What's it all About?

When people think about Girl Scouts, they generally think about cookies. Common sense would suggest, however, that millions of young women do not become Girl Scouts in order to sell those boxes. The Girl Scout program has a foundation in the Promise and Law.

The Girl Scout Promise

On my honor, I will try:
To serve God* and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

The Girl Scout Law

I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout.

In addition to the promise and law, the program also has four fundamental goals that encourage girls to:

* Develop to their full potential.
* Relate to others with increasing understanding, skill, and respect.
* Develop a meaningful set of values to guide their actions and to provide for sound decision-making.
* Contribute to the improvement of society.

The program thus encourages girls and young women to take care of themselves and others in a way that contributes to the overall good of society. These values can be found in several of the Girl Scout traditions and in the program itself. For example, Girl Scouts have always been taught to leave a place better than how they found it. Be it a wilderness trail, a meeting place, or their own backyard, girls are reminded to make the world around them just a little bit better.

At each level an appropriate amount of leader guidance is mixed in with an appropriate amount of girl initiative. At the Daisy level, input from the girls is limited, which makes sense at an age when many of them still can’t tie their shoes. As girls age though, they are encouraged to take more and more control over the troop management. In this way, girls learn to make wise choices for themselves and emerge into adulthood with the confidence to direct their own lives.

Probably most telling is the program’s tag line: “Girl Scouts, where girls grow strong.” No other program in the US is so devoted to the overall success and development of girls...and you thought it was all about cookies.

Girl Scout Pins

The Brownie pin, the traditional Girl Scout pin, and the new contemporary pin are worn to indicate membership in the Girl Scouting movement in the USA. Both are in the shape of a trefoil. The three “leaves” of the trefoil represent the three parts of the Girls Scout Promise.

The traditional pin features an American eagle and shield, both of which are also a part of the great seal of the United States of America. The eagle is used to represent power and strength, and the shield is there to represent protection. The Great Shield of the United States shows the shield resting only on the eagle to represent our self-sufficiency as a country. In Girl Scouts, young women learn to become self-reliant citizens of the United States.

In the right talon of the eagle is an olive branch and in the left is a bundle of arrows. Although the eagle is looking at the olive branch as an indication of our nation’s preference for peace, the arrows indicate our readiness to fight for our ideals. Girl Scouts in the USA, likewise, are peace-loving but are willing to fight for what their beliefs. The readiness of the country to defend its ideals mirrors to Scout motto of “Be Prepared.”

The seal of the United States contains a scroll on which is printed “E Pluribus Unum” meaning, one from many. The many states make up the nation. The many girls make up troops and the troops make up neighborhoods. Neighborhoods make up Councils, which in turn make up the American Girl Scouts. From the single girl to the national movement, the many (three million) make one.

The contemporary pin retains the trefoil shape of the traditional pin but in the place of the eagle and shield are the silhouettes of three girls. Girl Scouting is a dynamic and changing organization and the new pin presents “the new face(s)” of Girl Scouting.

The new trefoil design features open edges to indicate the organizations openness to change. The organization is strengthened by the flexibility to accept and embrace change.

The three faces are looking right, toward the future. The young women of the scouting movement are our future.

The three faces represent the movement’s commitment to pluralism and diversity. Girl Scouts embrace all girls as members regardless of racial, cultural, or socio-economic status.

World Trefoil Pin

The World trefoil pin is worn to indicate membership in the Girl Scout and Girl Guide organization of the world.

The blue background stands for the sky while the gold stands for the sun. Around the world, we all share the same sky and the same sun.

The trefoil shape, as in the USA Girl Scout pin, represents the parts of the promise. All Girl Scouts and Guides around the world have a promise that is unique to their country but that features three central parts.

The two stars represent the promise and law. As with the promise, each country has its own version of the Girl Scout/Guide law.

The base of the trefoil is in the shape of a flame, representing our love for humanity and the flame that burns in every Girl Scout/Guide’s heart.

The line in the center is a compass needle pointing us in the right direction, guiding us and the outer circle of the pin represents the association of all Scouts and Guides throughout the world.

Both pins are always worn on the left side over the heart.

Investiture and Rededication

An investiture ceremony welcomes new girls or adults into Girl Scouting. It can be a very memorable and meaningful step for girls as they becomes Girl Scouts.  Although a majority of girls will be Daisies when they invest, girls can and do join Girl Scouts at all ages.  An investiture is appropriate for any new members.

