The stated mission of the Girl Scouts is to "[build] girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place" [ 4 ] through activities involving camping , community service , and practical skills such as first aid.
Members can earn badges by completing certain tasks and mastering skills. More senior members may be eligible for awards, such as the Bronze , Silver , and Gold Awards. It has since grown to near 3. Low was the granddaughter of Juliette Magill Kinzie and John Harris Kinzie, and her maternal grandparents were one of the earliest settlers of Chicago. Low incorporated some of her grandmother's experiences on the frontier into the traditions of Girl Scouts.
In late , Low sought various mergers with similar organizations, including Camp Fire Girls and the Des Moines -based Girl Scouts of America , but was unsuccessful in any merging.
In , the organization was renamed to Girl Scouts of the United States. Its headquarters was subsequently moved to Washington, D. In , the organization was incorporated , [ 10 ] and its headquarters was moved to New York City. The organization received a congressional charter on March 16, By , the organization reached nearly 70, members.
As of , there were over 3. In , Girl Scouts were organized into patrols, troops, local councils, and a National Council. Today there are over councils across the United States. Most Girl Scout units were originally segregated by race according to state and local laws and customs. The first troop for African American girls was founded in ; the first American Indian troop was formed in New York State in ; and the first troop for Mexican Americans was formed in Houston , Texas, in She also fully desegregated the Cumberland Valley council in It was created by Lena B.
