Girl Scout Summer Camp offers adventure for all girls
Did you know that girls who regularly spend time outdoors more readily seek challenges and are better problem solvers than their peers? According to a recent study by the Girl Scout Research Institute, "More Than S'mores" (2014), girls benefit immensely from time spent outdoors!
In 2015, Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois will be offering summer camp to all girls - not just Girl Scouts - in first to 12th grade.
Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois offers outstanding outdoor opportunities to local girls through its summer program at Camp Dean. The camp, located near Aurora, offers sessions, such as:
Special Guy: Pack up your gear, hit the road, and head to camp with dad, uncle, or grandpa for the weekend. Keep busy with camp activities like swimming, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, cooking, playing games, and more!
Polar Vortex in July: Build a snowman … in July? Why not! Just imagine making snow and ice cream for this session as Camp Dean falls under the frozen curse of Princess Elsa!
Camp Dean Day Camp: Excited to explore camp, but love the comfort of a nice, soft bed? Come to Camp Dean Day Camp! The day will be full from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with exciting camp activities. There is even an optional overnight for all campers!
Girls do not have to join a troop to attend camp. Since girls select their own experiences in Girl Scouts, they can choose to just attend camp or the many other programs offered throughout the year. To view the 2015 Camp Guide or register for camp sessions, visit www.girlscoutsni.org.
More about 'More Than S'mores'
The study also found outdoor experiences are particularly beneficial to girls of comparatively low socioeconomic status. "More Than S'mores" finds that lower-socioeconomic status girls who have regular outdoor exposure through Girl Scouts are likely to credit Girl Scouts with helping them become leaders.
Additionally, outdoor experiences through Girl Scouting, such as camp, are beneficial to girl leadership development across ethnicities. Latina (38 percent) and African-American (40 percent) girls are more likely than their peers (28 percent) to say they overcame a fear of the outdoors through Girl Scouting; 79 percent of Latina girls say they first tried an outdoor activity in Girl Scouts, and an overwhelming 59 percent of Latina girls say Girl Scouts has offered them outdoor activities they would not have otherwise had access to.
Girl Scout camp is a tradition central to Girl Scouts since 1912 and is still available to girls in all 50 states. Today's camps are highly evolved, matching the interests of 21st-century girls. Girl Scouts moves at the speed of girls, which is evident in its wide range of camp offerings - everything from STEM camp and surf camp to Hogwarts camp farming and sustainability camp, and Camp CEO.