Meeting Notes - October 11, 2013

During this meeting, we began work on our Brownie Quest.  We discussed some of the things that makes each of us special and unlocked the first key on the first step of our Quest - Discovering Ourselves.  We then did a scavenger hunt to find clues to the second key - Discovering Our Values.  We discussed the values (things we think are important and that we try to live by) of the Girl Scout Law and gave examples of each.  The girls brought home a Family Star project to work on this week that will help them to unlock the third key.....stay tuned to find out what it is!

We also celebrated the International Day of the Girl by discussing the importance of education for girls.

• Globally, 66 million girls are out of school.  (UNICEF)
• There are 33 million fewer girls than boys in primary school.  (Education First)
• Girls with 8 years of education are 4 times less likely to be married as children.  (National Academies Press)
• A girl born to a literate mother is 50% more likely to survive past the age of 5.  (UNESCO)
• Educated mothers are more than twice as likely to send their children to school.  (UNICEF)
• School is not free in over 50 countries.  (UNESCO)
• A girl on planet earth has a 1 in 4 chance of being born into poverty.  (The World Bank)
• A girl with an extra year of education can earn 20% more as an adult.  (The World Bank)

We read Beatrice's Dream: A Story of Kibera Slum by Karen Lynn Williams, which is the story of an orphaned girl in Nairobi and what she has to go through in order to get an education.

Our Photo Journalist for this meeting, Emma, captured some images from the evening.