GSNYPENN Media Team Newsletter // February 2025
By Claudia M., Junior, Vestal, N.Y.
Girl Scouts is the best I’m being honest Camping, badges and a trip Things that girls don’t want to skip In Girl Scouts, I made new friends I hope it never ends
By Arabella D., Cadette, Baldwinsville, N.Y.
What was it like being a Girl Scout 35 years ago? Where does Girl Scouts get you in life? Do you use the skills you learned in Girl Scouting when you’re older? These are some questions you may be asking yourself. I will be interviewing Tracy Carmody, a GSNYPENN Community Partner, who owns Paths to Recovery Mental Health Counseling (ptrcounseling.com), a private group therapy practice. She will answer some questions and tell us a bit about what she does.
Q: What do you do at Paths to Recovery Mental Health Counseling?
A: “I oversee operations and provide mental health services to individuals, couples, families and the community.”
Q: What was Girl Scouts like when you were young?
A: “It was about community connection, exploring, taking opportunities, learning foundational skills and building relationships.”
Q: How did Girl Scouts get you to where you are today?
A: “It provided an introduction to foundational skills in sales, communication, money management and more.”
The ways of Girl Scouting are very diverse by geographic features but the outcomes of what you learn are very similar. No matter what you grow up to do, these skills will help you to succeed!
By Abby D., Senior, Manlius, N.Y.
I interviewed my grandma, Susan Duerr, who has been involved in Girl Scouts for many years. She was on the GSNYPENN Board of Directors and now sits on the council’s Girl Scout Gold Award Committee. She has been involved in my troop from the beginning and always comes camping with us. I have learned so much from her!
Q: How long have you been involved in Girl Scouts?
A: “I have been a Girl Scout for almost 40 years. I was a Brownie in 2nd and 3rd grades, but then I moved schools and was no longer a Girl Scout. I was a troop leader from 1989-2010 for both of my daughters. In 2012, I joined the GSNYPENN Council’s Board of Directors and did that until last May. Now, I’m part of the council’s Gold Award Committee.”
Q: What has been your favorite part of Girl Scouts?
A: “My favorite part of Girl Scouts is going camping with the girls, teaching them, spending time with them and watching them grow.”
Q: Why did you want to be a part of Girl Scouts?
A: “I think every young woman needs to have a mentor of her gender and I wanted to do that, to help girls understand that they can do anything that they want to do.”
Q: How long were you on the GSNYPENN Board?
A: “I was on the board for 14 years.”
Q: What was your favorite part of that experience?
A: “Making sure that everything was going well with the council. To ensure things were running smoothly so that they could offer all the programs to the girls. I also like spending time with other adult women who believe in the same things as me.”
Q: What has been your best experience in Girl Scouts?
A: “When my daughter and daughter-in-law became troop leaders, they asked me to spend time with the girls in their troop.”
Q: What is an opportunity you’ve been able to have because of Girl Scouts?
A: “I have met some incredible other women in this community who believe in helping and guiding young girls to reach their full potential.”
Q: How are you currently involved in Girl Scouts?
A: “I am currently a member of the council’s Gold Award Committee. When Girl Scouts decide to work on their Gold Awards, they get two mentors. I am one of them. We review all their awards projects to make sure they follow all qualifications and help guide them. We assist in finding people who could help them complete their projects and encourage them. Then we approve their Gold Awards.”
Q: What skills have you learned in Girl Scouts?
A: “The first thing I learned in Girl Scouts was how to make a “turkey in a trash can,” along with many other camping skills. When I first started, I had no camping skills and now, whenever I go camping with my daughter’s troop, I tend to the fire and make sure the girls learn the same skills that I have learned over the years.”
Q: Do you use any of the skills you gained through Girl Scouting in everyday life?
A: “I’m not, and never have been, an extremely outgoing person. Meeting with Girl Scouts and their troops helped me improve that skill.”
