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On The Cover: Spring Is ComingWBy Stefanie Kalosith our recent ice storm, aren’twe ready for some beautifulweather? Spring will officially take place on March 20, 2023. Daylight savings time will take place on Sunday,March 12, 2023.BGy Sarah CarlsonThere is nothing like seeing the trees bloom, butterflies come back and our beautiful Texas blue bonnets appearing on the side of the highways.March also brings Spring Break and hopefully you will be able to take time offto enjoy a getaway with family or friends. This is also a great time to enjoy activities outside such as enjoy listening to music outside, eating, exploring parks, and taking a nice drive and enjoying all the colors of the wildflowers on our Texas highways.Take in every moment of life and treasure all the sights and sounds.Girl Scouts Celebrate 111 Year Anniversaryirl Scouts have good reason to celebrate their birthday—March 12, 1912, the day Juliette GordonLow started the organization in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia.At a time when women in the United States couldn’t yet vote and were expected to stick to strict social norms, encouraging girls to embrace their unique strengths and create their own opportunities was game- changing.Now, Girl Scouts is turning 111. It’s the first and largest girl-led organization in the world. And girls today are more empowered than ever.“I love Girl Scouts because I get to help my community and have fun,”said Kaitlyn R., of San Antonio, a Junior Girl Scout.Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas is celebrating Girl Scouts’ birthday during its monthly Second Saturday event on March 11 at the Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center. It’s a time for looking at how far the movement has come and for planning the exciting future that awaits.The history of this country for the past 111 years is intertwined with the history of Girl Scouts. From the Great Depression, when Girl Scouts participated in relief efforts by collecting clothing and food for those in need, to World War II, when Girl Scout troops operated bicycle courier services, ran Farm Aide projects, and sponsored Defense Institutes that taught women survival skills and techniques for comforting children during air raids.Girl Scouts continued to push for inclusiveness and equality, especially throughout the middle of the 20th century, and focused on helping people overcome prejudices and advocate for issues such as the environment.By the 1980s, Girl Scouts was expanding and modernizing. The types of badges and programs girls pursued evolved to include technology, a focus that remains today with STEM programming—along with a push to stay connected to nature and the great outdoors. The new millennium saw a focus on the healthy development of girls, and Girl Scouts continues to embrace girls of all backgrounds and abilities and encourage them to be their authentic selves.That movement—where every girl could unlock her full potential, find lifelong friends, and make the world a better place— has remained constant. That, and Girl ScoutGirl Scouts of Southwest Texas members—girls and volunteers—pose with CEO MajGen Angie Salinas, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), at center, at the Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center in San Antonio, Texas.A color guard leads a formation of over thirty Girl Scouts through a city street, 1920s. Courtesy Girl Scouts of the USACookies, which date back to 1917 and started being sold commercially by troops in the 1930s.Being a Girl Scout makes a difference. The Girl Scout Research Institute found in its 2021 report on alumni that participating in Girl Scouts is a powerful factor for developing courage, confidence, and character, which in turn builds a foundation for success in education and careers, enables a lifetime of leadership, and provides high levels of lifeGirl Scouts portage a canoe in 1980 - photo courtesy Girl Scouts of USAsatisfaction. Alums say being Girl Scouts set them on a path for achievement, connected them to something bigger than themselves, and helped them develop their passions and interests.Learn more about Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas and how you can be a part of the fun at www.girlscouts-swtx.org.Pictured right One Brownie whispers into the ear of another Brownie, 1963, Courtesy Girl Scouts of the USA6www.bsbhighlights.comMarch 2023