Just a year after its centennial celebrations, the Girl Scouts of the USA is grappling with an array of interconnected problems.
It faces declining membership and revenues, a shortage of volunteers, rifts between leadership and grassroots members, and a pension plan with a $347 million deficit.
Despite this, girls from all ages, Daisies up to Ambassadors, will still come around for their annual orders of Thin Mints and Peanut Butter Patties. But the corporation of Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) faces the challenges of any youth organization today. They have to be relevant, competing with sporting leagues and other activities for girls’ time. In 2011 a new CEO was established at GSUSA in New York and the program is taking deep turns. And those changes affect girls nationwide.

“The changes are beneficial overall to the girls of today,” says Ms. Muriel Berry, Director of Communications at Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland. “GSUSA has the best interests of girls at heart.” The organization has expanded to include a broader spectrum of interests, such as theatre, math, science and robo troops, (girls working together to build their own robot). There are still the traditional camping trips and cookie selling. Interests of girls have grown, and so has the organization.

Donors and volunteers of every age and talent are always in need. As a reward, patrons of the Girl Scouts can see girls as Ambassadors working toward the highest award possible, the Gold Award. Dozens of hours are put into a lasting community project to better the world around them.

Just like the growing world around us, the Girl Scouts are changing and adjusting to become the positive movers and shakers of tomorrow, along with great cookie sellers. The girls scouts in Hays are located at 2707 Vine and can be reached at 625-5671.