[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 40 (Friday, April 12, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E509]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 11, 2002

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Girl Scouts of 
America on their 90th anniversary helping women of all ages ``discover 
the fun, friendship, and power of girls together.''
  There are a myriad of GSA programs that have benefited kids in my 
community. LEAD (Leadership, Education and Development), Write On!, Si 
yo Puedo (yes I can), the Girl Scout Connection, and many others have 
helped girls in my district meet the challenges of the future.
  Particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, the Girl 
Scouting in the School Day program (GSSD) has helped over 3,100 at risk 
girls develop self-confidence by encouraging creativity and promoting 
life skills and values. Often these children are at high risk of 
dropping out of school, joining gangs, or using drugs and alcohol. GSSD 
has sponsored regular sessions, special events, and field trips to 
provide girls from over 51 Bay Area schools the experience of true 
camaraderie and friendship.
  Another program, Teen Power-From the Heart, is committed to helping 
pregnant teens and teen mothers develop high self-esteem in addition to 
career and parenting skills. Last year, over 200 girls participated in 
this program.
  I stress the importance of environmental education, and with the 
Program Adventure on Wheels for Girl Scouts (PAWS) over 3,000 girls in 
my district attended field trips to learn about protecting the 
environment.
  A program entitled ``Science is Super!'' has provided science and 
math enrichment for girls living in low income housing in the Bay Area. 
This program is helping combat the common misbelief that women are not 
as competent as men in math and science. ``Science is Super'' is a 
wonderful program to help girls take their interests in science and 
math further.
  It is unfortunate that many young women living in the United States 
cannot afford to join the Girl Scouts and take advantage of the 
countless experiences they have to offer. To tackle this problem, GSA 
created an Opportunity Fund to provide financial support for low income 
families whose children would like to join the Girl Scouts of America. 
This fund has provided grants to over 4,425 girls to participate in GSA 
programs. It is important that any young woman who wishes to be a Girl 
Scout have the opportunity to do so. One grandmother, who was able to 
send her three granddaughters to camp because of assistance by the 
Opportunity Fund, said camp meant: ``Six days with no gunfire, of not 
watching out for drug dealers. Six days of children's experiences that 
most of us take for granted: peace and play without looking over their 
shoulders. Six days that will last a lifetime!''
  I ask my colleagues to join with me today in commending the Girl 
Scouts of America for their 90 years of commitment to helping our women 
leaders of tomorrow.

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