NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:  November 15, 2007

CONTACT:  Mary Riherd Broomfield, Marketing and Public Relations Director
                (626) 445-7771, ext. 313, mbroomfield@gsmwvc.org


  

Senior Girl Scouts Participate in
Minerva Women's Leadership Conference
Nine Senior Girl Scouts from Mt. Wilson Vista Council were among the nearly 14,000 women who gathered at the Long Beach Convention Center on October 23, 2007 for the sold-out Women’s Conference 2007, the nation’s premier forum for women.

Established more than 20 years ago as a small government initiative for professional women, California First Lady Maria Shriver has transformed the event into an iconic destination for world opinion leaders, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, visionaries, spiritual figures, authors, journalists, and women from all walks of life to realize their potential to become “architects of change.”

Lisa Karbon, a Senior Gold Award Girl Scout from Glendale, was among the delegation. "Not only did I make new friends and meet many fascinating people, but even more importantly, I had a chance to hear both extraordinary women and men speak encouraging words of advice and inspiration."

Shriver shaped this year’s conference theme – “Remarkable Lives. Remarkable Legacies. What’s Yours?” – to encourage women to consider and actively create the legacies they will leave to the world. A lineup of more than 50 world-renowned speakers shared their own thoughts on legacy creation, and offered the women in attendance the tools and resources, inspiration and motivation to look inside themselves, identify the legacies they want to leave, and commit to creating them.

The world-class roster of speakers and performers included former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Diane von Furstenberg, Vanessa Williams, Laila Ali, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Willow Bay, Dr. Martha Beck, Elizabeth Gilbert, Katharine McPhee and Joan Baez.

In its effort to touch the lives of all women, including young women, The Women’s Conference developed the Minerva Leadership Program (MLP), named after the Roman Goddess, Minerva, who graces the California State Seal.  This program seeks to fuel the souls of young women--to inspire and empower them in the spirit of Minerva to be the architects of their own lives and builders of their own legacies. Young women who have demonstrated leadership skills and a commitment to service to others are encouraged to continue on this path.

The Minerva Leadership Program is a forum for 500 young California women between the ages of 16 and 22 who have performed significant community service and have demonstrated leadership qualities in the spirit of Minerva-- wisdom, courage, and strength. MLP participants have an opportunity to learn and be inspired by Minerva Award winners and other women whose contributions have shaped and formed this extraordinary state and whose legacies are being passed on to others.

The delegation from Girl Scouts - Mt. Wilson Vista Council joined other young women as special guests of the 2007 Conference.  They were given special seats in the arena and at all main stage sessions. In addition, they attended two seminar sessions created just for them and geared toward their interests.  MLP participants were introduced in the arena and featured in the Conference production.

"As Girl Scouts, our making a difference should not end with completion of our Gold Awards," said Karbon. "Each of us can (and should) do, at the very least, some little thing each and every day.  I am so delighted that I had the opportunity to attend this outstanding conference. It has really affected the way that I look at myself and my future."


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