Sylvia Acevedo Leaves Lasting Legacy After a Lifetime of Service to the Girl Scouts

After four years leading the Girl Scouts of the United States (GSUSA), Sylvia Acevedo is stepping down as CEO, the organization announced today. Following Ms. Acevedo’s last day on August 15, Judith Batty, lifelong Girl Scout, Board Member, and corporate trailblazer – will be stepping up as interim CEO, the first Black CEO in the organization’s history.Ms. Acevedo, a former rocket scientist, and a lifetime Girl Scout helped propel the organization forward to be more relevant in the 21st century. During her four years as CEO, Sylvia Acevedo transformed the organization, which is ultimately about helping the girls of today become tomorrow’s leaders.

Under Ms. Acevedo, GSUSA:

• Provided girls in urban, rural and suburban areas with the 21st century STEM skills that they’ll need for life – and America needs for a globally competitive workforce;
• Overhauled the iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program by transforming key elements to maximize efficiency and enhance performance for the movement;
• Introduced 144 new badges and journeys by modernizing programs around robotics, cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, outdoors, leadership and civics; and in 2019, more than 1 Million STEM badges were earned; and
• Has steered through the challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“On behalf of Girl Scouts of the USA, the board, and our entire volunteer community, I would like to extend a warm and heartfelt thank you to Sylvia for her contributions these past four years,” said Kathy Hannan, Board Chair of GSUSA.

Ms. Batty began her Girl Scout career as a Brownie and as a member of the Nassau County Council in New York and served two terms on the National Board, this term serving as a member of the Executive Committee and International Commissioner.  Prior to joining the Girl Scouts as interim CEO, for nearly thirty years, Ms. Batty served as senior legal counsel and an executive for a Fortune 100 corporation, where she became the first woman and first Black general counsel to one of the company’s overseas affiliates.

“As we look forward, we are confident that Judith’s experience makes her uniquely qualified to help the Girl Scouts transition into our next chapter and continue to serve our enduring mission as an inclusive, supportive organization that stands ready to help every girl learn and thrive,” said Hannan.

In the coming months, Ms. Batty will embark on a listening tour with staff and council leadership, where she will hear directly from the field about how to advance the mission of the organization to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Drumroll, please! Today Girl Scouts of the USA announced 24 new badges designed to help girls practice some serious leadership skills in civics, entrepreneurship, STEM career exploration, and automotive engineering.

In a year of unprecedented global change, our country’s need for strong, broad-minded, and decisive leadership has never been greater. Girl Scouts equips the next generation of female change-makers with the breadth of knowledge, skills, and experiences they need to take action on issues they believe in.

Here’s everything you need to know about the NEW Girl Scout badges:

Civics (grades K–12). Be prepared to lead the change in your town, state, and country! Start with the Civics badges and gain an in-depth understanding of how local, state, and federal government works. Get ready to be a voter, an activist, or a political leader. Research laws and understand how they’re created. Explore how the electoral college works. Learn about the representation of women in government, and so much more. You will also research your own government officials and make plans to meet them. (Funded by the Citi Foundation). Start with your FREE new badge activity samplers.

“There is a huge need for leaders who will advocate for the voiceless and the disadvantaged. As young women in America, we have the ability and the responsibility to create the world we want our own daughters to grow up in.” —Gold Award Girl Scout Julia

Entrepreneurship (grades K–12). Dreaming about creating a business that can make a difference? With the Entrepreneurship badges, you will create and pitch a product or service that solves a real-life problem. Then you’ll build a business plan and think about topics like production, cost, profit, marketing, and competition. (Funded by Susan Bulkeley Butler and designed in collaboration with VentureLab). Start with your FREE new badge activity samplers.

“Girl Scouts should give this badge a chance because developing your hobby to an income or creating your own business is a way to control your future. You get to be the boss!” —Girl Scout Marie

STEM Career Exploration (grades 2–8). Thinking about a career path that’s right for you? Discover the STEM Career badges and make a difference about a pressing issue in your community. Explore computer science, nature/environmental science, engineering, design, health, and agriculture. You will also make a career plan that will help you fuel your passion into action. (Funded by IF/THEN, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies). Start with your FREE new badge activity samplers.

“The STEM Career badges are really fun and show you a range of jobs I didn’t even know existed!” —Girl Scout Bridget

Automotive Engineering (grades K–5). Buckle up and earn about designing, engineering, and manufacturing vehicles, as well as the future of mobility. Design your own vehicle, test prototypes, and see what it’s like to think like an engineer! You’ll even learn how to manage your own assembly line manufacturing process! (funded by General Motors). Start with your FREE new badge activity samplers.

“My favorite part about this badge was being able to design and create my own car. It made me feel like an engineer. I learned that engineering is something I love and want to explore it further.” —Girl Scout Julia

“The world has changed drastically this year, and now more than ever, it’s imperative to have strong leaders who can make informed decisions,” said GSUSA CEO Sylvia Acevedo. Our new badges will continue to build the world-changing female leaders of today and the future, particularly in key industries that propel our country forward: automotive engineering, entrepreneurship, civics, and STEM.

In addition, beginning this summer, all councils will also have the opportunity to host their own Girl Scout Cyber Challenge sponsored by Raytheon Technologies, enabling middle and high school girls to learn crucial cybersecurity skills as they compete in challenges such as running traceroutes and identifying phishing schemes. The Cyber Challenge prepares girls to pursue careers in computer science and cybersecurity.

