Girl Scouts Join First Lady Michelle Obama in Battle Against Childhood Obesity

Anna Maria Chávez, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of the USA, today joined First Lady Michelle Obama in her battle against childhood obesity during the inaugural summit of the Partnership for a Healthier America, part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! campaign.

The summit convened key organizations and leaders from the government, nonprofit, and private sectors in an effort to help reverse the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, which when combined with children who are overweight now affects nearly one in three young people ages 2 to 19 years old. In her keynote address, Mrs. Obama called on everyone to their part “because the fact is that our kids didn’t do this to themselves.”

“All of you working together can do more than just about anyone to help us tackle this issue,” said Mrs. Obama, who serves as Honorary National President of Girl Scouts of the USA. “What we have done is started a national conversation. We’ve started an important national conversation, but we need your help to propel that conversation into a national response.”

During their brief conversation at the close of the summit, Mrs. Obama congratulated Chavez on her appointment as chief executive officer, reiterated her support and commitment to Girl Scouts, and expressed her enthusiasm for celebrating the iconic organization’s centennial in 2012. At the summit, which was co-chaired by former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Newark Mayor Corey Booker, Chávez addressed some 800 executives from across the country, and pledged her support for ChildObesity 180, a nationwide initiative that seeks to provide an integrated national strategy to reverse childhood obesity in one generation.

“We as a nation must deal with the issue of childhood obesity,” Chávez said. “This affects the very health and well-being of our children—of our future. Girl Scouts as an organization is proud to join Mrs. Obama in the effort to reverse this epidemic within a generation.”

During her two days in Washington, Chávez also met with number of congressional leader, including U.S. Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Joe Lieberman (D-CT), and U.S. Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Joe Baca (D-CA), G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Frank Lucas (R-OK), Ed Pastor (D-AZ), and Allison Schwartz (D-PA).

Badge of the week: "Inventor"

We live in an age of inventions, from a tiny iPod that holds thousands of songs to artificial limbs that move in natural ways to an app that helps you find the nearest Starbucks. With this badge, Brownies find out how inventors create these products—and they become inventors themselves! Tell us about your own inventiveness...or about the inventions of girls you know.

For more information, look here!

Girl Scouts to Join Fight Against Childhood Obesity by Supporting Nationwide Initiative

Anna Maria Chávez, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of the USA, today pledged to support ChildObesity180 (CO180), an initiative designed to reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation.

Speaking at the Building a Healthier

Future Summit here, Chávez called for a holistic approach to

combating childhood obesity, one that goes beyond physical activity to

include the emotional and psy

chological dimensions of a problem that now affects an estimated 17 percent of children between the ages of 2 and 19, or 12.5 million young people. When obesity is combined with the number of youth who are overweight, that figure jumps to 32 percent.

“Our commitment to health and fitness goes back nearly 100 years,” Chávez told the gathering, which included leading figures from the nonprofit, philanthropic and private sectors. “If we want girls to drink right, snack smart and be active, we have to help them make the connection between these healthy behaviors and the things they care about – like body image, self-confidence, and social and emotional wellness. And working with our partner organizations, we can change these statistics and get girls healthier.”

CO180 seeks to provide an integrated national strategy and become a major catalyst to prioritize and drive the necessary changes to reverse childhood obesity within one generation. The initiative is bringing together national leaders from government, public health, academia, media, industry, philanthropy, and advocacy to create a wide-ranging approach to childhood obesity prevention. Its initial priority areas are: children’s access to healthier foods, physical activity, marketing to children, and eating out.

The Building a Healthier Future Summit, organized by the Partnership for a Healthier America, was co-chaired by former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Newark Mayor Cory Booker. First Lady Michelle Obama, who has made the fight against childhood obesity one of her signature issues, will deliver the keynote address on Wednesday, November 30.

The George Washington Bridge Goes Green for Girl Scouting's 100th

The World According to Evan reports that all November the George Washington Bridge debuted its green necklace lights. The green lights were installed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts.

This is only the second color ever used on the necklace lights. What ways will your community be commemorating the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting?

Earlier this month, Erik Wander of New Jersey's Fort Lee Patch reported that Girl Scout Councils in New Jersey held a ceremonial “bridging” event where thousands of girls, volunteers and alumnae crossed the George Washington Bridge from Fort Lee in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting.