A rededication ceremony allows girls and adults who have already been Girl Scouts to reaffirm their commitment to Girl Scouts as outlined in  the Girl Scout Promise and Law and to reflect upon the meaning of Girl Scouting in their lives. 

Investiture and Rededication ceremonies are usually held at the beginning of a Girl Scout year.  Many troops/groups have a joint investiture and rededication ceremony each year.  A ceremony can be anything your girls want it to be.  Formal ceremonies have their place, but my girls once held their ceremony in a maze at Girl Scout camp.  It was one of the most memorable ceremonies the troop ever held.

Here here are some great links:

GENERAL HELP

• Girl Scout Ceremonies

DAISY INVESTITURE

• Daisy Investiture
• First Investiture
• Daisy Investiture

REDEDICATION

• Rededication Ceremony
• Gold Heart Ceremony

DAISY INVESTITURE CERTIFICATES

• Daisy Investiture Certificate
• Daisy First Year Certificate

INVESTITURE/REDEDICATION PATCHES (to be worn on the back of a vest; search for "investiture" and/or "rededication")

• Patch Fun
• Advantage Emblem
• Snappy Logos

FAQs about Girl Scouts

How old do you have to be to be a Girl Scout?

Girls can become Girl Scouts when they enter Kindergarten.

Daisy Girl Scouts (grades K-1 or ages 5-6)
Brownie Girl Scouts (grades 2-3 or ages 7-8)
Junior Girl Scouts (grades 3-5 or ages 9-10)
Cadette Girl Scouts (grades 6-8 or ages 11-13)
Senior Girl Scouts (grades 9-10 or ages 14-15)
Ambassador Girl Scouts (grades 11-12 or ages 16-18)

Independent Girl Scouts (those without a troop) are referred to as IGMS (Independent Girl Members).

College-aged girls may also continue with Scouting by becoming a Campus Scout. Contact your local council for more information.

Are uniforms mandatory?

Absolutely not. At each level, it is best to own a sash or vest, but other items are optional. The new Girl Scout uniform, however, is easily purchased in that it consists of khaki pants and a white polo shirt. For more information see: Buying Girl Scout Uniforms

How much does it cost to be a Girl Scout?

National dues are currently $25. Each troop can set their own troop dues as well, but if there is a hardship, arrangements can generally be made through your local Girl Scout council. No interested girl should feel as if she can't be a Scout because of a lack of money.

Can a boy be a Girl Scout?

Well, yes and no. Girl Scouts was founded and continues to exist to serve the unique and individual needs of girls. Thus boys cannot be Girl Scouts but boys who identify as girls are also welcome.

Adult males over the age of 18 can join Girl Scouts. All troops must have at least one female leader to serve as a role model for the girls in the troop, but men can serve as co-leaders.

Are the Boy and Girl Scouts related?

The two organizations are related only by accident of naming. They are completely separate entities.

What is the Girl Scouts' highest award?

Girl Scout's highest award is the Gold Award. To earn it, a girl must complete the Silver Award or two Journeys and then carry out a service project.

Have another question? Ask me.

The Girl Scout Promise and Law

The beginning of the Girl Scout year is an excellent time to review the foundations of the organization, namely the Promise and the Law. New Daisy troops automatically do this because they are learning them for the first time and their petal project focus on the parts of the law.

After that first year, however, we don't necessarily dwell on the words and their meaning. If you've read some of my previous articles, you'll know that I believe that if you know the Promise and the Law, you know everything you need to know to be a Girl Scout. How you fulfill the promise and follow the law is an individual matter. For now, take a moment to reflect on the words as they were and as they are today.

The 1972 version is the "real" promise and law to me in that those were the decades in which I was a girl Girl Scout. The essence of what is said hasn't changed from the 1972 version, but my tongue still trips over the new words.

The Girl Scout Promise in 1912

On my honor, I will try:
To do my duty to God and my country,
To help other people at all times,
To obey the Girl Scout Laws.

