Upload an inspiring magazine for Cadette, Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts Summer 2018
IN THIS ISSUE... MEET SOME GO-GETTERS Girls Around Badgerland Who Are Getting It Done
MISSION MONARCH Eve Kleiber and Carson Pionek of Troop 2686 are helping rescue the dwindling Monarch butterfly population in Madison. Eve and Carson raised their own monarchs and documented the life cycle from caterpillar to the butterfly transition. Weaving field research with tech work, they created an educational short film that's teaching the community – kids and grown-ups – about Monarchs and the critical role they play in the environment. The Girl Scouts also earned their Silver Award for their ambitious project.
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Get INSPIRED to go all in! IN THIS ISSUE... Badgerland's Youth Leadership Council...........................4 Reflections of a Graduating Senior.. ..................................6 Search & Rescue.....................................................................7 Find Your Wings at Camp ................................................... 8 GS Gold...................................................................................10 All Things TRAVEL..................................................................12 Why I Stayed in Girl Scouts................................................14 NEW Stuff To Do in the New Year (drones!) ������������������15
On the Cover: DETERMINED. That's the best word to describe Nevaeh Smith. She's Badgerland's Top Cookie Seller for 2018. Nevaeh, from Fort Atkinson, sold an incredible 4,067 boxes of cookies. How does she sell so many? “You have to be friendly and talk to people. And I wear cute animal hats and lots of people comment on them so that helps!” she said. For her hard work, Nevaeh earned a 3D printer, a 2019 Girl Scout membership, a trip to St. Louis on the Badgerland Bus this summer and her FIFTH trip to Disney World. She's been a top seller for five consecutive years and has always chosen the Disney trip as her tip-top reward. And that's not all... Nevaeh and her troop mates Makayla Krueger, Jessica Sharp and Elee Sharp were pinned with Silver Awards in April for building a sitting wall and Little Free Library at Ralph Park. The troop is tight and loves to travel. They're planning a troop trip to Europe next year!
Troop 2276 3
BEHIND THE SCENES we're the YLC BADGERLAND'S YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL Hello? What a great gig to put on job and college applications!
So...what do WE DO
It's sort of like Congress. Except we don't vote. And we don't make laws. But think of the YLC as your Badgerland Girl Scout Troop of Representatives, so to say.
TALK We meet about six times a year on Sundays. We tell the CEO and her leadership team what's on our mind, what we think about today's hot topics and especially give our opinions and insight on GS matters.
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s e m i t e m AND so
More details about the YLC and the application are on gsbadgerland.org.
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HOW TO GET INVOLVED? It's a competitive process because only 15 girls are seated each year. Keeping it small gives each of us a voice around the table.
Cece League Troop 2386, Madison YLC Member The YLC has been a very unique experience for many reasons. But, I think the most important is that it is the most authentic leadership experience I have ever been able to participate in. When I received the letter telling me that I had been accepted I was happy, but at the same time, I thought that it would be similar to other leadership experiences I've had in high school. I'm referring to situations in which a person will get to contribute their opinion but will often be under-informed or the situations where we do not truly have a voice. However, in the YLC, I've found that because of my earlier years in Girl Scouts and the more involved approach of the adults, that we (members of the YLC) have been able to have many special experiences. Together we have discussed current events in the world and how they impact us as teenagers, as well as decisions about the Girl Scouts organization.
"Having the opportunity to talk with the intelligent and talented girls in this organization, and being able to not only discuss but to be involved in new events and developments has been such a great experience."
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Why I Stayed in Girl Scouts: Reflections of a Graduating Senior
Rachel Miller Troop 2283, McFarland Girl Scouting has helped me form the vision of my life by shaping my values and leadership skills. I have been in Girl Scouts for almost three-fourths of my life so, naturally, it will have an affect on my vision of life. Through Girl Scouts I was able to develop so many skills, especially leadership. One major value in my life is friendship and I have Girl Scouts to thank for that. Girl Scouts has taught me to befriend such a wide variety of people. People I would not have thought I would have been friends with. People who have different interests as me, different personalities, and different ages, but I have been able to create friendships with so many different individuals. I learned to look past the differences and find common ground and build friendships from that. From Girl Scouts I have had so many different opportunities to practice this skill of friendship, from the Youth Leadership Council to Girl Scout summer camp. I have built friendships with so many different people from so many different places. Besides being able to make solid friendships through Girl Scouts, I have been able to practice my leadership skills. From going to Girl Scout camp as a Counselor-In-Training to being a part of the Youth Leadership Council to leading the Fall Kick-offs in the community, Girl Scouting has given me so many opportunities to lead. From helping other girls my age to leading the younger girls at different community events I have been able to take these leadership skills to school in my different clubs and activities that I participate in at school and even the activities I participate in outside of school.
