In this rapidly changing economic climate, the word ³investment² conjures up images of stock portfolios, mutual funds and venture capital. Of course, when most of us make an investment, we expect to receive a return on that investment in the future. But when we talk about investing in our children, we¹re talking about our collective future as a nation. Girl Scouts believes that investing in girls and young women is an investment whose return is, in the words of the bankcard commercial, ³priceless.²

 As 3.6 million girls gear up on March 12 to celebrate the 89th birthday of the founding of Girl Scouts in the United States, the return on Girl Scouting¹s investment is very clear. Consider this: a recent survey found that two-thirds of this country¹s women of achievement ‹ our doctors, lawyers, engineers, educators, astronauts, political leaders ‹ were Girl Scouts when they were young.

 Sixty-four percent of the women listed in ³Who¹s Who of American Women² are Girl Scout alumnae, and two-thirds of the women in Congress were once Girl Scouts. Women like Martha Stewart, Rebecca Lobo, Jesse Norman, Ann Landers, Katie Couric and Venus Williams attribute a great deal of their adult success to Girl Scouting. Locally, Sen. Patty Murray, J.A. Jance, Seattle¹s own mystery writer, and Anchor/Reporter KOMO 4 TV News¹s Connie Thompson hold the title of ³Former Girl Scout.²

 As investors in the future, the role adults play in shaping the lives of girls cannot be overstated. Each of us ‹ whether we¹re parents, teachers, neighbors or relatives ‹ plays an important part in their lives. We serve as examples, role models, mentors and, perhaps most importantly, as listeners for girls.

 The need for adults to listen to girls and young women was made crystal clear in a groundbreaking study, ³Girls Speak Out: Teens Before Their Time,² released in the fall of 2000 from the Girl Scout Research Institute. The findings confirmed that although pre-teen girls are maturing and growing up faster than ever, emotionally they are still children being pressured to deal with typical teen issues like body image, relationships and sexuality before their time. More alarming is the fact that although today¹s pre-teen girls are suffering greater stress as a result of this ³developmental compression² and need trusted and reliable sources of information; the adults in their lives often are not prepared or willing to listen to what girls are saying.

 These are disturbing findings indeed and are an important reminder that girls need a place, whether it be at the family dinner table, a student/teacher conference, or a Girl Scout troop meeting, where they may speak out and feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns. Girl Scouting has always provided an accepting and nurturing environment for girls, a place where caring adult mentors listen to girls¹ views, needs, and concerns and help them grow strong in mind, body and spirit.

 Your business card may not list ³mentor² in your job title, but as caring adults, we all have an obligation to foster today¹s youth. No matter who we are, each one of us has the opportunity to be a mentor to every child, everywhere. Consider it your smartest investment in the future ‹ an investment in our leaders of tomorrow.

 ‹GRACE CHIEN,

 Executive Director, Girl Scouts-Totem Council, Fremont