Over the past year we have worked with Girl Scouts USA to evaluate the Uniquely ME! program, a program designed in 2002 to address low self-esteem, which is increasingly recognized as a problem facing young girls.

In our evaluation, we are focusing on the key components of girls' ability to "Discover, Connect, Take Action". Using a retrospective pre-test/post test model, we learned that the program has helped girls to take risks and try new things, confidently find their talents and find ways to make their lives better.

This initiative has been funded in large part by the Dove Self-esteem Fund, which recently prepared a short video called Onslaught demonstrating why this work is so necessary.

On a personal note, the importance of this work was made startlingly relevant to me a week ago when my five-year-old daughter informed me that I could buy a cream that would make my skin look as beautiful as hers. Needless to say, I was a little taken aback by the statement and her preoccupation with physical appearance! The troops in our area don't start until age 6, but we'll be looking forward to some of the lessons available from Girl Scouts.