JG The Juliette Gazette for
Cooking Her Way to the Top Page 12
Summer 2019 A Publication of Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska
Martha-Ja
ne
JG The Juliette Gazette
The Juliette Gazette
Girl Scout
M SM quad
is a publication of Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska.
JG Staff: Publisher/Designer Lucia Kroeger Renz Editor/Writer Shannon Peterson Photo Editor Michelle Cleary Writer/Copy Editor Melissa Breazile
What I learn from the other mothers in my daughter’s troop
I
by Martha-Jane Matthews Omaha Girl Scout mom
G Girl Scouts. It seems I have been involved since forever – as a girl, as a leader, and as an adult helper. I truly believe in the opportunities that it gives girls for leadership, friendship, and learning new skills. However, what I realized recently was what Girl Scouts also gives me, as an adult, a woman, and a mother. Not only does Girl Scouts give me a chance to spend one-on-one time with my daughter, but it gives me a group of women with a common goal: to make the world a better place for our daughters through Girl Scouts. Mothers that I might never have met otherwise have become my friends and confidants. We get just as excited for overnight trips as the girls. These mothers span an almost 20-year age difference, different economic places in life, and different jobs, however, we are brought together by this amazing group of little girls and their equally amazing leaders.
We are supported in part by:
I totally trust these moms with my daughter. There have been trips that I have not been able to go on, and I know these women will look after my daughter as if she was their own. In turn, I feel the same way about their girls, I would help them in any way I could. We have moms’ nights out, we have impromptu get-togethers during the busy cookie selling time, and we have mom-and-child trips. We have forged a bond through Girl Scouts that makes us laugh and cry at the same time. I can reach out to any of these moms and will be met with unconditional support and non-judgmental advice and compassion. It sets us apart from other friend groups that women have in their lives. I hope as our daughters grow up and move on, as eventually will happen, some moms will keep in touch with each other. Some moms will also move on, but I hope they remember this special group of friends with a smile. So, thank you to the moms of Troop 45312 for all you have taught me and given me, in addition to what you have given my daughter!
GirlScoutsNebraska.org
PUBLICATION OFFICE: 2121 South 44th Street Omaha, NE 68105
On the Cover: Girl Scout Junior Addie Borgmann from Elkhorn won a national cooking contest with her yummy Mini Mexi Meatball Boats recipe. Story on page 12.
Honoring the Flag with
Pride
One Girl Scout’s perspective of serving her council and honoring her country. by Mikaela Eleanor-Rose Roger Girl Scout Cadette
I
f you would have told me five years ago that I would be a part of the state’s honor guard, my response would have been shock. I have only lived in Nebraska since 2014 and been a Girl Scout since 2013. I love being a part of Girl Scouts and when I first saw the Honor Guard it was when I received my Bronze Award. I wondered what troop they were a part of and how does one become an Honor Guard. Later my mom signed me and my sister up for an event hosted by the Honor Guard called Fun with Flags. I was interested to meet the girls and learn more about our flag. Being that my dad is a veteran and served on funeral detail, he taught me the importance of honoring our nation’s flag. Through this event I met Mrs. Maria Reiter, the adult volunteer who leads the Council Honor Guard and trains the girls. She was excited to hear that I was interested in joining. Unfortunately, due to scheduling, I would not be able to join until the summer of 2017. When I finally began going to meetings I realized that this was not a troop meeting or a group just from Omaha. This is a special group of girls from the entire state that joined to represent the entire council. It required dedication and hard work. The trainings required us to listen and follow orders so that the group is in sync. In addition, we learned that our flag is more than a piece of cloth. It symbolizes the people who have fought for our freedom, who have laid down their lives to protect our beautiful country, and who make up this amazing land of ours. I have learned that to honor the flag always means to hold and treat it with the utmost respect.
The Honor Guard presented and retired the colors at a ceremony renaming a Lincoln park after former Lincoln Mayor Coleen Seng.
