Girl Scout Spirit Fall/Winter 2017 | Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains

Fall/Winter 2017

NASA Helps Us Shoot for the

The Girl Scout

STARS

Cookie Coordination Who’s Behind Cookies NOW! Fort Worth?

G.I.R.L. 2017

Hurricane Harvey Relief Supporting Our Sisters

The Girl Scout

2 3 5 7 8 9 10 11

In this issue G.I.R.L. 2017 Reaching for the Stars Good Neighbors Double T and Me Women of Distinction Amarillo Desserts First Lubbock and Fort Worth Ultimate Summer Adventure 2017 Girl Scout Ornaments Suddath: Cookie Catalyst

The Girl Scout Difference Those of us who have been involved in Girl Scouts for a good long while (*raises hand*) may take for granted that everyone knows the Girl Scout difference.

Girl Scouts offers the best leadership development experience for girls in the world—designed with, by, and for girls. Our new membership year began October 1, and with so many new, passionate members, now’s the perfect time for a quick refresher.

Girl Scouts unleashes the G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)TM in every girl. The inclusive, all-female environment of Girl Scouts creates a safe space where girls can try new things, develop a range of skills, practice leadership, and just be themselves. Having that special time offered in Girl Scouts fosters collaboration instead of competition and promotes support among girls.

Everything a Girl Scout does centers around taking action. Whether it’s at a hands-on STEM activity, an outdoor survival camp, or the Girl Scout Gold Award celebration, she learns that she can make the world a better place.

It is through the enduring dedication and energy of our volunteers that the Girl Scout difference is possible.

I cannot wait for another year of girls discovering their potential and leading their way.

#GivingTuesdayLBK

Becky Burton GS-TOP CEO

Cover photographed by Briley Dockery, Girl Experience Specialist

Fly with the Dallas Wings Girl Scout Basketball Clinics The Girl Scout Spirit magazine is published by Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains, Inc. 4901 Briarhaven Road Fort Worth, Texas 76109 800-582-7272 / 817-737-7272 gs-top.org Editor-in-Chief Jessica Lewis Service Centers Abilene 325-670-0432 Amarillo 806-356-0096 Fort Worth 817-737-7272 Lubbock 806-745-2855 Southlake 817-281-7578 Wichita Falls 940-723-4336

WHAT

Dallas Wings Challenge Clinic allows girls to complete steps toward athletic legacy badges

WHERE Dallas Wings practice facilities in Grapevine

or Mansfield WHEN

Cadettes, Seniors, Ambassadors in March / Brownies, Juniors in April / Cadettes, Seniors, Ambassadors can return in April to complete badgework with Brownies, Juniors Watch our www.gs-top.org events page and our Facebook page (GirlScoutsTOP) for cost, location, and exact dates.

Light Up the Scoreboard The Dallas Wings want

even more girls to soar. The team is bringing the clinic to Girl Scouts at School in the Fort Worth area!

Our Girls at

G.I.R.L. 2017

These G.I.R.L.s are Annie, Brenna, Colleen, Emily, Holly, Makayla, Ranyah, Samaira, Stephanie, and Zhara. Earlier this month, they traveled to Columbus, Ohio, with our Girl Experience Specialist Briley Dockery and Community Partnerships Specialist Lacy Henninger to explore, discover, and make connections at Girl Scouts of the USA’s G.I.R.L. 2017.

“I have learned so much! At this convention, they inspired me to be the kind of girl I always wanted to be, and I realized Girl Scouts has already helped me toward that.”

Makayla , Senior, Troop 7200 “It’s been an amazing past five days. Some of the highlights include meeting Sylvia Acevedo and girls from all over this Caitlin country.”

Cadette, Troop 8214

FALL/WINTER 2017 The Girl Scout SPIRIT 2

Reaching for the

STARS

Taylor Andrea

We were thrilled beyond our terrestrial planet to be selected as one of only 10 councils nationwide to participate in an intensive NASA training opportunity!

Reaching for the Stars – Girl Scout Leadership Training in Astronomy at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland hosted our team for a week in June. The training equipped them with the knowledge, tools, and NASA science educational materials to start Girl Scout astronomy clubs* back home.

