Submitted by Maria Cross Northern & Northeastern CO Longmont Camping, Journeys, and Girl Scout sisters~ Oh My! Join Ambassador Troop 78527 for a fun-filled overnight camp as you earn your “Think Like An Engineer” Journey! Who: Girl Scout Brownie troops or Juliettes with adult chaperone Dates: Friday, January 24 to Saturday, January 25, 2020 When: Arrive at 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Friday, Depart at 2 p.m. Saturday Where: Tomahawk Ranch Girl Scout Camp near Bailey– enjoy heated cabins with bunk beds and bathrooms During this Journey camp, Brownies will have a blast finding out how engineers use “design” thinking to solve problems. The Ambassadors will guide them in three “design” thinking activities to explore hands-on what it is like to think like an engineer. You will also receive materials for your group to work on a design project to help others. Your girls can take their design project with them to share with their community for their Take Action Project to complete their Journey. Cost: $70 per girl, $40 per adult- price does not include Journey patches. Girls must attend with adult. Adults above safety-wise ratios pay girl rate. Registration deadline: Tuesday, January 7 Register/pay online: https://browniethinklikeanengineer.cheddarup.com Email cross.maria.e@gmail.com with questions. 40963104_tle_brownie_flyer_registration This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #Journey #GirlScoutBrownie #Brownie #STEM #Brownies #GirlScoutCamp #ThinkLikeanEngineerJourney #GirlScoutBrownies #TomahawkRanch #Journeys #MetroDenver #camp

Save the date for Secrets to Success in Greeley on Saturday, April 18, 2020 at Aims Community College! What is your Secret to Success? Girls will have the unique opportunity to ask that question and many more of top local women leaders our first Northern Colorado Secrets to Success event. We believe every girl has the power to become what she dreams to be. We are helping today’s girls overcome the challenges they face, giving them the tools they need to become successful leaders. Girls will connect with professional women in a variety of career fields, giving them a unique opportunity to learn directly from incredible women in our community. Girls will personally engage with more than 20 women leaders a variety of fields, such as technology, law, healthcare, finance, skilled trades, entrepreneurship, and more, learning from role models that will help them become our future business and community leaders. This event joins today’s leaders with the next generation, to share their expertise and provide inspiration for success. ** This event is open to all girls in grades 6-12. You do not need to be a Girl Scout to attend. Registration will open winter 2020. ** Email carol.griffin@gscolorado.org to be added to the interest list and you’ll be emailed directly when registration opens. More information: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/events-repository/2020/secrets_to_success_1616242345.html 40963104_gsco_2019_secretstosuccess_std_flier_greeley #GSCOevents #oldergirls #2020SecretstoSuccessinGreeley #NorthernampNortheasternCO #Greeley #SecretstoSuccessinGreeley #Communitypartnerships #SecretstoSuccess #funddevelopment #2019SecretstoSuccessColoradoSprings #communitypartners #AimsCommunityCollege

Submitted by Ariella Wells Fort Collins Northern & Northeastern CO Coming to Northern Colorado: Two separate chances for Girl Scout Daisies to participate in a “Three Cheers for Animals” Journey in a Day event! Where: The Ranch When: November 10, 2019 or January 5, 2020- Both events run from 1 to 5 p.m. Cost: $25 if no patches are wanted and cost is $32 with patches A mixed group of Cadettes and Seniors will be leading the activities! A guest speaker from the Animal House coming to talk about animal care. Girls will also do a special project to help feral cats in the community. November 10 signup: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1psEbq5zbiSgc_LZPvtfyVM5-5-W8V2EK/view?usp=sharing ** We still have some limited space for November 10 date. If you can’t make that one, you’ll get a second chance on January 5. January 5 signup: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1UVuRNisqSLzbq6SAA2b5sxOPXbK_mNyb This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #ThreeCheersforAnimals #Daisy #journeyinaday #Journey #GSCOevents #NorthernampNortheasternCO #ThreeCheersforAnimalsJourney #GirlScoutDaisy #Daisies #GirlScoutDaisies #Journeys #FortCollins

What did you do for your Gold Award project? I advocated for pet waste dispensers and the dangerous effects of too much pet waste and overall impact on community health. I originally planned to solve the problem by building a dog park that would be integrated into the city parks department, but would remain under city control. After numerous different design attempts, the park became too far out of reach. So, I opted for another route to combat the issue, I chose to design a system of waste stations and bench stops that would be of easy access to community members. This project still accomplished the same goal in solved the project issue and was received well by community members and city council. