Tuesday, July 26, 2011

GSNCA Selected as National STEM Advocacy Champions

Girl Scouts of the USA recently announced that Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama (GSNCA) has been selected as a STEM Advocacy Champion. The honor was bestowed upon 17 councils nationwide by GSUSA’s Public Policy and Advocacy Office. This new national initiate equips and empowers Girl Scout councils to lead efforts at the local and state level to increase girls’ involvement in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by addressing and ultimately changing an issue that impacts the lives of girls in our area.

“Girl Scouts is committed to ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to explore and build an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” says Trish Coghlan, chief executive officer of GSNCA. “The strength of our nation depends on increasing girls’ involvement in STEM, to develop critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration skills that are important throughout life. While the percentage of careers that require advanced STEM education increases, an alarmingly high percentage of girls lose interest in STEM subjects early in their development. If the United States is to maintain its competitive advantage in the global economy, we urgently need to ensure that our entire population of young minds, and especially girls, are educated in STEM fields.”

As a STEM Advocacy Champion, Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama will build awareness and educate girls in their 36 counties on the important issue of increasing girls involvement in STEM and look for policy solutions to the problem. Together, STEM Advocacy Champions will help advance the Girl Scout Movement and improve girls’ lives.