The Girl Scout Laws in 1912

1. A Girl Scout's Honor Is to be Trusted
2. A Girl Scout Is Loyal
3. A Girl Scout's Duty Is to be Useful and to Help Others
4. A Girl Scout is a Friend to All, and a Sister to every other Girl Scout no matter to what Social Class she May Belong
5. A Girl Scout Is Courteous
6. A Girl Scout Keeps Herself Pure
7. A Girl Scout Is a Friend to Animals
8. A Girl Scout Obeys Orders
9. A Girl Scout is Cheerful
10. A Girl Scout is Thrifty

The Girl Scout Laws in 1920
I have found no evidence that the Promise changed in 1920

The Girl Scout Laws
1. A Girl Scout's Honor Is to be Trusted
2. A Girl Scout Is Loyal
3. A Girl Scout's Duty Is to be Useful and to Help Others
4. A Girl Scout is a Friend to All, and a Sister to every other Girl Scout
5. A Girl Scout Is Courteous
6. A Girl Scout Is a Friend to Animals
7. A Girl Scout Obeys Orders
8. A Girl Scout is Cheerful
9. A Girl Scout is Thrifty
10. A Girl Scout is Clean in Thought, Word and Deed.

The Girl Scout Promise in 1972

On my honor, I will try:
To serve God,
My country and mankind,
and to live by the Girl Scout Law

The Girl Scout Law in 1972

I will do my best:
to be honest
to be fair
to help where I am needed
to be cheerful
to be friendly and considerate
to be a sister to every Girl Scout
to respect authority
to use resources wisely
to protect and improve the world around me
to show respect for myself and others through my words and actions

The Current Girl Scout Promise

On my honor, I will try:
To serve God* and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

The Current Girl Scout Law
Adopted in 1996

I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place,
and be a sister to every Girl Scout.

* The word "God" can be interpreted in a number of ways, depending on one's spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, it is okay to replace the word "God" with whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate.

The History of Girl Scouting

Girl Scouting began in the United States with Juliette Gordon Low, who was born on Oct 31, 1860. After meeting the founder of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, Lord Robert Baden-Powell, while on a trip to England, Juliette felt that girls in the United States deserved the same group structure.

Girl Scout historians recount the tale of a phone call made by Low in which she is believed to have said, ""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!"

That night, March 12, 1912, Juliette's niece and namesake, Margaret Daisy Gordon, was the "first" member of the first troop in America, which began under Low's leadership in Savannah, Georgia.

Growth in the girl scouts grew at an astounding rate. In 1912, Low's troop had 18 members. By 1920 there were 70,000 girl scouts across the US. By 1930 this had grown to 200,000. The organization--Girl Scouts of the USA-- was chartered by the U.S. Congress on March 16, 1950, and by 1957, there were 3 million Girl Scouts. Today there almost 4 million Girl Scouts, and the organization remains strong.

The American Girl Scout organization belongs to a worldwide association of Girl Scouts and Guides. Over 80 countries worldwide have some sort of Girl Scout or Girl Guide organization. The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) owns and operates four world centers that are open to anyone who is a WAGGGS member.

The Basic Organizational Structure of Girl Scouts

When you're submersed in a topic, you sometimes forget that the basics as you know them are a mystery to outsiders or newcomers. Recently, I've outlined the basic structure of Girl Scouts several times. I thought it would be worthwhile to do that here as well.

The basic unit in Girl Scouts is the individual. Girls can and do join Girl Scouts independently and participate in activities and earn awards without any further organization imposed upon them. Girls who join independently are referred to as Juliettes or Independent Girl Members (IGMs).

At the next level is the organizational unit most are familiar with, which is the Girl Scout troops. Troops must have a minimum of five girls and two leaders. The maximum size of a troop is not set, but realistically once you go beyond 15 girls, the numbers become unmanageable. The number of leaders must increase as the number of girls increases; the exact ratios differ by age level as outlined in the Girl Scout Safety Points.

Troops are identified by troop numbers and can adopt a troop crest. There is no rule that states that girls must be the same age or grade level nor is there any rule that says girls in different levels of Girl Scouts cannot belong to one troop. For practical reasons though, troops are generally broken down along age lines.

Beyond the troop, most people are unaware of the organizational structure of Girl Scouts. At the next level up, there can be a fairly informal organization within your school led by a school organizer. Troops are then organized into neighborhoods. There is not set number of girls and/or troops that can be in a neighborhood. At this level, leaders tend to meet to exchange information and support large-scale programs. The neighborhood is generally led by an all-volunteer neighborhood service team. Neighborhoods have names to identify them, such as the Hilltop neighborhood in Minn-Ia-Kota Council.