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? My project directly addressed the issue of pet waste as a destruction to city property and possible threat to community health that includes pet owners, athletes, and Wray citizens. The issue had become an overwhelming task for the city to keep ahead of as the number of pet owners was on the rise and therefore, the number of pets using city facilities also increasing. Through my Gold Award project, I was able to have a lasting and sustainable impact on the City of Wray, its council members, and its citizens. The impact mostly addressed increasing pet owner education about being a responsible owner and being accountable for one’s own pet waste by installing waste stations that make cleaning up waste easier and more readily available use for owners. Therefore, the impact was received well by pet owners as the amount of pet waste noticed on city fields, parks, and paths was reduced. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? Before even receiving Girl Scout Gold Award Committee initial approval to begin my project, I had numerous meetings with City of Wray manager James DePue to integrate my project into the city’s park department. I attended numerous city council meetings to ensure my project would be sustained by the City of Wray that would included maintenance described in my original proposal. This maintenance includes: trash removal, weed eating around benches and garbage cans, and replacing station headers when bags run out. I have obtained a signed letter from my project adviser and City of Wray Manager James DePue outlining the work I have put forth to complete my project and the city’s role since the completion of my project. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? The root cause of my project addresses pet waste and owner education, which is a rising national issue as 83 million pet dogs produce nearly 10.6 million tons of waste each year. Besides the fact that millions of tons of waste are produced, the waste left behind is a serious health threat that can harbor lots of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. These items can include harmful substances such as e coli, giardia, and salmonella. While my Gold Award project is focused on the City of Wray and other citizens of Northeastern Colorado, the project directly links to the national problem involving pet waste and citizen health. What did you learn about yourself? During the course of completing my Gold Award project, I learned about many leadership skills I didn’t know that I had developed. For example, I was the first girl in our troop to begin working on my Gold Award late in 2017. At that time, another girl was interested in completing a Gold Award, but wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to do. I was able to help her create a project after identifying what issue she wanted to address and we both worked on our initial proposals to present on the same night for the award committee. Also, I was able to speak at many city council meetings that would ultimately be the greatest achievement I can say I have received by completing a Gold Award. Before I found a topic that I was genuinely interested in and excited about, I would have never spoken in front of a council of six or more members who are respected individuals in the community of Wray. After my first council meeting and initial proposal, each time I went to another council meeting I was more relaxed and for me it became so much easier to present my ideas to those council members. I also learned to direct a small team that would help my figure out what equipment to order, the best way to place the stations, and final equipment installation plans. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? Earning my Gold Award has pushed me beyond my limits in so many ways that will positively give me the knowledge and experience of how to deal with conflict and challenges and keep going in the future. This award has also given me the opportunity to become a leader in many more ways than I could have ever imagined. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? Since I have been involved in Girl Scouts since the age of about 8 or 9, earning this award has been one of my highest goals since that young age. Even since the age of about 12, I knew exactly what I wanted my Gold Award project to be and that goal itself motivated me for nearly if not all of my Girl Scout experience. Earning this award has just been the perfect way to cap all of those great experiences I learned while meeting many new people, growing as an individual, and changing the world. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Since my project encountered so many issues with construction, I needed to be an innovator to find away around the issues while still accomplishing my own goal. Not only did I need to completely redesign my project, I also needed to change how that same goal could be incorporated into a new project. In this way, I was challenged to create new ideas to address the same issue that were still unique and had a connection to Girl Scouts. **IMPORTANT NOTE: This blog represents only a small fraction of the hard work, dedication, and requirements that go into earning a Girl Scout Gold Award. It is simply a brief summary, which is meant to inspire Girl Scouts to Go Gold in the future. For more information on earning your Gold Award, please email highestawards@gscolorado.org. #GoldAward #HighestAwards #NorthernampNortheasternCO #GoldAwardGirlScout #Vernon #wrayhighschool #GirlScoutGoldAward #TakeAction