Top 3 Reasons to Celebrate Bridging Virtually

Bridging—that is, when a girl celebrates “crossing the bridge” from one Girl Scout level to the next—is one of the most important moments in a Girl Scout’s life. And although the COVID-19 pandemic may have us continuing to pause our in-person meetings and ceremonies, you can still find ways to honor all the good things your troop has done this year and get excited for everything you’ll experience next year!

If you can’t organize an in-person ceremony this summer, consider holding a virtual bridging celebration or taking part in one of GSUSA’s National Virtual Bridging Ceremonies, which will be held August 1 and 8.

Here are three reasons your troop will want to get in on the virtual bridging fun:

Keep the groove going. Everyone’s daily routine has been upended in recent months, and marking this incredible point in your troop’s Girl Scout experience is so important in helping everyone feel some forward momentum. Putting a virtual bridging ceremony on your calendar and counting down the days is going to feel so good!

ALL 👏 YOUR 👏 SISTERS👏 Being a Girl Scout means having sisters across the country and around the world ready to cheer you on! Taking part in one of the national virtual bridging events is a powerful reminder that everyone in the troop is part of a big sisterhood made up of resilient girls and adults who are staying strong and doing good in their communities. Whatever comes our way, we’re never alone!

Celebrate your achievements. The last few months have been challenging no matter where you live, but that’s all the more reason to lift up everything the troop has achieved this year! You earned badges and Journey awards, made our communities better, and continued to shine your brightest. Most importantly, we all stayed Girl Scout strong in the face of hardship—and that’s worth celebrating here and now.

The best part? You can bridge virtually and amp up the experience with an in-person event when it’s safe. Like everything in Girl Scouting, it’s all about what the girls want! And you can make the occasion even more special with an official bridging kit from the Girl Scout Shop.

We can’t wait to see you on August 1 and 8 and create more special memories together!

Encouraging girls to speak up and advocate for the issues and ideas important to them is not new. In fact, even before women could vote in the United States, Girl Scouts could earn the Citizen badge by displaying their knowledge of government and how to get involved!

These Citizen badges—Good Neighbor, Celebrating Community, Inside Government, Finding Common Ground, Behind the Ballot, and Public Policy—engage girls in age-appropriate activities involving community service, public policy, government, voting, and more. Over time, the badges build girls’ knowledge of local and global communities and show them how their actions as citizens make the world better for everyone.

Check out a breakdown of all the Citizen badges below.

Daisies

Good Neighbor: With this badge, Daisies will explore the communities they belong to—from their roles as Daisies in Girl Scouts to their place as residents of their town. They’ll also learn how people work together to be good neighbors to one another.

Brownies

Celebrating Community: Brownies who earn this badge will discover how communities celebrate their unique qualities and how supporting the people within communities can mean everything from looking for landmarks to marching in a parade. Girls will learn how their communities honor and observe their special traits as they celebrate their traditions.

Juniors

Inside Government: Citizens are responsible for knowing the basics of government. To earn this badge, Juniors will go beyond the voting booth and inside government by examining laws, reporting on issues, and deciding what it means to be an active citizen.


Cadettes

Finding Common Ground: Cadettes will explore the challenges of finding common ground with those who have different opinions. Elected leaders often need to make compromises, so girls will investigate how negotiations happen by learning about civil debate, accommodations, mediation, and group decision making.

Seniors

Behind the Ballot: Making your voice heard through voting is both a right and a responsibility, whether you’re voting for class president or our nation’s leaders. Seniors will learn about elections, investigate the ins and outs of voting, and help get out the vote.

Ambassadors

Public Policy: Ambassadors have already learned about the need to speak up about issues important to them, but by taking the next step and exploring public policy, they’ll dive deeper into the laws and government actions surrounding specific issues. Through advocacy, learning about public policy on a local or state level, and action, Ambassadors will learn firsthand how citizens can change the world.

By earning these badges in an all-girl, girl-led environment, girls build the confidence they need to become the civic-minded leaders of tomorrow.

Find out more about the badges using the Badge Explorer.

To learn how your Girl Scout troop can get civically engaged, visit www.GIRLagenda.org.

Note: Mary Anne Servian, CEO of Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, would like to share the following message from Girl Scouts of the USA.

For 108 years, Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) has enabled girls to realize their biggest dreams and tap into their spirit of innovation, collaboration, and service to their communities to make the world a better place. Most recently, Girl Scouts, their families, volunteers, and supporters have mobilized to give back to those in need due to our current health crisis in safe and creative new ways.

Safety has always been at the heart of all Girl Scout activities. As we’ve continued to monitor public health experts’ recommendations and forecasts, it became clear that, because there are no widely accepted models that predict when it may be safe to hold large-scale, in-person events and when all restrictions on travel will be lifted, Girl Scouts could not hold our G.I.R.L. 2020/55th National Council Session in October as planned—we simply can’t guarantee the health and safety of participants. As we sought feedback from all key stakeholders, including delegates, we assessed and prepared for different scenarios, given the extraordinary circumstances we have been operating under due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. This included asking those expected to participate in NCS if they had any concerns about the event—74% responded they were concerned about the health and safety of participants (this was the top concern).

Given all of this, the National Board held a special meeting on Tuesday, April 21, and voted to hold a one-time virtual session for our 55th National Council Session in October 2020. The board also voted to cancel G.I.R.L. 2020, including the Global Roundtable.