Girl Scouts of the USA Announces Grand Opening of the First-Ever Girl Scouts DreamLab

The inaugural DreamLab concept is opening on Girl Scouts' 111th Anniversary in Denver, Colorado.  

NEW YORK, March 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) announced the grand opening of the first-ever Girl Scout DreamLab, an innovative program-based experience center concept designed to enhance the Girl Scout presence in communities and host one-of-a-kind programming for children, families, and Girl Scouts.

The DreamLab concept builds upon Girl Scouts' iconic national properties model which includes camps, offices, and programmatic facilities such as STEM centers. Through independent research groups working closely with councils, Girl Scouts, and communities, GSUSA developed the innovative Girl Scout DreamLab concept. This is a new model for Girl Scout councils to consider as they evaluate their own property plans, membership needs, and their place within their broader communities.

"We're so excited to launch the first-ever Girl Scout DreamLab with the incredible team at Girl Scouts of Colorado," said GSUSA Chief Executive Officer Bonnie Barczykowski. "DreamLabs are all about inspiring and engaging current and future Girl Scouts with our unique program experiences and offering community members the opportunity to explore new activities the Girl Scout way. Through this initiative, we aim to increase our reach and impact, elevate the Girl Scout experience among those who are new to or unfamiliar with Girl Scouting, and provide an exciting new space for everyone to make those important in-person connections."

Girl Scouts of Colorado will cut the ribbon and open the doors to the Movement's first-ever DreamLab in Denver, Colorado, on Girl Scouts' 111th Anniversary, March 12. Bringing the Girl Scout DreamLab concept to life, the Colorado destination will host a hands-on STEM center, Girl Scout boutique, podcast booth, bouldering wall, and an outdoor skills area with a faux fire pit and tent to practice camping skills—in a new, central Denver location that is open and welcoming to all.

"At Girl Scouts of Colorado, we are thrilled to be the first in the nation to offer this new way to experience Girl Scouting," said Girl Scouts of Colorado Chief Executive Officer Leanna Clark. "It's been so exciting to see the DreamLab take shape and to see our girls' eyes light up when they've come to explore it. The Lowry location is ideal because it's within easy reach of many of our current members and gives us a location where we can invite the community and future Girl Scouts to experience what Girl Scouting is really all about—trying new things, giving back, building friendships, and becoming leaders."

For participating councils, DreamLabs are strategically placed to bridge the barriers of accessibility and make Girl Scouts a destination for members and new families. Anticipating the varied city and rural landscapes of their 111 councils, Girl Scouts developed three models varying in size, layout, and functionality to fit each council's needs. The DreamLabs are designed to:

• Bridge the gaps of accessibility by providing an innovative multi-use programmatic experience center, open to community and troop use.
• Increase membership and community engagement, providing inspiring spaces for Girl Scouts seeking in-person connection.
• Deliver a consistent and elevated brand experience across the Girl Scout Movement and improve access to staff for volunteers, troops, and girls.
• Be intentionally curated as modern, engaging, and appealing to reflect the contemporary requirements of today's girl.

To envision an entirely new properties model, GSUSA partnered with industry leader Newmark Group Inc. to develop the DreamLab concept. 

"For the past two years, we worked closely with our partners at Newmark, a world leader in commercial real estate and stakeholders across Girl Scouts to create a future vision for Girl Scout properties to better meet the needs of our girls and volunteers," said Anne Smith, senior vice president, property strategy. "Together, we created the Girl Scout DreamLab, an environment that is inclusive, accessible, and designed for today's girl."

Girl Scouts and Newmark developed three property models varying in size, layout, and functionality to fit varying council needs. This summer, Girl Scouts Louisiana East and Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey are both preparing to debut DreamLabs. This new property model is available to councils, with the potential to offer communities an inspiring space to learn, grow, and explore, paired with knowledgeable staff and resources to facilitate key programming for Girl Scouts, youth, and families.

"It was an honor for Newmark to work hand-in-hand with Girl Scouts of the USA to create an experiential real estate strategy to further its mission," said Elizabeth Hart, Newmark's president of leasing for North America. "The creativity and collaboration exhibited by both parties allowed us to develop an out-of-the-box strategy; DreamLabs, an experience I wish I had as a Girl Scout many years ago. The new concept is anticipated to further advance Girls Scouts' ethos—inspiring and empowering girls as future leaders. We believe our partnership in helping identify the model and secure the locations based on individual council needs will benefit the Girls Scouts and communities nationwide."

Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscouts.org. 

Newmark Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NMRK), together with its subsidiaries ("Newmark"), is a world leader in commercial real estate, seamlessly powering every phase of the property life cycle. Newmark's comprehensive suite of services and products is uniquely tailored to each client, from owners to occupiers, investors to founders, and startups to blue-chip companies. Combining the platform's global reach with market intelligence in both established and emerging property markets, Newmark provides superior service to clients across the industry spectrum. Newmark generated revenues of approximately $2.7 billion for the year ending December 31, 2022. Newmark's company-owned offices, together with its business partners, operate from approximately 180 offices with nearly 6,700 professionals around the world. To learn more, visit nmrk.com or follow @newmark.

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SOURCE Girl Scouts of the USA