Neighborhoods are organized at the next level into Councils. Your council is the first level of Girl Scouting that employs paid individuals whose job it is to support girls, leaders, troops, and neighborhoods within the Council. The Councils generally have offices for the service personnel and council shops where you can buy Girl Scout supplies. As noted previously, like neighborhoods, Councils are identified by names.

The level above Council is the national organization. The national GSUSA offices are located here:

Girl Scouts of the USA
420 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10018-2798

At the national level, a CEO is in charge of operations. There is also board of directors led by a president whose job it is to guide the movement. The board of directors is composed of 40 men and women from all over the country.

On a final note, Girl Scouts in the USA are also members of the larger World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). There are international centers located around the world that are open to all Scouts and Guides.

Attending Leader Meetings

It's a new year and a good time for resolutions. This year, make it a goal to attend your local service unit/neighborhood meetings.

Neighborhood meetings are run by volunteer service team members who generally are leaders themselves. Service team members are not paid for these jobs, although many of them require many hours of dedication. They take care of jobs that are beyond the realm of a troop but are not of a council or national level. As such, they serve as a liaison between the troops and your local council. Generally, any member of a service team is going to be an invaluable resource to you as a leader. They are there to help, so talk to them!

As for neighborhood meetings themselves, the purpose and content of any particular meeting can be as varied as the neighborhoods in which they are held. They are intended to disseminate information from the national, council, and neighborhood levels to the individual troop leaders. For example, these meetings are where information about registration, fall product, and cookie sales will be distributed. In addition, information about training and policies and procedures will be made available in this setting.

Leader meetings also provide an opportunity to network with other leaders, to ask questions, and to share ideas. Finding a sister troop to work with should be a snap at any meeting. Some neighborhoods will take the opportunity to provide social activities for leaders at this time whereas others will be all business. Opportunities for leader enrichment, such as training, may also occur at neighborhood meetings.

Neighborhood meetings are also the place where neighborhood events will be planned and information about how to sign up will be disseminated. Neighborhood activities can include events such as back to school and round up activities, skills days, sing alongs, father/daughter and mother/daughter activities, and more. The only limit to the kinds of activities that can be planned and offered is whether someone can be found to volunteer to coordinate such activities.

With all this excellent information available to you just by attending a neighborhood meeting, make it a resolution to attend as the new Girl Scout year gets under way.

Becoming a Girl Scout Leader

Recruitment time encompasses a drive for both girls and leaders. The two go hand in hand; in other words, without the adult leaders, there is no Girl Scouting.

Girl Scout leaders are volunteers. To be a Girl Scout leader, you must be at least 18 years of age. You do not have to be a woman, but if you are a man, you have to have a female co-leader. You can volunteer to lead your daughter's troop, but if you don't have a daughter, you can still be a volunteer. You do not have to have any experience.

That last tidbit scares away a lot of potential leaders, but it shouldn't. Training is available and other leaders, people like me, are generally happy to share what they know. In this day and age of the web, there are literally hundreds of resources out there to help you figure it all out.

More on that in another article, but for now, what any potential leader should remember is that no leader is expected to lead alone. At the very least, you will have a co-leader and the support of your neighborhood service team and your local Girl Scout Council. I would also posit that once you know the Girl Scout Promise and Law, you pretty much are free to do anything you want as a Girl Scout leader as long as you keep those basic core values of Girl Scouts firmly in mind.

Another thing to keep in mind is that in this day and age, many Girl Scout councils are championing a cooperative model of leadership in which all parents of troop members play a small part. Those many small parts add up to more than enough to create an enriching experience not only for the girl members but for the adult members as well.

If your daughter's troop is organized this way, you will most likely be asked to register as a Girl Scout with your daughter. Don't panic! This step is for the safety of your daughter (you and any other adult who will have contact with the girls will have a background check) and for insurance purposes (only registered Girl Scouts are covered by the organization's insurance policy).

There are many models for cooperative leadership and ideally you will fashion one that best suits the needs of your troop and utilizes the strengths of each adult volunteer.

As Fall recruitment for Girl Scouts churns around you, seriously think about fulfilling the Girl Scout call to "Commit to a Girl."