"I learned to look past the differences and find common ground and build friendships."
Even though I don’t know exactly what I want to do with my life yet, Girl Scouts has helped me narrow down my choices. Because of Girl Scouts I know that I want to work with people and I want to be in a position of power, as well as, where I can use the leadership skills I have acquired from Girl Scouts. Through these past 13 years I have created skills and friendships that I will carry on through the rest of my life. 6
GS Search & Rescue 2018
"Don’t get afraid when things come up; just breathe and stay calm." ~ Search and Rescue Camper
BADGERLAND'S ONE-OF-A-KIND SEARCH & RESCUE PROGRAM PROVES ONCE AGAIN THAT GIRL SCOUTS TRULY CAN DO ANYTHING. Last month, Cadettes gathered at Camp Brandenburg for an intense, realistic search-and-rescue exercise. They worked alongside real-life disaster response professionals from high-profile agencies (think: Homeland Security, the FBI, crime scene investigators, drone pilots and a Navy commander) to find three On our search I thought that we really did 'missing hikers' deep in the woods.
not find anything at first but when we then we had our “surprise” which was the police After arriving at camp, the girls went over emergency first-aid officer on our search party had a “heart techniques, how to set up a search-and-rescue grid and how drones assist in the emergency response process. Then, the girls settled their attack”. That really shook us up. Of course, gear into their bunks and ate a traditional camp dinner. It was nearly we then learned it was all a simulations. nightfall when the alarm went live. They had no idea what to expect next. The second time my crew went out we found the victim and I was in charge of The girls rushed to the incident command center where they were briefed on the situation and tasked with their one duty for the rest of the lighting the way for him to get out and it was a great experience. ~ Girl Camper night: to find the missing people before it was too late. They were divided into search teams and sent out into the woods. Little did they know that they would run into 'emergencies' of their own. Some team members (who were secretly undercover Badgerland volunteers) would suffer an 'injury' - requiring the girls to react to this medical emergency in real time. They'd discover the importance of remaining quiet during a rescue search, and of reporting any evidence or clues they found. While the rescue mission was the focal point of the weekend, girls learned other important lessons like botany, first aid, communicating with a child with autism, and of course, teamwork. Yes, girls really can do anything. Sound like a program you'd like? Look for it in the GS program guide coming your way in August. 7
1 camp leads 2 another
“I’ve wanted to be a camp CIT (Counselor In Training) ever since I was a first-year camper. I was very impressed with how knowledgeable and confident the CITs that worked with me were, and I wanted to be like that one day too. This summer I'll be at camp as a CIT II and I can’t wait! I’ve learned a lot in the last few years - not only about nature and camping - but about being a leader and working with others. I want to have a chance to put those skills into action, of course, have fun at camp at the same time!" ~Rebecca Hose, Girl Scout Counselor In Training (II)!
There's still time for YOU to get to camp this summer. Here's a sampling of (just) 3 camps you can sign up for. See them all at gsbadgerland.org.
RISKY VENTURES
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TECHGIRLS
FEAR•LESS
July 22-July 25
August 5-7
August 15-18
• $195 • Peshtigo, Marinette County
• $130 • UW-Richland, Richland County
• $195 • Upham Woods, Juneau County
Not for the Faint of Heart:
Unlimited geeking out... at college:
Show 'em What a G.I.R.L. Can Do
Paddle Class 2 and 3 rapids solo, then pick up the pace and board a group raft to splash through heart-pounding Class 3 and 4 rapids. Then, soar to new heights and clamber all the way up to the Alpine Tower where you’ll be rewarded with an unbeatable zip-line trek. The adventure includes a kayaking trip and overnight sleeping in deluxe cabins with catered dinners at Wildman Adventure Resort in Peshtigo.