GIRL SCOUTS OF TEXAS OKLAHOMA PLAINS REACHING FOR THE STARS TEAM ANDREA

Girl Scout Senior Troop 6372 | Lubbock, TX Did you have any ideas for possible careers before this training? “Before this, I did not really consider anything as a job, but now I want to become an astronaut and a pioneer space explorer.”

Name a “wow!” moment for you at the training.

“A big ‘wow’ moment for me was when we met Dr. John Mather, the Nobel Prize winner. It was really amazing to meet him.”

3 The Girl Scout SPIRIT FALL/WINTER 2017

TAYLOR

Girl Scout Senior Troop 1171 | Fort Worth, TX How did you feel when you found out you were on our Reaching for the Stars team? “My reaction was honestly tears. I was so happy when they came to my school and surprised me with this opportunity, so I just cried the happiest tears.”

What led you to apply?

“My mom. She was talking about what a great opportunity this was to expand my STEM experiences and meet other girls with the same interest as me.”

* Do you want to join Andrea, Taylor, Nila, and Kimberly in astronomy

activities with Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains? We’re planning our clubs and events throughout our council—all 81 counties! To help us know where to go when we’re set up, email stars@gs-top.org with your name, troop number, grade, and nearest service area (Abilene, Amarillo, Fort Worth, Lubbock, Wichita Falls).

JOIN US AS WE

REACH FOR THE STARS!

KIMBERLY CORNETT Girl Scout Volunteer Fort Worth, Texas How does your engineering background tie into what you learned on the trip?

“Initially, I thought my background would give me an edge on learning a science like astronomy. On the first day, the material was more than I could comprehend. Then it was much better when I realized I didn’t have to know everything, and on the third day, I talked to Dr. Lou Mayo. He said that NASA has engineers, application people, and theorists—that is, the astrophysicists and astronomers. That really made sense. There are times when you don’t need to apply a theory; you just need to believe in it.”

What were your favorite moments? “The hands-on activities by far were my favorite. With the application-and solution-based mindset I have as an engineer, taking the theory and creating something physical to teach others was the most exciting part.”

DR. NILA VEERABATHINA Amateur Astronomer University of Texas at Arlington Name a “wow!” moment for you at the training.

“Because I teach astronomy, I was already pretty familiar and comfortable with all the activities and demonstrations in the workshops. The most exciting time was when we visited the facility where the James Webb Space Telescope’s mirrors and other spacecraft parts were built.”

What were your favorite moments? “Learning more about Girl Scouts in general: their levels, projects, mission, etc. It was nice to see the enthusiasm and curiosity of Girl Scouts toward astronomy, space, and learning in general.”

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All Texas councils united to offer the Texas Girl Scout Hurricane Relief Patch.

Did You Know?

Girls can still earn the patch until Dec. 31!

Go to www.gs-top.org.

Good Neighbors Hurricane Harvey Relief Around the Council

Girl Scouts of all ages take action when they see a need, and Hurricane Harvey’s devastation presented an enormous need that the girls, leaders, and volunteers in our council mobilized to meet.

The Cadettes of Troop 8214 of Iowa Park learned hurricane-relief organizations were increasingly unable to store the physical donations they received.

The girls also found that many of those needs for physical donations were already met at the time but that the Texas coast was still in crisis.

The girls decided to use cookie money to help fulfill the biggest need for any nonprofit: financial.

Cadette and Senior Troop 1907 of Arlington saw a request for volunteers to help sort donations at a charitable organization in Garland.

Though it was about an hour’s drive from their troop home, the girls wanted to go.

Double T and Me On July 29, Girl Scouts in the Lubbock and Amarillo areas saw up close how science and technology facilitate health care at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center F. Marie Hall SimLife Center. During the Double T and Me program, our girls experienced the same technology the nursing students use. Among many hand-on activities, they learned proper placement of a stethoscope to listen to each other’s hearts, learned how to use an otoscope, and gave a “dummy” patient a real workout by practicing CPR. 5 The Girl Scout SPIRIT FALL/WINTER 2017

“I was excited to see the girls jump right in and get a lot accomplished,” troop leader Jerri said.

