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Girl Scout study shows benefits of outdoor experiences

June 7, 2014

According to a new study by the Girl Scout Research Institute, More Than S’mores, girls benefit immensely from time spent outdoors. Girls who regularly spend time outdoors eclipse their peers who spend less time outdoors in environmental stewardship, more readily seek challenges, and are better problem solvers.

Outdoor experiences are also particularly beneficial to girls of comparatively low socioeconomic status. More Than S’mores finds that lower-SES girls who have regular outdoor exposure through Girl Scouts are likely to credit Girl Scouts with helping them become leaders.

Additionally, outdoor experiences through Girl Scouting, such as camp, are beneficial to girl leadership development across ethnicities. Latina girls at 38 percent and African American at 40 percent are more likely than their peers to say they overcame a fear of the outdoors through Girl Scouting; 79percent of Latina girls say they first tried an outdoor activity in Girl Scouts, and an overwhelming 59 percent of Latina girls say Girl Scouts has offered them outdoor activities they would not have otherwise had access to.

Girls learn environmental stewardship through outdoor experiences. Girl Scouts are twice as likely as non-Girl Scouts to say they take action to protect the environment, 51 percent versus 23 percent, and that they’ve had a personal experience in nature that has made them appreciate it more - 49 percent versus 29 percent.

Girl Scout camp is a tradition central to Girl Scouts since 1912 and is still available to girls in all 50 states. Today’s camps are highly evolved, matching the interests of 21st century girls.

Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay has four camps – Camp Country Center in Hockessin; Camp Grove Point in Earleville, Md.; Camp Todd in Denton, Md.; and Camp Sandy Pines in Fruitland, Md. Each camp has a different focus – for example, at Camp Country Center, a strong emphasis on STEM activities and the waterfront and nature activities at Camp Grove Point.

To learn more about Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay, go to www.GSCB.org or call 302-456-7150.

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