Be wowed with all the latest and greatest tech toys and gadgets. Program a robot to maneuver an obstacle course. Explore nature with thermal imaging and infrared technology. Design your own stop-motion animation. Become the next best photographer while mastering the newest photo editing techniques. And there’s more! Race against other teams in a digital scavenger hunt around campus and, in the evening, get a taste of college life hanging out in the dorms with sister Girl Scouts.
Be an adventure activist and master the skills that some say Girl Scouts “don’t do.” Knot tying? Check! Archery? Check. Fly fishing? You bet. How about foraging? And riflery? Check, check and double-check. Choose from more than a dozen hands-on workshops, including firearm safety and skeet shooting, tree climbing and camping, paddle sports and more! You’ll show the world that anything they can do, you can do! After all, girl, you are FEARLESS!
FINDING HER WINGS AT CAMP {Olivia Levia} OLIVIA FACTS 13 years old. 8th grade. Calls Monroe, WI home. She's a twotimer at CampHERO, did Detective Camp four summers ago, Campocalypse in '16, PA Training at Camp Ehawee last summer, and this year she's going to Outdoor Art Attack at Camp Evelyn.
LEADERSHIP & CAMP Q&A So Olivia, you went to Program Aide camp. What do you do there? I’ve actually gone to multiple PA trainings and they're all a bit different. I believe I’ve done about eight or nine total PA experiences, and two PA camp experiences. The ones that I've been to usually have us going over the rules of Girl Scouts, how different age groups act, how to act around them and other general concepts. If you go to an overnight camp, then you get to interact with the younger girls. That could mean playing with them, singing songs or something along those lines. Has your PA training helped you in your day-to-day life? If so, how? I think it has. I definitely know how to help adults when their children are acting out, and I know what to do around kids much younger than me. Do you recommend PA camps for other girls? I think PA training is an excellent idea to push girls like me to do. It can help to prepare you for being a counselor and it’s a very rewarding experience. But it might not be for everyone. I like to help out others and hanging around younger kids, but you have to have a lot a patience. You have to be able to hold yourself together when a girl is homesick or spills an entire gallon of beads on the floor. If you are patient and like little kids then go ahead and do it! If you don't like little kids and get angry easily, PA events might not be what you're looking for. Do you plan on attending LEAP, CIT, or CIT II in the future? Absolutely! I want to be a Girl Scout Camp Counselor when I grow up and those kinds of things can look really good on a resume. What keeps you going back to camp every year? For one, I like the different experiences, and I'm always trying to do something new. But most of all, the people. I know it sounds cheesy, but I've made so many new friends going to the camps. I also have met people from all around the US and the world. What was your very first overnight camp experience (without a parent) like? Oh I was having a ball! I thought it was the best thing ever. It was at CampHERO. What would you tell a girl who’s not 100% sure if she wants to try camp yet? I guess I would say that Girl Scouts has something for everyone. If you like horses then they have stuff like that. If you hate to be away from a parent, they have family camps too. I recommend Girl Scout camp because you learn so much, and can make so many new friends. If you're still unsure, then that's okay too. You don't need to be at camp to have a good Girl Scout experience. 9
GSGOLD!
11 GIRL SCOUTS. Collectively, they worked a minimum 880 hours on 11 take-action projects that earned each of them the Girl Scout Gold Award. Go-getters, indeed! (Left to right from the top): Victoria Budnar-Chapman, McFarland; Kyra Carbone, Stoughton; Marissa Fletcher, Sparta; Sarah Flores, Fennimore; Lily Hallick, Middleton; Alexus Kuehni, Blue River; Jillian Ley, Madison; Heidi Lininger, Genoa City; Amanda Marx, La Crescent; Sarah Weh, Fort Atkinson.
MEET {Maggie Conway} Gold Award Girl Scout. Project: Outdoor Fireplace “My family has taken me out to Blue Mound State Park ever since I was a little kid. We snowshoed, cross-country skied and did lots of hiking. I wanted to give back to this park that has given me so much. That’s why I wanted to do my project there.” Maggie learned masonry skills and worked with park staff to restore an 80-year-old outdoor fireplace and create a community gathering space around it. She harvested stones from the park and when done, she had created a five-ton, six-foot-tall fireplace that will be enjoyed by families for another 80 years! 10
: MY GIRL GIRL SCOUT MY SCOUT GOLD GOLDAWARD AWARD: HOW DO DO II GET HOW GET STARTED? STARTED?
