Gamma Sigma Delivers Life-Changing Opportunities

“This neighborhood is 10 minutes away from one of the largest universities in Texas. Many kids who grow up here only know the few blocks surrounding their home and?school. They don’t go downtown regularly. They rarely visit our museums,?the nature center, or the botanical garden. They don’t know the university is for them,” says Jose Carrasco, Director of Austin Voices for Education and Youth Family Resource Center at Dobie Middle School in Austin.

As the campus sponsor for Girl Scouts’ Gamma Sigma, a college readiness-focused Girl Scouting program, Jose gets excited because he knows Girl Scouts on his campus can own their educational growth and understand the value of the college-bound path. “We’re not just showing them the different doors available to them. We’re opening the doors, showing them ‘here’s what you can expect,’ we’re saying, ‘here’s what it takes to get there,’” says Jose.

Attending a magnate school across town, Gamma Sigma Girl Scout Margareth C. M. noticed a different level of college knowledge among her peers. “I have no idea what I’m doing. The kids at my school are involved in so many extracurriculars and take extra classes for college prep. This is very common, but I’d never even heard of these things. They get so many resources and so, so much help. Me and my friends in my neighborhood don’t.”

That’s a gap Gamma Sigma troop leader Irma Castanon is helping to fill. “Education is the key to everything. If you have a great education, it will open many doors for you. Most of the girls in this troop will be the first generation to go to college,” says Irma. In Gamma Sigma, Girl Scouts gain confidence that college is an opportunity for them. They visit nearby colleges, fill their college resumes with leadership and community service, explore different career opportunities, and gain support in the college application process. The end goal? Helping every Gamma Sigma member understand her options and choose her own path.

“You don’t have a choice when you don’t know your options. We should have a choice to go to college,” says Margareth. At Girl Scouts of Central Texas, we're working to give more girls that choice.

Meet Margareth and see Gamma Sigma in action.

Support Gamma Sigma troops like Margareth's with a gift this season, or reach out to [email protected] to learn more about how you can make a sustained impact in our community by supporting Girl Scouts of Central Texas.