Girl Scouts of the USA learned about Double T and Me and sent a film crew to capture everything! http://tinyurl.com/doubletvideo

Multi-level Troop 6428 of Lubbock collected games, school supplies, and backpacks to donate to the Lubbock VFW, which was collecting the items for one of the Houston VFW posts.

Junior Troop 1607 of Arlington held a school supply drive to help students affected by the hurricane. The girls designed a flier to send to every student, stood outside the school with an adult volunteer to collect donations every morning for one week, and then sorted the supplies at the troop leader’s home.

“We were impressed by our girls’ display of empathy and energy to help,” said troop leader Lisa.

When multi-level Troop 6210 of Floydada heard about Hurricane Harvey, they met to discuss what was happening and came up with a plan to help. Each girl did her part to inform the town that the troop was collecting donations. They brought in clothing, shoes, school supplies, toiletries, diapers, pet food, bug spray, trash bags, and much more to the Floyd County police department!

Troop leader Ashley added, “They also learned a lifelong

lesson about what it means to give, work hard for others in a time of need, and expect nothing in return.”

Brownie and Junior Troop 3423 of Burleson decided to raise money for a Houston troop in distress from Hurricane Harvey by collecting pennies in a jar and having a bake sale.

“We decided that money would be most helpful since so many people around the country have donated food, water, and clothes,” troop leader Carolyn said. “This way, the troop or family could buy items that they might need that were not donated.”

It’s so easy to tell us good news anytime: www.gs-top.org/en/our-council/Story.html

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Sharing Our Girl Scout DNA

Women of Distinction Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains recognized and celebrated four inspiring women Aug. 3 for their service to the Amarillo community.

These women are true G.I.R.L.s!

2017 AMARILLO HONOREES DISCOVER AWARD

CONNECT AWARD

TAKE ACTION AWARD

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Brandi Reed

Carol Lovelady

Cindy Smith

Poppy McCarty

Brandi oversees the programs, projects, and services within the Education Division at Family Support Services. Her passion is giving a voice to the voiceless.

She has worked within the social justice movement for more than a decade, primarily around issues that affect women. Her programs that promote gender equality focus on expanding women’s and girls’ economic opportunities, access to basic services, and education.

For Carol, living in Amarillo is all about friendships and connections. Her parents were enthusiastic about community service, so volunteering came naturally. Carol has served on a host of boards; her favorite was the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. In January, her volunteerism turned professional when she was selected as director after a nationwide search.

Cindy has served as the executive director of Panhandle Crisis Center Inc. in Perryton since 1994. She has been instrumental in securing federal and state grants to increase the number of advocates and programs available to victims of family violence and sexual assault. After an internship at a family violence shelter and rape crisis center, Cindy discovered her passion for working with victims of trauma.

Girl Scouting was a family affair for Poppy and her three daughters.

Having been a Girl Scout herself, she wanted her girls to have experiences outside of the classroom and family. She married husband Bill and drove with him from Rhode Island to Wichita Falls to join his father’s business. She and Bill moved to Amarillo the next year. Poppy served on our Women of Distinction committee from the event’s inception in 2003 until 2008.

We thank these sponsors for supporting our Amarillo events IN-KIND

FRIEND

BRONZE

BRUNCH

Shirley Thomas

Save the Date

Women of Distinction

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Fort Worth & Lubbock

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May 2018

Desserts First is practically a dream come true: Chefs in Lubbock and Fort Worth whip up exclusive culinary creations featuring everyone’s favorite Girl Scout cookies.

Guests (could be you!) enjoy complimentary wine, relax after work, and sample each one. And it all supports G.I.R.L. experiences for Girl Scouts in these areas.

Top votes went to:

LUBBOCK

Alison Alba

FORT WORTH

Carolyn Phillips

Cheers to these Desserts First sponsors!

