As we reflect on the past Girl Scouting year, we are incredibly proud of the remarkable accomplishments and lasting impact Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons has had on our girls, volunteers, and communities. This has been a year of growth, adventure, and empowerment, and we are excited to share some of the highlights with you.
In Membership Year 2024, we were proud to provide nearly 12,000 Girl Experiences — a bold initiative designed to ensure every girl in our council had access to enriching opportunities that foster courage, confidence, and character. Through hands-on activities, leadership programs, and community service projects, these experiences sparked curiosity, built essential skills, and helped girls discover the leader within themselves.
Many Girl Scouts also took on the challenge of earning higher awards, with 142 girls achieving the Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award—the highest honors in Girl Scouting. Their projects addressed real-world issues such as mental health awareness, child literacy, and STEM education for young students. These girls demonstrated passion, dedication, and a commitment to making a difference, and we could not be prouder of their achievements.
Some of the year’s most memorable moments came from the extraordinary travel opportunities our girls embraced. Girl Scouts from our council journeyed to Scotland, Ireland, and England, immersing themselves in new cultures, rich histories, and global traditions. Another group traveled to Washington, D.C., and New York City, exploring iconic landmarks, engaging in hands-on learning, and broadening their perspectives. These experiences weren’t just about travel, they were transformative journeys that inspired girls to dream bigger, become more confident, and see the world in new ways.
None of this would be possible without the dedication of our volunteers, supporters, and council team members. Your unwavering commitment is the driving force behind our success, ensuring that every girl who is a part of Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons has the opportunity to thrive.
As we look ahead, we are filled with excitement and optimism for the opportunities to come. With your continued support, we will reach even more girls, helping them unlock their potential, embrace challenges, and lead with courage. Together, we are shaping the leaders of tomorrow.
Yours in Girl Scouting,
Behind every Girl Scout and volunteer is a team of local staff ready to help them earn that next badge, embark on a camping adventure, or organize an impactful service project.
Serving nearly 1,000 zip codes spanning North Dakota, South Dakota, and parts of Iowa and Minnesota. We have girls reaching their fullest potentials in cities, towns, and communities across 164,000 square miles including three Airforce bases and 13 Native American Reservations.
Laura Lueder
President | Northwest District
Valerie Loudenback
Vice President | Southeast District
Lori Clausen
Secretary | Southeast District
Erica Johnsrud
Treasurer | Northwest District
Marla Meyer
Chief Executive Officer
Southeast District
Kristi Metzger
Linda Salmonson
Southwest District
Claudine Bates
Stephanie Dowling
Michael Steve
Northeast District
Cindy Graffeo
Nicholas Killoran
Sue Klose
Casey Sanders-Berglund
Northwest District
Lori Leingang
Leslie Weigel
Ireland/Scotland
Mobile STEM Center
BIG Event
Spring into Summer
Wacky and Wild West Camp
Giddy Up
As the premier leadership organization for girls, we provide fun and challenging program opportunities in the four Girl Scout pillars of outdoors, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), life skills, and entrepreneurship.
Programs were offered in a variety of ways to meet girls where they are, which included virtual and in-person programs, patch programs, and other at-home activities.
Regardless of how they participated this year, our Girl Scouts learned new skills, overcame obstacles, met their goals, and made the world a better place.
Aerostream University
Flow and Paddle
Mermaid Camp
New York City/Washington D.C.
Cookie University
CybHER Girl
More than just pins on a vest, Girl Scout higher awards set the foundation for a lifetime of leadership and confidence. Starting in fourth grade, girls have the opportunity to develop and execute “take action” projects that positively impact their communities. The Bronze and Silver awards recognize troop efforts that teach key skills, such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving. The Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, is an individual achievement that creates sustainable change in her community.
This past year, fourteen extraordinary Girl Scouts earned the highest award in Girl Scouting—the Gold Award. Gold Award Girl Scouts create positive change in their communities by addressing some of today’s most pressing issues. Their projects covered a wide range of topics, including STEM programming for children, mental health resources for students, survival training, and raising awareness about childhood bullying.
Elena Boehm | West Fargo, ND
My Very Important Job
Aspen Brown | Watertown, SD
Codington County Heritage Museum Children's Enrichment
Margaret Dailey | Brookings, SD
Teen Center Art Room
Hailee Eidelbes | Thief River Falls, MN
Stop Bullying Benches
Brianne Ellison | Thief River Falls, MN
Girl Scout History Display
Jessalyn Fischer | Aberdeen, SD
Surival in the Community
Susanna Francetich | Bismarck, ND
Patriot Period Pantry
Alyssa Hertz | Jamestown, ND
Gear Up for Robotics
Gabriella Morales | Sioux Falls, SD
Supporting the Rainbow Project: Creating Brave Spaces
Elena Sorge | New Salem, ND
Making Music Mural
Jojo Townsend | Lincoln, ND
Education for Mental Health in Higher Institutions of Learning
Ellie Wagner | Yankton, SD
Little Libraries
Amanda Warren | Rapid City, SD
Exotic Animal Care Website
Madison Zimmerman | Elgin, ND
Helping Hands
The condensed statements of financial position and activities have been summarized from the audited financial statements. The Form 990 is available upon request.
The complete list of donors, sponsors and supporters is available to download.
Thank you to those who contributed to Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Your generous gifts made the difference in thousands of Girl Scouts’ lives as they lived out our mission: building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.
The Juliette Gordon Low Society was established to thank and honor friends of Girl Scouts who choose to make Girl Scouts part of their legacies and a beneficiary of their estate plans. We are grateful for their decisions to provide a legacy gift to girls, ensuring that the Girl Scout Leadership Experience will live on for generations to come.
Erik and Eva Andersen Girl Scout Movement-wide Challenge Planned Gift
Tonya Andersen
Jennifer and Bryan Baloun
Dianne Belk and Lawrence Calder Girl Scout Movement-wide Challenge Planned Gift
Kurt and Valerie Loudenback
Marla Meyer
Stephen and MaryLynn Meyers
Jeff and Tracy Munce
Lorna Olson-Cooper
Donnie Riedel
Marie Ruettgers
Jane VanHatten
Susan and Bob Wefald
