HOME—US Scouting—Girl Scouts of the USA

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA)

Here are the basics about the Girl Scouts of the USA:

Girl Scouts of the USA or GSUSA (originally named the Girl Guides of America; changed to Girl Scouts of the US in 1913, and finally to Girl Scouts of the USA in 1947)
Founded on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, by Juliette Gordon "Daisy" Low
Chartered by the US Congress in 1950
Headquarters in New York City
GSUSA is the USA's only Girl Scouting/Guiding organization recognized by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (many countries have several Guiding programs).
GSUSA is divided into 111 local Councils plus a 'Girl Scouts Overseas' council referred to as USAGSO. These were consolidated from 310 previous local Councils.
GSUSA is the largest Guiding organization in the world. But their recent annual reports (latest for fiscal year ending 30 September 2023) avoid any details about membership numbers.
There is no connection between GSUSA and the BSA, unlike in many countries where Boy Scouting and Girl Guiding often have a common national organization, and often coed units as well.
GSUSA was unhappy when the BSA Explorer program went coed in 1971, and they are understandably very displeased now that all programs of Scouting America (BSA) are open to girls from Kindergarten through age 20. In 2018, GSUSA sued the BSA in a failed attempt to prevent BSA from accepting girls as Scouts.

GSUSA has six main program sections, based on grade:

Girl Scout Daisies, grades K-1, formerly called Daisy Scouts (uniform is a smock [tunic])
Girl Scout Brownies, grades 2-3, formerly called Brownies
Girl Scout Juniors, grades 4-5
Girl Scout Cadettes, grades 6-8
Girl Scout Seniors, grades 9-10
Girl Scout Ambassadors, grades 11-12

Girl Scout Promise and Law

Here are GSUSA's Girl Scout Promise and Girl Scout Law. GSUSA has taken a more liberal position on belief in God than the Boy Scouts of America, as can be seen from the official explanation of 'God' in the Promise:

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 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 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.

GSUSA's Highest Award

Unlike the well-known BSA Eagle Scout award (started in 1911), GSUSA's highest award is little known outside of Girl Scouting. Knowledge of the award by the general public has not been helped by repeated name changes since the first award was started in 1916.

But note that recipients of the Gold Award, like recipients of the Eagle Scout award, receive an automatic promotion upon enlistment (or completion of basic training) in the US military services.

Golden Eagle of Merit
1916 to 1919
(the first Girl Scout top award)
Golden Eagle of Merit Award

Golden Eaglet
1919 to 1940
Golden Eaglet Award

Curved Bar Award
1940 to 1963

First Class Award
1963 to 1980

Girl Scout
Gold Award
1980 to present
Girl Scout Gold Award

For information about the BSA, see Scouting America (BSA).

For information about girls in the BSA, see Women and Girls in all Programs of the BSA.

For information on Camp Fire and other alternatives to Scouting, see our Scout-like Organizations page.

For names and photos of the highest rank/achievement/advancement in other countries, see our Highest Rank in Scouting page.