Pathways to the Leadership Experience

In Girl Scouting, there are six different pathways to leadership. Distinct Pathways were developed by Girl Scouts of the USA in order to meet the diverse needs of girls and adult volunteers in the 21st century. Girls are encouraged to customize their Girl Scout Leadership Experience through participation in multiple Pathways. Each Pathway is designed to ensure that girls are meeting the fifteen leadership development outcomes tied to helping girls discover, connect and take action in their communities. The National Program Portfolio (Journey books and the Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting) is the Girl Scout leadership development curriculum utilized in each and every Pathway.

The Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida offers a variety of programs designed to be delivered in the classrooms or for larger groups, assembly-style.  School administrators and counselors may choose STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)-focused programs, environmental leadership programs tied to the Forever Green initiative, the Uniquely Me! self-esteem strengthening program, and the Amaze! bullying prevention program.

1.) Troop
Troops are small volunteer-led groups of girls that meet in various locations throughout the year. Girls meet regularly, perhaps weekly, under the leadership of adult volunteers, who have been trained by Girl Scouts of the USA on age-appropriate activities and leadership skills. They participate in girl-led, experiential-learning activities that enhance their knowledge of themselves, their values and skills to develop their leadership abilities and allow them to become advocates for themselves and their community.  Enrichment activities such as completing Badges, Try-It’s, Specialized Interest Projects, and the prestigious Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards are typically undertaken by girls in the Troop Pathway. Girls in the Troop Pathway typically sell cookies during the annual cookie sale to raise funds for troop activities, field trips, and community service projects. Most Girl Scouts participate in the movement through the traditional Troop Pathway. 

2.) Series
A group of girls that meets 3-20 times to explore a particular interest pertaining to a specific topic such as STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), the arts, environmental leadership, healthy living or financial literacy. The majority of Series Pathways is offered in collaboration with community partners and is marketed via the Program Calendar.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
Girls test boundaries and look at the world around them with curious eyes. Girl Scouts introduces girls of every age to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities that are relevant to everyday life. Whether they're discovering how an airplane engine runs, becoming math experts, studying DNA or learning about career opportunities in STEM fields, girls are moving forward into the future. Troops can participate in activities that involve and promote these fields and stir a girl’s interest in a particular subject area.

A gender gap continues to exist for girls in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math, and fewer women than men pursue careers in these fields. In today’s competitive and global economy, GSUSA is working with parents, educators, community leaders and Congress to create opportunities for girls and young women to learn about and become interested in these core subjects.

Get Real Mentoring Program
Funded by the State of Florida, Get Real is currently offered in eight middle schools, six of which are in Miami-Dade County and two are in Monroe County. Get Real targets low-income, at-risk middle school girls who are referred to the program by counselors and teachers. It addresses the literacy gap with reading programs and also aims to develop character and self-esteem. Girls participate in a character-building course called Girls Circle that strengthens decision-making skills and reduces risk-taking behavior.

Volunteers are needed to serve as mentors in the participating middle schools. If you or someone you know would like to be considered, or if you have questions, please contact Lori Ross at lross@girlscoutsfl.org or 305-253-4841 x 223.

Challenge & Change
Challenge & Change is a unique program funded by the USDA in conjunction with the Girl Scouts of the USA designed to broaden leadership opportunities to girls and volunteers who live in rural communities. Small towns, such as Homestead, offer many advantages to youth, such as close-knit communities, but there are also a myriad of challenges affecting youth, such as lack of access to after-school programs, teen pregnancy, increases in gang-related violence and drug abuse. The Challenge & Change program seeks to combat these issues, providing a safe environment for rural girls to meet twice per week. All groups of girls in the program undertake a major community service project, such as creating a community garden in blighted neighborhoods, hosting a Domestic Violence Awareness rally, and bringing together girls of diverse backgrounds for a multicultural Quincenera/Blossom Ball.

Decisions For Your Life
Decisions For Your Life, co-sponsored by the state of Florida, Miami-Dade County and the United Way, is open to girls ages 5-17 and delivers prevention program activities in a community-based setting. This is a prevention program that operates in 16 family housing developments throughout Miami-Dade County and serves to identify key components dealing with the underlying causes of teen pregnancy, provides opportunities for family abstinence education and helps reduce delinquency and school drop-out rates. The program has also succeeded in helping girls develop self-esteem, self-reliance and coping mechanisms to prevent peer pressure and premature sexual involvement. Decisions For Your Life provides positive role models within the community, enhances self-worth and promotes a positive values system.

The program serves more than 800 girls annually through weekly after school programs and weekend activities, including meetings at housing community centers or adjacent school facilities led by volunteers and Girl Scout staff, coordinated activities, specialized training and goal-specific field trips.

The Girl Scout Academic After-School Program
The Girl Scout Academic After-School Program, licensed by the Florida Department of Children and Families, and generously funded through grants by The Children's Trust, United Way, and Miami Dade County Gov. provides tutoring and mentoring programs during the school year to approximately 175 girls and their siblings, from ages 5-10, or in grades K-5, from low-income migrant/farm worker families living in Florida City and Homestead.  The program, delivered at Florida City, West Homestead and Laura C. Saunders Elementary Schools, provides daily academic enhancement to foster literacy, math, science, and communication skills, along with family interactive experiences which enables children to successfully complete their school grade. The children are also able to participate in a spring break camp at our own Camp Choee facility.

3.) Events
Events consist of a one-time only program, which often connect large groups of 50 or more girls. 

4.) Camp
Environmental leadership opportunities and a variety of summer camp programs occur at several of our facilities: Camp Choee in South Dade near Zoo Miami, Camp Mahachee in Coral Gables, and Camp Little House in South Miami. Learn more about summer camp by checking out the summer camp book.

5.) Travel
The Travel Pathway consists of chaperoned trips that empower girls to explore their state, nation, and world!

Destinations is a nationwide Girl Scout program for Cadettes and above. Councils and event sponsors host destinations trips. Girls apply for a specific destinations trip and meet other girls from across the country or around the world. Girls develop their leadership skills, learn new skills, gain self-confidence, and experience valuable service-learning opportunities. Check it out!

Getaways are events that do not require the destinations application and have their own timeline requirements, which do not follow the destinations timeline. Most Getaways include events designed for troop travel. 

6.) Virtual
The Virtual Pathway consists of girls participating in interactive, high-quality program activities in a safe, secure, online environment supplemented by live events.

Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida is able to deliver programs thanks to the support of our sponsors:
United Way of Miami-Dade, United Way of Monroe County, Miami-Dade Public Schools, The Children’s Trust, Peacock Foundation, Inc., Girl Scouts of the USA, The PBSJ Foundation, Inc., Coral Gables Congregational Church, Publix Super Markets Charities, The Dove Self-Esteem Fund, Winn Dixie Stores Foundation, TD Bank, Cobb Family Foundation, D. Richard Mead Charitable Foundation, HUD-GSUSA/Housing and Urban Development Grant, Hector Family Foundation, Merchants Association of Florida, Inc., The Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation, The Peacock Foundation, The Ruth Anderson Foundation, BlueCross BlueShield of Florida, The Brunetti Foundation and Carnival Cruise Lines.