Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains is a venerable organization dedicated to empowering nearly 10,000 girls across Texas through leadership, skill-building, and community engagement. Known for its commitment to youth development, GSTOP aims to evolve its model by integrating public health perspectives, recognizing the pressing challenges related to physical inactivity, mental health, and social isolation that young girls face today.

The current challenge GSTOP faces is the need to transition from a traditional youth development approach to one that is evidence-informed and focused on health outcomes. This transition requires a robust framework to evaluate and demonstrate the organization's impact on social determinants of health and protective factors for lifelong well-being. Without such a framework, GSTOP may face difficulties in attracting philanthropic support and communicating its value to stakeholders.

This project presents an exciting opportunity for students to address GSTOP's challenge by developing a comprehensive evaluation framework. Students will work to identify relevant health indicators, create tools for assessment, and establish data collection and analysis processes. By doing so, they will help GSTOP demonstrate meaningful changes in girls' health and well-being, thus strengthening its public health model and supporting its strategic goals.

The project will be divided into several key components, including the development of an evaluation framework, creation of assessment tools, establishment of data collection procedures, and analysis and reporting of outcomes. Each phase offers students the chance to apply their research skills and engage with real-world data, making the project both challenging and rewarding.

For students, this project is an ideal blend of academic learning and practical application. It provides the opportunity to engage in consulting-like work, applying skills in research, analysis, and evaluation while interacting with organizational stakeholders. The project's focus on public health and youth development is highly relevant to students' academic disciplines, offering insights into how community-based organizations can serve as preventative public health interventions.