By Lola H., Cadette, Oswego, N.Y.
Looking back, 2024 was filled with many cherished memories made at Girl Scout events! One of the best events I attended with my troop was Veni. Vidi. Vici. in Utica. We exchanged SWAPS, made new friends, played games, created friendship bracelets, stayed up late, went swimming and had a great time! One of the crafts involved decorating sleep masks with fabric markers. Girl Scout Cadettes were allowed to stay up until midnight in a room filled with games and moisturizing face masks! After midnight, when we got into bed, some of us had a competition to see who could stay awake the longest. I may or may not have participated!
Throughout 2024, I also attended many other Girl Scout events, starting with Fanny Seward Girl Scout Day in Auburn. I learned so much about Fanny and the Seward family. Staff from the Seward House Museum and Seymour Library taught us how to press flowers, create a paper stage and sent us home with swag bags and beautiful patches! To celebrate Girl Scouts Love State Parks, I traveled to Cazenovia to the Lorenzo State Historic Site. We went on a scavenger hunt, toured the Lorenzo Mansion and visited the Rippleton Schoolhouse (built in 1887) where we learned to write using ink wells and quills. I arrived late, but the kind lady teaching graciously stayed to give me a private lesson, for which I am very grateful. She taught me the basics of calligraphy!
I attended two Girl Scout Days with the Syracuse Mets over the summer and received a free fun patch, and one of the games celebrated Italian Heritage, where the first 1,500 people in line received free jerseys! I also saw Scooch, the mascot, both times and gave him big bear hugs!
Cornell University in Ithaca also hosted several Girl Scout events. I attended a couple Engineering Days, where we participated in various hands-on STEM activities and earned beautiful badges. Recently, my troop attended an event organized by the Cornell chapter of the Society of Women Engineers specifically for Cadettes.
In 2025, I have already attended The MOST awesome cookieWOW! at The MOST (Museum of Science & Technology) in Syracuse and in March will participate in an Orchid Show in Buffalo. I’m also looking forward to a GSNYPENN trip to Martha’s Vineyard in August (I used my Experience Credits from participating in council product programs toward the registration fee).
I can’t wait to see what the rest of 2025 brings! Events are constantly being added to the calendar on the GSNYPENN website, so I recommend checking them out regularly at gsnypenn.org/events!
By Claudia M., Junior, Vestal, N.Y.
My local Service Unit and Troop 60777 started planning for our November 2024 Encampment well ahead of time. It was held November 15-17 at Camp Amahami in Deposit. My troop worked on our Junior Aide Award. This requires helping Daisies or Brownies complete a journey and with a Take Action project. In this case, we helped complete their Outdoor Journey. After a couple of planning meetings, we were ready for our encampment.
We drove to Amahami and stayed up late preparing activities, singing camp songs and trying to fall asleep—even though the “Shh!! battle” was going on. In the morning, we ate breakfast cooked by our Seniors and Ambassadors. Then, we were told the schedule for the day.
We had half of the morning for break, and the other half for activities we planned with the younger girls. After lunch, we led a hike halfway around Page Pond, located in the center of camp. We would not be going up to the fire tower, but there would be some time for Gaga ball. During the hike, each small group of girls in my troop led an activity.
The day turned out well, and our Daisies and Brownies earned their badges. My troop sometimes had to improvise because our morning activities did not go exactly as planned. But everyone worked it out, and the hike was fun but cold. Some of the activities we led were relay races, make-your-own edible campfires, outdoor art projects and what to/not to bring to camp. We couldn’t go outdoors during the morning since it was freezing. So, during the hike, everyone had to bundle up.
The whole trip was really fun! Nobody wanted to wash dishes, sweep, mop or pack in the morning because we wanted to stay another night, even though there was school the next day! All in all, our November 2024 Encampment was a success!
By Sophia C., Junior, Fort Drum, N.Y.
