Community workshop to spotlight challenges facing Florida Girls

Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida and the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County will co-host a free community workshop, to share findings from the State of the Florida Girl, a comprehensive study examining the critical challenges confronting girls across the state on Thursday, October 16, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Mandel Public Library, 411 Clematis St. in West Palm Beach.

The powerful workshop will feature a keynote presentation by Elle Harrigan, Chief Advancement Officer for Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, followed by a panel discussion. Panelists include Karen Brill, Chair of the Palm Beach County School Board; Annie McGrath, League member, educator and Miss South Florida Fair 2025; and a Girl Scout from Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida.

Addressing key areas such as mental and social wellness, physical health and academic performance, the report highlights the importance of equipping girls with the resources and opportunities that will enable them to thrive.

The State of the Florida Girl Report spotlights several key areas:

Emotional Wellness:

• 52% of high school girls in Florida report feeling sad or hopeless for two or more weeks in a row, reflecting a 40% increase in depression over the past decade. Additionally, 1 in 4 girls seriously considered attempting suicide, showing a troubling rise of more than 60% in the last 10 years.

Academic Performance:

• 1 in 8 girls miss school due to feeling unsafe, with girls 1.5 times more likely than boys to stay home after experiencing bullying. Further, twice as many girls as boys are victims of cyberbullying, illustrating the significant online safety challenges girls face.

Physical Health:

• 36% of girls believe they are overweight, despite only 32% meeting the medical definition of being overweight or obese, indicating a widespread issue with body image. Additionally, poor body image is most pronounced among Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI) girls, among whom 32% describe themselves as overweight, even though only 14% meet medical criteria for this term.

In addition to these statistics, the report further examines pressing challenges confronting Florida’s girls, such as exposure to violence, barriers to health insurance and the growing rates of youth homelessness.

“These findings reveal the critical need for action, open dialogue and collaborative problem-solving,” said Elle Harrigan, Chief Advancement Officer of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. “Our girls are navigating pressures that impact their mental health, academic success and physical confidence. This workshop will bring our community together to talk about real solutions that can change the trajectory for girls across Florida.”

The good news is that Girl Scouts of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida provides a safe, supportive environment for girls providing them with opportunities and experiences they deserve to grow into successful, healthy, well-adjusted young women ready to lead life with confidence. Programming is designed to support girls at every stage of their developmental journey.

The workshop is free and open to the public. To learn more and register, visit http://bit.ly/474fewC.

About Girl Scouts

We are the preeminent leadership development organization for girls who believe that every girl can be a go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, and leader with the power to change the world. More than any other organization in our community, Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida empowers girls ages 5 to 17 with vision and voice—girls who command their future, engage their communities, and inspire others. We offer every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida serves more than 6,900 girls in Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee Counties. To explore opportunities to volunteer or partner with Girl Scouts, call 561-427-0177 or visit www.gssef.org.

League of Women Voters: The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization committed to empowering voters and defending democracy. Through comprehensive voter education and inclusive candidate forums, the League ensures that individuals have the tools and access they need to make informed decisions — without endorsing or opposing any political party or candidate. For more information, visit www.lwvpbc.org.

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