Girl Scout Memories

07/08/2017

Olympic runner Alysia Montaño ran in the Track and Field Nationals while five months pregnant -- after being inspired by Gal Gadot in “Wonder Woman”! “When I found out [Gadot] filmed half the movie five months pregnant, I said, ‘I for sure am signing up for USA nationals,’” Montaño told Team USA. During the recent race, she wore two flowers in her hair -- a signature look she created during childhood to show boys that “running like a girl... means that you’re strong” -- and a Wonder Woman crop top. “I wanted Wonder Woman to represent me,” she says. “I really define myself as a fighter for good. And I see that playing true in running.”

This isn’t the first time Montaño has competed during a pregnancy: in 2014 she ran the 800m race at the US Outdoor Track and Field Championships while eight months pregnant, prompting negative feedback from some critics despite her run being approved by her doctors. “I’m not super-duper delicate,” she says. “It’s still a conversation that needs to be had. I represent so many different people: women, black women, pregnant women. It’s my responsibility to make sure I’m a voice and an advocate for them.” Of course, Montaño adds, she didn't expect to win last month's competition but "there is something about coming out to any venue not really expecting to win but going along with the journey and seeing what comes out of it,” she says. “Running is mine and always will be mine. It’s about my journey and the power that I get from it.”

If you or your Mighty Girl are also inspired by Wonder Woman, you can discover our favorite Wonder Woman-themed costumes, clothing, books, and toys for both children and adults in our blog post "Wonder Woman Rises" at http://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=15167

For a fun doll & book set to spark young girls' interest in running, check out the "Runner Girl Ella Set" for ages 3 to 8 at http://www.amightygirl.com/ella-runner-girl

For several Mighty Girl stories that celebrate the joy of running, we recommend "The Quickest Kid in Clarksville" for ages 4 to 8 (http://www.amightygirl.com/the-quickest-kid-in-clarksville) and “The Running Dream” for ages 12 and up (http://www.amightygirl.com/the-running-dream)

And, for a fantastic t-shirt for kids and adults that honors the strength of Mighty Girls and proudly states "I'm not strong for a girl. I'm just strong.", visit http://www.amightygirl.com/strong-t-shirt

02/15/2017

01/30/2017

Happy International Women's Day! Show your support this International Women’s Day by applying this frame to your Facebook profile photo. You’ll be letting everyone know, “She’s Our Future! I Stand with Girls.” Try it now. Together, we can ensure that more girls in more places will have the opportunity to make history!

01/16/2017

Happy birthday to the late great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.! Let's work together to make the world a better place for us all, even when that means embracing the maladjusted: http://bit.ly/2jFiunN

01/15/2017

"A brilliant mind does not have a color or a gender.” -- Taraji P. Henson, Star of “Hidden Figures”

"Hidden Figures," the new film which tells the inspiring true story of the pivotal role that African American women played in the success of the early U.S. space program, took the Number 1 slot in the North American box office this week -- and it's been inspiring countless Mighty Girls nationwide! At one special screening on Tuesday, over 10,000 girls from over 100 Los Angeles area schools had the opportunity to see the film at the University of Southern California; an event kicked off by guest speakers including the film's stars Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, and Aldis Hodge as well as producer Pharrell Williams. “I wish we could do this event 100 times over all year long," said Megan Chernin, co-chair of the LA Promise Fund, the educational non-profit which organized the event. "These girls are hungering and energetic and enthusiastic."

A 13-year-old Mighty Girl in Jacksonville, Florida was so inspired by the film that she's currently running a crowdfunding campaign to take more girls to see it. “I cried, I laughed, I got angry and then got determined to not let others’ impressions of me because of the color of my skin impact how my life will be,” says aspiring astronaut Taylor Richardson, who calls herself Astronaut StarBright. “These black women did something I never knew about, and it’s not in any history books that I’ve studied thus far.” With nearly $7,000 in donations, she's already blown away her initial goal of raising $2,600. Taylor is now booking more theaters and working with organizations like the Girl Scouts, YMCA, and Boys and Girls Clubs of America to organize girls for a January 21 screening.

“This movie instills that us girls can dream big and make it even when odds are against us,” Taylor asserts. “Most importantly I want girls to know that, like boys, they too can excel in STEM with hard work.” While the hit film is particularly inspiring for girls, those involved in creating it hope that it will resonate with everyone. As Aldis Hodge, one of the film's male leads, said at Tuesday's event: "It's not just for little girls. (It's) for adults, for little boys who want to grow up and say 'You know what, I can be that too.' They will then grow up with a different appreciation, a different perspective on how to look at women."

The book on which "Hidden Figures" is based is now available in both adult and youth editions -- to learn more or order “Hidden Figures: Young Readers’ Edition,” for ages 8 to 12, visit http://www.amightygirl.com/hidden-figures-young-readers

To order the adult edition of "Hidden Figures," which is also recommended for teen readers, visit http://amzn.to/2j3PS8k

For books for children and teens about more real-life female scientists whose stories should be more widely known, check out our blog post, "50 Books to Inspire Science-Loving Mighty Girls," at http://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=13914

For science toys and kits to encourage your Mighty Girl's interest in science, visit our blog post, "Top 50 Science Toys for Mighty Girls" at http://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=10528

If viewing the film has sparked your children's interest in the Civil Rights Movement or you'd like to introduce them to the important role that women played in the movement, check out our blog post on "30 Inspiring Books on Girls & Women of the Civil Rights Movement" at http://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=11177

And, if you'd like to support Taylor's GoFundMe campaign to help more girls see this uplifting film, visit http://bit.ly/2jjYU3T

01/15/2017

01/13/2017

This week, President Barack Obama delivered his final speech in Chicago, asking Americans to believe they can make a difference in our world. Believe in your abilities, Girl Scouts!

01/11/2017

Cookies are coming!!!

01/05/2017

Make this year a great one, Girl Scouts!

01/04/2017

Everyone has a special place in their heart for Girl Scout Cookies. Not only because they’re spectacularly delicious, but because purchasing Girl Scout Cookies powers the Girl Scout Cookie Program and helps girls fulfill their dreams, follow their passions, and change the world!