The 7 Steps to Gold 1. Identify an issue 2. Investigate your issue thoroughly 3. Get help and build your team 4. Create a plan 5. Present your plan and gather feedback 6. Take action 7. Educate and inspire
Start Here
Service vs Action: What’s the Difference? This chart provides you with a snapshot of the Gold Award process.
Girl Scouts do community service. We also do take-action projects. Both of these activities help communities in different ways. So...what’s the difference? It's all about timing. Direct and immediate service will change something right now. Longer-lasting action gets at the root cause of issues. Community service makes the world better for some people “right now.” For example, collecting cans of food for the local food pantry feeds people “right now.” Gathering toys for a homeless-family shelter makes kids happy “right now.” Providing clothing and toiletries to people who have suffered a disaster helps them get through a traumatic event “right now.” These acts of kindness are important ways to help some people—right now. Take Action projects, including the ones we do for our Gold and Silver awards, address the root cause of an issue, and come up with sustainable, longer-lasting solutions. These projects strive to make the world a better place for more people for a much longer time. Sometimes, service and action just naturally blend together into one sustainable effort.
YOU can
Start brainstorming ideas now for your project. What really ignites your interest? That's the place to start. Be sure to take a Gold Award workshop if you're serious about earning the Gold Award. The sessions are 2 1/2 hours and you'll walk away with the info you need to go for Gold. The fall, winter and spring workshops will be listed at gsbadgerland.org in August. 11
HIT THE ROAD, GIRL! Savannah, Georgia summer 2019 We're packing a bus full of Badgerland Girl Scouts and heading to Savannah next summer! What?! It's true! We'll visit the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low. This house is awesome and a certified National Historic Landmark - it also has a great gift shop and be sure to take a selfie with the statue of Juliette and her dog in the garden. Details on the trip will be released in August. (psssst... don't tell anyone yet, but the 2020 Badgerland trip involves Florida)
LOOK WHO WENT WEST WHO:
Troop 2133
FROM:
Black Earth
These risk-takers jetted across the country on a Girl Scout Getaway, ‘Destination Marin Headlands’. The girls went on a naturalist-led night hike, a coastal marine ecology tour, and of course, hit some of the most famous spots in San Francisco. Their hostel was just 10 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge! The trip was in the works for several years, with the girls researching where to go and fundraising as much as they could. 12
Where will your troop travel?
destination: Costa Rica {Rachel Petzold} Troop 2182, Middleton Girl Scout Ambassador 'Rainforest, River and Reef' Destination How Did She Pay For it? Badgerland Bucks and a GS Travel Grant. My Destinations experience was overall a lot of fun. It was a little intimidating to go on a trip with a bunch of girls I had never met before but over the two weeks we all became very close and we all clicked really well. Each day while we were there, each person was in charge of something different such as leading the group, being in charge of the first aid supplies, and writing in the journal. This allowed all of us to grow as people and we all had a chance to be in a leadership position. Through our experiences each day, we were pushed out of our comfort zones and were always experiencing something new. We also had a day where we volunteered and planted some trees in the rain forest to help replace ones that had been cut down and overall preserve the natural area. It was nice that we had this time where the trip wasn't all about us and we were able to give back.