“Bridging” is a traditional ceremony among Girl Scouts, signifying the passage from one level of scouting to the next, and organizers decided to do it on a large-scale this year to mark the organization’s passage into its own next century.

Anna Maria Chávez Speaks to NPR

NPR reports that Girl Scouts of the USA is aiming to become the largest leadership development organization for girls. Host Michel Martin speaks with Anna Maria Chavez, who became the first person of color to lead the organization in its nearly 100-year history. Chavez discusses how to keep the Girl Scouts relevant and involve girls of all backgrounds. Listen to the interview below!

For a transcript, look here.

Womenetics Spotlights Morgan Coffey, Founder, Stronghold Atlanta

Womenetics has a feature on Morgan Coffey, founder of Stronghold Atlanta and a 2010 National Young Woman of Distinction. At 19, Coffey co-founding Stronghold Atlanta, a nonprofit organization connecting victims of domestic violence with resources to help them break free from the cycle of abuse. The organization was an outgrowth of her Girl Scout Gold Award project in high school. She currently serves as Stronghold’s director of development, marketing, and communications.

A junior at Oglethorpe University studying business, communications, and public policy, Coffey was named a National Young Woman of Distinction for Girl Scouts USA in 2010, one of 10 selected. She passionately pursues solutions to the issues of domestic violence and abuse and teen dating violence.

When asked about the financial literacy program Stronghold offers and why that’s an important element in helping women affected by domestic violence, Coffey states, "We put together a financial literacy class called “It All Adds Up: A Woman’s Guide to Financial Self-Defense.” The program explains not just the financial side but also paperwork, what types of documents you need to have like Social Security cards, birth certificates, any adoption records, or things like that. It also explains how to budget, how to set aside money, and save. We worked with banks in the community and other financial advisers to make sure we were giving accurate information. Then we made it available to the community by publicizing it in different venues."

Make sure you read the entire interview here.

Girl Scouts Gear up for a Season of Giving

In Massachusetts, Randolph Wicked Local reports that for the 40th consecutive year, the Lombardo family, owners of Lombardo’s event facility and Vincent’s Nightclub in Randolph, will invite hundreds of guests who are in need of a meal this Thanksgiving to attend the annual holiday dinner. The tradition began almost four decades ago by Salvatore Lombardo and his mother, Nina, who decided to serve a Thanksgiving dinner to those in need.

This year’s dinner will be made of 420 pounds of turkey, 300 pounds of potatoes, 20 gallons of gravy, 10 cases of pasta with 35 gallons of delicious marinara sauce and 150 pies.

In addition to Paula Lombardo and her family, this nourishing holiday production is put on with the assistance of more than 125 volunteers. These volunteers range from firefighters to Girl Scouts and include Lombardo’s staff and local families.

Louisiana Girl Scouts make 100 Heart-Shaped Pillows for Good Cause

Louisiana's Times-Picayune reports that Girl Scout Junior Troop 40781 from Gretna recently made 100 heart-shaped pillows for breast cancer patients. The troop delivered the pillows to Dr. Irvin Thomas, Jr. and Dr. Robert Cummiskey, III at Southern Surgical Specialists in Marrero for distribution to their patients.

Nell F. Toomer, moderator of the troop, also serves as Paul B. Solis Elementary School PTO president. Besides having a great Girl Scout program at Paul B. Solis Elementary, the school also has the PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) program that has been such a success over the past several years.

PBIS is a program designed to help improve the overall behavior of students who are recognized for their positive behavior in various ways. Some of the rewards include ice cream or pizza parties, movies and popcorn, magicians, snowball day, parade of prizes, etc. Faculty and staff members encourage the students to follow the Three Golden Rules of PBIS. Rule 1 is “Be safe.’’ Rule 2 is “Be respectful.’’ Rule 3 is “Be responsible.’’

“We have added a new twist to our PBIS program this year. Our students are rewarded with ‘Sunshine Bucks,’ which can be redeemed at our ‘store.’ Bucks are given to students who are following the ‘Golden Rules’ and demonstrating positive behavior,” Principal Vicki Esquivel said.

