The nationwide survey, conducted by the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI), found that 39 percent of girls want to be leaders, and that the desire for leadership is higher among African-American (53 percent), Hispanic (50 percent) and Asian-American (59 percent) girls compared to Caucasian girls (34 percent). Yet a majority of girls (52 percent) are deeply ambivalent about leadership, saying that being a leader is not that important to them.

The data indicates, however, that while girls find the command-and-control style of leadership unappealing, a majority of them would aspire to a different kind of leadership focused on personal principles, ethical behavior and the ability to affect social change.

Some 68 percent of survey respondents said they would want to be leaders who stand up "for their beliefs and values," and 59 percent said that they would like to be a leader "who tries to change the world for the better."

"It's clear from the research that girls today don't embrace the conventional style of leadership," said Judy Schoenberg, Director of Research and Outreach at the Girl Scout Research Institute and lead author of the study, Change It Up! What Girls Say About Redefining Leadership. "It's simply not how they want to lead. Girls today appear to be redefining leadership in terms of being more inclusive and serving a larger purpose."

The study, which provides a rare glimpse into girls' evolving perceptions of leadership and comes amid U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's high-profile bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, involved a national survey of 2,475 girls and 1,514 boys ages 8 to 17, as well as a series of focus groups and ethnographic interviews.
The survey also yielded data on current leadership perceptions. Overall, 61 percent of youth consider themselves leaders in their everyday lives, with the proportion being highest among African-American girls (75 percent), African-American boys (74 percent), and Hispanic girls (72 percent).

Indeed, the survey and qualitative research revealed that boys and girls share many of the same perceptions of leadership. However, there were differences. Girls' leadership aspirations were more likely to be driven by altruistic motives, whereas boys were more likely to be motivated by power and money.

Girls were more likely than boys to be leaders because they want to help other people (67 percent vs. 53 percent), share their knowledge and skills with others (53 percent vs. 47 percent) and change the world for the better (45 percent vs. 31 percent).

Boys, on the other hand, were significantly more likely than girls to be motivated by the desire to be their own boss (38 percent vs. 33 percent), make more money (33 percent vs. 26 percent), and have more power (22 percent vs. 14 percent).

Furthermore, a strong majority (82 percent) of youth agreed that girls and boys are equally good at being leaders. However, 56 percent of respondents also agreed that "in our society, it is more difficult to become a leader for a woman than a man." And more than half (52 percent) of girls and boys agreed that "girls have to work harder than boys in order to gain positions of leadership." That perception was more widely held by girls (57 percent) than boys (44 percent).

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When we started working on the Silver Award we knew two things:

1. we wanted to work on it as a troop
2. we wanted to do something for kids

We started talking and came up with the idea to make gift bags for kids at C.H.O.P.  As we talked more about it, we decided to just concentrate on making bags for girls our age - figuring that they would like things that we would like.

We came up with the idea to make craft kits of things that we've done at our meetings - macramé key chains, beadie buddy zipper pulls, bookmarkers and a new idea - Popsicle stick jigsaw puzzles.  We collected the supplies, printed out directions and put them in separate ziplock baggies.  We liked this idea because it will give the girls something to do.

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This summer Oak Spring Day Camp will offer a GuardStart program from August 4-15^th to introduce Cadettes to a future in lifeguarding while enjoying the benefits of attending a Girl Scout camp.  The program will cost $325 and includes workbook and certificate from the American Red Cross as well as a free t-shirt, daily snacks, and transportation from any of Oak Sping's 18 bus stops.

 Topics covered include accident and injury prevention, fitness, response to emergencies, leadership, and professionalism along with fun activities and games.

Girls who successfully complete this program will be prepared to pass the pre-requisites for Lifeguard Certification.  GSCSNJ is and will continue to use girls 16 and older for lifeguarding at various summer camps and weekend camping events.

Girl Scout Walk/Run helps Build Family Fitness

Join Region 2 of GSCSNJ on April 19, 2008 for our 3^rd Annual Camp Kettle Run 5k Race and 1 Mile Walk to raise awareness of family fitness and to educate the public about ways to eliminate childhood obesity. Registration begins at 8:00 AM and the race starts at 9:00 AM at Camp Kettle Run.

Girl Scout troops, families, alumnae and supporters are invited to join the walk and learn about how to lead a healthy lifestyle. Three hundred Girl Scouts and their families are expected to be run or walkon April 19^th.

Medford Sports Club, Haddonfield Running Company, and radio station B101, Sterling Bank and the Pineland Stiders will be on hand  at the race to help educate the community on the importance of fitness. They will also be helping the Girl Scouts earn badge requirements at every Girl Scout level.

Registrations are still being accepted for Camp Kettle Run 5k Race and 1 Mile Walk on April 19, 2008.

Contact: Nancy Ellor at 609-268-5591 or nancyellor@aol.com for more information.

Click here to download the registration form!

The Girl Scout community is hard at work addressing our Core Business Strategy's call for a major transformation centered on building the world's best leadership experience that ties activities to outcomes, provides differentiation for girls from kindergarten through high school, and offers flexible pathways for today's diverse and busy girls and volunteers.

With input from girls, the Girl Scout community and youth development experts, a team of national and council staff, spent 2005 determining key elements and outcomes for the New Girl Scout Leadership Experience. This model was finalized in 2006 and slated by the National Board of Directors for first-stage implementation in fall 2008.

GSCSNJ will begin to phase in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience in the Fall of 2008. In an effort to keep our volunteers and Girl Scouts up to date on the launch of the Girl Scout Leadership Expience GSCSNJ has updated our website to include information regarding uniforms, levels, volunteer pathways, Girl Scout journerys and more.

 Hello to all of our Older Girls,

You are invited to apply for the opportunity to join a Council delegation this fall as a participant in the 2008 National Girl Scout Leadership Institute (NGSLI) and the Girl Scout National Convention (GSNC) in Indianapolis Indiana. This event only occurs at three year intervals and is always an exciting time for Girl Scouts. After the two day NGSLI you will stay as a visitor to the GSNC. You must be in grades six to twelve by the time of the convention to qualify.

You will be chaperoned by Council staff members, Kathi Saxton-Granato and Rona Whitehead. Your air fare, registration fees, hotel, and meals will be paid in full by  the Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ.  This program will require you to miss three to four days of school. Upon request, a letter to your principal will be supplied. The dates for NGLSI are October 29-30 and the convention dates are October 30-November 2.

Nine girls from within the GSCSNJ will be selected for this opportunity. You will have a chance to get acquainted with the other participants at prep sessions where you will learn about the democratic process that will take place at the convention, including the selection of delegates and the procedures involved.

Please return the application, your essay, and resume by May 30, 2008:

ATT: Kathi Saxton-Granato
GSCSNJ
P.O. Box 948,2994 Victoria Avenue
Newfield, NJ 08344