They still sell cookies, earn badges and go on campouts, but like most other traditions, Girl Scouts has begun to evolve with the times in an effort to stay relevant.

The uniforms have changed, and the structure of the organization has changed, through a realignment that consolidated most of its smaller councils into larger regional councils in an effort to cut costs and shake up the old model.

The Kansas City council merged with the Topeka and St. Joseph councils last July to form the Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri, a group that boasted 26,576 members last year.

But the most important change brewing in the organization, said Gina Garvin, director of public relations and marketing for Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri, is the move toward a more flexible program in which girls can decide their level of involvement.

“For us, it’s about staying relevant,” she said. “The activities haven’t changed, but we’re looking at giving girls a chance to pick and choose. It doesn’t have to be ‘I’ll commit to an entire year.’ This way, with the flexibility, it’s a little easier, and it doesn’t have to be an either or.”

With the new system, Garvin said, girls can choose which activities they want to participate in, from horse riding to cookie sales, instead of having to be involved with everything.

The Girl Scouts are also starting to move onto the Web and embrace the electronic culture with new merit badges based online. Garvin said Girl Scouts hopes to create a stronger Web presence and eventually establish itself on the social networking scene with Web sites like Facebook and MySpace.

“We haven’t embraced those things as an organization yet, but it’s certainly a future plan,” she said. “The girls are already out there doing that advocacy work. It’s still a grassroots effort, and we don’t want to take that away from the girls; we don’t want to control any of that.”

The organization, said Mary Ellen Hughes, a volunteer and 36-year veteran of the Girl Scouts, has always been able to evolve with the times. When she was a Scout, Hughes said, the Internet wasn’t even a thought, but things have changed.

And it’s pretty obvious change is needed. Girl Scouts has seen a drop in membership as of late, Garvin said, and the organization hopes shaking things up will get girls interested again.

“If you look at trends across the country, numbers are down, but that’s why we’re doing the realignment,” she said. “We’re giving girls the opportunity not to do it the traditional way. We still have that tradition, but we’re also moving forward with what today’s girls need.”

But, regardless of the trends, Hughes said, Girl Scouts is still important and won’t be going anywhere soon.

“Every girl should be in Girl Scouts,” she said. “It really does help build girls’ strengths. Girl Scouts gives girls the ability to get up and express their opinions when they may not have done it before.”

GIRL SCOUT TROOPS

If you’re interested in participating in a Girl Scout troop near you, you can contact the Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri and apply. Unlike Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts processes applicants through its headquarters and assigns them to available troops in their area. To apply, visit its Web site at www.girlscoutsksmo.org or contact the organization by phone or mail.

Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri Headquarters

8383 Blue Parkway

Kansas City, MO 64133

Phone: 800-728-8750

Fax Number: 358-5714

Staff writer Michael Westblade can be reached at 389-6636 or michaelwestblade@npgco.com.

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