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Girls leading girls

August 2, 2017 admin

Submitted by Sharon Manning

Northern & Northeastern CO

Longmont

Despite overcast skies and a few rain drops, Troop 73392 enjoyed sharing their love of kayaking and paddleboarding with Cadette, Ambassador, and Senior Girl Scouts from Longmont, Brighton, and Thornton. Girls had the opportunity to try several different kayaks and paddleboards and then paddle across McIntosh Lake.

If you’re interested in joining the fun please contact Sharon Manning at sharon_colorado@msn.com. Currently, a few spaces are available for the August 12, 2017 workshop.

This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

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Girl Scouts “Made in the USA” Commitment

August 2, 2017 admin

Girl Scout merchandise continues to honor its commitment to U.S.-made products and strives to keep its carbon footprint as small as possible. Girl Scout vests, sashes, tunics, and insignia are all currently produced in the USA. As of July 2017, we are pleased to announce that Daisy, Brownie, Junior, and Cadette badge production started in the United States. In order to offer the USA made products, there was an increase to the pricing structure. The new retail price on Daisy, Brownie, Junior, and Cadette badges began July 1.

All badges from the previous vendor have been discontinued and can no longer be returned. The GSCO retail staff encourages troop leaders to do swaps at their service unit meetings, or utilize the “Classifieds” section on the GSCO blog.

On to the more exciting news! “Back to Troop” is not too far away, and it will soon be time for the GSCO Shop to extend our hours to accommodate our volunteers and troop leaders. Our fall store hours will begin September 5, 2017. September 9 will be our first Saturday of the season to be open. The store will be open 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday – Thursday and 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday. The store will be stocked starting in August for all your back to troop needs, along with some fun Girl Scout swag. Remember, Cookie Credits and GSCO gift cards are welcome in the store. If you are unable to stop by, give us a call or send an email (retail@gscolorado.org) with your questions or order. We are more than happy to assist you.

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A Girl Scout Memory for Edna “Skipper” Hollis

August 2, 2017 admin

Submitted by Ann Thacker

Metro Denver

Lakewood

Remember the little women
in a one-room cabin
in winter
learning cooking
on a wood-burning stove?

Every morning
a sleepy Jill
would climb the hill
for buckets of well-water
to wash the fog
of dreaming
from her shining face —
And the days were full of discovery.

With ink of night
spilling across the sun,
the magic of snowdrift slides
and ice skates on the long black lake
grew dim
as tired giggling Girl Scouts
followed the reflections of stars
in the snowshoe paths toward home
to fall in a joyous heap
around the cabin fire.

Later, with the dishes clean
and bedrolls spread,
Skipper would lead them
in song
then soon to sleep
secure within the Sandman’s hand
and a scout leader’s love.

Girl Scouts of Colorado is proud to celebrate the legacy of one of our most cherished alumnae, Edna “Skipper” Hollis. In 2016, Skipper passed away at the age of 104, leaving a 94-year history of Girl Scouting as a girl and an adult volunteer. Skipper touched the lives of hundreds of girls, families, and volunteers and will be remembered for her love of the outdoors and the annual troop gathering she hosted at her Colorado cabin for more than six decades.

To make a gift in honor of Skipper, which will support opportunity grants to ensure any girl is able to attend camp, or to honor an alum who has made a difference in your life, go to the Girl Scouts of Colorado website: http://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/support-us/alumnae.html

This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

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Girl Scout Days at Elitch Gardens: Patch contest winner

August 1, 2017 admin

Congratulations to our Elitch Gardens Patch Contest Winner, Gianna G., from Aurora! Gianna’s design will be on our event patch that each participating Girl Scout will receive. Gianna also won two daily park passes, two VIP passes, and two special ride passes. A special thanks to Elitch Gardens for the generous prize pack for Gianna! We had 18 great entries, so thank you to everyone who participated.

Join us for our annual Girl Scout Days at Elitch Gardens! All Girl Scouts, friends, and families are invited.

Date: Friday, Aug.11 – Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017

Cost: $25.99/person. Tickets can be purchased here. A donation will be given back to GSCO for each ticket sold.

Not able to make it during the weekend? No problem! We have a great season-long deal offering a daily park ticket for $29.99/person that’s good through the end of October.

