#genSTEMgirls

This year, Girl Scouts are back at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, and they’re making a big splash! Girl Scouts are presenting Digital Cookie 2.0, our newly-updated, online addition to the iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program. They’re also giving a group of Girl Scouts from California and Nevada a unique opportunity to talk to tech industry leaders, including some Girl Scout alumnae!

In today’s society, some of the most influential and highest-paying jobs are in the tech industry, yet women hold only a small fraction of those positions. Girl Scouts is working to fill this gap by providing girls of all ages with opportunities to explore and discover in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields.

Just last month, a troop of 55 Norfolk Girl Scouts participated in Hour of Code, an introduction to computer science designed to demystify coding.

Amelia, a Girl Scout Cadette in the troop, had tried coding before, and she was eager to try her hand at it again during Hour of Code. A tech-savvy preteen, Amelia talked about how technology is an important part of her life, and even became a big part of her cookie sale.

“I used Digital Cookie last year, and I ended up doing most of my cookie sales online,” Amelia said. “I liked it better than traditional cookie sales. It was a way for me to reach customers quickly.”

Girls who participate in technology opportunities through Girl Scouts, such as Digital Cookie, are gaining important skills to help put them ahead of the curve when they enter the workforce. Today, women make up less than 30 percent of the STEM workforce. By giving girls access to unique STEM experiences, Girl Scouts is working to achieve parity for girls and women in these fields.

While Girl Scouts are at CES, they are encouraging people to join the conversation about girls and STEM by sharing a photo on Instagram or Twitter using #genSTEMgirls and sharing why they support girls in STEM. Girl Scouts will be choosing winners to receive Girl Scout Cookies or a special prize from Dell. Get more information here.