Submitted by Michelle Hoffman Metro Denver Broomfield Girl Scout troops across the metro area are invited to join BackStory Theatre for a live-theatre, musical performance of “Guys and Dolls” with a special behind-the-scenes tour just for Girl Scouts, where girls and their families can learn about lighting, sound equipment, props, sets, stage secrets, and more! Who: Girl Scouts and their families When: Saturday, November 23, 2019 from 4 – 9:30 p.m. Where: Broomfield Auditorium (3 Community Park Rd, Broomfield 80020) How: Visit the tickets page of www.backstorytheatre.org and enter code GSCOUT2019 to choose your seat for this exclusive event! Advance tickets are required and should be purchased by November 15 for best seat selection. Call (720) 263-0836 for more information. What: A special behind-the-scenes theatre tour with activities and time for questions from 4 – 5 p.m. followed by dinner on your own and a ticket for our fully staged, Broadway-length production of Guys and Dolls at 7 p.m. The tour is led by youth actors and will explore lighting and sound equipment, backstage area, costumes, props, singing, and more! Cost: $13 Kids 0-17 and Seniors 60+, $20 Adults 18-59. Ticket includes full-length youth production of “Guys and Dolls” and one-hour, special behind-the-scenes tour just for Girl Scout troops. (Dinner is on your own and is not included in the ticket price.) About the Show: In this iconic story of unlikely love in New York City, “Guys and Dolls” takes us from the bustle of Times Square to the dance clubs of Havana to the sewers of New York City as it demonstrates the great lengths to which a guy will go when he truly falls in love with a “doll.” Voted best musical in 1950, “Guys and Dolls” features some of Frank Loesser’s most memorable tunes, including classic “Luck Be a Lady.” All performers in this fully-staged, Broadway-style musical are youth actors between the ages of 8—18. Special care has been taken to approach the subject matter as a family-friendly performance, great for all ages! About BackStory: BackStory Theatre is a Broomfield-based 501(c)(3) organization which provides affordable theatre education and performance opportunities to local children, adults, and families. Building from the belief that theatre should be an integral part of every thriving community, BackStory makes performing arts programs accessible to people from all economic backgrounds. 40963104_girlscoutfieldtripflier This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #communitypartnershios #GSCOevents #BackStoryTheatre #Broomfield #GuysandDolls #communitypartners #MetroDenver

“Thanksgiving Thank Yous” is a service project for Brownie AND Daisy troops. Giving thank you cards is a way to show people that they are remembered and appreciated. Girl Scouts of Colorado sends Brownie- AND Daisy-made cards to community friends and donors to thank them for their generous support. Send cards to 3801 E. Florida Suite 720 Denver, CO 80210 or drop off at your local office. DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 15, 2019. #serviceproject #thankyou #thankyoucards #Thanksgiving

What did you do for your Gold Award project? Realizing that many primary schools in Kenya lack sufficient resources for music education, I took action. Partnering with SCOPE International, I connected with teachers at four schools in Kenya who agreed to teach the primary school kids the recorder. After extensive research, I bought and shipped 60 recorders, 15 to each school, in addition to recorder books. When I visited Kenya nine months later, I went to the four schools and evaluated the success of the recorder programs at each school. My hope to spark passion for music into the lives of the children in Kenya was achieved, and I created a website and spoke to my high school choir in hopes of instilling further passion to help abroad into the hearts of my peers and the local community. By bringing a taste of American music education into the lives of the Kenyans, and bringing evidence of the progress and passion in the Kenyans, I connected cultures and helped improve standards and awareness for worldwide primary music education. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? I measured the impact my Gold Award project made on my target audience by first figuring out my target audience, which was at least three schools in Kenya, and American children. I measured how the recorders made an impact on the four schools in Kenya because I measured how many students learned how to play the recorder, which was 60 in total. In order to measure the impact on my target audience in America, I took note of the statistics regarding how many people look at my website. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? All 60 recorders are currently in use and accounted for, as are the recorder curriculums. Having visited each of the four schools that received the curriculum, I was able to connect with the teachers and receive verbal and written agreement to continue the recorder program with children in years to come. Additionally for the American audience and supporters, I created a website and online curriculum educating people on the importance of music education, and the startling realities that the world does not share the same luxury of a strong music education system like we have in America. My website contains a link which directs the patron to the SCOPE International website, where they can donate to the organization. My contacts at SCOPE have agreed to use those donations to further the recorder program in other schools. Don Howard is currently in Africa and getting letters of commitment from the heads of the schools with the recorders. Also, Professor On’gesa and I are currently making plans to organize a team for the remake of the talent show in 2020, so I will again be delegating with the SCOPE coordinators in Kenya to put that on, despite my inability to be at the actual talent show. