Moody Foundation Grant Recipient: East Texas Girl Scout DreamLab

Opening in early 2027, the East Texas Girl Scout DreamLab will serve as a dynamic destination for Girl Scouts and families throughout the community, with interactive spaces designed to encourage creativity, curiosity, confidence and connection. Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas (GSNETX) serves girls and volunteers across 32 counties, helping young leaders discover their strengths and take on new challenges. Whether exploring nature, advocating for their communities, or building lifelong friendships, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds can be unapologetically themselves.

Please share the mission and history of the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. How many young people do you serve?

Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas is dedicated to building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. Through leadership development, hands-on learning opportunities, outdoor experiences, STEM programming, entrepreneurship, and community service, Girl Scouts helps girls discover their strengths and become leaders in their schools, communities, and future careers. We serve 19,000 Girl Scouts and 8,000 adult volunteers across 32 counties from Dallas to the Louisiana border and from the Red River to Waxahachie.

 

What inspired Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas to bring a Girl Scout DreamLab to East Texas, and why was Tyler selected as the location?

Our first Girl Scout DreamLabs in Denton and Dallas Counties demonstrated the power of creating an immersive third space designed for girls by girls where they can explore interests, develop new skills, and imagine their futures. We knew girls in East Texas deserved access to the same innovative experiences close to home. Tyler was a natural choice because it serves as a hub for East Texas families and is home to a growing Girl Scout community. The city’s central location allows us to reach girls from throughout the region while strengthening our commitment to ensuring every girl has access to high-quality programs regardless of where she lives.

What will girls and families be able to experience at the new DreamLab?

The East Texas Girl Scout DreamLab Powered by The Moody Foundation is designed to be an exciting, hands-on learning environment where girls can discover, create, and lead. Programming will include our state-of-the-art podcast studio, high-tech maker tools, themed workshops, entrepreneurship activities, leadership experiences, badge-earning opportunities, and creative arts programming.
Families can also participate in special events, community programs, and seasonal camps that encourage exploration and learning together. The Girl Scout DreamLab will be open to everyone in the community and will serve as a welcoming gathering place where families can try new things and girls can build confidence and connect with peers and mentors.

 

How is the DreamLab different from a traditional Girl Scout meeting or activity space?

The Girl Scout DreamLab reimagines what a Girl Scout experience can look like. Rather than a traditional meeting room, it is an interactive and immersive environment intentionally designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. It’s a place where girls can make friends beyond their school and their troop to further encourage growth and networking. It’ll also be open to the public to encourage the community to get to know what Girl Scouts is all about.
Every aspect of the space encourages hands-on learning. Girls can experiment with new technologies, tackle real-world challenges, explore career pathways, and participate in experiences that blend learning with fun. The DreamLab serves as both a community hub and an innovation space where girls can dream big and see themselves as future leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, and changemakers.

 

What role has The Moody Foundation played in making the East Texas DreamLab possible

The generosity and vision of The Moody Foundation have been instrumental in bringing the East Texas Girl Scout DreamLab to life. Their investment reflects a shared commitment to expanding opportunities for girls and ensuring young people across Texas have access to transformative educational experiences. The Moody Foundation’s support is helping create a space where girls can build leadership skills, explore STEM fields, strengthen their confidence, and prepare for future success. We are deeply grateful for their partnership and belief in the power and potential of girls.

 

What impact do you hope the East Texas Girl Scout DreamLab will have on girls and the broader Tyler community?

We hope the East Texas Girl Scout DreamLab powered by The Moody Foundation becomes a place where every girl discovers her potential and feels empowered to pursue her ambitions. We want this space to bring new families to Girl Scouts. By providing access to hands-on STEM learning, leadership development, and innovative programs, we aim to inspire girls to see themselves in roles they may never have imagined before.

Beyond serving girls, we hope the Girl Scout DreamLab becomes a valuable community asset that brings together families, schools, nonprofits, and local businesses around a shared goal of developing the next generation of leaders. We believe investing in girls strengthens communities, and the benefits of the DreamLab will be felt throughout East Texas for years to come.