Girl Scouts Programs: Together Counts & Healthy Habits

#ad Disclosure: This post, Girl Scouts Programs: Counts & Healthy Habits, is part of a campaign for Together Counts/Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital that I am participating in for Mom It Forward Blogger Network. #healthyhabits

Since Ethan started Cub Scouts last year, Olivia is itching to be a scout, too. She just can’t wait until she’s a Kindergartener and can join Girl Scouts! Frankly, I can’t wait either.  I just love the values that Girl Scouts teachers.

“We’re 2.8 million strong—2 million girls and 800,000 adults who believe girls can change the world. It began over 100 years ago with one woman, Girl Scouts’ founder Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low, who believed in the power of every girl. She organized the first Girl Scout troop on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, and every year since, we’ve made her vision a reality, helping girls discover their strengths, passions, and talents. Today we continue the Girl Scout mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. We’re the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs for girls from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to do something amazing.”

Let’s face it, in today’s world, our girls need every advantage they can get. I plan to make sure my daughter has the ‘courage, confidence, and character’ to do anything she wants in life.  Empowering my daughter to be a strong, smart, individual is the best gift I can give her, and I feel that the Girl Scout experience helps girls thrive.

Update: Olivia loves Girl Scouts!

Olivia started her Girl Scout journey as a Daisy a couple of years ago. She’s progressed to Brownies now and just loves it!

About Girl Scouts

There are many aspects to Girl Scouts – it’s not all about the cookies.  In fact, Girl Scouts didn’t start selling the boxes of cookies until the 1930’s.  Health and fitness have been part of Girl Scouting since girls ran foot races all the way back in 1912 when they were first founded!

Camping is essential to Girl Scouts mission. It is about developing a deep appreciation for nature. Girls enjoy camping with their troop,  attending a Girl Scout day camp, or resident sleep-away camp. Kayaking, archery, and rock climbing are high energy fun activities. Along with the more traditional crafts, singing, hiking and cooking over an open fire, Girl Scout camps give girls an opportunity to grow, explore, and have fun under the guidance of caring, trained adults.

Girl Scouts’ leadership program is girl-led. And Girl Scouts sure do a lot with guidance from caring adult mentors! From national badge programs to council-wide events, each council offers a variety of exciting program opportunities for girls of all ages.

Volunteers are supported with program level and subject training courses online and in classroom settings. There is a lot of peer-to-peer support and mentoring, and quality publications to support the delivery of high quality programs.

As a volunteer myself, I love working with the girls to encourage their creativity and individuality, while teaching them the importance of helping their community.

Healthy Habits Program

In partnership with the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, Girl Scouts developed “healthy habits” booklets to easily incorporate energy balance into meetings, outings, events and adventures. The free booklets help guide girls as they learn to lead active, healthy lifestyles.  Through the use of these free resources for Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors, Girl Scout volunteers and families can guide girls in fun, easy ways to achieve “energy balance.”

The three Healthy Habits booklets available for download include:

• Earth and Sky with Healthy Habits – girls learn about the many plants, trees, and animals that flourish in nature, and also build important leadership skills.
• WOW! Wonders of Water with Healthy Habits – girls discover the many forms and paths that water takes and how to protect it. They also learn how to engage in teamwork, speak effectively to convey a message, and inspire others.
• Get Moving! with Healthy Habits – girls learn how to use their energy to protect Earth’s and animals that flourish in nature, and also build important leadership skills.

Together Counts Program

The Together Counts program is nationwide and provided by the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation to inspire active and healthy living via physical activity and nutrition, a fundamental underpinning of efforts to reduce obesity. The principle behind the program is called Energy Balance, which just means balancing the calories we consume with the calories we expend.

• Energy In: the calories you get from eating and drinking.
• Energy Out: the calories you burn from physical activities.

Resources

• Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital Twitter
• Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital Facebook
• Together Counts Website
• Together Counts Blog
• Together Counts Twitter
• Together Counts Pinterest

To locate the council nearest you, see the Girl Scout Council Finder.