Girl Scout Day

Girl Scout Day, observed March 12th, marks the anniversary of the founding of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America by Juliette Gordon Low, who registered the organization's first troop of 18 girls in Savannah, Georgia, on March 12, 1912. Low, who had connections to the Scouting movement through British founder Robert Baden-Powell and his sister Agnes, envisioned an organization that would give American girls opportunities for outdoor activity, self-reliance, and community service at a time when such opportunities were far less available to girls than boys. The organization grew steadily over the following century into one of the largest youth organizations for girls in the world, known for its badge-based skill-building program, outdoor and camping activities, leadership development, and its widely recognized annual cookie sales program, which began informally in the 1910s and grew into a major national fundraising tradition by the mid-20th century, funding troop activities while teaching participants practical business and entrepreneurship skills. Notable alumnae of the Girl Scouts include numerous prominent American women across business, politics, science, and entertainment. On Girl Scout Day, current and former Scouts, along with troops and councils, often mark the occasion with service projects, badge ceremonies, or reflections on the organization's history and impact.