As parents urge the Indiana House to revisit restrictions on social media use in children, the Girl Scouts are excited about a million-dollar grant to rejuvenate Camp Butternut Springs in Valparaiso.
The Lilly Endowment Inc. awarded grants through its capital project initiative launched in 2025. Grants ranged from $254,343 to $6.5 million.
Research by the Girl Scouts shows 43% of girls ages 8 to 13 spend three or more hours every day on their screens.
“We know the power of real, in-person connection, and we also know the risks when girls spend too much time online comparing themselves to others or developing unhealthy habits,” said Bonnie Barczykowski, CEO of GSUSA in a press release.
So opportunities to get outside are important for development, like the camps at Camp Butternut Springs. The grant there will be used to upgrade infrastructure and expand programing that doesn't include screens.
Camp registration for Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana is open for the summer. Learn more here.
“Camps play important roles in connecting youth with nature and the outdoors and with fostering their social, educational, character and spiritual development. But they need high-quality, up-to-date facilities to do this work effectively,” said Ted Maple, the endowment’s vice president for education, in a press release. “Organizations serving youth through residential camps in Indiana proposed thoughtful, strategic capital project plans, and we are pleased to be able to support these plans for significant upgrades to their facilities.”
The Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center in Chesterton also earned a $750,000 grant.
Learn more about Senate Bill 199, an Indiana Department of Education bill authored by Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond, on the Indiana Capital Chronicle website.
