It’s almost that time of year — as summer draws to a close, parents are getting ready to send their little ones off to school for the first time.

But, this year, the Girl Scouts of the Coastal Pines are trying to aid young girls in the schooling transition with their Daisy program designed for kindergarteners and first graders.

“We started the program after we noticed a demand for it a couple of years ago. Out of the 250 Girl Scouts in Beaufort County, one fifth of them are Daisies,” said Deborah Brady, membership director for Beaufort County.

In a recent study by the Girl Scouts of the Coastal Pines, it said participating in Girl Scouts contributes to young girls academic success just as much as teachers can.

Daisy troops have just started forming. The program acts as a stepping-stone before young girls enter kindergarten, according to Brady.

“That’s why we start it before school starts. It’s really an early transition from day cares or transition from being away from mommy for the first time,” Brady said.

Brady said that the girl-led program tries to not only ease the schooling transition, but also teach girls subject that will help them excel in academics.

“We have a financial and math literacy programs, reading literacy programs, all made for the appropriate age levels,” Brady said.

While going to school for the first time could cause anxiety for young girls, Brady said it could be nerve-wracking for mothers, too. But, she said the Daisy program is a beneficial way to calm the nerves. She said the girl-led program lets young girls be surrounded with other young girls, which can boost confidence and improve friendships.

She also said it lets girls make their own decisions.

“We really believe girls can make their own decisions. We know from experience that if you give a girl the chance to make decisions for herself, she’ll start to look at the world and say ‘how can I help that situation?’” Brady said.

Daisy troops are forming. For more information, go to www.nccoastalpines.org