Houston Run-Down

Girl Scouts of the USA celebrated 100 years of history and welcomed its new chief executive officer at its National Council Session/52nd Convention in Houston from November 10-13.

The historic convention, titled Renewing the Promise: Girl Scouts in a New Century, drew some 15,000 girl and adult members, as well as noted celebrities, such as ABC News journalist Katie Couric; Soledad O’Brien, host of CNN’s In America; Robin Roberts, co-anchor of Good Morning America; three-time Grammy-nominated recording artist Sarah Bareilles; Houston Mayor Annise D. Parker; actress and philanthropist Marlee Matlin; gospel singer Yolanda Adams; and actress Monique Coleman, who starred in the High School Musical films.

Anna Maria Chávez is the CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. A first generation Mexican-American, Chávez was a Girl Scout in her native Arizona and would later become an aide to then-Governor Janet Napolitano. She has been CEO of the Girl Scout's Southwest Texas Council since 2009.

Chávez spoke with Houston Chronicle reporter Anna Gallegos about her expectations for the organization, which will turn 100 in 2012. When asked about her priorities for the Girl Scouts, Chávez answered, "What I'm very excited about is the opportunity we have currently because we are about to turn 100 years old. I have the great honor of being part of a team that is really going to start going external with our message. We're really ready to talk to the world about girls, issues that are important to them, and how we are developing leaders for this country and the world. I think it's really focusing on ... the investment in girls. What I'm talking about is really expressing the relevance of Girl Scouts for not only girls, but for this country."

Your Houston News reports that Katie Couric, a long-time supporter of Girl Scouts, first joined the organization 45 years ago in her home state of Virginia. Speaking to a crowd of ten-thousand, Couric commended the organization on 100 years of empowering women, she said the organization still has work to do. Only 3 percent of women are CEOs, but 65 percent have some form of eating disorder, she said.

“Women are half the population, let’s not waste all these brains on things that don’t matter,” she said. “Now more than ever Girl Scouts are needed to create the leaders of tomorrow.”

Later in the week, the Houston Chronicle published an editorial stating, "lately, anti-gay groups have expressed outrage that the Girl Scouts include lesbian teenagers in their definition of "all girls." And we've heard grumblings that a "known lesbian" will address the Scout convention here - a reference, apparently, to Houston's mayor, Annise Parker. It's startling to realize that an event as wholesomely routine as the mayor's welcoming a Girl Scout convention to town could ever count as an act of bravery. But it does - and it's the kind of brave inclusiveness that the Girl Scouts have always stood for. We're proud that they're here."

Colorado Bronze Award Positively Impacts Community

The Girl Scouts of Colorado Blog reports that to earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award, 5th grade Junior Troop 1947 of Steele Elementary in Colorado Springs, aimed to get a crosswalk at a dangerous intersection near their school. Neighbors had tried for years and suggested maybe the city would listen to Girl Scouts.

The four members – Kalyana, Alexa, Chloe and Lauren – divided up the responsibilities – school, neighborhood, city and media – and when a city traffic engineer gave them a flat out ”no,” it didn’t stop them. They researched safe options and built a support team of neighbors and experts; made a PowerPoint presentation of their findings and a video of the intersection and got the support of their neighborhood association board and school; they collected signatures on a petition and even found funding with a grant. Alexa Huesgen Hobbs said,”It was so exciting to see how everyone wanted to help us – most of the things we found out just by talking to people.”

Their advisors told them to take it to the citizen’s forum at City Hall, but first meet one-on-one with a couple key City Council members. To create buzz and generate support on the day of the presentation the troop placed signs at the dangerous intersection, invited neighbors to attend and contacted the local media. The media story ran in local news outlets and eventually landed on MSNBC.

The troop was able to get support from the City Council in these ways. The Council not only gave the Girl Scouts a “yes,” but praised them for their well prepared and thorough presentation, and, most importantly, for not taking “no” for an answer.

Competition & STEM Program Opportunity for Girls

Girl Scouts of the USA is proud to be an outreach partner with the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop and E-Line Media to introduce the second annual National STEM Video Game Challenge open to Girl Scouts! This challenge invites game makers to show their passion for playing and making video games and aims to motivate children's interests in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Up for grabs is almost $200,000 in cash and prizes, with multiple ways to win! The entry period is open through March 12th, 2012. Finalists will be selected by a distinguished panel of judges and winners will be announced in the spring of 2012 at a major public event.

