• Peer pressure and acceptance (43%).
• Alcohol and drug abuse (39%).
• Violence and abuse towards children (37%).
• Smoking (32%).

[Source: GSRI, Girl Panel Survey, February 2008]

To see how girls in Girl Scouting in the U.S. and across the globe are speaking up for themselves and taking a stand on key issues, check out Take a Stand, developed by girls worldwide with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

Girls believe there is still a need for gender and racial equality in the U.S.  Three-fourths feel that it is still necessary for the country to focus on gender equality as well as racial equality.  However, approximately 9% feel racial and gender equality have been achieved.  [Source: GSRI, Girl Panel Survey, February 2008]

Girls see varying levels of influence of particular groups in the U.S.  When asked which groups have too much influence, the right amount of influence, or too little, girls say the following:

• Too much influence:  wealthy business leaders (68%) and men (53%).
• Too little influence: young people (64%), women (54%), and senior citizens (51%) have too little. 

[Source: GSRI, Girl Panel Survey, February 2008]

10 ways to lend a hand in your Girl Scouts troop!

1.       VOLUNTEER to do phone calling, emailing or a web-based newsletter.

2.       KEEP UP to date. Read and respond to leader emails or newsletters to keep in-the-know.

3.       TURN IN permission slips, fund-raisers and money on time.

4.       PREVENT leader burnout.  Make sure you and your daughter do something special to thank her for her hard work.

5.       BUY groceries for camp outings or agree to bring snack for a meeting. Talk the other parents into doing the same.

6.       OFFER to do the troop phone calls, copy or translate materials. Any skills you have can help the troop!

7.       BE a parent helper at one or two meetings a year. You can help provide activities, serve as a consultant on Try-Its or badges, or volunteer to be a program resource for the troop and broaden the girl's experience with your expertise.

8.       HELP by being the cookie parent (a job many dads enjoy!), treasurer, or take the council's outdoor training and be the camp-certified person for your daughter's troop.

9.       TALK to your troop leader and let her know you're willing to help and find out how you can contribute to the troop (for example, offer special skills you may have such as first-aider or lifeguard).

10.    JUST DO IT. Join the troop leadership team! Take an hour a week and get involved. You'll become a part of your daughter's life and will enjoy watching her grow as a leader, as a member of the team, and as a girl. Sure, the girl comes first in Girl Scouting, but as the adult members can attest, there's a lot of fun in it for grown ups, too!