The Power of Belonging: Creating Space for Girls to Thrive

A note from Shari Krull, CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater New York

Last week, I had the opportunity to watch Girl Scouts at Camp Kaufmann learn to knit. For some, the steady rhythm was calming. For others, knitting created a natural way to start a conversation, ask for help, or offer support to someone else. One Girl Scout described it beautifully: like ziplining at camp, knitting challenges your mind—but in a positive and rewarding way.

This moment captured the essence of Girl Scouting.

Girls today are growing up amid extraordinary pressures. They are navigating constant connectivity, social comparison, rapidly changing technology, and expectations to perform—often before they have had the time and space to even discover who they are.

Girl Scouts of the USA’s 2026 State of the Girl report found that nearly half of girls ages 12 to 17 do not reliably receive the social and emotional support they need. Within this age group, 29% show symptoms of anxiety and 25% show symptoms of depression. The report also highlights how cyberbullying increases as girls grow older—often at the very moment when consistent adult attention begins to pull back.

These findings are deeply concerning, but they do not tell the whole story. As the report reminds us, girls are not problems to be solved. They are smart, funny, creative, and ambitious young people who are clearly telling us what they need: caring adults, meaningful friendships, opportunities to take healthy risks, and spaces where they can experience joy without the pressure to be perfect.

At camp, in troop meetings, and throughout our programs, Girl Scouts are encouraged—and required—to put down their screens, try something unfamiliar, and learn by doing. Whether they are knitting, hiking, conducting an experiment, selling cookies, or speaking in front of a group, they are developing skills that go beyond the badge while surrounded by peers and trusted adults who want to see them succeed.

The State of the Girl report identifies three questions that should guide how we support girls:

What is being built for her?

Who is on her side?

And is there joy in her journey?

These questions reflect what Girl Scouts strives to provide every day: environments designed with girls in mind, consistent relationships with caring adults and peers, and joyful experiences that allow girls to explore who they are becoming.

These questions reflect what Girl Scouts strives to provide every day: —environments designed with girls in mind, consistent relationships with caring adults and peers, and joyful experiences that allow girls to explore who they are becoming.

This community matters. Nearly seven in ten girls ages 5 to 13 report feeling lonely, yet more than half say that simply having a friend beside them gives them the courage to try something new, speak to someone new, or do something unfamiliar. Through Girl Scouts, girls build healthy relationships, communicate their feelings, resolve conflicts, and discover that asking for help—and offering it—are signs of strength.

These experiences also help girls develop five outcomes highlighted in Girl Scouts’ research: a strong sense of self, positive values, a willingness to seek challenges, healthy relationships, and the ability to solve problems within their communities. These are not just skills for earning a badge or completing a program. They are foundational strengths that support girls’ well-being today and help prepare them for purposeful, confident adulthoods.

As CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater New York, I am continually reminded that some of the most meaningful growth happens in seemingly ordinary moments: mastering a new stitch, encouraging a friend, climbing a little higher, or trying again after making a mistake. Each experience tells a girl: You are capable. You are supported. You belong here.

In a world that constantly asks girls to produce and perform, we must also give them room simply to become. That is what Girl Scouting has done for generations—and what we remain committed to building for every girl, every day.

Sources

Girl Scouts of the USA, 2026 State of the Girl: Executive Summary

Girl Scouts of the USA, Five Ways Girl Scouts Helps Her Find the Power Within

CBS News New York, “A Girl Scout Camp in Upstate New York Says Knitting Helps Campers ‘Find Inner Peace’”