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? The project dealt with problems both locally and globally. The reality of the situation is that it is a global issue. It is not just Kenya that suffers from a lack of music education, which is what my project aimed to help reverse. By sending recorders to Kenya and giving students access to instruments, I was able to bring that success back to American kids and adults to prove that everyone has the power to promote music education globally. The website curriculum I created also promotes music education advancement globally. I was able to connect personally with my school’s top two choirs, Shades of Blue and Concert Choir, and teach them the importance of utilizing the musical talents and resources they’ve been given in order to advocate for others who do not have the same. The local issue of people needing to be aware about the need abroad, and the global issue of people needing musical resources are connected and feed off of each other. What did you learn about yourself? From this project, I learned that music education is a luxury we take for granted in the United States, and that it is up to every individual to fuel passion in others. I learned the importance of expanding my circle, employing others’ help when need-be, and using my voice to speak for others. I was challenged to reach out to diplomats and volunteers outside of my circle, and outside of the country, in order to put my project into actions. I learned how to ship internationally, and I had to learn patience when it came to shipping. After learning to wait and give others the opportunity to complete their assigned task, but I also checked up on my delegates to ensure the completion of the task. Finally, I realized the significance of my voice in America telling others about the realities in Kenya and possibilities we have to change lives. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? Earning my Gold Award will impact me in the future because it has provided me with great opportunities to network and learn how to delegate. It has increased my passion for spreading awareness for music education worldwide, and I hope to impact other people to action in the future. Being a Gold Award Girl Scout will allow me to join the community of other Gold Award Girl Scouts, and I am hopeful that being a Gold Award Girl Scout will provide me with opportunities for employment in areas that I’m passionate about. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? The Gold Award was an important part of my Girl Scout experience because it allowed me to take the last 13 years of the values that Girl Scouts has taught me and implement them into a project that would impact someone else. The Gold Award is special to me because I was completely in charge of the direction of the project – the Bronze and Silver were also significant, but it meant a lot to me that I led the project. It was so amazing to be able to take my passion for music and share it with other people, impacting a community outside of just my state. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Earning my Gold Award helped me become a go-getter because I had to learn the difference between delegating and needing to take initiative. My project took place partially in America and partially in Kenya, so I had to be on top of my game regarding communication between the countries. In addition to just completing the project, I had to be a go-getter so I could fund a trip to Kenya and see my project’s progress. All in all, the project’s success depended on my motivation and passion towards music and helping others. I had to want it to get it. **IMPORTANT NOTE: This blog represents only a small fraction of the hard work, dedication, and requirements that go into earning a Girl Scout Gold Award. It is simply a brief summary, which is meant to inspire Girl Scouts to Go Gold in the future. For more information on earning your Gold Award, please email highestawards@gscolorado.org. #GoldAward #Arvada #HighestAwards #music #GoldAwardGirlScout #GirlScoutGoldAward #Kenya #MetroDenver #TakeAction #RalstonValleyHighSchool