We hope to see you there!

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Boulder Girl Scout explores Greece

August 1, 2017 admin

Submitted by Molly M., 2017 “Look Wider” International Travel Scholarship winner

Northern & Northeastern CO

Boulder

Traveling around the world has always been a dream of mine since a very young age. When I came to a realization that I am growing up, and becoming more independent, traveling became a priority. For my parent’s honeymoon, they traveled all around the world for a whole year! I just finished my senior year of high school, and I will be heading off to Fort Lewis College next year. It was decided that it was time for me to have my own experience unique to myself. I decided to join the “Greece Sea Kayaking” Girl Scouts Destination Trip.

Greece has been a place my parents have spoken highly of, and I thought the trip in itself looked incredible. I was able to use most of the money I have saved up in my Girl Scout account from selling more than 600 packages of Girl Scout Cookies for the past seven years, and I also worked on saving money from my job, working as a shift lead in a local ice cream store. The “Look Wider” International Travel Scholarship has helped so that I didn’t have to dig into my college savings that I also worked hard to earn.

We arrived in Kefalonia, Greece after a long day of traveling on June 22, 2017. We started our kayaking adventure bright and early the next morning. We kayaked for six-days straight, covering about 100 km around the coast of Kefalonia and crossing over to Ithaca. We camped three of those nights, and stayed in nice hotels the other two nights. For me, this trip wasn’t far out of my comfort zone because I have gone on many multi-day rafting/camping trips in Colorado. However, for other girls it was different. Some girls on the trip had never camped before. This allowed a leadership position for me. I was there to help with efficiently packing camping gear for other girls, warding off bugs, and helping with cooking and cleaning more. Each girl had their own unique skills, and personality to add to the group, which made us work well as a team.

Between all the girls, we have all agreed to stay in touch after this trip. Each girl had hugely different personalities, which came together perfectly. We got to partner up with somebody new in the kayaks and tents every night, so I was able to form personal connections with each and every girl. It was interesting to see how different each girl was. Some had huge personalities. They would tell you exactly what they were thinking all the time. While some girls were more shy, go with the flow kind of people. Some were super positive, and some were more negative, especially when it came to trying new foods. Each girl was completely different, but when we were put in this group, we all got along so well. We had this vibe in the group that I have never experienced before. A few of the girls with big personalities would crack some hilarious jokes, and we would all add to them and laugh about them. We formed many inside jokes between all of us. There was never any time in which any girl felt left out, or there was any drama between the girls. We all recognized how equal we were in this group, and respected and admired each girl’s differences. We would often split up into groups of three or four girls, and we had girls that we hung out with more than others, but it never interfered with the group dynamic, there were no cliques that formed. We worked together as a team, encouraging girls who got tired from kayaking, helping keep the negative ones to stay positive, and giving us some humor when we needed it the most. Our group had a unique style, that I greatly miss, but is apart of my incredible memory from this trip! I would never had met this incredible group of girls if it wasn’t for our similar love and curiosity of adventure and traveling.

The guides were also beyond helpful and supportive, and it was exciting getting to meet them and know them better! The two ATS leaders, Christine and Gavin, were really great at introducing us in the culture of Greece, giving us enough freedom to roam around towns, but still kept an eye on us, and were always there if anything wrong happened. Our tour guides for the kayaking adventure were some of the coolest people I have ever met. Their names were George and Vanilla. George was a Greece local, and was able to teach us about authentic Greek culture, while Vanilla was a fantastic kayaker from Sweden always coming up with games for us to play that included everyone and made everyone feel very important.

The last part of our trip was a day of exploring in 100-degree weather in Athens. We shopped for hours and then visited the Acropolis. The exposure to the different culture in the huge city was eye opening and exciting!

Eating the delicious Greek cuisine, discovering the clear blue water, and exploring the unique little towns of Greece are memories I will forever cherish! It was hard saying goodbye to the friends I made, but I will never forget them. I’m so glad that this was my first adventure out of the country without my family, because I now feel more confident about traveling independently in the future. For I know, there will be many more adventures to come!

***

The “Look Wider” International Travel Scholarships are made possible by the Rae Ann and Richard Dougherty Look Wider International Travel Fund Endowment at Rose Community Foundation. Thanks to this generous commitment, Girl Scouts of Colorado will award scholarships to girls every year.

