Neighbor News
Panelists Announced for Girl Scout Speaker Series
Last panel discussion on the state of girls to be held at ECSU on October 1.
Girl Scouts of Connecticut is hosting The State of Girls Speaker Series at Eastern Connecticut State University on Wednesday, October 1, featuring moderated conversations among local experts on the state of girls today. This is the last panel in a series of five, generously sponsored by First Niagara Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable foundation funded by First Niagara Bank.
The Speaker Series will focus on a groundbreaking report recently released by the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) entitled “The State of Girls: Unfinished Business.” While overall, there is good news for girls, many girls have fewer experiences with leadership in volunteerism, community service, school sports and government, and neighborhood and social activism.
Connecticut’s girls are also doing well – ranking sixth out of 50 states on an overall index of well-being. However, there is still work to be done as 37 percent of girls are proficient or above in eighth grade math, which is a number that must improve. A panel of experts will discuss this research as well as community solutions that can be implemented to help move the needle and finish the job for girls’ empowerment everywhere.
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The event will be held from 5:30 – 7 p.m. Chion Wolf, Producer/Announcer for WNPR, will act as emcee for the event. Panelists include:
• Maryam Elahi, President and CEO, Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut
• Ruth Freeman, LCSW, Positive Parenting CT
• Liz Schmitt, Director of Enrollment Management, Miss Porter’s School
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“We are pleased to introduce our outstanding emcee and speakers for our Speaker Series panel discussion at ECSU,” said Mary Barneby, CEO, Girl Scouts of Connecticut. “These experts will present compelling information about the state of girls today, and how everyone can be a part of our mission – to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.”
The public is welcome to attend, but must register in advance. For more information about The State of Girls Speaker Series, to submit questions for panelists, or to register, visit www.gsofct.org/pages/SpeakerSeries.php. For more information about Girl Scouts of Connecticut, visit www.gsofct.org.
