On her national radio program “Raising Godly Girls,” Founder and Executive Director of American Heritage Girls Patti Garibay recently highlighted the value of teaching girls to speak up for themselves and their beliefs despite worrying about the judgment of others.
Garibay stated, “Does your girl have strong opinions? While the media often highlights teens advocating for controversial cultural issues, Gen Z-ers are often hesitant to express firm beliefs on moral issues.
“Curious minds wonder — how can a generation fueled by the justice mindset be afraid to publicly share their beliefs? The answer: judgment.”
Garibay continued, “Young people, especially young Christians, are hyper-sensitive to appearing judgmental or intolerant. While it’s true that Jesus instructs us not to judge others, there is a difference between being judgmental and standing up for what is right. Invite your daughter into a conversation around big topics like climate change or life issues and help her find her voice. Encouraging our girls to stand up for what’s right and just is one way to prepare them to be the next generation of Christian leaders in our country.”
American Heritage Girls was founded in 1995 when Founder and Executive Director Patti Garibay became concerned with the direction the Girl Scouts of America was headed. Garibay, along with a group of concerned parents, wanted a faith-based, scout-type character development program for their daughters, and American Heritage Girls was born. Today, there are Troops in all 50 states and girls being served in 15 countries around the globe. Girls can join a Troop at any time; if a Troop is not available nearby, they can become a Trailblazer and enjoy the AHG program alongside their parent. A variety of Christian denominations are also represented as Charter Organizations for Troops. Thousands of volunteer members across the country are helping girls grow in their faith, cultivate a heart for service, enjoy the great outdoors, and have more fun than they can imagine.
At AHG, girls ages five to 18 meet together as a single Troop at the same time and then break out into Units by Levels. This gives AHG girls the important social experience of interacting with friends and godly mentors of various ages; members also learn leadership skills within a group setting. AHG Troops are located in local communities across the nation. If none exists in a given area, families can bring the AHG Program to their own area. An American Heritage Girls Troop Development Coach is available to provide resources to potential Charter Organizations and other families to form a new Troop. To hear more about the purpose, mission, and vision of AHG from Founder and Executive Director Patti Garibay, click here.
AHG’s “Raising Godly Girls” radio feature and Raising Godly Girls blog shares guidance and biblically based advice on many key topics affecting girls today — from bullying and identity to anxiety and body image issues. It gives parents, educators, and faith community leaders a set of tools, resources, and Scripture-based advice to assist in raising girls after God’s own heart.
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“Young people, especially young Christians, are hyper-sensitive to appearing judgmental or intolerant."