Since it would be unfair to point out just a few accomplishments of Girl Scouts in 2010, I will keep it short and sweet. Girl Scouts are girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
Today and tomorrow, give the gift of Girl Scouting! Your gift to Girl Scouting will help girls realize their dreams and become tomorrow's leaders. Through your generosity, they will grow into active and engaged members of their communities and develop their full potential in their chosen fields. Join us in helping girls everywhere. Donate now - it is tax deductible.
Pennsylvania's Daily American reports that Rebecca Dilla, 17, has brought a recycling center to the Township of Conemaugh with cooperation from the Somerset County commissioners and supervisors as part of the requirements for the Girl Scout Gold Award. County-sponsored bins and a holding shed - located at the township’s municipal building - were finished earlier this month after a long search for a home. In addition to the shed and bins, Dilla made educating her peers part of the service project. She presented programs on the need for recycling to students at both the Conemaugh Township elementary and primary schools.
Congratulations Roberta Preston on your new gig - CEO of Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma. Preston, from Jenks, OK, who still lives in the area, took over as chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma on December 1st, after a long career in accounting services delivery at IBM. A desire to do something with a “more meaningful impact” and her 14-year-old son’s experience in Boy Scouts pointed her in the direction of Scouting, and when she saw an electronic job posting for the CEO position, she jumped at the chance. Read more in Oklahoma's Jenks Journal.
Let's take a look at Girl Scout activity from the Holiday Weekend:Do you have any examples of Girl Scouts spreading cheer this Holiday Season?
Girl Scouts of the USA congratulates Aylin Tugberk and John Amore on their recent wedding nuptials in Brooklyn, New York. We deeply appreciate Aylin and John for choosing Girl Scouts of the USA as one of their charities of choice for their wedding guests to give philanthropic donations in lieu of gifts. They were able to raise over $10,000 in donations."Girl Scouts helps ease transitions from one phase of childhood to another and then from adolescence to adulthood. It serves as another group of friends youKudos and Congratulations to Aylin and John! You too can help Girl Scouting by donating. Your gift to Girl Scouting will help girls realize their dreams and become tomorrow's leaders. Through your generosity, they will grow into active and engaged members of their communities and develop their full potential in their chosen fields. Join us in helping girls everywhere. Donate now - it is tax deductible.
can rely on. The key is to find a core group of girls within your troop from the early ages and go through the stages of scouting together. While your schools may change, your friendships with those girls will only grow as you develop into a young leader and community steward. I am so glad I was a Girl Scout throughout my youth. To me, it is one of my greatest accomplishments and there are only happy memories associated with all the activities we did.”
This Holiday Season, give the gift of Girl Scouting. Your gift to Girl Scouting will help girls realize their dreams and become tomorrow's leaders. Through your generosity, they will grow into active and engaged members of their communities and develop their full potential in their chosen fields. Join us in helping girls everywhere. Donate now - it is tax deductible.
In Mesa, AZ, The East Valley Tribune reports that an Ahwatukee Foothills Girl Scout troop got a unique opportunity to work on their cooking badges. The group of seven girls, who all attend Horizon Community Learning Center, got an up-close look at how authentic Brooklyn-style pizza is made when they visited Vincent's Famous Pizza and Restaurant.
Indiana's Star Press reports that local Girl Scout troops across the state have collected food, packed boxes of toys for disadvantaged children, made cards for U.S soldiers and visited residents of nursing homes this Holiday Season. One Girl Scout Maddie - a Daisy in Girl Scout Troop 2706, led by her mother, Heather Taylor - is a special needs student. Outgoing and chatty at home, Maddie can be introverted in groups. But the 10 other Daisies in her troop don't let her dwell in silence. Taylor says: "These girls have restored my faith in mankind. They reach out to Maddie. Our generation, you didn't interact with a special needs child. You were uncomfortable. You were so afraid of doing something wrong you didn't do anything. But they completely accept her for who she is."Maddie, along with her troop, collected small toys, small items of clothing and personal hygiene items like toothbrushes and combs. We will certainly be highlighting excellent and inspirational Holiday stories next week. Do you have any stories of Girl Scouts doing good this Holiday Season?
