And now let's go meet a leader and a future leader in the world of girl empowerment.

So now I'm here on location.

I'm here with Girl Scout Autumn Bates, who is in western Ohio, and the CEO of Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, Amy Sproles.

And we're looking at talking to them today to hear more about the Girl Scout movement, what it's doing for girls, and how far the movement has come since 1912, which is when Juliette Gordon Low first founded Girl Scouts of the USA.

So thank you so much for being with me today.

My pleasure.

Aimee Sproles: It's so exciting to be here.

Thanks for having us.

Kristi K.: Absolutely.

And so, Autumn, let's start with you.

Talk a little bit about what you have done with Girl Scout and how long you've been in Girl Scouts.

Autumn Bates: So I've been a Girl Scout for 13 years.

I started because my mom wanted me to get involved, but I really stayed because the joy I had and wanted to keep going.

Kristi K.: What do you think are some of the biggest issues that are facing girls today, like pre-teen girls and teenage girls that you see?

Autumn Bates: I would say bullying is a big part in the community and also around the world.

Bullying is very strong and really impacts girls, I would say, in a negative way and positive way.

It's girls that, you know, get bullied and don't know what to do, but they can go to Girl Scouts and help them find that courageous side of themselves to stick up for themselves or, you know, if they see bullying, say something, you know.

Kristi K.: Now, when we talk about some of the programing and some of the things that Girl Scouts has really evolved into, if you will, what have you seen through the years you've been involved with Girl scouting for 15 years, 20, all told.

Aimee Sproles: Almost 20 years this year.

You know, Girl scouting started in 1912, like you said, with Juliette Gordon Low.

And when it started, women couldn't vote.

They couldn't own property.

Right.

So it was a very different time.

And we've tried through the years to model after her.

So she was wanting girls to have experiences that they weren't otherwise having and really grow in their skill and leadership and being community problem solvers.

And so that changes as girls grow and change and as times change.

And so we have been relevant with girls as they have grown and changed as social media has entered the realm, we've adopted cyber bullying training for girls to help them really understand how to have a strong sense of self and how to ask for help when they need it, how to watch out for problems with cyberbullying.

And we know girls today one in five experiences being targeted by cyber bullies, which is incredible.

The mental health impacts of that we're seeing really reverberate with young women.

We really want girls to have the resilience that they need to really stand up for themselves, to be community problem solvers and to stand up for others.

Kristi K.: And I always have felt like Girl Scouts of the USA has had their finger on the pulse of what girls need.

And you've experienced that with your programing and some of the things that you've done.

I know you've gone to camp.

Yes.

And had some great experiences.

Autumn Bates: There on the camp.

Yes.

Camp is so much fun.

It's like you're in a whole new world.

You're you have, you know, your friends you have at home and you know the place that you're used to at home.

And then you go to camp and it's like, wow, like this is bigger.

Like you meet so many girls and you get that feeling from being away from home.

Now that I have went to camp, I feel like leaving high school this year.

I will I will be prepared to be on my own in college and not have to ask my mom, Well, how do you do this?

How do you do this?

Because, you know, I just have to trust myself that I can be the best girl and Girl Scout that I can be.

Kristi K.: Yeah.

You really had to step out and push yourself, which I think that whole leadership skill set, Amy, is really, really prevalent in girls scouting from a young age.

Aimee Sproles: We start with girls at every age, and we make sure that the experience really wraps what I like to call the secret sauce of the Girl Scout leadership experience, which is making sure that even at five and six years old, Girl Scout bases know that they have voice in their experience.

So it's girl led that they get to help each other.

They have cooperative learning and they get to actually do it themselves, so they learn by doing.

So those three things are really the secret sauce and the Girl Scout leadership experience.

It looks different for a five and six year old to a senior in high school, but every girl has that experience baked in to learning STEM or entrepreneurship, or going to camp and learning how to protect the world or to seek challenges.

So when she when she was young, she started out learning to be away from her mom.

But then what other challenges maybe did you experience while you were at camp?

Kristi K.: And I know, Amy, the programing through the years has certainly changed.

It seems as though we've seen adventure programs more so than ever, entrepreneurship.

And you alluded to some of those.

But tell us more about how the programing has really evolved to meet the needs of girls.

Aimee Sproles: Like right today we do a lot of STEM programs that look very different than when I was a Girl Scout.

I remember doing computer coding when I was a Girl Scout.

Girls today are doing computer coding, but the languages are totally different.

They're learning to explore STEM careers.

They're learning mechanical engineering, they're learning how to create a roller coaster.

The just the different things in STEM that are exciting to girls and relevant to girls and really piqued their interest.

Same with entrepreneurship.

So yes, we've sold cookies for over a hundred years, but the core of the cookie program for girls is learning how to run a business and so as we have really powered that, it's moved from being kind of creating that business locally to now having an online shop and knowing how to create digital marketing for your cookie business, how to interact with your customers.

It's just a really empowering program and a program that delivers a lot of confidence for girls.

Kristi K.: When you're on business life three six So we do something called Quick Hits, which helps our viewers to get to know you a little bit better.

So are you ready?

Yes.

All right.

So Artem, who is one role model that you have?

My mom.

Great.

Okay.

For both of you, let's start with you.

Out of the top skill that you've learned in Girl Scouts.

Autumn Bates: Probably to be brave.

Kristi K.: Love it.

And what about you?

Aimee Sproles: I would say confidence, for sure.

Kristi K.: Mm.

And favorite Girl Scout Cookie.

You knew this was coming out of the.

Autumn Bates: Lemon ups.

Kristi K.: 11 out.

Yes.

Love those.

What about.

Aimee Sproles: Thin Mints Frozen.

Kristi K.: Okay, I'm going to have to second that on the Thin Mints.

Yes.

And open boxes and empty bags for me.

Amy, the most exciting Girl Scout adventure you have ever been on.

Aimee Sproles: I think the most exciting adventure would definitely be our high ropes and challenge course and going with girls and seeing them conquer their fear.

Kristi K.: Same with you at home?

Yes.

So, Autumn, what makes you laugh the most?

Or who makes you laugh the most?

Autumn Bates: Oh, I would say my best friend makes me laugh the most.

And also the girls that I met at Girl Scout camp four years ago.

They still make me laugh to this day.

Kristi K.: Oh, wow.

That's so great.

Autumn Bates: Yeah.

Kristi K.: And last question, Amy, what is your hope for teen and preteen girls today as we look to the future for them?

Aimee Sproles: You know, my hope is that they know that the world is available to them, that whatever they aspire to, they have within them to achieve and that there is a seat at the table in every industry and every sector, whatever their interest is, that they can go out there and do it.

Kristi K.: Well, you two are empowering me, so I appreciate you being on Business Life 360 and thanks so much for all you're doing.