Girl Scouts is an organization that aims to empower and teach young girls key values, including courage, confidence, and character. In order to develop such skills, Girl Scouts uses activities such as camping, community service, skill building, and earning badges for completing projects or tasks.  The Girl Scout Leadership Experience portfolio uses a variety of programs, resources, and activities to lead girls toward three outcomes:  discovering self and values, connecting with others, and taking action to make the world a better place.

Girl Scouts Heart of the South commissioned the Center for Research on Women (CROW) at theUniversityofMemphisto evaluate their programming with Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador age levels (grades 6-12) on progress toward these three outcomes. The data from this evaluation provides preliminary evidence that Girl Scouts Heart of the South is meeting these objectives, based on six indicators of the three outcomes. Supplemental data from parents and leaders provide additional support that outcomes are being achieved.

Overall, girls indicated a positive Girl Scout experience, helping girls to recognize and realize their potential, learn from their experiences, work with others toward shared goals, and apply lessons learned to other areas of their lives.  Specifically, results indicated that Girl Scouts Heart of the South successfully nurtured self discovery by developing positive values and a strong sense of self among participants. In addition, the council successfully promoted connecting with others through teaching and demonstrating cooperation, team building, and the development of  healthy relationships. As a result of their experiences in Girl Scouts, the majority of Seniors and Ambassadors indicated they could identify community needs and felt empowered to make a difference in the world.

Overall, the evaluation suggests that through Girl Scouting, girls are engaged in a leadership development journey that empowers them to take action to make a difference in their own lives, their communities, and the world.