For more information on how Girl Scouts can enter the Youth Prize competition (middle school & high school) look here!

Challenges like this support Girl Scouts’ already strong commitment to STEM activities that are relevant to everyday life. Whether they're discovering how a car's engine runs, becoming math whizzes, or learning about careers in STEM fields, girls are moving forward into the future. Please look here for more information on all of our science offerings.

This challenge also compliments the Entertainment Technology Badge, where girls can dig into video game development! If you have girls earning this badge, encourage them to enter the STEM Video Challenge as well!

Girl Scouts Forever Green Takes Action in Houston

Houston's Fox 26 reports that "Girl Scouts of the USA is celebrating their 100-year anniversary by sponsoring a program called Girl Scouts Forever Green,” Houston Arboretum Conservation Director Joe Blanton said.

In Houston, Girl Scouts built several rain gardens and planted over 500 plants. The new plants won’t have to worry too much about the drought or watering restrictions. The tank is 2,500 gallons and a 1-inch rain event will provide 800 gallons to this reservoir. The water can be used for the plants when they need it most.

“From this partnership with the Girl Scouts,” Blanton said. “We’ve been able to establish a variety of demonstration gardens as well as a rain tank that the public can come out and see exactly how it functions to capture rain when it does rain and being able to use it at their discretion in between rainfall events.”

For more information on Girl Scouts Forever Green, look here.

Girl Scout Cookie Program Featured in Wall Street Journal

The front page of today's Wall Street Journal has a teaser to a story titled "Office Guilt: Please Buy My Daughter's Girl Scout Cookies." The article makes the point that the Girl Scout Cookie Program is a business learning experience for girls by stating that "while Girl Scouts of the USA doesn't allow online sales, a 30-county Ohio Girl Scout council has set up a Facebook page to help younger scouts market cookies, and some troops in the San Diego area are using a smartphone app that allows credit-card sales. Girl Scouts also use a "Cookie Club" website that helps them email prospective customers and receive promises to buy."

Kym Wright had her 7-year-old daughter Ella dress in her Brownie uniform and make a two-minute video showing pictures and prices for some nut products she was selling for her troop.

"It made it so much easier to email that to friends and say, 'Here's a little video of Ella, if you are interested in buying," says Ms. Wright, of San Diego. Some liked the video so much that they sent it to a half-dozen others. Ella sold 100 cans of nuts, five times her target, aided by distant grandparents and a cousin who showed her video to his co-workers.

What business skills have you learned from Girl Scouting?

Anna Maria Chávez Speaks to Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts of the USA celebrated 100 years of history and welcomed its new chief executive officer, Anna Maria Chávez, at its National Council Session/52nd Convention in Houston from November 10-13.

The historic convention, titled Renewing the Promise: Girl Scouts in a New Century, drew some 15,000 girl and adult members, as well as noted celebrities, such as ABC News journalist Katie Couric; Soledad O’Brien, host of CNN’s In America; Robin Roberts, co-anchor of Good Morning America; three-time Grammy-nominated recording artist Sarah Bareilles; Houston Mayor Annise D. Parker; actress and philanthropist Marlee Matlin; gospel singer Yolanda Adams; and actress Monique Coleman, who starred in the High School Musical films.

Below is the speech delivered by Anna Maria Chávez. Enjoy!

Missouri Girl Scout Meets National Science Foundation Deputy Director

Michael De Los Reyes reports for the Arnold Patch that the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri and AT&T hosted an event recently to allow Dr. Cora B. Marrett, deputy director of the National Science Foundation to review 17 St. Louis area Girl Scouts’ Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) projects.

Girl Scout Mylisa Cowen of Imperial participated in a roundtable discussion with Dr. Cora B. Marrett, deputy director of the National Science Foundation, on Thursday.

"Events like these serve a dual purpose," Marrett said. "First, it gives the girls an idea of things that are beyond what they have experienced. It also gives me an idea of what creative strategies might work to draw girls into STEM fields."

