WCW: Juliette Gordon Low

In 1912, when the country was on the outskirts of what was to be known as the “Suffrage Movement,” Juliette Gordon Low, a Savannah, Georgia native, established the Girl Scouts of America. Her goal was to reach across ethnic, cultural, and economic class boundaries to create a place where all young girls could develop their leadership skills—especially those with disabilities. (Ms. Low herself had been rendered almost completely deaf after a series of childhood injuries to her head.)

The official website of the Girl Scout Organization tells of Mrs. Low phoning her cousin and exclaiming, “I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we’re going to start it tonight!” She had been inspired to start the Girl Scout program after speaking to Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouts of America, but her passion and determination empowered her to independently push forward with the Girl Scouts of America, ultimately creating an experience that was exclusively “female-led”.

Today, there are 2.7 million Girl Scouts who continue to be enriched through education on the arts, athletics, nature, and animals—the subjects that Juliette Gordon Low loved most. Her passion, self-sustainability, and leadership skills provided the foundation on which her legacy is built while each generation of young females leaders adds their own layer.

In 2012, former President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Juliette Gordon Low the Presidential Medal of Freedom—an award well deserved.

So to Juliette Gordon Low, we say: thank you for your vision and tenacity… and for the Samoas… and the thin mints.

The information used for this article was obtained through the Girl Scouts of America, which is a non-profit organization. Volunteers, donations, and applied skills are always welcome, and ultimately go to help shape our young women of tomorrow. for further information on the Girl Scouts of America, and Ms. Juliette Gordon Low herself, visit the link below.

http://www.girlscouts.org/