International Girls Day at The College of William and Mary

On Saturday, November 8, over 100 Girl Scouts in grades 2 to 5 from across the region gathered in Williamsburg at The College of William and Mary for International Girls Day, an annual event hosted by the Kappa Delta Sorority at William and Mary to teach girls about confidence, leadership and healthy living. This year over 100 members of the sorority volunteered as mentors, activity leaders and organizers for the event.

Morgan and Emilia

The morning began with a presentation from two Girl Scout Seniors, Morgan and Emilia, who talked to the girls about their personal leadership journeys and their trip to represent Girl Scouts at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Morgan and Emilia were two of four local Girl Scouts who traveled to New York to participate in this event dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women. Since returning, they have been able to share what they learned with fellow Girl Scouts and classmates.

“It was so amazing to be at the United Nations for such an important event,” Morgan said. “Attending the Commission on the Status of Women made me want to become more involved in educating others about gender equality.”

For the rest of the day, girls rotated through workshops where they talked about body image, practiced a Zumba routine, made bracelets and more. Throughout the day, members of Kappa Delta spread the message that girls can do anything.

Members of Girl Scout Troop 1076

“International Girls Day is a way for Kappa Delta to give back to the community and inspire confidence in girls,” Maren Leibowitz, a member of the planning committee for the event from Kappa Delta, said.

The partnership between Kappa Delta Sorority at The College of William and Mary and Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast also allows girls to experience a college campus, interact with young women who are academically successful and see the opportunities available to them by attending college.

Nationally, the Kappa Delta Sorority has been working with Girl Scouts since 1998. International Girls Day was created on behalf of the Confidence Coalition, which was founded by Kappa Delta Sorority in 2009 to motivate organizations and individuals to help boost self-esteem and confidence among girls and women.

Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast is committed to offering opportunities for girls to build courage, confidence and character.

View more photos from the day here.