Brownie Josephina Roger, Mikaela’s sister, poses with th e Honor Guard. She can’t wait to joi n the group when she becomes a Girl Scout Junior.
I have had the privilege of being the narrator for the Spirit of Nebraska Honor Guard and was present at the Annual Meeting and the Lincoln Girl Awards Ceremony. My dedication also requires my parents’ dedication because they support me by taking me to Honor Guard training meetings and events. It has been an amazing experience and I feel a great sense of pride being a part of this amazing group of girls from all parts of Nebraska. We train together, we celebrate together, and we make amazing memories honoring our flag and representing the great state of Nebraska. We are always looking for more amazing girls to join us and who would like to represent their state. If you are interested, contact Maria Reiter at reiterr@cox.net.
Color Guard, Advance!
F
lag ceremonies are a time-honored tradition in Girl Scouts, and you don’t have to be part of the state Honor Guard to have fun with flags! Elkhorn Troop 41213 proudly displayed their color guard skills during Sagewood Elementary School’s Veterans Day assembly. Color guard, dismissed!
It was a big honor for Troop 41213 to perform the flag ceremony on Veterans Day, and these G.I.R.L.s were up to the challenge.
Summer Issue 2019
1
Troop 014 23
W
hen devastating floods and a paralyzing blizzard hit Nebraska in March, Girl Scouts across the state rallied to support those affected. We couldn’t be more proud of the troops, girls, and families who put the Girl Scout Promise and Law into action!
Troop 20 372
by Carly Davis Girl Scout Senior Troop 01423
N
ebraska was hit with massive flooding and we knew we needed to help. Our troop decided to set up a stand at our Walmart in Hastings. We had signs that said things like “Nebraska Strong!” If I am being honest I was not expecting to get a lot of donations, but I was proven wrong when we Troop 50521 collected two cars full of donations! I was so proud of our community for what we did. Troop 00 688
by Dalyn Rodriguez, Sarah Loeffelholz Carly Chandler Girl Scout Cadettes Troop 00688
by Rylee Harmon Girl Scout Junior Troop 50521
I
n March, we had a lot of flooding all around Nebraska. Bridges, houses, highways, and farm land were destroyed, and thousands of cattle and other animals died. There’s still a lot of families that don’t have homes to go to or their stuff was ruined from the waters. Our troop wanted to help so at one of our last meetings, our troop took donations to give people in need from the flood damage. We brought baby food, diapers, dog and cat food, bath supplies, water, and other foods to our last meeting and sent it with other donations to people in Wahoo. I feel sad that all the people’s homes got destroyed and animals lost their habitats but I hope some of our donations helped them.
2
JG
T
he bomb cyclone left devastation across the state. Our troop felt that we were lucky that our community survived the storm with minimal damage. Seeing all of the flood damage that had happened to the surrounding areas and our state, we felt upset. We wanted to help in some way. The four Girl Scout troops in our community decided to use a portion of our cookie sale profits to donate to flood victims. With this money we bought lots of bottled water to donate. We felt it was the least that we could do. The donations were delivered to Lynch, which did not have water due to the storm.
Troop 00199
by Katie Kleinsasser Girl Scout Junior Troop 00199
I
thought it was really cool that all of us girls got to bring all of the donations and items for the people in Dannebrog. Me and my family are praying for the people of Dannebrog. I thought it was sad that people had lost their homes and had to stay at different places. I was surprised at how quickly they got the stores back up for business after the flooding. I can’t imagine how hard that must have been. I am happy our troop was able to help and it was fun, too.