This year’s Treats, Reads & More (TRM) Program was very exciting! Girl Scouts in our council had the new opportunity to hold community booth sales. Booths were extra helpful because Girl Scouts could practice their skills. This is important because some girls have sold products at a booth before, and this was a great opportunity to learn. Having booths also helped girls reach their program goals rather than just using paper order forms. Lots of girls in Service Unit 512 were able to meet their goals by participating in just two in-person booths. My goal was to reach $300 in proceeds, and by selling TRM products at two booths, I was able to reach that.
Being able to have booths also helped customers know that Girl Scouts don’t only sell cookies. Customers were very excited about all our products. Having new products this year also gave them new options. The new products were Vanilla Flavored Honey Roasted Pecans and Butter Toasted Peanuts. As a sales pitch, we suggested using the new pecans on top of sweet potato casserole during the holiday season.
By Lola H., Cadette, Oswego, N.Y.
Cookie selling and earned rewards are my love language. This year, our cookie program mascot is Mêi Lán the Panda, and I can BEAR-ly contain my excitement at how adorable the panda-themed rewards are! Starting strong we have a charm patch; you use it to hang all the cute charms you can earn this cookie season. The Do-Si-Dos duffle bag, panda sandwich shaper, Cookie Camp and panda pouch are all must-have rewards for me! And I can’t forget to mention the Mêi Lán panda plushie, because no matter what my parents say, you can never have enough plushies!
There are many more rewards you can earn, but the biggest one is for selling 3,000+ boxes of cookies! You earn a trip to Washington, D.C., an Embrace Possibilities tee plus a flower press, or you can choose $350 in Experience Credits or an iPad! This is my fourth year selling Girl Scout Cookies and I’m setting my goals high. I have loved Cookie Camp each year and use my MOST membership. I love that even though we earn individual cookie rewards, we are also helping our troop with its goals! This year, my troop hopes to earn enough proceeds to go to Boston this summer. I hope all of you are as excited about cookie season as I am!
By Alyson K., Cadette, Oneida, N.Y.
In June 2024, the Oneida community saw the end of an era with the closure of North Broad Street Elementary School, which had proudly served the district for 112 years. This K-5 school, once a central part of the local education system, was led by Principal Eric Coriale, who now serves as principal at Seneca Street Elementary School.
The decision to close North Broad was not made in haste. After holding several meetings and considering various options, school officials decided to close North Broad due to it being the oldest and second smallest of the four elementary schools in the district. While this decision was difficult for many, the district needed to improve its infrastructure and resources. The closure was part of a broader strategy to restructure the district’s elementary schools to better meet the needs of its students.
The historic building that once housed North Broad is being repurposed as a BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) facility on a 10-year lease. This will provide specialized educational services, such as classes for students with special needs and other programs designed to support diverse learning. The space will serve as a valuable resource for the community, ensuring that North Broad’s legacy of serving students continues in a new form, while still being a tangential part of the Oneida City School District.
The district restructured its elementary schools into three separate buildings to streamline grade-level education. Willard Prior now serves grades K-1, Seneca Street accommodates grades 2-3 and Durhamville is home to grades 4-5. This new configuration is intended to provide a more focused and developmentally appropriate learning environment for each age group.
The current elementary schools in the district are as follows:
• Willard Prior Elementary (Grades K-1) serves as the starting point for many students in the district. It focuses on early childhood education, helping young learners build foundational skills in reading, math and social development. The school creates a welcoming and nurturing environment for students as they begin their educational journey.
• Seneca Street Elementary (Grades 2-3) houses students in the primary grades, providing a more focused curriculum that builds upon the foundation established in kindergarten and first grade. Students are introduced to more structured learning while still receiving the support they need to succeed academically and socially.
