How do we know what you do as a Girl Scout make a difference? This is one of many questions the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) has studied recently to document outcomes of participation in Girl Scouts. This study examined the relationship between Girl Scout experiences and success in school. Rather than a pre-test, post-test research design, it involved surveys of active Girl Scouts administered near the end of the academic year.
So what did the GSRI researchers discover in this research
project?
- Girl Scout participation has a positive impact on girls'
leadership
- Most Girl Scouts in this study are academically successful -
they finish their homework, get good grades and understand their class work
- Girl Scouting influences academic success as much as, and
sometimes more than, non-Girl Scout factors known to impact academics
- Girls who gain experience solving problems and seeking
challenges in Girl Scouting are more successful in school than girls who gain
less experience in these areas
- Some Girl Scout experiences are more beneficial than others
in promoting the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE) outcomes that
influence academic success
- Lower socio-economic status (SES) girls report greater benefits from Girl Scouting than do higher-SES girls
So, please remember, what you do with girls does make a
difference. For more information on
this report or to read the full report, visit the Girl Scout Research Institute
website, www.girlscouts.org/research/.