Troop 48835
by Chloe Shields Girl Scout Junior Troop 20372
M
any people in Nebraska lost their homes and businesses in this year’s historical flooding. In this tragic event they also lost clothing, hygiene products, shoes, and more. So, the Girl Scouts of Troop 20372 decided to donate some items to them, including toilet paper, toothbrushes, deodorant, pillows, blankets, socks, shoes, clothes, and many other things. We hope these items can be used by flood victims to help them out during this terrible catastrophe.
by Teagan Curtis Girl Scout Daisy Troop 48835
W
e wanted to help the Waterloo/ Valley first responders because they help everybody and don’t want anyone to get hurt. They made sure the levee held and put sandbags where needed to keep our town safe and they helped rescue some people from the flooding and water so they wouldn’t drown. We raised money from friends and family to pay for giving our troop cookies to our first responders. Giving cookies to first responders made me feel grateful and happy. Giving people things and being kind makes me feel good inside.
by Madison Ensign Girl Scout Junior Troop 42146
Troop 50129
by Emma Samek Girl Scout Brownie Troop 50129
O
ur troop helped flood victims by sorting all the things that people had donated. We sorted toothpaste, food, shampoo, and lots of pet food. The people who needed these things could come and get them since the floods took these from them. Doing this made me feel happy inside. I am happy my Girl Scout troop did this!
Troop 42 146
M
any Girl Scouts in Nebraska have pitched in to help our neighbors. Junior Honor Troop 42146 helped by donating bottled water to the Salvation Army and by donating new men’s and women’s socks to the people who are helped by Encor. Encor lost buildings in Fremont and Bellevue because of the flood. We also gave our Gift of Sharing cookies to Encor for the people that live and work there. Some of our troop volunteers donated money to help pay for gas so farmers and ranchers in other states could deliver hay for cows who were stranded by the water. Families like mine took many carloads of clothing, toys, stuff for the house, and food to Goodwill and the Open Door Mission. Our troop also helped by sorting donations at the Open Door Mission Outreach Center in Elkhorn. All the girls in our troop want to do more but, many of the relief places want older kids to help with clean up. Our neighbors still need us, so our troop will keep looking for ways that we can help.
Summer Issue 2019
3
All Aboard the
by the W izards and W itches of Honor Troop 45523 n a cool autumn day, Honor Troop 45523, in collaboration with the International Confederation of Wizards, invited Cadette Girl Scouts to attend “Scoutwarts: School of Witchcraft & Wizardry” at Camp Maha. The troop spent months planning the event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and to encourage Girl Scouts to participate in STEM activities in a fun, magical way.
In Spells & Potions class, students received their wands, dragon-scale journals, and feather quills filled with matching colored ink. The first spell was “luminous” which made their wands light up! Before the class was over, students understood how chemiluminescence, sublimation, and endothermic reactions appear to be magic, but are really classified as “STEM” in the muggle world.
Girl Scouts from 28 troops traveled with their muggle guardians to Camp Maha to enter through the magical portal to the Wizarding world. To pass through platform 93/4 and board the Scoutwarts Express, participants donated socks to help free “Brownie” the house elf. (The socks were donated to the Ronald McDonald House.)
In the Owlery, students made owl-dorable t-owl-ettes out of washcloths trimmed with ribbon – one to take home and one to donate to the Stephen Center.
Girl Scouts became official students as they entered the Great Hall for the Sorting Hat ceremony. Based on their characteristics and interests, girls were sorted into three houses inspired by the founder of Girl Scouts – Juliettepuff, Gordondor and RavenLow. Students were then welcomed by the headmistress of Scoutwarts, (a.k.a. our troop leader, Mrs. Dawn Eisert), and co-leaders Ashley and Brianna Eisert, and even wizard professors Gerry and Andrew Eisert.
4
JG
A student favorite was the Care of Magical Creatures class taught by Wildlife Encounters. From bearded dragons, lizards, spiders, and snakes to foxes and a baby kangaroo, the students were in awe of the many magical creatures housed at Hagrid’s stables. Wizarding School wrapped up with a great feast, the Tri-House Wizard Challenge, and graduation. We invite you to read more of the tantalizing details of this enchanted adventure in a longer version of our story.
