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In the summer of 2008 GSUSA is introducing a new "Girl Scout Leadership Experience," essentially a new curriculum, titled "Journeys." The first series of books, one for every level of scouting, will be released this summer called "It's Your World - Change It."

This new curriculum was developed in conjunction with the Girl Scouts Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, and the Ashland Institute, which specializes in a practice known as Transitional Awareness, and is led by Michael Cecil, the former leader of the Emissaries of Divine Light cult, founded by his father.

The program developed by Ashland for GSUSA is called "Coming Into Your Own" and reveals the New Age nature behind the "Girl Scout Leadership Expereience". Cited in this new cirriculae are other partners of the Ashland Institute including The Fetzer Institute, where a broad assortment of mystical, New Age resources is offered. Thomas Merton, the Dalai Lama, David Steindl-Rast, and other mystics are touted.

The Ashland Institute lists eleven resources for their participants, the majority of which are other New Age/New Spirituality promoting groups, such as Collective Wisdom Initiative, Co-Intelligent Institute, The Millionth Circle (to "shift planetary consciousness" it says), and The World Café.

Also introduced is the "Covenant of the Goddess." It's a Wiccan website which, among other things, describes their awards program. There's the "Over the Moon Award" for ages 8-11 and the "Hart and Crescent Award" for ages 12-18. The awards are offered "to any young person...who is a member of any nature-oriented religion (Wicca, Druid, Asatru, Native American, etc.). ."

When parents began calling local Councils to question the cirriculum, GSUSA issued a communications alert, giving local organizations "talking points" that included among other things the following excerpts:

"Among the accusations are that Girl Scouting has been captured and brainwashed by New Age theorists."

"We have not, across the Movement or at GSUSA, abandoned our roots."

In their publication, The Flowering of the Girl Scouts of the Arizona Catcus-Pine Council, staff person Mary Mitchell is quoted as saying:

“Resources are aligning. A female warrior of the spirit has been given the message and brought forward a mission — she is assembling her army of warriors (strategists, guides, intuitives, realists, implementers, and bridge builders). The mission must be achieved. There is no option to fail, because to fail is not only to fail ourselves, but is to fail in our charge to change history.” The same publication includes the passage:

"Juliette Low [founder of the Girl Scouts] might say to us today, 'Follow my spirit, not my footsteps. Lead from the heart into the unknown.'"

In February 2008, the Kentuckiana Council, located in Louisville, KY issued the following statement in their Council newsletter :

"At the workshop, preview the first of the new materials supporting the New Leadership Experience for Girls. Engage in ideas on how to bring the program to life for girls. Take an inward journey to build your own self- knowledge and self-confidence (through the leadership advice of the Ashland Institute). Discover, connect, and take action on how we can prepare the Girl Scout movement for the new changes. Embrace the girl-led, experiential, and collaborative New Leadership Experience for Girls commitment. Assist in rolling out the material to all of Kentuckiana. Serve as a positive resource in the New Leadership Experience for Girls"

The program will release nation wide in the fall of 2008.