Girls Turn into Web Designers, Scientists, and Businesswomen This Summer

June 6, 2003

By Michele Landa Riggio and Marion F. Swan, staff writers

	Girl Scouts using an audiometer to fine-tune the sound on their videotape.
	A future aquatic biologist inspecting soil samples to complete her stream study.

This summer and fall, girls will job shadow professional scientists, businesswomen, and entertainment producers. They'll learn the basics of Web animation and design, digital technology, movie production, astronomy, and ecology. Opportunities offered by Girl Scouts of the USA will reveal the inside story on more than 80 vocations girls might not otherwise get to know.

Girls Spend Free-Time Learning Skills for Future Success

• It's lights, camera, action for girls 14-17 who will learn the ins and outs of the entertainment business from Hollywood industry experts. During the "Behind the Scenes" camp session, girls will venture into the entertainment industry and see their self-produced videos premiered at a Beverly Hills studio. During this 15-day session in late July, girls will learn how to produce a movie as well as a music video, with lessons on scripting, scheduling, production, and editing. They'll also visit major Hollywood movie studios and other Southern California attractions like Disneyland.



• This fall, girls ages 13-17 will learn about marketing, finance, public relations, and sales from successful businesswomen. They'll also find out about risk-taking (crucial knowledge in this era of business scandal), the value of teamwork, and the importance of building business contacts. The group will tour creative business environments, meet female business owners, learn about the entrepreneurial process and learn from members of Independent Means—a company run by women that helps girls achieve financial success. At the end of the 10-day "Business Smarts" session, each girl will possess the basic skills and knowledge necessary to start a business.



• Girls will take in the glories of Grand Teton National Park in July as they observe bison behavior and chart the growth of plants after a forest fire. Girls ages 14-17 will travel to Wyoming for the seven-day "Natural Science in the Tetons" session. Through the Teton Science School, they'll explore the national park on a wildlife safari, and raft down the Snake River for a stream study. Each girl will document her experiences in a personal nature journal and share her findings with other girls back home.



• For many girls, the "European Adventure 2003" travel session will be their first experience abroad. During this 21-day trip, girls ages 15-17 will visit Germany, Holland, Austria, and Switzerland, and along the way, learn about foreign currency, exchange rates, and the rich variety of European foods and cultures. The group will backpack in the Austrian Alps, summit Zugspitz—Germany's tallest peak, and crew a sailing ship for 2 1/2 days through the Netherlands.



• Before many girls ages 12-17 return to school this September, they'll get a head start on their science learning by spending three days with scientists on Grand Traverse Bay in Michigan. From aboard a schooner, these future marine and aquatic biologists will explore weather cycles, waves, and zooplankton. During the eight-day "Great Lakes Aquatic Biology" session, girls will tour the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore—a shoreline preservation of forests, dunes, and ancient glacial formations.

Whether at home or abroad, girls meet new friends and acquire new skills through Girl Scouts. To participate in special travel opportunities, girls must fill out an application, available at local Girl Scout offices nationwide. Most offerings also require two reference letters. For more information on summer and fall Girl Scout adventures, please contact your local Girl Scout council.