Learn more about Girl Scout destinations and other international travel at forgirls.girlscouts.org/travel. Applications for destinations travel are due before Thanksgiving each fall. The application for the “Look Wider” International Travel Scholarship is available from November through February and is meant for individual girl travel. Read more about Global Girl Scouting and how to get involved at girlscoutsofcolorado.org/global-girl-scouting.

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Troop 60696 Silver Award Work

July 31, 2017 admin

Submitted by Leona Lawless

Metro Denver

Westminster

Troop 60696 took a full year to complete their Silver Award.
They built bridges of kindness, service, and community by 12 random acts. They connected the random acts to the Girl Scout Law. They learned to face their fears. They learned to respect all people regardless of their circumstances or jobs. They made the world a better place and were a sister to every Girl Scout. They created a video entitled Silver Award Video Troop 60696. I am so proud of my girls and their hard work on The Silver Award!

This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

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23 New STEM and Outdoor badges enrich Girl Scout Programming: Join the fun today!

July 31, 2017 admin

Colorado Girl Scouts can now earn 23 new badges, focusing on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and the outdoors! With the introduction of these new badges, which marks the largest programming rollout in almost a decade, girls can design robots and racecars, go on environmentally conscious camping trips, write code, collect data in the great outdoors, try their hand at engineering, and so much more. Through hands-on and age-appropriate experiences for girls as young as 5, Girl Scouts is both enhancing the important outdoor opportunities we are known for and addressing the lack of exposure many girls have to STEM. In fact, Girl Scouts are almost twice as likely as non–Girl Scouts to participate in STEM (60 percent versus 35 percent) and outdoor activities (76 percent versus 43 percent).

This new Girl Scout programming builds girls’ skills and encourages their interest in STEM and environmental conservation from an early age, increasing their confidence in these areas—in an all-girl environment where they feel comfortable trying new things, taking appropriate risks, and learning from failure. Importantly, what girls gain through Girl Scouting positively affects all areas of their lives. For example, Girl Scouts do better than their non–Girl Scout peers in the classroom, earning better grades and aspiring to higher educational attainment, and are more likely to seek careers in STEM, law, and business—industries in which women are underrepresented. And the benefits of Girl Scouting are not exclusive to any particular demographic, which means that no matter where girls live or what their age or background, Girl Scouts can help them develop to their full potential and excel in all aspects of life.

At a time when 81 percent of American voters think preparing girls for leadership roles should be a national priority, Girl Scouts of the USA—the preeminent leadership development organization for girls—offers girls even more opportunities to learn skills and empower themselves with the experiences they need to succeed in life. And as the Girl Scout Research Institute releases new findings that confirm the outstanding leadership outcomes that Girl Scouts exhibit compared to their non–Girl Scout peers, there has never been a better time to join.

We’re 32,000 strong—more than 22,000 girls and 10,000 adults who believe in the power of every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ to change the world. Our extraordinary journey began more than 100 years ago with the original G.I.R.L., Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low. On March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Ga., she organized the very first Girl Scout troop, and every year since, we’ve honored her vision and legacy, building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. We’re the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org.

Having trouble accessing this new content in VTK? Contact your volunteer support specialist for help. Don’t know who your VSS is? Email inquiry@gscolorado.org.

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Why Girl Scouts, Why Now

July 27, 2017 admin

From Girl Scouts of the USA

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), the BEST leadership development organization for girls—is offering Girl Scouts even more opportunities to learn skills and prepare them to empower themselves with the experiences they need to succeed in life.

GSUSA introduced 23 new badges in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and the outdoors—our largest programming rollout in almost a decade!Girl Scouts will be able to design robots and racecars, go on environmentally conscious camping trips, create algorithms, collect data in the great outdoors, try their hand at engineering, and so much more. And the best part? These new badges are girl-tested and girl-approved!

The new Girl Scout programming builds girls’ skills and encourages their interest in STEM and environmental conservation from an early age—areas girls are not typically encouraged to explore outside Girl Scouting—increasing their confidence in an all-girl, girl-led environment where they feel comfortable to try new things, take appropriate risks, and learn from failure.

