Girl Scouts across Texas to learn more about the history of the 19th Amendment and the importance of civic engagement through new program

Today, Girl Scout councils across Texas are excited to announce a new patch program that honors the legacy and spirit of the women\’s suffrage movement. The 2020 Women\’s Right to Vote Centennial Patch Program was designed to teach girls K-12 the history of voting rights in the United States and to inspire them to make their world a better place. Exactly 100 years ago today, Texas became the ninth state to ratify the 19^th Amendment, which one year later, in 1920, gave women across the nation the right to vote.

Since its founding, Girl Scouts has encouraged members to be civically involved. Today\’s youth are more vocal than ever about the change they want to see, and Girl Scouts are best equipped with the skills needed to make a real impact. The results are proven: girls who participate in Girl Scouts are more than twice as likely to exhibit community problem-solving skills than girls who don\’t (57 percent vs. 28 percent). Girl Scouts are also more likely to participate in civic engagement activities than non-Girl Scouts. This new patch program builds on a curriculum that helps girls of all ages develop a voice in their communities in a safe, all-girl space.

Patch programming is tailored to the age and grade level of each Girl Scout or troop and includes:

• An exploration of the women\’s suffrage movement and the Voting Rights Act of 1965
• Lessons on how to register to vote, where voting locations are in the community and the roles and terms of elected officials
• Guided discussions with family and community members about why they vote
• Steps for getting involved in a particular community nonprofit, running for school council and drafting a letter to an elected official or an op-ed for a local paper
• Educational events across the state in the fall of 2019 and spring of 2020

\”As we enter the centennial year of the 19^th Amendment, Girl Scouts is proud to celebrate the courageous women who began the decades-long struggle to secure equitable voting rights for all women,\” said Jennifer Bartkowski, CEO of Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. \”Girl Scouts has a long history of helping girls discover the importance of civic engagement and giving girls and women a voice in government. We hope that this patch program continues to strengthen that voice for Girl Scouts across Texas.\” 

All eight Texas Girl Scout councils are participating in the 2020 Women\’s Right to Vote Centennial Patch Program, including:

• Girl Scouts of Central Texas
• Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest, Southern New Mexico and West Texas
• Girl Scouts Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas
• Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas
• Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas
• Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council
• Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains
• Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas

To learn more about Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas and the 2020 Women\’s Right to Vote Centennial Patch Program, visit gsnetx.org.

Girl Scouts across Texas
Girl Scouts is building a pipeline of strong, confident girls. As the expert in how girls learn, Girl Scouts provides relevant programming that focuses on life skills, STEM, entrepreneurship and the outdoors – helping girls develop the confidence to know they can do anything they put their minds to. Today, we continue our vision of helping girls build courage, confidence and character, making the world a better place by helping them discover their inner strength, passions and talents. Learn more at girlscouts.org.