Following the discussion, Debra Hollingsworth, AT&T's Regional Vice President of External Affairs, presented the Girl Scouts with a $1 million check to benefit an initiative called IMAGINE: Your Stem Future. The program is designed to reach 6,000 young women across the U.S. and introduce them to a variety of career ideas in the science, technology, engineering and math fields.

Currently, minority students and women are moving away from science and engineering toward other professions, the news release said.

Go Behind the Scenes at The Studio!

Check out this new part of our website: The Studio. Here, girls can go behind the scenes with their favorite writers and illustrators to find out how they work . . . and get a few tips to make their own work shine!

The Studio is a showcase for inspiring storytellers of all kinds, who offer an inside look at how they do what they do. New authors will be added every month, so keep checking back! We also plan to expand the site to include other artists, as well as the ability for girls to upload their own work. Our goal is to create a community of girls who can share their creative work with others and learn from professionals working in a variety of creative careers.

The Reluctant Athlete Cites the Girl Scout Research Institute

The Reluctant Athlete reports that research from Women's Sports Foundation reports that beginning in middle school and through high school, girls experience a 23 percent decline in sports participation, compared to 10 percent for boys. In addition, a report released by the Girl Scout Research Institute reported that 40 percent of girls age 11 to 17 whom they surveyed said they don’t participate in sports because they don’t feel skilled or competent, and 23 percent don’t participate because they feel they don’t look good doing so.

Girls have made monumental strides in participating in sports, largely because of the passage of Title IX in 1972, which mandated equal access for males and females to educational programs and services -- including sports programs -- in schools receiving federal funds. According to Women’s Sports Foundation, the rate of girls’ participation in sports has gone from 1 in 27 in 1981, to 1 in 3 today.

Still, social relationships with her peers begin to take on more importance. Girls at this age may start to feel that they won’t be considered attractive if they’re strong, fit and can outrun a boy.

“Unfortunately our society continues to place more emphasis on a girl’s appearance than her ability, which doesn’t help during this developmental stage,” said Kamla Modi, Ph.D., research and outreach analyst for the Girl Scout Research Institute and former Division I gymnast at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. “Being a star athlete doesn’t quite bring out a girl’s ‘feminine’ side unless it’s a performance sport, such as gymnastics, figure skating or cheerleading. Boys, on the other hand, are socialized to do sports at an early age. Sports are masculine by nature, and boys doing sports does not compete with boys getting attention and being well-liked. They go hand in hand.”

Girl Scouts of the USA is Proud to Welcome Anna Maria Chávez, Chief Executive Officer

Anna Maria Chávez is the CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. A first generation Mexican-American, Chávez was a Girl Scout in her native Arizona and would later become an aide to then-Governor Janet Napolitano. She has been CEO of the Girl Scout's Southwest Texas Council since 2009.

Chávez spoke with Houston Chronicle reporter Anna Gallegos about her expectations for the organization, which will turn 100 in 2012. When asked about her priorities for the Girl Scouts, Chávez answered,

"What I'm very excited about is the opportunity we have currently because we are about to turn 100 years old. I have the great honor of being part of a team that is really going to start going external with our message. We're really ready to talk to the world about girls, issues that are important to them, and how we are developing leaders for this country and the world. I think it's really focusing on ... the investment in girls. What I'm talking about is really expressing the relevance of Girl Scouts for not only girls, but for this country."

Live Blog - Girl Scouts of the USA 52nd Convention Closing Ceremony

Join us for our final live blog and renew the promise!

Live Blog - Launch of the 100th Anniversary

We will be live blogging the launch of our 100th Anniversary! Join us here for frontline access to great speeches and performances!

Photos From the 2011 Convention Exhibit Hall!

Convention Kick Off Live Blog!

We will be Live Blogging our Opening Ceremonies starting at 7:30 pm Central Standard Time. Stay tuned!

Davia Temin Kicks off Convention in Forbes!

Davia Temin, First Vice Chair of the Girl Scouts National Board, and Chair of the Fund Development Committee writes in Forbes that Girl Scouts of the USA opens its 100th Anniversary Convention in Houston today. 15,000 girls, adult volunteers, celebrity guests, and friends are all converging on Texas to move girls and women’s leadership into its next century.

Temin states that Girl Scouts "is the ultimate pipeline for women leaders. For the past 100 years, Girl Scouts has been training girls of ”courage, confidence, and character,” to “discover, connect, and take action to make the world a better place.” And if that isn’t leadership, I don’t know what is."

