“And though she be but little, she is fierce.”

William Shakespeare

Calling All Girl Bosses was developed by the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania as a blueprint to give Philadelphia, Allentown and Reading girls in grades six to 12 the skills they need to identify a community problem and take action to find a solution. Driven by passion, determination and a desire to make the world a better place, girls discover their ability to make real sustainable changes.

The term “community” can mean a local neighborhood, or the global community. Girls, each changing the world in a small way, can have a marvelous cumulative effect for the betterment of society.

Between September 2025 through May 2026, the girls will attend 12 three-hour workshops held on Saturdays in their community. The free program is open to all girls entering grades six to 12 who live, attend school, or are part of a Girl Scout troop that meets in Philadelphia, Allentown or Reading. Participants do not need to be a current Girl Scout or have previous Girl Scouting experience. In between workshops, girls work independently or with a group to design and implement a Take Action project that addresses a community issue by tackling the factors that cause or contribute to it. Through their work, girls will also have the opportunity to earn the Girl Scout Gold or Silver Award – the highest awards in Girl Scouting.

Calling All Girl Bosses began as a pilot program in Philadelphia during the 2024-25 school year. Its success led to expansion into Allentown and Reading for the 2025-26 school year. The workshop location in Allentown is at One City Center, in the Innovation Space. Free transportation for girls is provided by EverDriven, which features a VIP app for live location tracking. Healthy, substantial lunches are also provided to workshop participants.

Girls learn valuable skills in organization, research, leadership, budgeting, communication, critical thinking and problem-solving, as their confidence grows. While their project and the program may seem daunting, a carefully crafted 130-page handbook, with guidelines, forms, templates, explanations and examples, sets them on course to see the project to completion.

Equally important to the program are the volunteers, mentors, advisers, and subject matter experts who provide needed information, contacts and encouragement to achieve a successful goal.

The 2025-26 timeline is:

SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER: Explore potential Take Action project ideas

OCTOBER–NOVEMBER: Begin developing and drafting a proposal

NOVEMBER–DECEMBER: Finalize and submit a proposal for review and gather feedback. Expect to receive questions and suggestions to make the project even better. This input will help get ready and make sure everything goes smoothly.

JANUARY–FEBRUARY: Make revisions based on feedback.

FEBRUARY–APRIL: Implement the Take Action project and carry out the plan. It’s possible that the team will run into problems or need help. The Project Advisor, team, GSEP staff, and Highest Award Coaches are available for support.

MAY: Submit a final report and complete the project. Educate and inspire. Tell the story and share the results.

For more information on the Calling All Girl Bosses program, visit the website at https://www.gsep.org/en/get-involved/calling-all-girl-bosses.html.