GSUSA created select badges with contributions from notable organizations in the STEM and outdoor industries, such as GoldieBlox, WGBH/Design Squad, the Society of Women Engineers, the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, Code.org, and SciStarter.

These awesome badges have debuted on Girl Scouts’ first digital platform for volunteers, the Volunteer Toolkit, making it more accessible than ever to unleash the power of every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™. The Volunteer Toolkit helps parents and volunteers easily plan meetings and activities; keep track of important information; and, ultimately, make it easier to support amazing experiences for girls!

In the toolkit, most programming for girls in grades K–5 is autopopulated so troop leaders can view activity plans and necessary materials, customize meetings, and track troop finances all in one place. Plus, the instructions included throughout make subjects that might otherwise intimidate some volunteers—like STEM—accessible and understandable, so they can confidently carry out troop activities. Which means helping girls take the lead in their adventures just got a whole lot easier!

Need even more reasons to join the Girl Scout Movement? The Girl Scout Research Institute recently released new findings that show how participation in Girl Scouts helps girls develop key leadership skills proven to help them achieve bright, successful futures. Compared to their non–Girl Scout peers, Girl Scouts are more likely to be leaders because they:

Have confidence in themselves and their abilities (80 percent vs. 68 percent)
Act ethically and responsibly, and show concern for others (75 percent vs. 59 percent)
Seek challenges and learn from setbacks (62 percent vs. 42 percent)
Develop and maintain healthy relationships (60 percent vs. 43 percent)
Identify and solve problems in their communities (57 percent vs. 28 percent)
Take an active role in decision making (80 percent vs. 51 percent)

The most powerful part is that no matter where girls live or what their age or background is, Girl Scouts can help them develop to their full potential and excel in all aspects of life.

So, at a time when 81 percent of U.S. voters think preparing girls for leadership roles should be a national priority*, there has never been a better time to stand with girls. And Girl Scouts is the best place to do it. If you believe there is power in every G.I.R.L., join Girl Scouts today and unleash it!

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Colorado Girl Scouts receive “Princess Benedikte Award”

July 26, 2017 admin

Submitted by Rae Ann Dougherty

Metro Denver

Denver

As Girl Scouts, we are members of a huge community of 10 million fellow Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from 146 different countries around the world as represented by the blue and gold pin we wear on our uniform. Additionally our Girl Scout Law ends with … “be a sister to every Girl Scout.” The magic of that international sisterhood of Girl Scouting is experienced by many, including the recipients of Girl Scout of Colorado’s “Look Wider” International Travel Scholarship, as well as the many individuals and troops across our state that travel to one of our many World Centers found across the globe.

Connecting and supporting this international sisterhood becomes a passion that once hooked, entices many to continue to advance the power of this spider web-like network. As a result of the volunteer work and dedication of two of the Colorado’s Girl Scout volunteers, they were recently honored at an international Girl Scout meeting in London for their contributions.

Marlene Logan and Rae Ann Dougherty received World Association of Girl Scout and Girl Guides’ (WAGGGS) “Princess Benedikte Award” from the royal patron of the Olave Baden-Powell Society (OB-PS).

OB-PS is a global network of WAGGGS supporters, providing vital financial help to the international Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting Movement. At its core, the OB-PS Society is designed to provide financial support to WAGGGS to ensure a steady stream of income which funds its work, projects, and programs. This is similar to Girl Scouts of Colorado’s Juliette Gordon Low Society. http://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/support-us/planned-giving.html (Both the Logan’s and Dougherty’s are members of GSCO’s Juliette Gordon Low Society.)

More than 1,300 individuals from 59 countries have chosen to invest in their commitment to girls’ and young women’s futures by supporting OB-PS and WAGGGS. Each of these individuals believes WAGGGS and its work can change lives and influence the future for whole communities.

The honor was received recently at the annual meeting of the OB-PS meeting at Gilwell Park in London, England. (Gilwell Park is famous throughout the world for its Scouting heritage, beautiful setting, and stunning range of activities.) Furthering the international sisterhood of WAGGGS, 150 representatives from all five regions of WAGGGS participated in this meeting.

This special recognition was presented to Rae Ann and Marlene by Her Royal Highness Princess Benedikte of Denmark. Since its inception in 2006, less than 25 individuals worldwide have received this award.

Congratulations Rae Ann and Marlene!