Connecticut's Wesport News recently reported that members of Westport Brownie Troop 50015 donated their time and effort to Save The Children's "Caps for Good" campaign. Save the Children officials say in many developing countries, something as simple as a knit or crocheted cap can help a baby keep warm, which is key to helping newborns survive.
If you are in New York today, you should definitely swing by! Girl Scouts is joining forces with She's the First, a media campaign that promotes the importance of educating girls who would otherwise not have the opportunity to go to school, for our first ever Tweetup! A Tweetup is an organized gathering of people that use Twitter. To join us, RSVP now!
Mississippi's Oak Forest Elementary Principal Lorenda Cheeks was honored in Atlanta over the weekend and named the 2010 Grand Champion of The General Mills Feeding Dreams Awards Program. General Mills created Feeding Dreams in recognition of everyday people who positively impact their communities. Cheeks was one of nine Community Champions from throughout the U.S. in the running for the title of Grand Champion. Susan L. Taylor of Essence Magazine hosted the event held at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the church of the late Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. The national award includes $10,000 to support her local cause–the Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi. 
In Texas, The Coppell Gazette-Star reports that Sarah Omar is working to empower people in her community. Omar, an 18-year-old student at American University, is using her experience as a Girl Scout to motivate elementary girls as part of the Young Leaders Program, which allows college students to act as Girl Scout troop leaders to economically disadvantaged elementary and middle school students for six weeks. Of her Girl Scout experience, Omar says: "Girl Scouts has formed so much of whom I am and a lot of my self-confidence... I really want other girls to at least get a taste what that is like."In January, Omar earned the Girl Scout Gold Award for co-founding the Bridge of Lights, a project that gave flashlights to students in the blacked out region of Kashmir. In 2005, an earthquake hit the Kashmir region, located between the countries of India and Pakistan and relief aid was scarce. Hearing of the lack of electricity, Omar made presentations to companies, church groups, friends and neighbors asking for donations to purchase solar-powered flashlights to send to the Kashmir region. After 118 hours of work, enough money was raised to send 1,075 solar flashlights to students in the Kashmir region.
Hey Girl Scouts!! Here at Justine magazine we are busy finishing up our February/March 2011 issue and are counting down to the holidays as we know you are! Hang in there to do your best in these last days of school in 2010. . .your hard work will definitely pay off! We are so excited to be working with Girl Scouts of the USA once again for our R.E.A.L. Girl Contest which will feature one Girl Scout who is a Remarkable, Energetic and Aspirational Leader on our April/May 2011 cover. Your applications are beginning to roll in and we can’t wait to get to know each of you and to read about your amazing accomplishments. Entry forms are available here!
Girl Scouts is joining forces with She's the First, a media campaign that promotes the importance of educating girls who would otherwise not have the opportunity to go to school, for our first ever Tweetup! A Tweetup is an organized gathering of people that use Twitter. To join us, RSVP now!
Girl Scouts of the USA has initiated its search for a new Chief Executive Officer to replace Kathy Cloninger, who announced her retirement in September and plans to transition from her position in November of 2011. Connie Lindsey, National President, Girl Scouts of the USA states:
“The selection of a new CEO marks the next step in Girl Scouting’s evolution. Kathy Cloninger has led this organization through a period of change unprecedented in its history. Her work in transforming the Girl Scout Movement, in particular in the restructuring of our national council network, is being studied in business schools and in the executive suites of the nonprofit sector, and has earned her a glorious place in the pantheon of Girl Scout leaders.”To assist in the search for a successor, Girl Scouts has retained the services of Heidrick & Struggles, a leading and world-renowned executive search firm. Lindsey adds:
“From recent research by our Girl Scouts Research Institute, we know that both girls and the society at large yearn for a different style of leadership, one less focused on commanding and controlling and more focused on inclusion and social change. Our Girl Scout Leadership Experience is based on that model, and we will be seeking an adult manifestation of it in our new CEO.”Current plans call for the introduction of the new CEO during Girl Scouts’ 2011 National Council and 52nd Convention, which will be held November 10-13 in Houston, Texas. Those interested in applying for this position are asked to submit their resumes to girlscoutsusaceo@heidrick.com *
From Friday, October 22, through Sunday, October 24, Girl Scouts of the USA and Dove invited all girls to participate in the first-ever Dove Self-Esteem Weekend. The Weekend was part of the Dove Movement for Self-Esteem, which invites all women and girls to create a world where beauty is a source of confidence, not anxiety.Let's take a look at some Girl Scout stories appearing in local media from the weekend:
Enjoy!