Girl Scouts of Colorado is thrilled to announce a local female FBI special agent as the keynote speaker at Secrets to Success in Colorado Springs on November 9, 2019! Our keynote speaker is a 19-year veteran of the FBI who has worked a variety of investigative matters, but has focused primarily on working counterterrorism cases. She was on duty, stationed in California, during the September 11th terrorist attacks, which only served to strengthen her resolve to protect the nation from another terrorist attack. During her work, she often interviews members of the public to help further FBI investigations. She has recruited informants for the FBI and has identified young people who would be valuable members of the FBI in the future. She spends a lot of time working as a member of the FBI’s Campus Security Program and has recently taken on a role as a public affairs officer for the Denver FBI office. After graduating from college, she started her career as an Air Force officer before applying for the FBI. After 25 years in the service of our nation, she is motivated by an extremely rewarding career and she encourages all young women who are considering a career in government service or law enforcement to join if you think it would be a good fit for you. All girls in grades 6 – 12 should not miss the chance to hear this exciting speaker! Register online now to attend the Secrets to Success: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/events-repository/2019/secrets_to_success_c.html Questions? Email aimee.artzerg@gscolorado.org. #SecretstoSuccessColoradoSprings #GSCOevents #SecretstoSuccess #funddevelopment #2019SecretstoSuccessColoradoSprings #2019SecretstoSuccess #PikesPeak

What did you do for your Gold Award project? I made grocery bags out of animal feed bags. I then taught others how to prepare the bags to be sewn. I created a “How-To Manual” with instructions on how to make the reusable grocery feed bags. I then taught another group how to sew the bags, using my “How-To Manual.” I also asked the manager at Big R to allow me to collect empty feed bags so other groups could have a supply of bags to make more reusable grocery feed bags. I started this project because I had a lot of feed bags from feeding my animals. I know that plastic is bad for the environment. I wanted to make a difference in people using plastic. I also volunteer at Joy’s Kitchen (food rescue). I noticed the clients using boxes to carry their food home. So, by making my reusable grocery feed bags I help the environment by reducing the number of plastic bags, by upcycling the feed bags into a multi-use product. By donating these bags to Joy’s Kitchen, I provide a service to those who cannot afford to buy bags. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? I measured the number of reusable feedbags that were made by volunteers and the number of bags that were provided to Joy’s Kitchen. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? By giving 40 reusable grocery feed bags to Joy’s Kitchen, I will have replaced 28,000 single use plastic bags. By teaching others how to make their own reusable grocery feed bags I am allowing others to replace single use plastic bags. When I taught a group of adults at EChO how to make reusable grocery feed bags, I am continuing the making and giving of more reusable grocery feed bags into the community. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? Reducing the number of single-use plastic bags in the environment reduces the amount of plastic that is in our landfills and oceans. By educating others and providing a way to upcycle another plastic product, I am further reducing the amount of plastic being used and being dumped. Plastic does not have a nationality and ends up in the world’s soils and oceans which then gets into the world’s food supply and contributes to the world’s plastic pollution. My reusable grocery feed bags are the beginning of changing the way people use plastic and provides a way to upcycle plastic. What did you learn about yourself? From Devyn’s Troop Leader: Devyn has worked hard from start to finish, she has led her peers and adults. She has grown a tremendous amount in her confidence and her knowledge and understanding of why her reusable grocery feed bags are making a difference. She has a lot to be proud of and I feel that this process has stretched her and made her an example of Gold Award material. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? From Devyn’s Gold Award Mentor:  Devyn learned a lot of valuable life skills through the Gold Award process, including important organizational and social skills, which will benefit her as she moves forward. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? It forced me to do something difficult and help the environment and people. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? From Devyn’s Gold Award Mentor:  Devyn truly embodied the full spirit of  G.I.R.L.:  She was passionate about her project and became a real go-getter to push her ideas through.  She was an innovator by creating the pattern to turn an animal feed bag into a useful item.  Devyn was a risk-taker, because she pushed herself outside her comfort zone day after day when dealing with strangers in her community, something that does not come easily to her.  And she demonstrated leadership by enjoining members of her community into her project by teaching them how to create her reusable bags. **IMPORTANT NOTE: This blog represents only a small fraction of the hard work, dedication, and requirements that go into earning a Girl Scout Gold Award. It is simply a brief summary, which is meant to inspire Girl Scouts to Go Gold in the future. For more information on earning your Gold Award, please email highestawards@gscolorado.org. #GoldAward #HighestAwards #reusablegrocerybags #evergreen #GoldAwardGirlScout #GirlScoutGoldAward #environment #MetroDenver #TakeAction