Students mixed up mysterious ghost bubbles in Spells & Potions class (left) and fell in love during Care of Magical Creatures.
Troop 20631 learned how to be prepared for anything!
Be Aware, Be Prepared, Be Empowered
O
ur troop took a field trip to Tiger Rock Academy for a self-defense class. The class was informative, helpful, and fun. The instructors taught us about being aware of our surroundings, like when entering a room, scan it to see where all the exits are. We learned we should have a family code word. If anyone comes to pick us up from school or an activity, that adult must know the code word, or we won’t leave with them.
F
Butrhey
by Erica Horne Girl Scout Cadette
We went through an obstacle course to work on our agility. The instructors then taught us how to escape from an attacker that grabs ahold of you. We also learned the correct techniques for protecting ourselves by hitting or kicking an attacker. We got to take turns being an attacker and practicing our escape techniques. While practicing these moves I scared one of the instructors a bit with the power behind my kicking. I enjoyed the class and would recommend it to other Girl Scouts. It was a fun way to learn about personal safety and how to protect yourself.
hatchet
linging a tomahawk and landing it in a wood target takes practice and patience. From six paces away, even if your strides are small, a bullseye can be remarkably elusive once the hatchet leaves your hands. Now, Girl Scouts can test their aim at a tomahawk course at Camp Cosmo. “When you do get the tomahawk to stick, the sense of accomplishment is so great,” said Julie Fuqua, a volunteer and mom to two Girl Scouts. Julie, her husband and their daughters, all of Shelton, have long practiced archery and recently branched out into tomahawk-throwing. When they discovered few places to practice their new skill, Julie approached the council about installing a course at camp. The course features two throwing lanes with safety webbing around the perimeter. Girl Scouts learn throwing techniques with a trained facilitator. “Anytime we can give girls an opportunity to try a new skill or interest, that opens a new door for them,” Julie said.
Tomahawk throwing empowers girls to take on a new challenge.
Summer Issue 2019
5
t a e r G e h T
St. Louis Getaway
Day 1
June 13, 2018
Today we loaded a 15-passenger van and began our adventure to St. Louis, Missouri. When we arrived, we unloaded the van and organized our rooms at the hotel. We went to the pool and played games and had fun. – Troop 45310 co-leaders
Day 2 June 14, 2018
by Omaha Gir Troop 45310 l Scout Cadette
One thing we did was Six Flags [amusement park]. From the winding roller coasters to the water rides, this place was fun for all. The highlight was the memorable roller coasters, especially The Joker. At another attraction we shot water through cannons at each other and came out soaked. For a day this great, there was a low point. Three of us waited in line for a water slide for more than an hour, only to have the ride suspended due to a storm. All I can say is that I can’t wait to go back again! – Karyssa K.
Day 3 June 15, 2018
T he w h Flags – ole troop lo of Miss the ‘Coasteved Six r Capit ouri. Visiting the Gateway Arch was one of my favorite experiences. You ride in this tiny little al’
elevator type thing to get to the top. The ride up is a little bumpy, which could make it scary for some people, so be warned. But once you get to the top, it is amazing. The town and its people are so tiny. It is a beautiful view and an amazing experience. – Kate H.
The Riverboat Cruise was so much fun. When we first got on the boat, we sat on the top level, but it was so sunny and hot (heat index in the 100s) that we went down a level and sat in this air-conditioned area. We found out so many facts about the Mississippi River and the Gateway Arch. I loved going back to the top level of the boat and seeing the underside of a bridge. – Hannah M. The Saint Louis City Museum is an incredibly amazing building with 10 floors filled with wonderful works of interactive art. At the top, there is a pond with stepping stones, and a Ferris wheel. There are floors connected by tunnels, ladders, and slides – one of which spans 10 stories. If you visit, make sure you go early. There is so much to do that there is barely enough time in the day to do it all. – Grace W.
