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West Sacramento Sun

Girl Scouts Take on Gender Gap

May 11, 2022 12:00AM ● By Girl Scouts Heart of Central California News Release

Girl Scouts smile and laugh during the 2019 Outdoor Adventure Campout. All photos courtesy of Girl Scouts Heart of Central California

Girl Scouts Take on Gender Gap [5 Images] Click Any Image To Expand

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) — Girl Scouts Heart of Central California aimed to crush the outdoor gender gap on April 23 and 24, when nearly 600 girls and 260 adult volunteers in an 18-county region descend on Lake Camanche to learn or improve their skills in archery, fishing, paddling, and horseback riding. 

The Outdoor Adventure Campout is an overnight camping experience, April 23-24, for Girl Scouts in grades K-12. Participants choose from one of four “trails,” to focus their weekend on fishing, horses, paddling, or target sports. All girls will be able to hone their outdoor survival skills, climb a rock wall, swim in a lake, camp with their troop, and learn more about nature. 

According to the 2021 Outdoor Participation Trends Report, funded by the Outdoor Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Outdoor Industry Association, 2021 had the highest rate of American participation in outdoor activities on record, largely due to COVID-19. However, nearly half of the U.S. population did not share in the positive health outcomes of the outdoors. In addition, female participation in outdoor activities remained stagnant at just 46%, despite the fact 51% of the U.S. population is female. The study also revealed an extreme lack of diversity in outdoor activities, with nearly 75% of outdoor participants identifying as white.

At Girl Scouts, we believe girls are forces of nature, and they were meant for outdoor adventures. GSHCC is dedicated to supporting year-round outdoor experiences because every outdoor adventure grows a Girl Scout’s “I’ve got this” attitude. And once they unlock that confidence, they’ll aim as high as the stars they see outside their tents.

The inaugural Outdoor Adventure Campout occurred in 2019 with 600 total participants, including adult volunteers. Out of concern for the health and safety of girls and volunteers, events in 2020 and 2021 were conducted virtually, and girls camped in their backyards and living rooms.

“We are thrilled to see a 40% participation increase from the 2019 Outdoor Adventure Campout,” said GSHCC CEO Dr. Linda E. Farley. “We are even more thrilled to bring this in-person event back to girls in Central California. It is absolutely essential to us that girls have a safe place to get outside, try new activities, and feel supported by their peers and the adults around them.”

To learn more about the amazing opportunities Girl Scouts offers, or to learn more about volunteering, visit www.girlscoutshcc.org


Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends.  Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscoutshcc.org.