In their annual meeting to discuss the well-being of girls in South Carolina, Congressman Trey Gowdy as well as Kim Hutzell and Susan Schneider of Girl Scouts of South Carolina, discussed several topics.
Central to the conversation was a highlight review of a recent report, the State of Girls in South Carolina, compiled by the Girl Scout Research Institute. Summarizing some of the key social, economic, and health issues affecting the 385,000 girls, ages 5-17, South Carolina ranks 38th out of 50 states. The most alarming rankings are for Economic Well-Being, 47th; Physical Health and Safety, 46th; and Education, 40th.
Also discussed at length was the topic of girls and politics. Another report by the Girl Scout Research Institute cites that 67 percent of girls are interested in politics but a stumbling block to 74 percent of girls is that “if I went into a career in politics, I’d have to work harder than a man to be taken seriously.”
Hutzell reported that Girl Scouts addresses all these concerns with leadership emphasis in business/financial literacy, career opportunities, the outdoors and education. She also announced that 2016 will be the year of celebration for the centennial of Girl Scouts’ highest award. Gold Award recipients have completed a minimum of 80 hours each to meet all the requirements. Twenty-nine Girl Scouts earned this award in the past year resulting in a minimum of 2,320 hours in take-action community projects.
States Hutzell, “Congressman Gowdy appreciates the complex, ever-changing needs of the girls we serve and the importance of elected officials to work with nonprofits such as Girl Scouts to make a positive difference in their overall well-being.”