People mingle during the public opening of the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas’ “Dream Lab” in Dallas in January. The “Dream Lab” will be a place for young women to develop leadership skills and study STEM. If we want to end the cycle of poverty, getting women into STEM careers will ensure healthier incomes for families, writes Jennifer Bartkowksi.
Juan Figueroa/Staff Photographer
Texas ranks 41st in the nation for girls’ well-being.
In the nearly 10 years since the Girl Scout Research Institute last studied how Texas girls are faring across academic, physical, emotional and social well-being metrics, the data show we are continuing to fail our girls.
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Texas boasts a $2.7 trillion economy, but beneath the prosperity of our great state is a troubling reality: The girls who will become the next generation of Texas leaders are struggling.
In our new research report, The State of the Texas Girl, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas found that Texas ranks dead last among all 50 states when it comes to the physical well-being of our girls. We know that physical activity plays a part in overall well-being, and an alarming 92% of Texas girls do not get enough physical activity, with almost one-quarter of Texas girls on screens for four or more hours a day.
When it comes to reading, math and science, Texas girls rank 29th in the nation for overall academic well-being, and only 30% of 4th grade Texas girls can read proficiently.
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And the pressures girls face today extend far beyond the classroom. Nationwide, teen girls are more than twice as likely as boys to report feelings of anxiety and depression. Nearly 60% of teen girls feel persistently sad or hopeless. Data show that the systems designed to support them are not keeping pace. Texas ranks in the bottom third nationally for access to mental health care for girls.
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For those of us who work with girls, these numbers are a sobering reflection of the truth about the downward spiral of how Texas girls are doing in the face of one of the most prolific economic surges in our state.
I have had the privilege of leading Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas and speaking with girls across our region for more than 16 years. From girls who started as Brownies and are now entering the workforce, I have seen firsthand the ambitions girls bring to our communities — girls who eventually will make up nearly half the Texas economy.
Organizations like Girl Scouts exist to support the growth and aspirations of our girls. Through leadership programs, outdoor experiences, mentorship and STEM education, Girl Scouts provides spaces where girls can explore new ideas, develop leadership skills and discover their strengths. Places like our new DreamLab learning centers in southern Denton County and southern Dallas County are designed to give girls hands-on opportunities to imagine their futures in spaces free of judgement and full of mentorship.
But girl-centric youth organizations alone cannot reverse the troubling trends we see in the well-being of our girls. And if Texas wants to sustain its economic leadership, we need collective action.
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Business leaders must recognize that investing in girls is workforce development. Programs that build confidence and leadership help strengthen the talent pipeline. And if we want to end the cycle of poverty, getting women into STEM careers will ensure healthier incomes for families. Research shows that when we invest in girls, they grow up to be women who invest in families and communities.
Parents and community members must continue to step forward as mentors and volunteers. Girls need supportive adults who encourage them academically, physically and emotionally.
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Policymakers must prioritize investments in programs and services that support girls’ development, including youth leadership programs, outdoor spaces and mental health resources.
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The girls sitting in Texas classrooms today will become tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, engineers, educators and civic leaders who determine whether our state continues to thrive.
Jennifer Bartkowski is CEO of Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas which serves 19,000 girls.