As a young girl growing up in Atlanta, I began my leadership journey in Girl Scouts. It was here in the company of friends and in an inviting, all-girl, girl-led space that I first learned a simple truth: I was capable of accomplishing pretty much anything I set my mind to achieve. In the protective environment of Girl Scouts, I felt free—free to be myself, free to try new things, and free to take the lead. With the right encouragement, guidance, training, and confidence, I grew into a woman who leads by example, fondly remembers her time as a girl member of Girl Scouts, and actively participates as a Girl Scout adult volunteer.

Unsurprisingly, Girl Scouts knows the secret to creating female leaders is starting young. And through Girl Scouts’ more than 100 years of experience giving girls the tools they need to empower themselves, I found a safe haven where I was free from the pressures and social anxieties that can come from a mixed-gender environment. Girl Scouts provided me with an unparalleled leadership experience that prepared me for the roles I now play as an adult.

The experiences I had with my Girl Scout troop included backpacking, sailing, water skiing, service projects, traveling, and participating in the iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program which funded our adventures. It was a safe space where everyone was treated with respect; goals were set, plans were made, and goals were then achieved; and there was consistency between words and actions – this was a stark contrast to my family life at the time. Through Girl Scouts, I gained the courage, confidence, and character to declare my college major as Chemical Engineering in 1978 and complete a BS and PhD in Chemical Engineering in 1982 and 1986. It also gave me the courage to leave my job and go to law school at age 42.

Girl Scouts had such an impact in my life that I became a Girl Scout troop volunteer when my daughter was old enough to join Girl Scouts. With the able help of co-leaders like Gail Preslar, I led Girl Scout Troop 450 for thirteen years. Cameron Nelson Hardammon, one of seven Gold Award Girl Scouts in Troop 450 and Executive Director for After School All-Stars –  Chicago, shared with me the impact that Girl Scouts had in her life. Cameron told me that every time she sees a Girl Scout Cookie booth, in addition to buying cookies, she encourages the girls to stay in Girl Scouts and become Gold Award Girl Scouts. She tells them that everything she has needed to be successful as an adult, she learned in Girl Scouts.

My daughter, a Gold Award Girl Scout and successful leader, now has a daughter of her own. She’s a smart, curious, and strong (all in my unbiased opinion) almost two-year-old. Although I thought things would have changed more since I declared my major in 1978, she will grow up in a world that still has a lot of gender bias, both conscious and unconscious. I want her to be a Girl Scout because of the experiences given above and because research shows that girls learn best in an all-girl, girl-led, and girl-friendly environment where their specific needs are addressed and met. Through more than 100 years of experience, Girl Scouts have become the experts at giving girls the tools they need to empower themselves by teaching them that their voices count, they must stand up for what they believe in, and they have the strength to take the lead.

Girl Scouts undeniably played a huge role in making both Cameron and me the women we are today and will be a huge part of making sure my granddaughter reaches her full potential as well. There is simply no other leadership experience in the world that fosters in girls those intangible qualities that are so endemic to personal development—courage, confidence, and character—and that also happen to be the cornerstone of the Girl Scout mission.

Simply put, Girl Scouts works. That is why I want my granddaughter to be a Girl Scout!

Jennifer Knight, Former Board Chair (2015-2019)