Girls Rule the World

On Saturday, May 30, girls from across Hampton Roads attended the 7th Annual Girls Rule the World Conference for Girls and Young Women, hosted by Old Dominion University and sponsored by Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast. The event introduced girls, young women and their parents to strategies for building a solid foundation for a healthy and productive journey to adulthood.

Girl Scout Junior Mackenzie learns electronics with Snap Circuits

During the day, girls participated in a variety of interactive workshops, where they learned about being confident when speaking in front of others, talked about what it takes to be a good friend and discovered their inner strengths. They also took part in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities, including a Techbridge workshop hosted by Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast that introduced girls to electronics through Snap Circuits.

Parent workshop about engaging girls in STEM

Parents participated in a workshop about encouraging their girls in science and engineering. In today’s world, where women hold only about 25 percent of STEM careers, it is important for girls to have support from their parents, teachers and other role models in their lives to pursue their interests in solving problems, building things and conducting experiments. During the workshop, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast Chief Operations Officer Camile Berry introduced parents to hands-on experiments to engage their girls in the wonders of STEM.

At the conference, parents and girls also had the opportunity to learn more about joining Girl Scouts and the benefits of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience at a table and exhibit displayed by Girl Scout staff.

Recognizing that girls and young women are a key part of the community and the future, the Conference for Girls and Young Women aims to provide education and empowerment training on topics such as health, education options and personal development. The conference is an opportunity to empower girls and young women as leaders who can create positive changes in their communities.

For more information about upcoming opportunities for girls, including the Girl Scout Leadership Institute for teens this summer, visit www.gsccc.org.