Girl Scouts learned to ‘use their voices to make change’ during this citywide program

They’re not 18 yet, but a group of metro-area Girl Scouts is preparing for when they do get the opportunity to vote. A recent Voter Girl Project program held in Olathe combined the efforts of local election officials, politicians, the Girls Scouts and the League of Women Voters to help the girls earn their democracy badges.

Three different chapters of the League of Women Voters contributed to the program, bringing together the Johnson County, Topeka/Shawnee County and Jackson/Clay/Platte County groups. The Dole Institute of Politics also joined in to help girls learn about how the government works.

“Ultimately what we’re trying to do is just show girls their voice matters, what happens when you use your voice, what happens when you work together and showing them really cool women who are already serving their community, their state and their government,” said Gina Garvin chief brand and marketing officer for the Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri.

Daisies, Brownies and Juniors — an age group spanning from kindergarten to fifth grade — all came to get an idea of how the election process works and who does what in local, state and federal government.

“It felt good. You got to decide and vote on what you actually wanted to do in the world,” said Geneva Cuzzort, 11, of Lee’s Summit

This is the second year they’ve held the workshop locally. Guest speakers included Karen Arnold-Burger, chief judge of the Kansas Court of Appeals; Ryana Parks-Shaw, a Kansas City councilwoman; and Fred Sherman, Johnson County Election Board commissioner.

One major focus of the program is to spotlight as role models women who are in a variety of government positions.

Seeing the female guest speakers “felt good, because it doesn’t have to be boys only. Soon, we’re going to have a girl president,” said Ramsey Coleman, 8, of Lenexa.

Being a judge sounded like a tough job to Ramsey, because “having to sit there and actually listen to other people — that seems really hard.”

In the different segments, girls discussed things like who makes a law and how different parts of the government enforce it.

Juniors made their own bills, taking them through committees, then presenting them to the group and voting on them. A bill to change the time of year for cookie-selling died in committee, but they did approve one on being kind and accepting others.

Brownies read through a scripted play about establishing a state fruit in the legislature to get an idea of how the process would work and who is responsible for each step.

The day culminated in a mock election for each level of Girl Scouts. Daisies voted for ice cream versus cookies, Brownies picked their favorite state symbol and Juniors weighed in on whether local city vehicles should all be electric by 2030.

The program steered clear of any partisan issues, focusing more on process.

“This is about girls knowing whatever their voice is, it matters,” Garvin said. “It doesn’t matter what political side that is. Girls and women need to use their voices to make change and to vote.”

And it’s not just the girls who learn at this program. Last year, “what was remarkable about that was the guardians who came with the scouts said they learned a lot about the process,” said Janet Milkovich, president of the League of Women Voters of Johnson County.

She hopes the girls take away knowledge of the importance of the different branches of government and the checks and balances system as well as the idea that they could serve in public office themselves.

This story was originally published February 10, 2023 at 6:00 AM.