February 25, 2015
Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania/for PhillyVoice
The Girl Scouts "Century of the Girl Expo" in 2012.
The thousands of girls in grades K through 12 descending May 16 on the Convention Center will have the privilege of hearing from nationally renown speakers and local celebrities. #GirlPOP2015 is like a professional networking conference, but for girls to meet up, hang out and feel awesome. The best part? You don't have to be a Girl Scout to attend.
The day will include interactive breakout sessions and age-appropriate activities, a Hall of Experiences for exhibitors and vendors and special programming for adults on mentoring and parenting. Breakout sessions will address topics like the STEM fields, positive body image, global girls' issues, social media and health.
The schedule has yet to be finalized, but some themes for the day's activities are "How to achieve your dreams by 30," "Becoming your own boss," and the "#NoFilter Teen Roundtable."
Jenna Bush Hager, the NBC News Correspondent, Chair of UNICEF's Next Generation, Editor-at-Large of Southern Living and best-selling author, will be a keynote speaker. So will Shiza Shahid, the Pakistani social activist, entrepreneur CEO and Co-founder of the Malala Fund. Ann Shoket, the former editor-in-chief of Seventeen and alumna of Bucks County's Pennsbury High School, will host the conversation with Bush Hager.
Other speakers include:
• Vivienne Harr, the 10-year-old "Chief Inspiration Officer" for STAND TechnologiesFormer "The Voice" contestants Audra McLaughlin and Matthew Schuler will provide live entertainment. McLaughlin is from Philadelphia and Schuler is another Pennsbury alum from Levittown, Pa.
Until March 16, Girl Scout members can buy tickets to #GirlPOP2015 for $35 and non-members can become members for an additional $15. After March 16, tickets become available to the public for $40.
For all of the empowerment and inspiration packed into one day, it seems like a steal for Philadelphia's girls and young women.