Leader Appreciation Day

April 22nd is Leader Appreciation Day. This is the day to thank your daughter’s leader for all her hard work. Here are some ideas to get you going:

• Say “thank you.”
• Nominate her for an Outstanding Leader award
• Plan a surprise party
• Create a collage of the troop
• Take her out to lunch
• Send a thank you note
• Offer to help her with a troop activity by sharing a special talent or skill
• Offer to chaperone
• Have the troop plant a tree or a garden in her honor
• Give her flowers, a homemade item, or something from the Girl Scout shop
• Give her an afternoon off by scheduling a play date with her daughter and yours

Adult Recognitions

For those of us who were Girl Scouts when we were younger (and heck probably those who weren’t), those colorful badges and patches that the girls earn still hold some wistful appeal. Adults can buy the unearned patches, of course, and you can see those purchases adorning Girl Scout shirts of all kinds.

In addition to the patches, there are actual adult recognitions available as well. There are two kinds of awards, earned and nominated. The earned awards generally recognize years of service and completion of training at the adult level. These awards are handed out in your neighborhood when you notify them of your eligibility.

Summary of Awards and Recognitions

Earned Awards

Numeral Guards: These guards are awarded in five-year intervals starting with year 5. To determine if you are eligible, count your years in Scouting, including years as a girl and years as an adult.

Years of Service Pins: These pins are awarded in five-year intervals for the number of years completed as an adult volunteer.

Three-Year Leader Pins: These pins are awarded after the first three consecutive years of leadership in your local Scout Council.

Leadership Development Pins: These pins are awarded to leaders who have completed all of the recommended training courses and who attend events beyond troop meetings.

Leadership Development Leaves: This award is an extension of the leader development pin and involves acquiring 10 additional hours of training for each leaf. Leaves start out green and can be traded in for silver and gold leaves as more hours are accumulated.

Nominated Awards

These awards require a nomination procedure:

Neighborhood Awards

* Outstanding Leader (retired)
* Outstanding Volunteer (retired)
* Volunteer of Excellence Pin

GSUSA Awards

* Appreciation Pin
* Honor Pin
* Thanks Badge
* Thanks Badge II

To receive these awards, an individual must be nominated and letters of endorsement secured. Details of the nominated individual’s service are also required. For example, on the "Volunteer of Excellence" application, a brief summary of the nominee's leader's achievements in four areas (program delivery, community service, training, and administration) is requested.

SWAPS

SWAPS stands for "Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned SomeWhere" or "Shared With A Pal." 

The idea for Swaps came from the potlatch ceremonies of the Native American Tribes of the Northwest coast. Potlatch ceremonies involved the trading of colored feathers as a sign of friendship. The ceremony is said to have developed in remembrance of two Native American girls who gave colored feathers plucked from a magic bird to colorless birds, thus ensuring all birds would have colored feathers.

Potlatch ceremonies commemorated their gift and were held in conjunction with other family and tribal celebrations, such as births and marriages. The traditional invitation to a potlatch ceremony was the arrival of a messenger bearing the news and a bundle of sticks, one stick for each participant expected to attend.

At the ceremony, participants had a party; singing, dancing, and games could all be 

enjoyed and the host family may have presented recreations of their family history and heritage. At the end of the event, gifts, or swaps, were exchanged.

Girl Scout Swaps originated at the National Roundup conferences. They are generally made by the giver (as a sign of "giving of oneself) and given to other Scouts at any Scouting event and/or for no reason at all. The intent is to build friendships by providing a fun was to introduce oneself. The swap provides the giver and the recipient an opportunity to talk about the swap, what it means, and how it was made.

Because building friendships is part swapping, attaching one's name or address of including it on the back of a swap is a good idea. If the swap is a part of a special Scout event, listing that event and the date of that event on the back of the swap is also a nice touch.

Technically, swaps should not be worn on a Scout uniform, although I've certainly seen it happen. A good choice to accommodate that desire is a designated Swap hat. Swaps can be pinned to the hat for safekeeping and the hat can be worn at any time.

Finally, there is some etiquette attached to swapping.

*When you make your swaps, try to think about making something to represent you, your troop, or some other unique factor about you. Additionally, think about what kind of swap you like to receive and make something you think others would like.

*Ideally, swaps should be handmade, but they do not have to be expensive. The important part is to give something of yourself.

*Remember to ensure that your swap can be worn (generally this means attaching a pin).

