Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida believes that all girls deserve the opportunity to develop into tomorrow’s leaders. It is in this important work that The Miami Foundation Community Grants program invested $25,000, supporting the Decisions for Your Life program.
Decisions prepares disadvantaged girls to thrive in school and life by promoting educational readiness and personal resiliency.
Decisions addresses the need for proven, high-quality educational and leadership development opportunities for girls ages 5-17 who reside in low income communities and affordable housing developments.
The program provides girls with access to the full Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE). The program serves approximately 300 girls during the school year, offering weekly after school/evening programs and weekend activities. All girls in the program come from low-income households.
“With the Foundation’s Community Grant, Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida will continue to make a long-term difference in the lives of girls,” said Chelsea Wilkerson, Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida CEO.
The Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE) offered in the Decisions program has a proven impact on the lives of girls. The four experiential pillars of GSLE are:
• Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM);
• Getting outdoors;
• Developing life skills, and
• Entrepreneurship.
“Our Decisions program has a strong foundation in Miami-Dade County,” saod Shanea Reed, who has overseen the program for the past 13 years. “The Decisions program has evolved since its founding in 1993. However, the core of the program remains true to century old Girl Scout values: providing girls with opportunities to discover new things; connect with others in their troop and community; and take action to meet goals.”
Currently, the Decisions program is implemented across 11 sites, including Liberty Square, Little River, Legion Park, Cutler Manor, Naranja, Homestead Garden, and others. Staff, some of whom live in the neighborhoods, work with trained volunteers and community partners to conduct parent meetings, door-to-door outreach and bring-a-friend/awareness-building events.
“With the help of the Foundation’s Community Grant girls will take part in girl-led, experiential activities like STEAM projects, community service, camping and more,” Lori Ross, program director, explained. “Through these activities, girls will learn entrepreneurship skills, financial literacy and environmental leadership, to name a few.”
To learn more about Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida, visit www.girlscoutsfl.org.