What did you do for your Gold Award project? I designed a creative writing curriculum for students K-12. This curriculum is available for students of any background (e.g. homeschooled, low-income, the average student). The curriculum consisted of a series of lessons with fun activities (such as crossword puzzles and word searches), an emphasis on interaction among the students, and multiple writing exercises. I had the opportunity to teach my curriculum with Boys and Girls Clubs, and I was able to receive feedback from the students I worked with. I made revisions to the curriculum based on that experience and input from the students. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? I taught my curriculum at two different Boys and Girls Clubs locations over a period of eight weeks. During that time, I taught a total of 20 students (about two to three students at Johnson Elementary and as many as twelve students at KIIP on any given day). Throughout the teaching experience, I had multiple students return to each teaching session. In order to gauge how much of an impact my project had on the students, I asked them two questions at the end of my teaching experience: What did you learn and what did you enjoy about the curriculum?  The feedback I got from the students was extremely positive.  The students said they learned about writing, and they enjoyed the curriculum because they could write about anything.  Some of the students even asked if I would come back next year to teach my curriculum. In addition to teaching at Boys and Girls Clubs locations, I partnered with Carnegie Library in Trinidad, and they have agreed to put my curriculum binder in their library.  My curriculum will provide students with an opportunity to practice creative thinking and writing outside of what schools typically teach. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? I provided my curriculum to various Boys and Girls Clubs locations, so they will be able to teach my curriculum at their locations. Over the summer, college students volunteer with Boys and Girls Clubs.  These volunteers often don’t have a curriculum they can use to teach the students at Boys and Girls Clubs, but now with my curriculum, the college volunteers will have a curriculum they are able to use. I also put my curriculum into a binder format that I gave to Carnegie Library.  This way, the curriculum can be taught as a class at the library, or homeschoolers can check out the curriculum and use it themselves. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? While my project does not directly influence people around the world, my hope is that the students who partake in my project will develop creative thinking and writing skills which may someday have a global impact. I have also provided Carnegie Library in Trinidad with my curriculum. Along with the library, I contacted teachers in the Phoenix area to see if they would like my curriculum, as well as Denver Public Schools. What did you learn about yourself? When I have a goal in mind and a time crunch, I can really do anything.  I delegated different tasks to my team members and chose my team members based on skills I wanted assistance with (e.g. research, curriculum development, logo). I had never worked with young kids before, and while I don’t think I’ll pursue a career as an elementary school teacher anytime soon, I was surprised that I was available to develop a good rapport with the students. Prior to this project, I was reluctant to pick up the phone and call an adult, and I was shy in front of a small group. Although I am still naturally shy, I can tell that this project helped me break out of my shell a little bit. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? While working on my Gold Award, I developed good leadership skills that will be useful later on in my life. The Gold Award also gave me experience teaching and developing a curriculum, which is a career option I may like to pursue. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? I think the Gold Award was an important part of my Girl Scout experience because I was able to finally apply everything I learned as a Girl Scout to a real-world situation. As a Girl Scout, we are taught to make the world a better place. Helping people to communicate, think creatively, and work together will, in the long run, make the world a better place. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Earning my Gold Award helped me become a go-getter. The Gold Award is extremely daunting, and the decision to earn the award and continue working on it in the face of adversity made me a go-getter in itself. However, I also overcame some of my personal setbacks (i.e. my shy nature) through teaching my curriculum, communicating with Boys and Girls Clubs, and presenting my ideas to the Girl Scout Gold Award Committee and others in the community. **IMPORTANT NOTE: This blog represents only a small fraction of the hard work, dedication, and requirements that go into earning a Girl Scout Gold Award. It is simply a brief summary, which is meant to inspire Girl Scouts to Go Gold in the future. For more information on earning your Gold Award, please email highestawards@gscolorado.org. #GoldAward #HighestAwards #GoldAwardGirlScout #HighlandsRanch #KentDenverSchool #GirlScoutGoldAward #MetroDenver #TakeAction