Laura Geninatti – State Farm | American National Bank | Plains Capital Bank | Mary K. Crites, AIA-Architect Blankenship Law | Glasheen, Valles, and Inderman Law | Fence Lubbock/Environmental Landscape Solutions | Schlotzsky’s Abacus Civil Engineers | Fanning, Fanning, and Associates | Texas Tech Physicians–Pediatrics FALL/WINTER 2017 The Girl Scout SPIRIT 8

2017 Girl Scout Ornaments

Visit your nearest Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains retail store today for these and more new Girl Scout ornaments!

7 Enthusiastic Girls • 2 Fearless Leaders 3,000 Miles • 4 Years of Cookie Money Countless Memories & Inside Jokes

1 Ultimate Summer Adventure for Troop 5130

Day 2: Memphis, TN, where we delivered donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Then camped in Holly Springs National Forest, MS. Very wet! Couldn’t get a fire to stay lit, but we stayed positive and Day 1: Drove to Mountainburg, AR, and hiked made the best of it.

Lake Fort Smith State Park. Stayed on the Day 3: remains of the first schoolhouse Fun in Atlanta! built west of the Mississippi!

Start/End: Bushland, TX

Day 8: Can’t stop, won’t stop!

Checked into Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX. Day 9: Packed in more swimming before packing up for home.

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Day 7: Drove through Shreveport and Monroe, LA.

Day 6: Birmingham, AL. Discovered the Civil Rights Heritage Trail and learned more about the Civil Rights Movement.

Day 4: Savannah for a couple of days. Learned about Girl Scouts’ contributions to WWII. Then to Tybee Island. Several of us had never been to a beach or the East Coast! It was the best!

Day 5: Toured the Andrew Low House, the First Headquarters (made sure to earn the Girl Scout Way badge), and the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace. Extremely proud we reached our goal to visit!

Suddath Relocation Systems of Texas, Inc.

The Movement Behind the Cookies and the Girls’ Success It’s not a familiar name, but our Fort Worth area wouldn’t have their cookies without Suddath.

Suddath began its Girl Scout Cookie Program partnership with our council 13 years ago. Kathy Sherwood, Suddath’s cookie program coordinator for the Fort Worth area, recalls everyone being a Go-getter the first year for Cookies NOW! at the zoo, “not knowing how it would all work but being determined to meet the challenge.”

Mike Alexander at Suddath was an Innovator and Risktaker in 2013 when rain threatened Cookies NOW! day in Fort Worth. The solution? Two days of Cookies NOW!

“The entire Suddath cookie team works together to make this a success for Girl Scouts,” Kathy says. “The warehouse does an incredible job when you realize they prepare approximately 130,000 cases for delivery.”

Debbie Turner, our senior director of product program and customer experience, agrees. “Suddath is a Leader, going above and beyond to ensure our girls have the cookies they need to meet their goals.”

In addition, the company is involved in our fall product program and sponsors our council’s fundraising events.

We believe in what Girl Scouts instills and teaches the future leaders of our world. ~ Kathy and Mike Girl Scouts and their families kick off their cookie business by picking up their initial stock of cookies at Cookies NOW! Mark your calendar for the Cookies NOW! in your area.

Look for more information on times and locations on our www.gs-top.org events page, on our Facebook page (GirlScoutsTOP), in your email, or from your troop leadership team.

Fort Worth January 12 & 13

Lubbock January 13

Abilene January 13

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Organization U.S. Postage

PAID

4901 Briarhaven Road Fort Worth, Texas 76109 800-582-7272 • 817-737-7272 gs-top.org

Permit No. 2277 Fort Worth, TX

Girl Scouts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information on how you can support our mission through outright gifts or professional goods or services, please call 800-582-7272 or visit gs-top.org.

November 28, 2017 | www.GivingTuesdayLBK.org #GivingTuesdayLBK

to Girl Scouts of Texas

“The girls in our troop are ‘sisters.’

They support each other and raise each other up.”

Oklahoma Plains,

– Girl Scout parent

is Lubbock’s day to focus on giving locally and making a real difference in our community. On November 28, if you donate $25 or more

you’re giving much more to a local girl than one entire year of Girl Scout membership.

Your gift on November 28 at GivingTuesdayLBK.org will build the go-getters, innovators, risk-takers, and leaders needed for Lubbock’s future and will count for years to come.