Stay tuned for more updates from Davia Temin!

History in the Making

Greetings from Girl Scout History Conference, "Archives in Action". Today we are connecting the past to the future by liveblogging from the History Conference!

Girl Scouts of the USA is turning 100 years old in 2012. We have a rich history and will continue to make history in the next 100 years.

Kathy Cloninger Covered by Forbes

Forbes reports that on the cusp of its 100-year anniversary, the Girl Scouts now counts 10 million members in 144 countries and a growing alumnae network of 50 million women. It’s also big business. The annual cookie sale exceeds $700 million and, for many girls, serves as a first introduction to business basics.

At the head of its largest division, Kathy Cloninger, CEO of the Girls Scouts of the U.S., has spent the last eight years revamping the organization to focus on “girl-centered leadership.” She threw out the old handbooks and irrelevant badges and redesigned them. She merged regional offices, turning 300 into 100. And now, in her new book Tough Cookies: Leadership Lessons from 100 Years of the Girl Scouts, Cloninger demands more attention on female leadership, saying it could be the path to a revived America.

Lip Smackers + Girl Scout Cookies = Total Brilliance!

Yahoo Shine reports that Lip Smacker knows the way to our hearts. The Girl Scout Cookie lip balm collection represents five of our favorite tasty treats: Thin Mints, Trefoils, Chocolate Peanut Butter (Tagalongs), Peanut Butter (Do-si-dos), and Coconut Caramel Stripes (Samoas).

These lip balms taste and smell just as scrumptious as the cookies. Thankfully they're hydrating too. Buy them individually or get all five in a set for $5 at Wal-Mart and Claire's stores. Come 2012 they'll be available in the liquid lip gloss version too. We can't wait to enjoy our Trefoils all year round!

Try Out Some New It’s Your Story — Tell It! Activities

Two weeks ago, Girl Scouts partnered with Dove's Self-Esteem Weekend, a first step in imagining a world where beauty is a source of confidence, not anxiety. To keep that spirit going throughout the year, try some of these activities with your daughter, niece, students, or Girl Scout group…they're designed to help girls express themselves, discover their potential, and expand their definitions of beauty.

Make sure you check out these It’s Your Story — Tell It! Activities, and let us know how your activity turned out!

Smart Cookies: What Girl Scouts Can Teach America

Congratulations to Kathy Cloninger for her appearance on this morning’s edition of the highest rated cable morning show,Fox & Friends, where she discussed the importance of investing in girls leadership, and even was able to celebrate our new badges. We hope this appearance will inspire millions to buy Tough Cookies. Don’t forget, all proceeds go directly to Girl Scouts.

Top Seller Takes a Trip!

The Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Blog reports that 12-year-old Dakota Gregory was the top fall product seller for Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council, selling $1,700 in nut and candy items. In recognition of her amazing accomplishment, the Council flew Dakota and her mom Dani to Waukesha, Wisconsin in August to visit the actual factory where the nuts and candies are made.

Because she was wearing her Girl Scout vest on the plane, Dakota immediately caught the attention of the pilot, who invited her to join him in the cockpit. The captain put his hat on her head, and invited her to take his seat. He talked with her about flying and explained what different buttons and gauges were for. She was impressed to learn that pilots had to retrain and re-qualify all the time in order to meet airline safety standards.

At the factory, Dakota met by the Vice President, Mark Beveridge, who took Dakota and her mom on a tour to show them from start to finish, all that goes into getting a simple can of nuts. Dakota was invited to push the big red button that set the assembly line in motion.

She was able to observe the nuts making their way down the line and see the machinery that roasts the nuts in peanut oil. Mark described the men who monitored this process as "artists" and explained how they are able to tell what needs to be adjusted just by the color of the nuts coming out.

Celebrate Girl Scouting by Dedicating a Flower on the Girl Scouts of Greater LA's Rose Parade Float!

California's Pasadena News Now reports that to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting, Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles will start off the centennial year with a float entry in the upcoming Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on January 2 with the hope that every flower on the float honors a Girl Scout, a former Girl Scout or a Girl Scout supporter.

