Girl Scouts of Colorado blazing trails with first-ever "Experience Center"
Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating a record-breaking donation of $2.8 million, which will help equip girls with the tools to become the next generation of powerful female leaders.
The gift is part of an $84.5 million donation, awarded to Girl Scouts of the USA and 29 out of 111 Girl Scout councils: it's from MacKenzie Scott, philanthropist, author, and ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Girl Scouts of Colorado is trying a new approach to Girl Scouting with this “experience center” – the very first in the nation in Denver’s Lowry neighborhood. The funds from Mackenzie Scott will help Girl Scout of Colorado develop additional experience centers across the state to serve girls beyond the metro Denver area.
Wearing hard hats, with renderings in hand, Girl Scouts of Colorado CEO Leanna Clark gave CBS News Colorado's Mekialaya White a look at how the organization is blazing the trail for girls across the nation.
"Girl scouting usually happens at the troop level, in parks in basements. Those places are a lot harder for girls to find and meet there in a post-COVID world, so this gives girls a place to come," said Clark.
The amenities include an indoor climbing wall, retail space, and full stage for the girls to grow their creative skills. "We're even looking at starting our own Girl Scouts of Colorado podcast," said Clark.
And among those most excited are Girl Scouts themselves, like Senior Alison Estrada.
"I've been a Girl Scout since I was in kindergarten, 10 years, so it's a pretty long time," said Estrada.
She says she thrives on the connections she makes through her troop. As a lover of STEM, she's also prepared for the future.
"It means having opportunities and values and sharing a connection with a ton of girls all over the world," Estrada said. "It taps into your full potential. It lets you be who you want to be, and if you're passionate about something you can do it with Girl Scouts."
To learn more about how to join, click here: www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org
