Celebrating Leadership, Service, and Sisterhood*

Last month, Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital was honored to welcome Girl Scouts from around the world to Washington, D.C. Thousands of young people, caregivers, volunteers, and special guests gathered to celebrate the future of the Girl Scouts Movement.

From the 58th National Council Session to the Girl Scout Festival at Franklin Park, convention week was filled with inspiring conversations, meaningful connection, and a whole lot of Girl Scout joy!

Below are three lessons we took away from the Girl Scout National Convention.

Building community and connection

One of the best parts of the Convention is how it brings individuals together whose paths may otherwise never intersect—leading to lifelong cross-cultural and cross-generational connections.

Some Girl Scouts spent time with friends they have known forever, others reunited with friends they haven't seen in years, and some made friends they will look forward to seeing again at the next Convention!

Everywhere you turned, you saw smiles on people’s faces and heard laughter fill the room—the sights and sounds of community and connection. Seeing delegates from all over come together for the sake of the Girl Scouts Movement was a true testament to the world-wide impact of Girl Scouting.

Girl Scouts are shaping the future

The theme of Girl Scouts Unite was “Girls Make History,” and it was clear that this was not just a theme, but a reality! From the bridging Girl Scouts who are committed to making the world a better place, to the special guests and Girl Scout alumni who shared how their Girl Scouting experience led them to success in a variety of fields, Convention was filled with Girl Scouts who are shaping the future.

The 58th National Council Session took place during the first three days of Convention, and was filled with inspiring conversations and decision-making that will impact the future of Girl Scouts. Attending events such as this helps young people develop the communication and leadership skills that will help them succeed as they move through life.

Once a Girl Scout, Always a Girl Scout

Girl Scouts doesn’t leave you once you become an adult. Instead, it shapes who you become, provides guidance through all of life’s challenges, and gives you a community to lean on.

Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital kicked off Convention week with a Girl Scout Reunion at Planet Word. This event celebrated the lifelong sisterhood* and widespread impact of Girl Scouting. It was our privilege to recognize Mary C. Brady, the Honorable Sylvia Mathews Burwell, and Nikole Hannah-Jones for the examples they set through lives and careers grounded in the values of the Girl Scout Promise and Law.

During the bridging ceremony held during the Convention, hundreds of Ambassador Girl Scouts bridged into adulthood, making a promise to be adults of courage, confidence, and character who continue to make the world a better place. This commitment exemplifies what “Once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout” really means. These youth don’t leave behind the skills they’ve developed or forego their heart of service; rather, they promise to bring these assets into adulthood. And they know they have their Girl Scout community with them!

*Girl Scouts Nation's Capital uses the term "sisterhood" inclusively to speak to everyone who identifies with the Girl Scout experience.