Spring Issue
Dear
Issue 1, Edition 2 Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
We believe that when Girl Scouts succeed, so does society. We provide Girl Scouts with a place to discover their passions, find their voice, and make a positive impact in their communities. These Girl Scouts are building a better world for all of us!
Help us ensure every Girl Scout in northern Illinois develops the courage, confidence, and character Girl Scouts nurtures. An investment in Girl Scouting is broader than a cause or a cure. It is a commitment to the next generation of self-sufficient and capable trailblazers.
Totally Tubular Trivia Night!
About 80 GSNI friends and supporters gathered at Barrington’s White House on Thursday, March 16, for a fun night of 1980s trivia! This fundraiser was held to support STEM programming around the council. With the help of our sponsors and those who attended, we were able to reach our fundraising goal of $8,500!
GSNI’s Philanthropy Team would like to thank GSNI Board Members Michael Campbell and Jessica Hirsch, as well as GSNI staff members Becky Staat and Kari Rockwell for purchasing tables, inviting guests, and supporting the entire event through their social media posts.
We would also like to thank our generous sponsors—Aqua Aerobics Systems, Laura George Consulting, Gopher Towing, UWHealth, Advancing Global EDU, and Marvin’s Toy Store—for their support of the event and helping to promote STEM programming for Girl Scouts in our council. Additionally, GSNI would like to thank Chicago Trivia Guys—Rachael (a Girl Scout alum) for donating her time to host the live team trivia games and Barrington’s White House for the donation of a lovely space to hold our event!
More Brewing Company
• A Step Closer to STEM
• Trivia Night - Totally!
• Ways to Give.
1
STEM Careers for Girls: How You
Despite accounting for around half of the employed U.S. workforce, women in the United States make up only one third of those employed in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) occupations.
GSNI is helping raise the profiles of women in STEM and inspire the next generation of girls to consider STEM careers. In collaborating with GSNI Girl Scout Kaitlin who is currently working on her Gold Award Project to provide a MakerSpace at Camp Dean and a MakerSpace at Camp McCormick, we hope to realize this goal.
Kaitlin said, “I know how it feels to be the only girl on a robotics team and in a computer science class with all boys. Without support from other girls, we have no one to lean on. Without role models in STEM who we know personally, we have no one to look up to. Without extra encouragement to thrive in engineering and technology fields, girls are missing out on rewarding careers later in life where their voices can be heard.”
To inspire girls to be a part of the cutting-edge future in STEM, GSUSA recently designed new Badges and Journeys for Robotics, Cybersecurity, Space Science, STEM Career Exploration, Engineering, and Computer Science. However, the problem is that GSNI currently doesn’t have the equipment needed to complete these new badges or a place for Girl Scouts to work on them. Across our 16-county territory, GSNI has only one box with a robotics kit that can be checked out by Girl Scout troops—one box for 10,000 girls!
Kaitlin decided her Gold Award Project would be to create a hi-tech MakerSpace at Camp Dean and at Camp McCormick with robotics, laptops, coding, and snap circuits as well as computer-controlled 3D printers, embroiderers, and vinyl cutting machines. She presented a design and budget to the GSNI Board of Directors who enthusiastically supported the idea and offered to dedicate space at each camp. With help from many volunteers and GSNI staff, Kaitlin has secured several grants to help cover the cost of both renovating space and securing equipment.
Help support Girl Scout STEM careers!
Here are five basic ways you can help support Girl Scout STEM careers and the MakerSpace Project:
1. Look for unique opportunities to assist with this project. The best conversations with GSNI staff, troop leaders, and Girl Scouts may be in the most unlikely places.
2. Empower a young girl or woman to share her story.
We do not want to be voices for others but enable others’ voices to be heard.
3. Share your story! Want to comment or write about it? We would love to hear how you are working to create change for women and girls in your community. Email us at stories@girlscoutsni.org .
4. Give! Consider supporting this project to empower girls and women at the grassroots level.
5. Just an easy click on the QR code will bring you to our Donate page. You can change a girl’s life with even a small donation!
2
Bottom row center - Gold Award Girl Scout Kaitlin L. and her team of donors and volunteers at the Camp Dean MakerSpace open house.
You Can Help!
Camp Dean’s MakerSpace will be completed within a month and ready for use. GSNI is still seeking funding for a similar space at Camp McCormick. Only three other Girl Scout councils in the U.S. have hi-tech MakerSpaces, so Camp Dean and Camp McCormick will be among the first. Our goal is for Tech
Camp GSNI to inspire Girl Scouts from all backgrounds across northern Illinois and connect them with other girls in STEM in a space where they feel safe and accepted. GSNI also envisions the MakerSpace reaching other children through possible partnerships with SciTech Hands-On Museum and local schools in the areas surrounding both camps.
Ways to Give to GSNI!
Fundraising: We have had a successful year with our fundraising efforts! We met our income goals for both Giving Tuesday and Totally Tubular Trivia Night. We are excited to continually offer fun ways to participate in our fundraisers, such as Dine to Donate where restaurants across the council donate a portion of proceeds for a given day and the Thin Mint Sprint coming in September. Thank you for your continued support with these efforts to help fund Girl Scout programs!
Matching Gifts: Many companies will match a gift you give to GSNI. When you give a gift, please check with your employer and see if they have a matching gift program. For a list of employers who have active programs, please visit www.girlscoutsni. org/donate.
Leave a Legacy: We’re here to help Girl Scouts for the long haul. To ensure we can provide the help they need in the future, we rely on the support of those who remember our work through a gift in their will. To learn more about leaving a legacy gift, visit www. girlscoutsni.org/donate.
3
Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
1886 Daimler Road
Rockford, Illinois 61112
If you would prefer to receive this newsletter by email, please contact Vicki Jacobson at vjacobson@girlscoutsni.org, or 844-476-4463.
Thank you for your continued support of GSNI as we strive to develop independent, confident girls through customizable experiences and opportunities to learn valuable life skills while cultivating the character to make a difference in the world! girlscoutsni.org
New Donor Spotlight
This year, we were excited to announce our first-ever official collaboration with More Brewing Company, Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois (GSNI), and Girl Scouts of Chicago and Northwest Indiana in honor of Women’s History Month!
Early in 2023, GSNI was approached by More Brewing Company to participate in a fundraising collaboration. The brewery asked if they could create two specialty beers inspired by the Samoas® and Tagalongs® Girl Scout Cookies—with this collaboration came a percentage of the profits to support the Girl Scout Mission!
The brewery created two specialty beers for this initiative, including Henna: Caramel Charm, an Imperial Stout inspired by the classic Samoas and conditioned on caramel, coconut, and chocolate.
Swirling cocochocolate meets an incredibly decadent caramel sweetness that’s simply charming in this delicious brew. The second variety is Henna Peanut Butter Patch, an Imperial Stout inspired by Tagalongs with chocolate and a dollop of peanut butter. Deep, rich chocolate leads the charge with an incredibly humble peanut butter backbone providing an alluring savory addition to this peanut butter and hazelnut masterpiece. 10% of every can sold through this limited release will be donated directly to GSNI to empower and advocate for young women. Visit More Brewery & Restaurant in Huntley and Villa Park Brew Pub in Villa Park to taste more of their delectable offerings. GSNI would especially like to thank Bo Russell for spearheading this project and his marketing expertise!
More Brewing Company 13980 Automall Dr. Huntley, IL 60142 (630) 501-1519