Day 4 June 15, 2018 During our St. Louis trip we decided to go to Busch Stadium. First, I want to talk about the view. No matter where you sit you can see the Gateway Arch, which is amazing! While we were at the stadium, they took us to the Broadcast Booth, the Redbird Club, and the UMB Champions Club. The trip was so much fun, I wouldn’t mind going again. – Kaitlyn W.
The view from Stadium is ev inside Busch en better!
The Science Center was the last thing we did before traveling home. We learned about rock layers, volcanoes, and other earth sciences. We also learned a lot about animals and how to care for them. Another cool area focused on building structures and core values for engineering. There were many interactive games. For example, there was a shuttle simulator and a scale that told you how much it would cost for you to go to the moon. The whole space section was spectacular. – Mikaylah R.
6
JG
Remembering a
by Rachelle Rice
G
of Dedication
irl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska is saddened to share that Virginia Grissom, a beloved lifelong Girl Scout, died February 26, just a few months shy of her 100th birthday.
Virginia joined Girl Scouts in 1930 and developed a deep love for camping. During her many years of Girl Scouting, she served as a camp counselor, troop leader, dedicated volunteer, board president, and, of course, Girl Scout mom.
Virginia Grissom | 1919-2019
In addition to donating her time to the council, Virginia also donated unique artifacts, such as her original Girl Scout bugle corps skirt, currently on display in Camp Maha’s Marie Museum at the TLC Welcome Center. Virginia was a passionate, outstanding G.I.R.L. She exemplified the traits of a go-getter, innovator, risk taker, and leader through her volunteerism and dedication to Girl Scouts. During her life, she impacted the lives of many girls by empowering them to make the world a better place. She had the unwavering belief that girls could do anything, and she will be greatly missed.
Little libraries LEAD TO
AWARD
by Ella Johnson Girl Scout Cadette
I
am in Girl Scout Troop 45492 from Ralston. For our Silver Award project we decided to make Little Free Libraries – small libraries on a post that are available to anyone at any time – because we thought the availability of books was important. We started our project in March of 2017. We looked at different designs for these libraries and came up with a blueprint and material list for four Little Free Libraries.
Troop 45492 celebrated their Little Free Libraries with ribbon cutting ceremonies.
We decided to put these libraries at the schools in our district. We presented our project to the school board and got yeses from all six board members. Four of the board members decided to sponsor a library. We got donations of wood from Habitat for Humanity. We sanded the wood using electric sanders and then we glued the wood together. We decided to paint three of the libraries to match the school colors, and we stained one of them. We installed them in the front of the schools and held a ribbon cutting ceremony. We like to watch kids and adults use our libraries constantly.
Summer Issue 2019
7
Girl Scout volunteers network and share ideas at the Volunteer Enrichment Conference in Norfolk.
Volunteers Need Support, Too!
V
olunteers across the state gathered last fall for our first Volunteer Enrichment Conferences. These meetings focused on making sure volunteers have everything they need to be successful in Girl Scouting!
can do for them, and the importance of Girl Scout ceremonies and traditions.
Volunteers learned how to hold a successful parent meeting and the importance of getting help from parents, how to navigate the Volunteer Toolkit, what different Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska departments
The Volunteer Enrichment Conferences will be back again this year. Details will be coming to volunteers through email!
They even sang classic Girl Scout songs and made cute SWAPS (Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere)!
