Updated series teaches girls the financial skills they need in life
BEDFORD, NH – The success of the partnership between Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains and Fidelity Investments® to teach girls investment literacy skills has led a renewal of the program for a second year and the program’s expansion to several more Girl Scout councils around the country.
Through the “Let It Grow” Investment Patch Program, girls are unleashing their inner G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ and gaining the financial skills they need to be successful in life. Now in its second year, this innovative program will be offered to over 50,000 Girl Scouts thanks to an expansion to three additional Girl Scout councils: Southeastern New England, Kentucky’s Wilderness Road, and North Carolina Coastal Pines.
The Fidelity Investments “Let It Grow” Investment Patch Program introduces Girl Scouts to investing for their future. When girls complete the program requirements, they receive a Fidelity Investments “Let It Grow” patch. The program allows girls to grow from Daisy through Ambassador, earning a new patch bar with each age level. Girls may start earning patch bars at any age level.
The youngest Girl Scouts - Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors, in grades K-5, learn to think about and save for the future, invest in others, and invest in business. Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassador Girl Scouts, in grades 6-12, gain practical knowledge in funding a college education, and investing in a home and for retirement.
“Fidelity is thrilled to partner with Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains to continue our commitment to provide financial education to the community, said Christina Cuzzi, Senior Manager Community Relations for Fidelity Investments in Merrimack, New Hampshire. “This program creates opportunities for young women to build life-long financial confidence by establishing a solid foundation in financial literacy.”
“Fidelity’s volunteers have given their time and expertise to our Girl Scouts through the ‘Let It Grow’ patch program for the last year, and we are delighted with the feedback we are getting from girls and volunteers alike. Preparing girls for a future where they are financially savvy and confident will have a lasting and meaningful impact for them,” said Patricia Mellor, CEO of the Girl Scout council. “We are delighted that Fidelity Investments has renewed this program and invested in expanding it to include thousands more Girl Scouts. Together, we are investing in our Go-getters, Innovators, Risk-takers and Leaders.”
Employees from Fidelity mentored the girls during the 2019 pilot year partnership with Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. Girl shared that they had learned, among other things, the importance of planning and saving for their future, about building their own business and developing a business plan, about costs associated with home ownership, and how to turn their dreams and goals into reality. Girls and volunteer troop leaders appreciated hearing women talk about the opportunities available to girls and women in the financial world.
Girl Scouts is committed to offering all girls the opportunity to build their business savvy and hone their financial skills. They do so through patch programs like Let It Grow, but also through the Girl Scout Cookie Program and by earning official Girl Scout badges like Money Counts, Cookie CEO, Comparison Shopping, Business Etiquette, or Good Credit. Entrepreneurship and life skills are two of the four pillars of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, along with STEM and the outdoors. At Girl Scouts, girls have experiences that put them on a path to a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success.
The inclusive, all-female environment of Girl Scouts creates a safe space where girls can try new things, develop a range of skills, take on leadership roles, and just be themselves. With programs like the Fidelity Investments Let It Grow patch and the Girl Scout Cookie Program - the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world – Girl Scouts is preparing the next generation of female leaders who will make the world a better place.
About Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains: Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains is recognized throughout New Hampshire and Vermont as a leading expert on girls. Our Girl Scout Leadership Experience is a one-of-a-kind leadership development program for girls, with proven results. It is based on time-tested methods and research-backed programming that helps girls take the lead—in their own lives and in the world. Through our exciting and challenging programs, Girl Scouts not only participate but also take the lead in a range of activities—from kayaking, archery, and camping, to coding, robotics, financial literacy training, and beyond! Serving more than 10,000 girls throughout New Hampshire and Vermont, girls discover the fun, friendship, and power of girls together. Visit www.girlscoutsgwm.org.
