Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i launches statewide drive to reach every public elementary school

Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i is undertaking an ambitious membership drive aimed at doubling participation.

The organization — which supports more than 4,000 girl and adult members statewide, building girls of courage, confidence and character — set a goal to establish a new troop on every public elementary school campus in the islands to bring the proven benefits of Girl Scouting to even more girls.

Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi beginning in August will fund trained facilitators to lead troops in close geographic regions throughout the state, each serving about 10 troops and 150 girls.

This approach expands upon a successful model already in place at 25 Title I schools, blending the traditional volunteer-led structure with professional staff support to remove barriers to participation.

“Every year we have a long waitlist of girls who want to become Girl Scouts, but no nearby troop to place them and no volunteer willing to lead a new troop,” said Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi Chief Executive Officer Kanoe Nāone in an annoucement about the initiative. “This model ensures that every school that says yes to Girl Scouts will have a troop — guaranteed.”

Girls will have access to a wide range of experiences from coding workshops or environmental stewardship projects to financial literacy through the Girl Scout Cookie Program and cultural learning rooted in Hawaiian values.

Girl Scouts are empowered to grow into confident, capable leaders — whether they’re learning how to paddleboard on Maui, build a robot on O‘ahu, build a fire at camp on the Big Island or kui a lei on Moloka‘i

The initiative covers Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Lāna‘i, Moloka‘i, Maui and Hawai‘i Island.

Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi is looking for candidates and hiring 12 full-time staff:

• Two on Mau.
• Three on Hawai‘i Island.
• One on Kaua‘i.
• Six on O‘ahu.

More staff will be added if additional schools join the effort.

Girls who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals will receive full scholarships that include membership fees, uniforms, badges and camp opportunities at no cost.

“Girl Scout membership has declined nationwide over the past two decades, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic,” Nāone said. “But we believe Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i has the answer. Think of it like Blockbuster versus Netflix — it’s time to evolve and meet families where they are understanding that in Hawai‘i the majority of families need two incomes and don’t have a lot of free time to volunteer.”

Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi remains committed to its traditional troop structure, where a parent typically serves as troop leader; however, this hybrid model offers a solution for schools and families without an available volunteer.

Each troop will still need a volunteer cookie manager and treasurer, but those roles require significantly less time and make participation more accessible..

If all 189 public elementary schools statewide agree to host a troop on campus, Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi is ready to expand staffing and resources so every girl in in the islands who wants to join can be a Girl Scout — with the opportunity for leadership development; hands-on science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning; cultural education; and outdoor adventure.

Visit the Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi website to learn more about the organization and what it offers or to support the new initiative.