“For 100 years, Girl Scouts has inspired girls with the ideals of courage, confidence and character and encouraged them to make the world a better place,” said Lise L. Luttgens, Chief Executive Officer of the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles. “In celebration of 100 years of Girl Scouting, this spectacular floral tribute looks back to the beginning and forward to the future of the largest girl-serving organization in the world.”

The float’s design captures 100 years of Girl Scouting by showcasing the organization’s history and its future with elements of the unlimited opportunities and experiences it has provided to girls for a century. Enveloped by yellow roses, signifying the friendships made in Girl Scouting, the float’s theme of “What Will You Do Today?” echoes the iconic non-profit’s campaign of challenging girls to imagine the possibilities through Girl Scouting.

The float was conceptualized by area Girl Scouts, designed by local Girl Scout mother-daughter team Renee Hoss-Johnson and Brianne Johnson, and will be decorated by a legion of Girl Scouts.

With the hope that every flower on the float represents a Girl Scout or friend of Girl Scouting, GSGLA is offering “virtual rides” to Girl Scouts young and old and Girl Scout friends and family for a tax-deductible donation of $5 each. The nominal gift serves as a float flower dedication that will ride aboard the Girl Scout float.

For each donation, a name will be “placed” on the float, giving the honoree a virtual ride in the Rose Parade. Float flower dedications have already been made in honor of current or former Girl Scouts; Girl Scout moms, dads, and grandparents; Troop Leaders; Girl Scout Gold Award recipients; Girl Scout volunteers; and friends of the Girl Scouts. Several troops are out in the community talking about the float and garner up support.

Dedication donations can be made at www.girlscoutsla.org. The website also has information on joining, reconnecting and other 100th Anniversary celebrations. Alerts are happening on the GSGLA Facebook page, too at www.facebook.com/GSGLA.

New Jersey Bridging a Monumental Event

Erik Wander of New Jersey's Fort Lee Patch reports that Girl Scout Councils in New Jersey are holding a ceremonial “bridging” event later this month, during which as many as 5,000 girls, volunteers and alumnae will cross the George Washington Bridge from Fort Lee in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting, the organization announced.

“Bridging” is a traditional ceremony among Girl Scouts, signifying the passage from one level of scouting to the next, and organizers decided to do it on a large-scale this year to mark the organization’s passage into its own next century.

“Bridging is such a significant part of Girl Scouting, which is why this historic bridging event is the perfect way to kick off our 100th anniversary celebration,” said Susan Brooks, CEO of Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey Council in a statement. “Bridging represents an important transition in a Girl Scout's life. It's a defining moment when a girl becomes aware of her achievements and is ready for new adventures and responsibilities.”

Brooks added that all four New Jersey councils—the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey, Central and Southern New Jersey, Heart of New Jersey and Jersey Shore—will come together “to celebrate this milestone,” and the councils say that because of interest from Girl Scout organizations in neighboring states, they are opening the event up to Girl Scouts nationwide.

Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni also issued a statement on the Girl Scouts’ big day, calling it, “a monumental event” that “will be remembered by generations to come."

"We are proud to come together with an organization as steeped in history and tradition as the Girl Scouts,” Baroni said, noting that the bridge itself, which he called an “American icon” celebrated an anniversary of its own recently—its 80th.

In addition, the Port Authority will light the “necklace lights” on the George Washington Bridge green in November in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts, much as the agency lit them pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania Renewing the Mission of Girl Scouting

The Patriot News in Pennsylvania reports that "Girl Scouts approaches 100-year mark with renewed mission of empowering future women". The article states that Girl Scouting is the alternative to shallow notions about being female. Arm yourself with skills, a Girl Scout is taught, and doors open.

“You get to feel accomplished,” said Mackenzie Miller, a 12-year-old Girl Scout Cadette in East Pennsboro Township.

Jane Ransom is president and CEO of Girls Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania. She said girls need that feeling now more than ever.

“Every time they turn on their computer or TV, [they see] that narrow slate of options that suggest to them that there is one way to look and one way to act.

“Women are tearing each other down. They’re at each other’s throats. They’re scheming against each other. That’s all out there, and Girl Scouts is an antidote to that, a kind of inoculation against that,” Ransom said.

Girl Scouts’ core mission hasn’t changed. Its second-century goal still will be to steer girls down the path to self-reliance.