*Carry or wear your swaps for trade separately from the ones you collect, and remember to say thank you and introduce yourself. Remember, swapping is about making friends.

*Of course, girls should always remember to "be a sister to every Girl Scout," but more specifically remind them never to refuse to trade a swap when someone asks.
SWAP RESOURCES

Swaps-A-Lot
Making Friends
Pinterest

Famous Girl Scouts/Guides

Girl Scouting can be an integral part of a girl’s development. Just look at the list of women who count scouting as a part of their life’s history! Such a list is no accident. Girl Scouting teaches empowerment and encourages young women to be all that they can be. That the list of Girl Scout alumnae includes many successful women in many different fields is the natural result of such a philosophy.
An amazing 64% percent of today’s women leaders in the United States (civic, corporate, political, etc.) were once Girl Scouts! Here is a sampling (send me your additions!):

BUSINESS

Bellamy, Carol — Executive Director, UNICEF
Betanzos, Amalia — President/CEO, Wildcat Service Corp
Biggins, Veronica — Vice President, C&S Bank Corp
Chavez—Thompson, Linda — Executive Vice President, AFL—CIO
d'Harnoncourt, Annie — Director, CEO, Philadelphia Museum of Art
Diaz Dennis, Patricia — VP, Gov't Affairs, Sprint, Former FCC Comm
Dole, Elizabeth — Former President, American Red Cross
Falk, Susan — President, Express (clothing retailer)
Fernandez, Lillian — Former Director, Int'l Affairs, Pfizer, Inc
Fields, Pam – Mrs. Fields Cookies.
Heifer, Ricki Tigert — Former Chair, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
Juliber, Lois — President, Colgate Palmolive
Katen, Karen — Vice President, Pfizer
Marram, Ellen — Former President, Tropicana
Newkerk, Deborah — President, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi
Roddick, Anita — Founder of The Body Shop
Yardis, Pam — President, Nat'l Organization of Mgmt. Consultants

EDUCATORS

Arnold, Sarah Louise – Dean of Simmons College
Ellis Alexander, Marianne — ED, Public Leadership Education Network
Fox, Muriel — Chair, NOW Legal Defense & Education Fund
Futrell, Mary Hatwood — Former President, National Education Association
Hatwood Guttrell, Mary — Former Director, National Education Association
Jones, Elaine — Head of NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund
McAuliffe, Christa – Teacher and Astronaut
McGuire, Patricia — President, Trinity College
Murphy MacGregor, Molly — ED, National Women's History Project

FIRST FAMILY

Bush, Laura — Wife of President George Bush, Jr (43rd President)
Laura Bush is also the honorary president of Girl Scouts, USA
Carter, Rosalyn— Wife of President Jimmy Carter (39th President)
Clinton, Chelsea — Daughter of Bill Clinton (42nd President)
Clinton, Hilary Rodham— Senator from New York, wife of Bill Clinton (42nd President)
Gore, Tipper — Wife of former VP Al Gore
Hoover, Lou Henry –Wife of President Herbert Hoover
Johnson Robb, Lynda, — Daughter of Lyndon B. Johnson (36th President)
Johnson Turpin, Luci, — Daughter of Lyndon B. Johnson (36th President)
Kennedy, Ethel — Wife of Robert Kennedy (Presidential candidate)
Mondale, Joan — Wife of former VP, Walter Mondale
Nixon, Pat – Wife of former President Richard Nixon (37th President)
Nixon Cox, Tricia — Daughter of Richard Nixon (37th President)
Nixon Eisenhower, Julie — Daughter of Richard Nixon (37th President)
Obama, Malia and Sasha - Daughter of Michelle and Barack Obama (44th President)
Quayle, Marilyn — Wife of Former VP, Dan Quayle
Reagan, Nancy — Wife of Ronald Reagan (40th President)
Rodham Clinton, Hillary — US Senator & Wife of Bill Clinton (42nd President)
Wilson, Edith – Former First Lady, wife of Woodrow Wilson

