Girl Scouts Releases 24 New Program Badges

Sarasota, FL—Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida and Girl Scouts of the USA has announced 24 new badges designed to help girls practice ambitious leadership in the crucial areas of automotive engineering, STEM career exploration, entrepreneurship and civics.

The new Girl Scout badges include Automotive Engineering (grades K–5), in which girls learn about designing, engineering and manufacturing vehicles, as well as the future of mobility; Civics (grades K–12), which offers an in-depth understanding of how local, state and federal government works while preparing girls to be voters, activists and political leaders; Entrepreneurship (grades K–12), in which girls develop an entrepreneurial mindset as they engage in age-appropriate exercises that help them create and pitch a product or service that solves a problem; and STEM Career Exploration (grades 2–8), where girls explore their career interests and connect them to STEM fields—particularly computer science, nature/environmental science, engineering, design, health and agriculture—that can help them address the pressing issues of our time.

With these new badge experiences in STEM, entrepreneurship and the critically important subject of civics, the organization is working to build the transformational female leaders of today and the future, showing girls the power they have to truly change the world.

“In a year of unprecedented global change, our country’s need for strong, broad-minded and decisive leadership has never been greater,” said Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida CEO Mary Anne Servian. “Through our new and existing programming, Girl Scouts equips the next generation of female change-makers with the breadth of knowledge, skills and experiences they need to take charge and do good for the world, both now and in the future.”

To celebrate the new program offerings, Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida is offering a free, virtual “Mystery Badge Program” on August 13 at 6:00 p.m. The program is open to all girls who will be entering grades 2–5 in the fall. During the online event, participants will complete all of the requirements to earn one of the new badges, to be announced at the start of the program. Registration information is available at www.gsgcf.org.

Girl Scouts has made free self-guided activities from select new and existing programming available digitally to the public through Girl Scouts at Home™, keeping families engaged and connected to their communities. Girls can further engage with the badges and topics through online videos, activities or special live virtual events. In addition, the local council continues to offer virtual programming throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Program scholarships are available based on financial need. To learn more about the new badge programs, membership registration and volunteer opportunities, visit www.gsgcf.org, or call 800-232-4475.

About Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc.: Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure and success. Our mission: to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida is chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA and serves girls in grades K–12 across 10 counties including Manatee, Hardee, Highlands, Sarasota, DeSoto, Charlotte, Glades, Lee, Hendry and Collier. To volunteer, join, donate or learn more, visit www.gsgcf.org.