Columbia

Girl Scout Troops to Sell Cookies to Support Entrepreneurship Training

COLUMBIA, Md. (August 29, 2019)—TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announces Violet Apple, Girl Scouts of Central Maryland CEO, to speak at the Entrepreneur Expo. Girl Scouts focuses on empowering girls to become leaders in their community and helps girls develop skills in entrepreneurship through participation in the largest girl-led business, the Girl Scout Cookie Sale. Also exhibiting at TEDCO’s Entrepreneur Expo will be a Girl Scouts troop selling cookies to showcase the skills learned in the program. These cookie entrepreneurs are gaining essential skills through teamwork, problem solving, money management and building the confidence needed to become innovative and thriving future leaders. 

Violet Apple "Girl Scouts continues to be a pipeline for developing women leaders -- in government, in STEM, in business, and a host of other fields," said Violet Apple, Girl Scouts of Central Maryland CEO.

For years the Girl Scouts have encouraged the entrepreneurial spirit, but it is now offering more badges that focus on Cybersecurity and Space Science (https://www.girlscouts.org/en/press-room/press-room/news-releases/2019/girl-scouts-launches-42-new-badges.html). The cybersecurity badges, funded by Palo Alto Networks, were developed to encourage girls to understand the importance of cybersecurity, computer technology and to teach concepts of safety and protection of the technology used every day. In fact, 250 Girl Scouts in central Maryland will participate in a hands-on Cyber Challenge activity, created and hosted by Raytheon in October. The space science badges, funded by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and led by the SETI Institute, allows girls to learn more about the universe and the career opportunities in space science.

Julie Lenzer One of TEDCO’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Task Force members, Julie Lenzer will facilitate the fireside chat with Apple. Lenzer is a major supporter of the Maryland entrepreneurial ecosystem and the Girl Scouts’ mission. The discussion will be centered on how the Girl Scouts programs have found success in encouraging young women to become successful entrepreneurs and plans for the organizations new initiatives in creating the cybersecurity and space science badges. 

“Empowering girls in STEM and business leadership is not just a nice thing to do, it’s an imperative,” said Julie Lenzer, chief innovation officer at the University of Maryland and treasurer of the board of the Girl Scouts. “As we work to increase diversity and inclusion in our companies and ecosystems, we can learn a lot from the evolution of this organization.”

Learn more about TEDCO's 2019 Entrepreneur Expo at https://www.tedcomd.com/tedcoexpo

About TEDCO
TEDCO provides resources and connections that early stage technology and life sciences companies need to thrive in Maryland. TEDCO’s mission is to discover, invest in, and help build great Maryland-based companies. Learn more at www.tedcomd.com.

About Girl Scouts (GSUSA)
GSUSA is 2.5 million strong—more than 1.7 million girls and 750,000 adults who believe in the power of every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ to change the world. Our extraordinary journey began more than 100 years ago with the original G.I.R.L., Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low. On March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, she organized the very first Girl Scout troop, and every year since, we’ve honored her vision and legacy, building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. 

Girl Scouts of Central Maryland provides leadership development programs for over 20,000 girls in grades K-12 residing in Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties. Girl Scouts is the best leadership organization for girls teaching them skills they will use throughout their lives. To learn more visit gscm.org.

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About TEDCO

TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, enhances economic empowerment growth through the fostering of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. TEDCO identifies, invests in, and helps grow technology and life science-based companies in Maryland. Learn more at www.tedcomd.com.

Media Contact
Tammi Thomas, Chief Development & Marketing Officer, TEDCO, tthomas@tedcomd.com