“In a very fundamental sense, Girl Scouting is still relevant because the need for Girl Scouts is still relevant. The social and economic terrain that girls are walking compared to 100 years ago is quite different. But the need is the same because girls are still walking on a tricky terrain,” Ransom said.

AT&T Gives Money to Girl Scouts at Pennsylvania High School

Zach Subar of the Mt. Airy Patch reports that AT&T gave $25,000 to the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania at Germantown High School that will allow the Girl Scouts to educate people in science, technology, engineering and math programs.

Scout officials will use the money to go into the school and put on programs that educate girls in those fields. AT&T presented them with a check Tuesday.

The $25,000 is part of a $1 million AT&T contribution designed to reach 6,000 young women across the United States.

PhillyGoes2College, which is a part of the mayor's Office of Education, is also taking part in educational aspects of the program.

Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay Council Invite US Senator Tom Carper to Visit STEM Lodge

As part of Girl Scouts advocacy initiatives, Anne Hogan and Audrey Boys met with Senator Chris Coons in September regarding our advocacy work on behalf of girls, primarily asking for his support for the Healthy Media Act, as well as anti-bullying measures. Senator Coons was also briefed on STEM initiatives and the Council's naming as a STEM Advocacy Champion by Girl Scouts of the USA. In early October, Senator Thomas R. Carper visited the Lynn W. Williams Science and Technology Lodge to learn about our advocacy initiatives as well as to see STEM programming in action. Girls from Troop 923 and STEM specialist Carlyn Nelson demonstrated the Lego Robotics program while Senator Carper joined the girls in programming the robot to complete obstacles and tasks.

Pennsylvania Girl Scouts use Halloween as an Opportunity to Do Good

This Halloween, Pennsylvanis Girl Scouts Megan Galasso, LeeAnn Mahalick and Katie Gushka earned their Girl Scout Silver Award for providing Halloween costumes and an elaborate party for children at the Marion Terrace housing project.

The Silver Award is the second highest award in Girl Scouts and the highest available to their age group. "We wanted every kid to experience the thrill of Halloween," said Gushka. The Citizen's Voice reports that dressing up is a big part of what makes Halloween the girls' favorite holiday. But they realized not everyone can afford costumes.

Galasso, 13, of Shavertown; Mahalick, 13, of Kingston and Gushka, 14, of Swoyersville, are members of Senior Troop 33912, which meets in Kingston.

The project impressed Beth Gagliardi, director of the Boys and Girls Club of Marion Terrace. It was unusual in two ways, she said. It was the first time volunteers brought a Halloween event to her club and the first time she saw kids do so much to help other kids.

"I asked if they wanted help, but they wanted to be in full charge of it," Gagliardi said. That kind of leadership is key to the Silver Award, which requires that the girls be in charge of the project and work for a minimum of 50 hours.

The girls gathered donations of costumes in good condition, coming up with around 50 by passing out flyers, appealing to other Scouts and putting the word out on Facebook. Some people donated new costumes. Each girl donated at least a few of her own, including a pizza slice, a solider, Spiderman, Alice in Wonderland and a bunch of scary stuff. There were lots of other choices, including a unicorn, a skeleton, Star Wars characters and princesses.

North Carolina Girl Scouts Advocate for Disabilities Awareness

North Carolina's Kinston Free Press reports that raising awareness was the goal Thursday as local health providers and Girl Scout Troop 600 teamed up for the 2011 Disabilities Awareness Fair at Vernon Park Mall. October is Disability Awareness Month.

Throughout the day, more than a dozen booths were handing out information about the resources available in the area.

Elizabeth Proctor, 15, was one of the Girl Scouts volunteering at the event.

“We helped out last year,” Proctor said. “This year, we are doing it as a service project. It helps us learn more about the needs.”

In addition to Disability Awareness Month, and in an effort to raise awareness, the Girl Scouts had Kinston Mayor B.J. Murphy proclaim October as “Disability History and Awareness Month” in Kinston.

The Americans with Disabilities Act, referred to as the ADA, was signed by President George Bush on July 26, 1990. The youth-led movement for equal education on disabilities history celebrated its first victory in West Virginia in April 2006. Other states are following suit.