Tenisha Malcolm-Wint, Vice President of External Affairs, Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey

When the final school bell rings, learning doesn't have to end. For many girls, some of the most meaningful opportunities to discover who they are, build friendships, and develop confidence happen after the school day is over.

The annual Lights On Afterschool initiative, organized by the Afterschool Alliance, shines a spotlight on the important role afterschool programs play in supporting children, working families, and communities. That message matters year-round: continued investment is essential to keeping these opportunities available and accessible.

These opportunities should be part of how we invest in young people, not optional extras. School districts, policymakers, and community partners have a shared responsibility to sustain quality afterschool programs and expand access to the girls who need them.

At Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey (GSHNJ), we see that impact firsthand.

For more than a century, Girl Scouts has been committed to building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. While our traditional troop model remains central to our mission, we also recognize that reaching more girls

means meeting them where they are. And where better than in the schools they attend every day?

Since launching our first school-based partnership in Newark in Membership Year 2022, we have expanded this work to Orange and previously partnered with Plainfield. These partnerships bring the Girl Scout Leadership Experience directly into school communities, creating opportunities for girls who might otherwise face barriers to participating in traditional troops, including transportation, family schedules, and financial circumstances.

From Membership Year 2022 through Membership Year 2026, these partnerships have served 3,031 individual girls and 234 adult leaders across all participating communities.

Beyond the numbers are girls learning to solve problems, explore STEM, serve their communities, and discover their leadership potential. Just as importantly, they are doing so in supportive environments where they feel a sense of belonging.

For a girl whose family cannot arrange transportation to another location, a troop at school can make participation possible. For a girl unsure of her abilities, a chance to try something new with encouragement from a trusted adult can help her take the next step. Investing in access means making these everyday opportunities available to more girls.

The data reinforces why these opportunities matter.

The 2025 New Jersey Girl Report, developed by New Jersey's four Girl Scout councils, highlights some concerning realities facing girls across our state:

· One in two high school girls demonstrates signs of depression.

· Nearly three out of four high school girls report that they cannot talk with an adult about their feelings.

· One in three girls has experienced at least one adverse childhood experience.

· One in four middle school girls reports using a controlled substance.

These findings underscore the need for safe spaces, trusted adults, positive relationships, and meaningful opportunities for girls beyond the classroom.

The report also highlights the positive impact of Girl Scouting: 92% of Girl Scouts surveyed in New Jersey say they feel a sense of belonging, while 82% say their troop leader helps them think about their future.

These are more than statistics. They remind us that girls need consistent investments in their well-being, development, and potential.

Schools are trusted anchors in our communities, making them natural partners in this work. By collaborating with school districts, educators, families, and community organizations, we can provide experiences that complement academic learning while supporting girls' social, emotional, and leadership development.

I am especially grateful to our school district partners in Newark and Orange for recognizing the value of this work and making space for Girl Scouts in their school communities. I also acknowledge the partnership we previously shared with Plainfield. These relationships reflect a shared commitment to investing in the whole child.

But gratitude for where we are today should not prevent us from asking what more is possible.

We must sustain what is working while expanding access to quality afterschool programming. That requires continued investments from school districts, dedicated resources, strong community partnerships, and a commitment to ensuring enrichment opportunities are not treated as optional extras, particularly in communities where access remains limited. When these opportunities are reduced or disappear, the need for them does not. Families are left to navigate the gap, and some girls may lose access altogether.

As a proud member of the New Jersey School-Age Child Care Coalition (NJSACC) advocacy committee, I have represented Girl Scouts and have engaged in efforts to elevate the importance of afterschool and out-of-school time programming. This work has reinforced my belief that policymakers, school leaders, nonprofit organizations, and families must advocate collectively for sustained investments.

GSHNJ is eager to expand school-based Girl Scouting into additional districts throughout our council's footprint, opening doors for more girls to experience mentorship, entrepreneurship, STEM exploration, community service, and leadership development.

I urge school superintendents, boards of education, district administrators, and policymakers to make afterschool access a priority in their planning and funding decisions. Start by identifying which students have access to enrichment, where gaps remain, and what resources and partnerships could help close them.

For district leaders interested in bringing Girl Scouting to their schools, I invite you to contact GSHNJ to discuss your students' needs and explore what a school-based partnership could look like. For districts already offering these opportunities, let's work together to sustain them and reach more girls.

Businesses, foundations, community organizations, and individuals also have a role to play. Financial support, volunteers, and community partnerships can help make expanded access possible and support the long-term strength of these programs.

When we invest in girls beyond the school bell, we are doing more than filling a few hours in their day. We are helping them discover their potential, find their voices, and develop the courage and confidence to lead.

Let's keep the lights on, the doors open, and the opportunities growing for girls across New Jersey.

Tenisha Malcolm-Wint serves as Vice President of External Affairs at Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey, leading advocacy, government relations, strategic partnerships, and community engagement. GSHNJ serves more than 13,000 youth members from kindergarten through 12th grades across Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Somerset, Union, southern Warren, and parts of Middlesex counties and operates service centers in North Branch and Westfield, the Girl Scout Leadership Center in Newark, Camp Hoover in Middleville, Camp DeWitt in Hillsborough, and The OVAL in Maplewood.

To discuss bringing school-based Girl Scouting to your district, supporting expanded access, or ways to support the mission, contact Tenisha Malcolm-Wint at tmalcolm@gshnj.org. Learn more about Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey at www.gshnj.org. Learn more about the New Jersey Girl Report at www.newjerseygirlscouts.org