NEW YORK, March 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Today, actress Mckenna Grace
of Fox Searchlight Pictures' new film Gifted joined the
ranks of proud Girl Scouts after being officially pinned a Girl
Scout Junior by Lise Luttgens, CEO
of Girl Scouts Greater Los Angeles. The fifth-grader celebrated
with her fellow Girl Scouts and friends by exchanging gifts and
taking about the forthcoming movie; what did she like best about
her character? Which co-star was funniest? And why are role models
so important? Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), Fox Searchlight Pictures, and
cast members from Gifted are acknowledging some of the
nation's top role models—Girl Scout troop leaders and
volunteers—with a heartfelt gift during April's National Volunteer
Month. As many as 16,200 volunteers in 54 markets across the
country will receive up to two free tickets to a special screening
of Gifted.
Click here to view the photos from today's ceremony with the
following caption: "Gifted star Mckenna Grace gushed "I've always wanted to be a
Girl Scout" during a ceremony today where she joined the
organization. During the celebration with girls from Girl Scouts
Greater Los Angeles she promised to make the world a better place
and be a sister to every Girl Scout. To join, volunteer, or donate,
visit www.girlscouts.org."
In addition to promoting the value of adult role models,
Gifted addresses many principles at the core of Girl
Scouting, such as the importance of developing girls' soft skills
to complement their academic knowledge. The organization's unique
programming encourages every girl to unleash their inner G.I.R.L.
(Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ and provides nearly 2
million girls with experiences that prepare them to cultivate grit,
problem solve, take healthy risks, and lead with empathy—all skills
not necessarily taught in school, but vital for 21st century
leadership. And, at least 90 percent of parents say their daughter
is more confident, has more friends, and is happier because she's
in Girl Scouts, according to results from a poll conducted with
more than 3,500 volunteers and parents of Girl Scouts in the K−5
age range.
In Gifted, Mckenna Grace
portrays Mary, a spirited child prodigy living in a coastal
Florida town. Mary is raised by
her uncle Frank Adler (Chris Evans), whose plans for a normal school
life for Mary are foiled when the seven-year-old's mathematical
abilities come to the attention of his formidable mother Evelyn
(Lindsay Duncan) whose plans for her
granddaughter threaten to separate Frank and Mary. Octavia Spencer plays Roberta, Frank and Mary's
landlady and best friend. Jenny
Slate is Mary's teacher, Bonnie, a young woman whose concern
for her student develops into a connection with her uncle as well.
Gifted opens in limited theaters on April 7, and in theaters nationwide on
April 21. For more information visit
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/gifted/.
"It was fun to wear a Girl Scout uniform and play with the other
girls on the set; I'm so excited to officially be a Girl Scout and
have my own sash!" said Mckenna. "The organization empowers
girls to become leaders and try new things. It also gives girls
awesome role models. My character in Gifted learned a lot
from the grownups in her life, so it's important to me that other
girls do, too. Role models can change girls' lives!"
Girl Scout data show that girls aren't the only ones who benefit
from participating in Girl Scouts: 95 percent of Girl Scout
volunteers are proud to make a positive difference in girls' lives.
Although volunteers are the backbone of the Girl Scout experience,
and GSUSA boasts more than 800,000 of them, currently over 20,000
girls who want to join Girl Scouts are on waiting lists because
communities don't have enough local volunteers.
"At Girl Scouts, we understand the importance of recognizing our
amazing volunteers―not just during National Volunteer Month, but
throughout the year," said GSUSA interim CEO Sylvia Acevedo. "Volunteers serve selflessly on
the front lines of our organization, undertaking the ever-important
work of teaching girls essential life skills through experiences in
Girl Scouts—skills that will chart their course for success for a
lifetime."
To join, volunteer, or donate, please visit
www.girlscouts.org.
We're Girl Scouts of the USA
We're 2.7 million strong—1.9
million girls and 800,000 adults who believe girls can change the
world. It began over 100 years ago with one woman, Girl Scouts'
founder Juliette Gordon "Daisy" Low, who believed in the power of
every girl. She organized the first Girl Scout troop on
March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, and every year since, we've
made her vision a reality, helping girls discover their strengths,
passions, and talents. Today we continue the Girl Scout mission of
building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the
world a better place. We're the preeminent leadership development
organization for girls. And with programs for girls from coast to
coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance
to do something amazing. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join,
visit www.girlscouts.org.
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SOURCE Girl Scouts of the USA