Buddy Benches Build Forever
Friendships by Ireland Muhlecke Girl Scout Junior
W
e chose Buddy Benches as our Bronze Award project by voting on it and also because of seeing kids alone on the playground. The benches are important to us because we want to help kids make new friends. How they work is: someone who is alone or just wants someone to talk to sits on one of these benches around their school, and then someone who is also alone or who is just friendly sits down next to them. We accepted three used benches that were provided for us. An adult disassembled the benches, sandblasted the iron sides, and painted them black. Another donor gave us money to buy a fourth bench. We chose all the colors and decoration schemes. We held a troop family bake sale during our annual movie night to raise assets for our project (wood, paint, painting supplies, and hardware). We also made friendship bracelets to sell at the bake sale. We also tie-dyed T-shirts for our team uniform. We met over
8
JG
No student will be left behind thanks to Buddy Benches built by these Troop 45492 go-getters.
many months to prime, paint, apply clear polyurethane, and assemble new wood boards on the refurbished benches. Two benches were placed at Blumfield Elementary that both say “Make New Friends But Keep The Old.” One bench was placed at Meadows Elementary that says #BeKind. One bench was also placed at Mockingbird Elementary that says “Make New Friends But Keep The Old” as well. We feel very happy and proud that this project is finished, and we hope that kids will use these benches.
Stop the Bleed gives girls important, hands-on first-aid training.
by Isabel Koenig Girl Scout Junior
Training to
SAVE LIVES I
went to the Stop the Bleed First Aid Class through my Girl Scout troop, Troop 20631. I think every Girl Scout should go to this class because even though they may be afraid to go it will prepare them for an emergency. I liked it because we got to interact and help our instructor demonstrate. We had fun and learned helpful things at the same time. Interacting helped me remember a lot of the things we did. I really enjoyed this class and would definitely go again and recommend it to others!
These girls are ready to spring into action if an emergency arises.
Breakneck
BRITISH Adventure by Camille Kotouc Girl Scout Senior
F
rom castles to corners, Henge to Hyde, and bridges to Beefeaters, Brownell Talbot Troop 46407 hit the ground running on their trip to London last summer. They dove deep into the history of the city, studying Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, touring Covent Garden and the Churchill War Museum, and exploring the Tower of London and Piccadilly Circus. They even ran into a few major Royals along the way (Prince Charles and Princess Anne). They drove deep into the English countryside, winding around Windsor Castle, searching for Stonehenge, and scouring Stratford-upon-Avon. They stopped in Oxford, visited churches, laughed, smiled, and made memories that they could never forget. What a trip!
N o p e , no tC explored arhenge! Troop 46 th during th e mysteries of S 407 toneheng eir whirlw e ind trip to England.
Who you gonna call?
Summer Issue 2019
9
Go with the
ow l F in Europe by Journey Noyes Girl Scout Senior
A
ll my life I’ve wanted to travel and explore but being a part of a big family, with everyone’s schedules and not enough money for everyone to go, that just never really happened. But about four years ago, I learned you didn’t have to travel with your family. I could just go with Girl Scouts instead… and that is exactly what I did! This year, I took the trip of my life to Greece, Italy, and Spain with EF Tours on a Girl Scout Destinations trip, and I never want to forget any second. We got to visit the Parthenon in Athens, the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Pisa, breathtaking cathedrals in Barcelona, and even the island that Mamma Mia! was filmed on! Some of my favorite memories include just sitting on the bus with my new friends and the bus being completely silent because everyone was staring out the window in awe of the background of our trip. Not only were we surrounded by new things, but also we got the chance to learn so many new things too. I now know exactly one word of Greek! Seeing how people lived in Europe
“I never thought I’d be brave enough to travel across the world alone, but turns out I wasn’t alone,” Journey said. Journey says this photo – her favorite – captures the joy of her Girl Scouts of the USA Destinations trip to Europe.
