Celebrating 40 years of serving the San Diego community
Celebrating more than 40 years of serving the San Diego community, Southwest Airlines is an advocate through its pillars of loving people, building resilience, and living responsibly. Since 2014, Southwest Airlines is proud to sponsor various Girl Scouts San Diego events including the Cool Women Celebration, Urban Campout, Power Her Promise, and more. Girl Scouts’ core principle of diversity was inspired by founder Juliette Gordon Low’s commitment to welcoming all girls. Southwest Airlines is committed to the communities we serve and this month we applaud Girl Scouts San Diego’s leadership and impact.
Girl Scouts Soar with Support from Southwest Airlines
Girl Scouts San Diego (GSSD) is dedicated to building the next generation of leaders – girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.
Serving more than 23,000 members across San Diego and Imperial Counties, GSSD’s has approximately 125 staff that support nearly 9,000 volunteers, who lead and guide more than 14,000 Girl Scouts (K-12) in the region. The organization relies on generous contributions from donors, community partners and sponsors. Fostering the Girl Scout leadership experience, partner organizations offer learning opportunities in the areas of STEM, outdoors, life skills, entrepreneurship, community service and more. Among its steadfast partners, Southwest Airlines is proud to support Girl Scouts San Diego.
Through the Girl Scout program, girls are empowered to discover and embrace unique STEM opportunities, igniting their interests and inspiring many to pursue advanced STEM opportunities in school or higher education. As a STEM partner, Southwest Airlines helps to propel girls’ aspirations and interests in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This builds connections, grows confidence and creates hope for girls’ futures.
“Our longstanding partnership with Southwest Airlines fuels our goal of closing the STEM gender gap,” said Kristin Wiggins, Chief Advancement Officer at Girl Scouts San Diego. “When girls are able to explore new things in a safe environment and witness accomplished women in STEM positions, we unlock their boundless potential.”
In 2017, Southwest Airlines launched Operation Wing Scout (OWS) in partnership with the USS Midway Museum. Since then, GSSD has hosted more than 300 Girl Scouts at OWS workshops, with a pause during 2020-21. Twice a year, Girl Scouts climb aboard the USS Midway to learn about the science behind aviation technology. They explore the essential elements of a working aircraft carrier, experience a flight simulator and learn from a panel of inspiring women in diverse aviation careers.
A recent Girl Scout participant noted the impact of learning from female professionals: “When they shared their passion and excitement for their jobs, it inspired me. My favorite part was learning about all the different careers you can have in aviation,” she continued. “You don’t just have to be a pilot.”
This year, Southwest Airlines is a Gold Sponsor of GSSD’s beloved fundraiser, Urban Campout 2023: Adventures Await, which promises to be an epic evening of outdoor thrills, camaraderie and unforgettable experiences at its Balboa Park campus. Attendees will indulge in Girl Scout memories, connect with s’more new friends in the great outdoors, and experience a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the outdoor fun of Girl Scouts – complete with archery and other games, plus gourmet fare, a silent and live auction, local spirits, dancing, and more! Southwest Airlines also supports Girl Scouts San Diego in reaching new heights and destinations by providing flight vouchers.
Proceeds support the boundless impact of Girl Scouting, which empowers girls to seek new adventures and tackle challenges, building within them the skills to become the leaders our world needs.