All Girl Scouts, family, and friends are invited to cheer on the University of Denver Women’s Basketball team as they take on Cal Poly on Sunday, November 17, 2019 at 1 p.m. at Magness Arena on the DU campus! All Girl Scouts in uniform (vest, sash, or Girl Scout t-shirt) can attend for FREE. Accompanying adults, friends, family, and non-Girl Scout youth can purchase tickets for $5/person. To RSVP for Girl Scouts attending in uniform and purchase tickets for all others, contact Max Miller at Max.G.Miller@du.edu or 303-871-6048 by Wednesday, November 13. In addition to the game, Girl Scouts are invited to a post-game Q&A and autograph session with the student athletes! This is not a drop off event. All Girl Scouts must attend with a parent, guardian, or troop leader. #UniversityofDenver #GSCOevents #Communitypartnerships #Denver #basketball #communitypartners #MetroDenver #DUWomensBasketball

What did you do for your Gold Award project? Woodland Park had a high rate of obese and unsocialized dogs. After working with the Woodland Park City Council and Parks and Rec Department for two years, the city approved my project and donated a half acre of land. I helped organize meetings with the city to avoid hurdles and the support from my community. I planned a huge grand opening event and I am proud to say in June 2019, Woodland Park now has their first dog park which is helping increase socialization, exercise, and decreasing obesity for humans and their dogs. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? In May of 2017, after I came up with my idea, I started a petition to see how many locals are in support of my dog park. I got more than 600 signatures from all ages. Today, many senior citizens have thanked me for providing them a place where they can go and walk their dog(s). “The dog park has fixed behavioral problems with other dogs without having to go to a training place,” many have said. Our local animal shelter has also had an increase in adoptions because there is a place to walk dogs. It’s been a huge community success and people tell me every day how happy they are to finally have a safe area to let their dogs be dogs. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? Golden Meadows Dog Park has now been passed to the city as a city public park. The Parks and Rec Department maintains the park checking on it three times a week, along with a group of volunteers called “Friends of Golden Meadows,” which go on a regular basis to help keep this park clean and safe. Recently, Keep Woodland Park Beautiful has also joined in on helping maintain this park for years to come. This park will continue to be used by locals and tourists and maintained by the city and will be sustainable after I go off to college. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? The national link to my project started small by creating a Facebook page, sharing information about Golden Meadows Dog Park and how to keep good health of your pet. We now have more than 350 members on the page.  This dog park was also added to an app called FindingFido. This app finds dog parks and dog friendly activities for tourists or those in the area. Golden Meadows is showing a 4.8 rating after only a few months. What did you learn about yourself? This project has helped me come out of my shell. I have learned a lot about public speaking and how impactful I can be to my community and others. I have learned how to organize events and overcome obstacles.  Also, working a lot with other organizations and volunteers in the community helped me learn to not give up when you are passionate about something.  I’ve learned about politics and budgeting. I have learned to delegate and work in groups and ask for help when I need it. My self confidence has grown since I started this project at the age of 15. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? Earning my Gold Award has shown me that I am capable of way more than I think. I can accomplish whatever I want if I keep persevering and don’t give up. This project has also taught me that when you have a big problem it is okay to ask for help and delegate which will be important in a future career. I also have learned a lot about leadership, time management, and organization, which is important in becoming successful in the future. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? The Gold Award has really taught me how to solve problems by myself both large and small. Yes, the Silver Award is also important, but with the Silver Award, your whole troop is working on a project and you have more people to fall back on when things don’t go right. With the Gold Award, it really makes you become the true leader you are. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Earning my Gold Award helped me become a go-getter, innovator, and leader, but a risk-taker too. After being turned down by the city multiple times for a dog park, I left thinking, “Will this dog park even happen?” I was also concerned about the time I planned for this project to take six months, but it ended up taking two years. **IMPORTANT NOTE: This blog represents only a small fraction of the hard work, dedication, and requirements that go into earning a Girl Scout Gold Award. It is simply a brief summary, which is meant to inspire Girl Scouts to Go Gold in the future. For more information on earning your Gold Award, please email highestawards@gscolorado.org. #WoodlandPark #GoldAward #HighestAwards #WoodlandParkHighSchool #GoldAwardGirlScout #GirlScoutGoldAward #TakeAction #dogpark #PikesPeak