10
JG
After “leaning in” to the opportunity to travel with Girl Scouts, Journey encourages all girls to go for it!
changed me a lot. Here in the United States, we take a lot of things for granted. For instance, in Europe, in most places you are not allowed to flush your toilet paper - you have to throw it away. It’s kinda gross, I know, but it’s a thing we take for granted here in the states. I now have a feel for how a lot of the rest of the world lives. My favorite photo is of the friends I made on this trip and me, sitting on a wall, holding hands and just laughing. It doesn’t show an amazing view, but it shows the joy in our eyes as we were sitting there, staring at the Parthenon in front of us. It was a truly peaceful and unforgettable moment. I miss the friends I made, and I cannot wait for the next time I get to see them. If you are thinking about doing a trip like this, go for it! Apply! Do it! What’s there to lose? Don’t think you could afford this trip? There are scholarships and financial aid to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don’t think you’re brave enough for this type of adventure? You’d be surprised. I never thought I’d be brave enough to travel across the world alone, but turns out I wasn’t alone. I met amazing girls and they became my family. Still think you’re not brave enough? Start out small! There are plenty of destinations in the states so you wouldn’t be as far away from home. There are different destinations to fit all types of people! My best lesson from my trip happened unintentionally when there was a incident with our bus, and we weren’t able to visit Rome. My lesson: learn to go with the flow. I learned so much that I wouldn’t learn anywhere else that helps me with my everyday life. Plus, during the few weeks I was away, I didn’t have to worry about anything. It’s the longest I’ve been stress-free in a LONG time. Trust me, everyone deserves a trip like this. Make sure you take your chance.
A howlin’ good time was had by Troop 00670 at Great Wolf Lodge in Kansas City.
How We Do
E
KC!
by Addison McManus and Sydney Fuqua Girl Scout Cadettes
very year our troop chooses a trip to go on and this year we chose Kansas City. Our main attraction was Great Wolf Lodge. We went swimming in the indoor water park, did a meet and greet with the characters, and some of us did the MagiQuest [a live action role-playing game]. On every trip we go on we do a service project. This year we chose to donate items to Operation Breakthrough. This nonprofit organization helps families take care of their kids and give them things food stamps can’t buy. After this, we went to Science City. At Science City there were many amazing things to do. One of the things that all of us loved was the zip line. The next day the first thing we did was tour the Money Museum. We got to see where money is shredded. As a souvenir, we all got a free bag
of $165 in shredded money. Next, we walked to Sealife. There we saw many different kinds of fish and sharks. We also learned that an octopus can lift up to 350 pounds. For supper that night we ate at Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant. The special part about Fritz’s is that your food is delivered by a train. Everyone loved Fritz’s. The next morning we packed up and hit the road, but before we got too far we made a pit stop at the Moon Marble Company. While we were there we watched a demonstration on a marble being made. Overall it was an amazing trip, and we hope if you ever visit Kansas City you try some of these amazing activities.
Just hangin’ with Nebraska Supreme Court Justice Stephanie Stacy during Girl Scout Legislative Day. You know, typical Girl Scout stuff.
e s i Ra
r u o Y
W
Voice
e went to the 2019 Girl Scout Legislative Day in Lincoln, Nebraska, together with other people from the Omaha GSAG [Girl Scout Advisory Group] group. To prepare, we found an issue that affects us in our everyday lives that we want changed by a new law. Audrey’s issue was putting a ban on single-use plastic bags and bottles or a price tag on them. Evelyne’s issue was putting seat belts in school busses, an issue Senator Robert Hilkemann is also working on. In the morning, we got to go to the Proclamation Ceremony, where we got a proclamation declaring that day was Girl Scout Day. Later, we went into the Legislative Chamber and watched the senators vote on legislation. When we walked in, we were recognized by one of the senators.
by Evelyne and Audrey Brown Girl Scout Cadettes After lunch, we presented our issues to our senator and other legislators or aides. Our state senator is Robert Hilkemann. He had a prototype of seat belts in school busses that we got to try out when we visited him. We then delivered cookies and packages to the senators and had many elevator adventures along the way because we could not figure out how all the buttons worked. On the way back to Omaha, we stopped at an ice cream place. Overall it was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed going.
Summer Issue 2019
11
During a television interview, Addie explained that the national competition is about presentation, texture, and flavor.