GOVERNMENT

Albright, Madeleine — former US Secretary of State
Babbitt, Hattie — former US Ambassador, Organization of American States
Barshefsky, Charlene — US Trade Representative
Boggs, Corrinne C. — US Ambassador to the Vatican
Browner, Carol — former Administrator—Environmental Protection Agency
Collins, Martha Layne – former Governor of Kentucky
Coone, Jane — former US Ambassador to Bangladesh
Fenwick, Millicent — former US Representative to UN Food & Agriculture Org
Ferraro, Geraldine – former House Representative for New York and VP candidate
Grasso, Ella – former Governor of Connecticut
Herman, Alexis M. — former US Secretary of Labor
Hills, Carla — US Trade Representative
Kassenbaum, Nancy – Senator from Kansas
Kirkpatrick, Jeanne — Former US Ambassador to the United Nations
Klimova, Rita — US Ambassador, Czech & Slovah Federal Republic
Mink, Patsy – US House Representative from Hawaii
Mosley-Braun, Carol – former Senator for Illinois
Mikulski, Barbara – US Senator, Maryland
Ray, Dixie Lee – former Governor of Washington, Chair of the Atomic Energy Commission
Reno, Janet — former US Attorney General
Richardson, Margaret M. — Commissioner—IRS
Schroeder, Pat – first woman congressional representative for Colorado
Shalala, Donna — former US Secretary of Health and Human Service
Sauve, Jean — Former Governor-General of Canada
Swift, Jane – former Governor of Massachusetts

HEALTH, SCIENCE & TECH

Brothers, Joyce, Dr. — Psychologist; Radio & TV Personality
Bodar, Roberta — 1st. Canadian woman in space
Collins, Brenda — Child Psychologist
Collins, Lt Col Eileen — 1st Woman Space Shuttle Commander Astronaut
Davis, Jan — Astronaut
Fisher, Anna, Dr. — Astronaut
Hughes Fulford, Millie, Dr. — Former Astronaut; Head of Research Lab
Jemison, Mae — Astronaut
Jernigan, Tamara, Dr. — Astronaut
Resnick, Judith — Astronaut
Ride, Sally, Dr. – Astronaut, first woman in Space
Rosenweig, Cynthia — NASA Research Scientist
Seddon, Rhea, Dr. — Astronaut
Sharman, Helen — First British woman in space
Sullivan, Kathryn, Dr. — Astronaut
Thornton, Kathryn, Dr. — Astronaut

JUDGES

Day O'Connor, Sandra — Associate Justice, US Supreme Court

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Berry, Linda — FBI Agent
Walls, Juanita — FBI Agent
Watson, Elizabeth — Houston Police Chief

MEDIA

Braver, Rita — Correspondent, CBS News
Chen, Joie –CNN reporter
Couric, Kathleen — Anchorwoman, "Today Show"
DelBarco, Mandelitte — News Broadcaster, National Public Radio
George, Phyllis — '71 Miss America, Program Host for PAX—TV
Hopkins, Jan — Anchor, CNN Financial News
Jones, Star — Co—host, "The View", ABC—TV
Moriarty, Erin — TV Reporter, CBS "48Hours"
Norville, Deborah — Host of "Inside Edition"
Pauley, Jane — TV reporter, "Dateline"
Savage, Terry — Columnist, TV Talk Show Host
Shipman, Claire — White House Correspondent, NBC News
Sweeney, Anne — President, Disney/ABC Cable Network
Walters, Barbara — Anchorwoman of ABC "20/20"
Wafts, Rolanda — Former Television Talk Show Host
Woodruff, Judy — Anchor & Senior Correspondent, CNN

MILITARY

Allison, Jacqueline — Rear Admiral/Navy
Edmunds, Jeanette — Colonel, US Army War Reserve
Elliot, Carol C. — Brigadier General, USAF
Engel, Joan — Rear Admiral, Director, Health & Safety
Fishburne, Lillian — Rear Admiral/Navy
Frost, Kathy — The Adjutant General of the Army
Johnson, Joyce — Rear Admiral, Director, Health & Safety
McGann, Barbara — Rear Admiral/Navy
Paige, Kathleen K — RADM, VSN
Stierle, Linda — Brigadier General
Widnall, Sheila — US Secretary of Air Force——retired
Williamson, Myrna, Gen. — Retired Army General