• Durhamville Elementary (Grades 4-5) serves as the bridge between elementary and middle school years. Students in grades 4 and 5 are provided with more independence in their learning and are introduced to a broader range of subjects. This building prepares students for the next stage of their academic journey while supporting their growth in critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
I had the opportunity to speak with Eric Coriale, former principal of North Broad, about the closure and his transition to Seneca Street. When asked how he felt about North Broad shutting down, Coriale shared, “It was tough to see the doors close, yes, but I understand why the Board of Education and the district made that decision. It was a necessary change to improve the district’s overall approach to education.”
When I asked whether he enjoys being the principal at Seneca Street, he responded, “I love Seneca Street as much as I did North Broad because what I realized is that the whole Oneida community is just as amazing as the community that attended North Broad. The families, the teachers and the staff at both schools are equally dedicated to the success of the students.”
As for the challenges of being a principal, Coriale said, “Honestly, I don’t know what the hardest part of my job is. Every day brings something new and rewarding. The hardest part might be when we have to make tough decisions, but I always try to keep the students’ best interests at the forefront.”
Finally, when I asked if he missed North Broad, Coriale reflected, “Yeah, I think a part of me will always miss it. It was a special place for so many people, and it’s hard to let go of something that has been such a big part of my life and the community for so long.”
The closure of North Broad marks the end of a significant chapter in the history of Oneida’s educational landscape but also opens the door to new opportunities for the district’s students. As the community adapts to the changes, the legacy of North Broad will continue to be felt in the new educational spaces being created.
Special thanks to Mr. Coriale, Mrs. DeGroat, Mrs. Bradley and my mom for their help with this article.
By Lola H., Cadette, Oswego, N.Y.
In 2024, my mom and I traveled to Savanah, Ga., and had a blast! We explored the city, went on long walks, tried barbeque and some delicious pastries from a French bakery, explored museums and historical sites, went on an excursion to Shark Island to hunt for shark teeth and best of all—went to see the Juliette Gordon Birthplace and Museum!
Juliette Gordon Low was a true inspiration and a very compelling person. She was born on October 31, 1860, in Savannah, Ga., her family was prominent in that town. Her father was William Washington Gordon II, and her mother was Eleanor “Nellie” Kinzie Gordon. One of her uncles nicknamed Juliette “Daisy” and soon her friends and family started to call her that, too. Her parents taught her the importance of being loyal, dutiful and respectful of others. She carried those values throughout her life and included a variation of those words in the Girl Scout Promise!
At age 26, Juliette married William Macay Low on Dec. 21, 1886. After the wedding ceremony, a grain of rice went into her left ear canal during the rice shower and that led to her becoming permanently deaf in one ear. Juliette and William moved to England and Scotland where William owned lavish estates, but unfortunately, her marriage wasn’t happily ever after.
While Juliette lived in England, she pursued many interests like traveling, hunting and artwork. After the death of her husband, she traveled to Egypt and India. Upon her return to England, she met Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts, and their meeting changed her life. They shared many interests and hobbies and later, he suggested that she should work with Girl Guides, which was the sister group to Boy Scouts. Juliette moved back to Savannah and was determined to bring the Girl Guide experience to the U.S.! She enlisted the help of her family and friends to grow the Girl Scout Movement so that all girls across the country could learn leadership skills, be encouraged to seek adventure and be empowered to lift their communities. Learning about Juliette and her determination inspired me.
On our first morning in Savannah, we booked a tour of Juliette’s birthplace and walked there from our hotel in the Plant Riverside District. There was a statue of Juliette and her dog, Scout, on a bench as we entered the garden. There was also some ironwork on display that Juliette herself had designed and created for the garden gates. We then went inside the house and admired the many books, preserved rooms, art and family portraits. It was a truly life-changing experience! After our tour, I purchased an official birthplace pin from the gift shop to wear on the front of my uniform.
If you or your troop plan on visiting Savannah, I suggest you go to Juliette’s birthplace, check out the historical sites, walk through the parks with Spanish moss dropping from the trees and maybe even go shark tooth hunting to have a Girl Scout adventure, like my mom and I did!
