To the Editor:

It’s the holiday season — a time for giving, reflection, and expressing gratitude for all we have been given. I know that I am thankful for everyone who has supported our mission at Girl Scouts of Connecticut.

At Girl Scouts, we put every ounce of passion and energy into ensuring a bright and equitable future for girls. It’s important now more than ever that we support and pave the way for girls and women. We’ve definitely seen some progress: this past election season, more women ran for public office and more women went to the polls to share their voice and vote.

Girl Scouts prepares girls for life, and recent stats from the election prove that fact. In the 116th Congress, 17 out of the 23 women in the US Senate are Girl Scout alum, and 57 percent of women representatives and delegates in the House of Representatives are Girl Scout alums, including our own Jahana Hayes, the first African American woman from Connecticut elected to Congress!

We have come a long way, and I am grateful to those in our communities, state, and nation who are supporting the advancement of women in public service, STEM, and other underrepresented areas. Girls represent a vital and underutilized resource of remarkable potential.

At Girl Scouts, we offer each girl unique and unparalleled opportunities to pursue what she cares about, whether its technology, sports, the arts, environmentalism, and more. No matter her passion, Girl Scouts helps her live it out, and the results are proven: Girl Scouts build courage, confidence, and character and make our world a better place.

Thank you to everyone who helped support girls and women this year. I wish you and yours happy holidays and look forward to having more join us in the New Year.

Warmly,

Mary Barneby, CEO

Girl Scouts of Connecticut

340 Washington Street, Hartford         December 20, 2018