PERFORMING ARTS

Anderson, Melissa Sue – Actress (Little House on the Prairie)
Anderson, Marion— Singer
Arroyo, Martina — Soproano
Ball, Lucille – Comedienne
Bergen, Candace – Actress (Murphy Brown and Boston Legal)
Bergen, Polly – Actress
Black, Shirley Temple – Actress and US Ambassador
Carey, Mariah — Singer
Carlisle, Kitty — Actress
Carter, Lynda – Actress (Wonder Woman)
Peggy Cass – Actress
Chafee, Susy — Entertainer
Danner, Blythe — Actress
Davis, Bette – Actress
Dee, Sandra — Actress
Dion, Celine —Singer
Fisher, Carrie — Actress, Author (Star Wars trilogy)
George, Phyllis – Actress
Hayes, Helen — Actress
Holm, Celeste — Actress
Kain, Karen – Prima ballerina
Kelly, Grace – Actress
Lamour, Dorothy – Actress
Lewis, Shari — Puppeteer
Lucci, Susan – Actress (All my Children)
Merchant, Natalie — Singer
Norman, Jessye — Opera Singer
Reynolds, Debbie — Actress
Rivera, Chita — Actress
Shore, Dinah – Actress
Star, Brenda — Singer
Stewart, Martha — TV Personality; Martha Stewart Living
Thomas, Marlo — Actress
Tiegs, Cheryl — Model
Turner, Kathleen – Actress (Romancing the Stone, War of the Roses…)
Tyler Moore, Mary – Actress (Mary Tyler Moore Show)
Warwick, Dionne — Singer

PUBLISHING

Arias, Anna Marie — Assoc Editor, Hispanic magazine
Edwards, Virginia — Editor, Education Week, and President, Editorial Projects in Education
Eng, Phoebe — Publisher, "A" Magazine
Fiore, Mary — Managing Editor, "Good Housekeeping" magazine
Moore, Ann — Publisher, "People" magazine
Taylor, Susan — Editor—in—Chief, "Essence" Magazine
Wolf, Wendy — Senior Editor, Harper Collins
Ying, Mildred — Food Editor, "Good Housekeeping" magazine

SPORTS

Ackerman, Valede — Women's National Basketball
Bell, Judy — Former President, US Golf Association; amateur golfer
Blair, Bonnie — '94 Gold Olympian Speed Skater
Caponi, Donna — Golfer
Chaffee, Suzy — Skier; World Freestyle Skiing Champion, 1971—73
DeFrantz, Anita — Attorney, Int'l Olympic Committee; '76 rowing bronze
Evans, Janet — '92 800m freestyle gold medallist
Fawcett, Joy – US World Cup Team 1999
Fleming, Peggy — '68 figure skating gold Olympian
Griffith-Joyner, Florence – Olympic gold medalist
Hamill, Dorothy — '76 figure skating gold Olympian
Green, Tina Sloan — President, Black Women Sports
Joyner—Kersee, Jacqueline — '88 Long Jump Gold Olympian
Lobo, Rebecca — WNBA Basketball Player
Lopez, Nancy — Pro—golfer
MacMillan, Shannon — Women's World Cup Member
Marquis, Gail — Olympic Basketball Medalist; basketball commentator
McPeak, Holly — Beach Pro Volleyball
McTiernan, Kerri—Ann — 1st woman coach men's basketball
Powell, Renee — 1st African American Golf Player on LPGA
Richardson, Donna —Fitness Expert
Redman, Susie — Pro—golfer
Rigby—Mason, Cathy — Olympic Gymnast & TV Commentator
St. John Deane, Bonnie — Paralympic Snow Skiing Medalist
St. James, Lyn — Auto Racing; '92 Indy 500 "Rookie of the Year"
Thompson, Jenny — '96 Gold Olympian Swimmer
Williams, Venus – Tennis Pro
Vanderveer, Tara — Women's Basketball

WRITERS/AUTHORS

Bombeck Erma, Author
Bloodworth—Thomason, Linda — Writer, TV Producer
Dove, Rita — '93 US Poet Laureate
Landers, Ann — Advice Columnist
Steinem, Gloria — Author
VanBuren, Abigail – Advice Columnist
Viorst, Judith — Author of Poetry Collections, children books

OTHER

Bourke-White, Margaret – Photographer
Brandon, Barbara — Cartoonist
Elizabeth II – Queen of Great Britain
Gist, Carole — 1st African-American Miss USA
Goodman, Linda — Astrologer
Guisewaite, Cathy –Cartoonist
Princess Anne – Olympian and President of Save the Children
Princess Margaret – former princess of Great Britain, charity worker
Whitestone, Heather — Miss America, '95