Food for Thought...

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest survey found that America’s poorest, percentage wise, donate more than those with money. When reviewing consumer expenditure they found that the poorest fifth of America’s households contributed at average 4.3% of their income - compare to the richest fifth contributing only 2.1%.

CLICK HERE for complete article.

Girl Scout Advocacy Network

Girl Scouts of the USA has established the Girl Scouts Advocacy Network, a grassroots network where Girl Scout members, staff, alumnae, high school age girls, and the general public can act on issues moving through Congress and the state legislatures that are important to girls and Girl Scouts.

Join the Girl Scouts Advocacy Network at http://www.girlscouts4girls.org/, so you can respond to and influence policy issues that impact girls and Girl Scouting.

These issues include healthy living, increasing girls’ involvement in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), financial literacy, and leadership. The Network will also focus on issues that will expand the delivery of Girl Scout program into currently underserved communities.

An Example.

The Girl Scout Advocacy Network is working toward securing support for legislation currently moving through Congress that will authorize the U.S. Mint to issue a Girl Scout commemorative coin to celebrate our 100th Anniversary. Not only will this be a way for us to promote Girl Scouting, but it also pays homage to the 100 years of our commitment to service, leadership and the successful young women who have been Girl Scouts. Registrants to the Network have the opportunity to have a letter sent on their behalf, which will help enact this legislation in Congress.

85% of Middle Schoolers polled last year said they had been cyberbullied at least once.

Megan Meier, 13, committed suicide in October 2006 after receiving cruel messages and being "dumped" on MySpace by a fictitious boy that was created by a former friend’s mother, Lori Drew.



Drew, 50, was convicted of three misdemeanor charges last year in the country’s first federal cyberbullying prosecution for unauthorized computer access. She now faces a maximum sentence of three years and a $300,000 fine. Sentencing has been postponed until July 2.


According to the Let Me Know (LMK) website created by Girl Scouts & Windows, cyberbullying is any communication or content posted or sent by a minor online by instant messenger, email, website, profile page, interactive game, handheld device, cell phone, or any other interactive device that is intended to frighten, embarrass, harass or otherwise hurt another minor.

• 85% of the middle schoolers polled last year said they had been cyberbullied at least once.


• 70% of 13-16 year olds polled said they had cyberbullied someone else at least once.


• Cyberbullying starts as young as in second grade and peaks in 4th grade and then again in 7th!


• Only 5% polled would ever tell their parents and only 25% told anyone

Cyberbullying is a growing problem! Log on to LMK to learn ways to identify, address, prevent and react to cyberbullying.

Plus, girls can go on-line to take quizes and read about others stories about being cyberbullied.

LMK Cyberbullying page.

Read about the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act which was introduced in U.S. House of Representatives on April 2, 2009)

Volunteers Live Longer!

American Geriatrics Society says seniors who volunteer outlive non-volunteers! And amazingly their follow-up finds 12 % deaths among elderly volunteers versus 26 % in non-volunteers.

CLICK HERE for the article.

So you may not be a senior, or consider yourself a senior, but this research shows that it is beneficial to your health to volunteer.

Girl Scouts has a wide variety of volunteering opportunities! From long term events, like being a troop leader, to short term occasions working with the new Journeys Program.

If you are interested in giving of your time and talent to help build girls of courage, confidence and character contact us at 800.727.8104 to get plugged in!

You Go Girl!

Rochelle Stevens Comes Full Circle
Olympian's career goal is putting kids on track for success

By Ron Higgins (Contact)
Memphis Commercial Appeal
Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The Cherokee Elementary first-grader with the baby face, trusting eyes and soft voice shyly but surely recited what he had learned from Ms. Stevens, his behavior specialist teacher.
"I am a leader, not a follower, I lead by example," he said.

Then he looked up at Ms. Stevens, a native Memphian and one-time Cherokee student herself from the early 1970s who went on to become Olympic track star Rochelle Stevens.

"Did you hear him?" said a proud Stevens, smiling like she was accepting her gold medal on the victory stand at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Considering that the 42-year-old Stevens' whole life has been about coming full circle -- she was one of the world's top 10 400-meter runners for six years -- it's fitting after all these years that she's back at the place where she dreamed of being an Olympian.

CLICK HERE for article.