Iowa's Quad-City Times reports that a lot of talent was on display for the 260 people attending the ninth annual “Night on Broadway” at the Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf - a night of performances to raise money for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Media competitors in the Quad-City area put aside their differences as reporters, broadcasters and editors displayed their talents to raise money for the Girl Scouts.
California's Orange County Register has a photo gallery of more than 300 Aliso Viejo Girl Scouts from 32 troops painting holiday-themed scenes on store windows for Aliso Viejo merchants. Girl Scouts of all ages, including Daisy's, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, and Ambassadors, painted store windows all over town and the windows will remain painted until after the holidays.
California's Thousand Oaks Acorn reports that Julie Schneider, a junior at Newbury Park High School, recently received her Girl Scout Gold Award by making more than 300 reusable shopping bags from new and gently used t-shirts. The bags were donated to a Prototype Women’s Center in Oxnard, FOOD Share/Food Pantry in Santa Clarita and the Goebel Senior Center.
North Jersey.com reports that Girl Scout Troop 46 of Townshop of Boonton recently earned the Girl Scout Bronze Award - a leadership adventure and the highest honor for Junior Girl Scouts. The Troop created over 100 pet adoption kits that were donated to Coming Home Rescue of Rockaway, along with other supplies.
Last week, Earnie Graham was surprised by the crew of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition at the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia's Augusta office, where she works. This week, The Augusta Chronicle reports that officials from ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition showed up on her doorstep announcing that they would rebuild her south Augusta home, while she and her children went to Disneyland in California. But Graham was left speechless when the series officials showed her the new cedar log cabin that was constructed at Camp Tanglewood, a Girl Scout camp in Martinez.
In Florida, The Jacksonville Daily Record showcases Nonprofit CEO Sandra “Sam” Tysver - Chief Executive Officer - Girl of the Scouts of Gateway Council Inc. The article states that her first experience with community service was raising money for UNICEF and March of Dimes as a child in elementary school.
In Missouri, KSDK 5 TV reports that Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri participated in the First Lego League robotic competition this past weekend. The theme of this year's biomedical engineering competition was "Body Forward." Sunday afternoon five Girl Scout teams deployed their robotics in games called missions - Robot missions range from things like bone repair, rapid blood screening, and pace makers, to things that have never been done before, such as nerve mapping, bionic eyes, and object control through thought.Enjoy!
In Georgia, The Augusta Chronicle reports that Earnie Graham was surprised at noon on Thursday by the crew of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition at the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia's Augusta office, where she works. Earnie has a full schedule, balancing her time between her job at the Girl Scouts of Historic Augusta, where she puts in extra time to mentor the girls, her schoolwork as a student at University of Phoenix and her dedication to her church, Mt. Calvary Baptist.
Marina Park - Girl Scout CEO, lawyer and mom pens a column in The SanFranciscoChronicle's
Let's take a moment to celebrate some of our outstanding Girl Scouts as they earn their Gold Awards! Only 5.4 percent of Girl Scouts eligible complete their project and receive the Gold Award. Girl Scout Gold Award projects address a community need in which the girl strives to make sustainable and lasting changes.
In Pennsylvania, Natalie Bukowski is in the process of revamping Bishop Carroll High School's band room as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project. In an effort to help build band numbers, improve practice areas and upgrade instruments, Bukowski has mixed two of her interests — carpentry and music. Bukowski is also collecting instruments community members donate for students to be able to use. Read the entire story in Our Town.
Atlanta INtown reports that The Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and Atlanta Ballet have partnered to create the inaugural Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta Weekend. As part of the partnership, Atlanta Ballet will donate 10 percent of the proceeds from the special Girl Scout promotion to the Girl Scout Gold Award Scholarship Fund.
Some useful stats!