Cooking Up
SU CCES S
A
ddie Borgmann, a Girl Scout Junior from Elkhorn, loves to cook. She really, really loves to cook, and she loves to watch cooking shows. That culinary passion led her to enter the 2019 Sodexo Future Chefs Challenge, telling her mom she would “love to be on Master Chef Junior, but this is the closest I can get to it right now.” But Addie didn’t just enter the national competition. The Skyline Elementary fifth-grader won, beating out 2,700 other students representing more than 1,400 Sodexo-served school sites in 31 states with her Mini Mexi Meatball Boats recipe. “It’s like tacos disguised as a meatball! And who doesn’t love tacos and meatballs?” Addie said. “I love tacos, but I also love meatballs, so I combined them in this recipe!” Addie and her recipe won challenges in her school, her school district, and the state. Then she was chosen as one of five finalists who went head-to-head in a public vote. When the 54,000 votes were tallied, Addie came out on top!
Addie’s prizes included a trip to New York City, a laptop, and this sweet scooter!
A Sodexo representative said that Addie and one other contestant were in a tight race up until the end, and that support from her Girl Scout sisters may have been what sealed Addie’s victory. “Her favorite things to cook are desserts, but she is broadening her horizons these days with complete meals and entrees,” said her mom, Kelly Borgmann. “Last year she prepared Asian inspired teriyaki rice balls [for the 2018 Sodexo Future Chef Competition]. They were pretty awesome, too!”
delish
Mini Mexi Meatball Boats Ingredients: 1 egg 1 cup onions, finely chopped 1/4 cup cornmeal 1 package low-sodium taco seasoning 1/2 cup salsa (plus extra) 1 lb. extra lean ground turkey 1 avocado 1/4 cup black beans (plus extra for side) 2 cups chopped lettuce 1/2 cup fat free sour cream Fresh cilantro 1 tomato 48 baked Tostito scoops
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425. Coat a baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl mix egg, onions, cornmeal, taco seasoning, and salsa. Add turkey and blend well. 3. Scoop 1 level tablespoon for each meatball and roll into balls. Place meatballs on a baking pan. Bake uncovered for about 12 minutes.
Sides:
4. To assemble each meatball boat: Place a pinch of lettuce, 1 slice of avocado in each scoop. Drizzle with sour cream. Add 1 meatball, drizzle with salsa, place a dollop of sour cream on top of meatball. Place a black bean, one little piece of cilantro, and a small square of tomato on top of sour cream on each meatball boat.
brown rice and black beans
Serve with rice and beans and enjoy!
12
JG
Hero camp included first-aid techniques like learning how to intubate a person.
HERO for a Day
W
e came to Hero Camp because we had fun at last year’s event. We wanted to see if anything changed and because last year we had bad weather. We learned many new and useful techniques including how to intubate someone, properly put out a fire, search for and rescue people in danger, and how EMTs and firefighters must work quickly to save people’s lives. When we are older, some of us would love to pursue one of these professions.
by Girl Scout Troop 50030
We enjoyed working together in teams, meeting and bonding with other girls, and learning how to save lives. Also, we enjoyed all the hands-on activities. We wanted to refresh our memories on how we can help our community in case of an emergency. Girls got geared up and practiced handling a fire hose.
Taking Aim at
Adventure I
went to Camp Katniss with my mom. It was fun. We did archery, cooked our own food over the fire, and much more.
My favorite part was making slingshots out of sticks. After we gathered the sticks, we had felt and rubber bands to tape on the sticks. Then we put a ping pong ball in the felt and pulled back. Mine went flying.
by Natalie Delaney Girl Scout Junior
In all it was so fun. I hope they have the same program next year.
The odds are ever in your favor as you take on new challenges at Camp Katniss.
Summer Issue 2019
13
2121 S 44TH STREET OMAHA NE 68105
. Y A D O T S FRIEND S R E K A M CHANGE . W O R R O TOM
BECOME A GIRL SCOUT AT
GirlScoutsNebraska.org