"My recommendation for choosing a Destinations trip is to pick one that explores a topic that interests you, but that is a little bit outside of your comfort zone or where you would normally travel." ~ Rachel 13
Why I Stayed in Girl Scouts: Reflections of a Graduating Senior
Savannah Kemerling Individually Registered Member, Lancaster My father said that if he ever had a daughter, she would be in Girl Scouts. So here I am thirteen years later. A graduated Girl Scout, telling my story on why I stayed in and beat the odds. The Girl Scout organization has given me multiple opportunities to succeed. During my thirteen years, I have worked hard to experience and be involved in as much as the organization has to offer. My first leader, Maggie, a retired lifelong Girl Scout herself, became my role model, friend, and honorary grandmother. Although she was only my leader for two years, Maggie has remained influential ever since the beginning. She’s instilled confidence not only in me but also in my mother. Maggie took my once introverted mother under her wing and helped her become more social. She would take time out of her day to teach us new things, such as gardening and canning. Words can not fully express the lifelong impact she holds in my life. Best of all, she convinced my mom to become my troop leader! In my second year of Brownies, my mom became my troop leader. I feel because my mother was my Brownie leader, Brownies was the best experience. Her first troop was made up of 23 girls, which is a giant troop! My mom made my Girl Scouting experience. She took us camping, pushed us to earn badges, and instilled life skills. My mom taught us how to cook, sew, and craft like a Girl Scout should know how to do. My mom played an influential role in my membership in Girl Scouts. Four years later my mom ended her years as a troop leader. In those four years, we went from 23 to 9 girls. This drastic drop ignited a flame of determination to follow through until the end. I made the best out of the next few years. I attended Camp Ehawee for five years in a row and went to the Midwest Madness Destination three times. I spoke at the 100th year anniversary, vanquishing my fear of public speaking. I hosted and volunteered at day camps. I earned my Silver Award. I am now in process of earning my Gold Award. I also volunteered my time at the local girl scout shop where I met Dee. I would not be the person I am today without Dee Stojan. Dee was the face of the Platteville Girl Scout Shop, which serves the entire southwest Wisconsin area. I remember waiting for Thursdays to come so I could go see Dee and pick up my new badges. I loved Dee SO much I would even volunteer for my birthdays. She encouraged me to stay in and to be active. She said, “It will only make you better, sweetie.” That it did. Girl Scouts made me a powerful, well-spoken young lady. It has nourished my love for non-profits and has made me a part of an elite group of girls, whom I can call sisters. Dee pushed me to earn another badge, volunteer just one more hour, and to go for my Gold Award in memory of her husband Randy.
"Girl Scouts has molded me into a person I love. I am excited to make those who supported me proud and I look forward to molding my own troops into confident girls with courage and character one day!" 14
Stick around Here's a sneak peek at just a few of the BRAND NEW experiences awaiting you in the new Girl Scout year. PLOGGING Pick your race and clean-up your space. We're hosting a Virtual 5K/10K/Half Marathon/Marathon with an eco-theme to clean up our trails, parks, roadsides and green spaces. Biomedical Engineering 3D bioprinting is the future of medicine. You'll design a bioprinted tissue solution for a “real” injury, then use a mock 3D bioprinter to simulate printing skin, bone and tissue. Interested? This will sell out. Tie In & Take Off Push your limits, conquer your fears, develop your teamwork skills and see the world from a different view at this high ropes course! A Girl and her drone Take flight into the world of drones and unmanned aircraft systems (UAVs) in this program led by world-renowned UAV female pilots. LOOK FOR THE GS 2018-19 PROGRAM GUIDE FILLED WITH THESE ACTIVITIES AND LOTS MORE. COMING TO YOUR MAILBOX IN AUGUST. Have you renewed your Girl Scout membership? The new year begins October 1. 15
Nonprofit Organization US Postage PAID Madison WI Permit No. 2127
2710 Ski Lane Madison, WI 53713
gsbadgerland.org | 800.236.2710
NEW AT GIRL SCOUTS:
The North Face & America Ferrera! We're psyched! The North Face is collaborating with Girl Scouts to get you outdoors. The North Face is helping create 12 new Outdoor Adventure Girl Scout badges. The program will roll out over the next two years and includes activities ranging from mountaineering and climbing, to backpacking, hiking and trail running. To help support the program, GS alum America Ferrera is lending her voice. America is an actress and activist who credits her own Girl Scout experiences for helping find her voice. “I feel so exited about helping to promote and share and make sure that the young girls know the power that exists inside of their own bodies,” said America.
#SheMovesMountains
Let’s canvas the world with stories of female explorers to inspire girls to be bold and get outdoors. Post a black and white photo on Instagram with #SheMovesMountains to tell your role model’s story.
Girl Scout Alum America (she sure sounds like a go-getter!)
On Feeling Empowered and Getting Adventurous “My five tips are to do something that scares you; don’t be afraid to fail; learn to make friends with discomfort and pain; when you are doing something new and challenging, do it with friends; and always let yourself sleep more when you are taking on a new challenge.”