC is developing our Mental Health-in-a-Box kits, which will provide local troops with all the supplies, materials and curriculum needed to help Girl Scouts safely identify and explore their feelings, seek support, and find resources for help, if needed. Each Mental Health-in-a-Box kit contains an adult facilitator guide to help adults approach girls in a sensitive way, prompt important conversations and guide them through difficult moments. Program materials also contain meeting aids, parent/caregiver resources, age-specific teaser activities, and marketing tools for troop leaders. Patches, a suggestion box/envelope, art supplies, signage, activity books and materials, and journals are also included in each box. Once built, Mental Health-in-a-Box kits can be checked out from the GSOC offices to assist troop leaders implement their programming, ultimately making planning easier, which retains volunteer troop leaders. Typically, the boxes provide 90 minutes of programming for 10-15 participants, with the option to break it up into two or more sessions at the troop leader's discretion. GSOC suggests troop leaders enlist volunteers with a background in mental health lead the activities or advise during the workshops. Mental Health-in-a-Box kits can be used year after year, with updates to materials and curriculum based on new evidence-based practices as necessary.

Workforce Development

GSOC’s Workforce Development Program – Seniors & Ambassadors offers a variety of exploration and skill development opportunities for Girl Scouts at the Senior (grades 9-10) and Ambassador levels (grades 11-12). Badges and Awards help girls build skills through hands-on project-based learning. All badges are designed to include the following components: girl-led, cooperative learning and learn by doing. Key components of the Workforce Development Program – Seniors & Ambassadors include: • Career Exploration – GSOC offers numerous opportunities for girls to explore potential career paths, meet female professionals, and set goals for their inspired future. GSOC holds events throughout the year, where girls gain exposure to different fields—such as STEM, sports, automotive, hospitality, entertainment, arts, conservation, woodworking, and more—to help them discover ways to incorporate their interests and passions into the career of their dreams. • Life & Soft Skills Development - Girl Scout badges, beginning with Civic Engagement and expanding to Healthy Living, Communication Skills, Practical Skills, and Global Citizenship, form the foundation of activities that help girls grow as Girl Scouts. The Teen Job Lab provides hands-on skills practice, while they systematically research and apply for first jobs. • Leadership Development – Girl Scouts provides multiple avenues to help girls build their leadership skills. The Outdoor Leadership Program provides insights into the many facets of GSOC’s Outdoor program, as well as the camping and recreation industry. Girls may serve as Advocates/Advisory Members—over a one-year term, girls attend board meetings to work along the BOD in making policy, approving finance, interacting with the community, and setting long-range council goals. Girls may also earn the Gold Award, the highest award earned in Girl Scouts, by demonstrating a high commitment to improving their communities and advocating for lasting change. • Entrepreneurship - Girl Scouts offers girls of all ages the opportunity to build their business savvy and hone their entrepreneurship skills through badge programs, online learning, and, of course, through the Girl Scout Fall Product and Cookie Programs. As girls learn to handle money and become self-reliant, they are also learning how to bring their own values to the business world and how to use their time, talent, and resources (including money!) to make the world a better place. • Networking – During the pandemic, GSOC developed The Lounge, a Zoom community where once a month, high school girls come together with their Girl Scout sisters for socializing, casual conversations, meaningful discussions, and fun activities. These unique sessions are led by volunteers or GSOC staff that wish to share their expertise, experience, and insight on topics and activities that align with the interests of high school girls, such as assistance applying for college and financial aid, special speakers on topics such as confidence and nutrition, and creating a LinkedIn profile. The Lounge has been so successful we have chosen to continue providing these virtual sessions beyond the pandemic.