By Arabella D., Cadette, Baldwinsville, N.Y.
We often minimize mental health as secondary to physical health. Mental health is just as important, if not more important, than maintaining good physical health. It’s nearly impossible to have good physical health if you don’t have good mental health. In this brief article, I will cover some basic tips and tricks for maintaining your wellness.
• Reduce screen time: Humans need interaction. Screen time can trick you into feeling connected.
• Go for a walk: If you’re not feeling up for a walk, just getting outside can help engage your senses and allow you to absorb vitamin D that comes from the sun. Vitamin D is essential to wellness. It’s like the oil in a car. If you don’t have oil in a car, the car will not run efficiently, and it will burn out the engine.
• Focus on your emotions: If you try to recognize and manage your feelings and beliefs about a situation, it could be a good way to change the way you feel and brainstorm solutions. Ask the following questions: Is your belief about the situation accurate? What are some other possibilities for the outcome? What can you control?
Now that you have learned some basic tips, try to apply these to support your wellness. Using these basic strategies can be your foundation for self-care and good self-control. A lot of things based on mental health are linked with self-awareness, self-awareness equals better self-control. Even taking small steps toward wellness can help with improving how you think and feel!
By Amani D., Cadette, Corning, N.Y.
• Meditating can help relieve stress
• Try not to be on devices with blue light before bed
• Maintain relationships with others
• Eat lots of healthy food
By Amani D., Cadette, Corning, N.Y.
The New Year often has people making changes. One change you could make is trying out a vegan lifestyle.
I have been vegan for five years; I am vegan because it helps the animals. My main vegan alternatives are almond milk, Impossible™ meat and more! There are also lots of resources for vegan recipes.
Now, let’s talk about the benefits of a plant-based diet. Plant-based food is rich in fiber, which is healthy for the digestive system. This food also has a lot of vitamins and minerals which are good for the human body. Plant-based food is low in saturated fat. Animal waste can pollute waterways which is minimized with this diet.
In conclusion, being vegan has environmental benefits, personal benefits and health benefits.
By Allie R., Brownie, McLean, N.Y.
Over Christmas break, I watched “Mufasa: The Lion King” with my friends and family. This movie tells the story of the lion Mufasa’s past and how he became a king. Mufasa meets his pride and leads them to the pride lands which are called Milele. The word “Milele” means “forever” in Swahili, representing a place where they will have perpetual safety and abundance. Along the way, they meet challenges such as a rival lion pride and crocodiles.
Throughout this movie, we also meet Taka and Rafiki. Taka is a royal cub and Mufasa’s brother. Rafiki is Mufasa’s baboon friend. Mufasa is my favorite character because he is brave.
I would recommend this movie. I liked hearing about their past and Mufasa’s confidence, which helped him become the King of Milele. I also enjoyed the surprise that involved Taka—you’ll have to watch to find out! These things made “Mufasa: The Lion King” a fun movie to watch!
By Sophia C., Junior, Fort Drum, N.Y.
This is my second year on the GSNYPENN Media Team, and I am very excited to be part of this again. I especially enjoy taking photos. My favorite part is getting to meet new Girl Scouts because I get to learn what they’re doing to make a change in the world. My favorite activity was our first content creation meeting in September, we all gathered at the Syracuse Service Center to take a bunch of photos and videos for the Marketing Department to use throughout the new Member Year!
A new and fun perk of being on the Media Team is the ability to earn badges. During our November content meeting, we could earn the Daisy/Brownie Art and Design, Junior Scribe and Cadette Public Speaker badges. Earning badges makes our team meetups so fun!
A big shoutout to our incredible Media Team writers! Their articles bring a fresh, youth-led perspective and share stories of their personal Girl Scout leadership experiences through the GSNYPENN Council. We’re so grateful for their dedication and talent in making this issue!
Questions about our team? Contact Media Team Advisor Amanda Coyle at acoyle@gsnypenn.org.
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