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 #ThinkLikeanEngineer #GSCOevents #GirlScoutBrownie #Brownie #STEM #NorthernampNortheasternCO #Longmont #Brownies #GirlScoutCamp #ThinkLikeanEngineerJourney #GirlScoutBrownies #TomahawkRanch #camp

What did you do for your Gold Award Project? The issue my project addressed was the lack of summer camp opportunities in our area for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other varying disabilities. Ultimately, I organized and arranged for a weeklong summer camp for children with autism. Each day was centered around an aspect of camping and outdoor skills, such as: building a fire, setting up a tent, and wildlife awareness. At the end of the week, the kids were to use the knowledge my team and I had taught them to camp away from home for one night. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award Project made on your target audience? I measured my impact by how happy or excited my campers looked each day. Camp Bloom was for the children more than everything. The name of Camp Bloom was inspired by the different stages of flower growth, with the notion that no matter where one is at, they may continue to grow and learn and experience new things. Now regardless if they retained anything from my camp, the most important aspect is the most powerful one of them all; it’s if they have fun. If they laugh, giggle, or however they express happiness appears, then I feel as though I was successful. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? A local company in our town of Steamboat Springs has agreed to a permanent sponsorship for the next five years. However, if I am unable to continue to assume leadership and be “camp director,” I planned Camp Bloom with the Yampa Valley Autism Program (YVAP), which is an already substantiated organization in the community. By doing so, YVAP can proceed with my program, with the curriculum already created, in the future without me. While not as pertinent, I would like to “train” another Girl Scout in the hopes of her taking over my position and leadership of Camp Bloom. I really like the idea of the two intertwined organizations: YVAP and Girl Scouts. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? Dealing with an autism diagnosis is already unsettling enough. Costs for specially devised programs and support are very expensive to begin with. While the state of Colorado has extremely low funding for family aid and autism research, I wanted to create a free camp to grow these kids’ knowledge and educate them on a topic that I very much appreciate and enjoy doing. What did you learn about yourself? I learned that do not, and should not, always need to seek approval in things that I do. I must be confident in my choices and if things go awry, I still need to stay positive and be proud of myself and what I ultimately accomplished. I also learned that it is important to take command and not be afraid to say what I want or prefer. And that prior to Camp Bloom, I was more timid to organizing things than I am now. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? Forevermore, I will be able to say that I accomplished something that I am genuinely proud of. This achievement of mine can now be entered into resumes and applications for various things. I now have an idea of how to plan events and just how much work goes into doing such, and this knowledge I will be able to use in the future if need be. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? This project taught me to open my eyes and look at the world around me. To affirm my role in the community and show me how I may influence those around me; and influence my sister Girl Scouts as well. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Of course, I learned to take charge and lead my camp. However, I will say that I definitely had to be a risk-taker for Camp Bloom. This required me to do things I had never done or tried before. I ultimately learned new things and did things through “trial and error.” I had some worries, but by taking chances, it certainly paid off. **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 #GirlScoutGoldAward #autism #SteamboatSprings #TakeAction #gsoutdoors #mountaincommunities #YampaValleyAutismProgram #SteamboatSpringsHighSchool

Submitted by Maria Cross Northern & Northeastern CO Longmont Where better to earn your Junior “Think Like An Engineer” Journey than at Tomahawk Ranch! Join Ambassador Troop 78527 for a fun-filled overnight camp. Who: Girl Scout Junior troops or Juliettes with adult Dates: Saturday, January 25 to Sunday, January 26, 2020 When: Arrive at 3 – 4 p.m. Saturday, Depart at 2 p.m. Sunday Where: Tomahawk Ranch Girl Scout Camp near Bailey- enjoy heated cabins with bunk beds and bathrooms Cost: $70 per girl $40 per adult. Girls must attend with adult. Adults above safety-wise ratios pay girl rate. Price does not include Journey award patches. Registration deadline: Tuesday, January 7, 2020 During this fun Journey camp, Juniors 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’s like to think like an engineer. You will also receive the materials needed 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 to complete their Take Action Project are complete their Journey! Register/pay online https://junior-think-like-an-engineer-journey-in-a-day.cheddarup.com or mail in registration form below. 40963104_tle_junior_flyer_registration This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #Journey #GSCOevents #STEM #NorthernampNortheasternCO #Longmont #GirlScoutJunior #GirlScoutJuniors #Junior #GirlScoutCamp #ThinkLikeanEngineerJourney #TomahawkRanch #Juniors #camp

Submitted by Meredith Locke Northern & Northeastern CO Lafayette Join Troop 2235 for a fun-filled time breaking stereotypes and learning roles of women around the world! Junior “aMuse!” Journey Date: October 20, 2019 Time: 1 – 4 p.m. Location: Arts Hub, 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette Price: $30 per girl, badge Included To register, please click https://junior-amuse-journey-22112.cheddarup.com. If you have any questions, please email Meredith at mltlocke@gmail.com. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #Journey #aMuseJourney #GSCOevents #NorthernampNortheasternCO #GirlScoutJunior #amuse #GirlScoutJuniors #Junior #Journeys #Juniors #lafayette

Tell us about your connection to Girl Scouts. I am a third generation Girl Scout. My grandmother, mom, and I have all participated as Girl Scout volunteers. I have two daughters that are now Girl Scouts and this makes them fourth generation Girl Scouts. I served in various roles in the Girl Scout organization from troop support volunteer, service unit team member, troop leader, and also was on staff at GSCO at one time. What is the most valuable thing that Girl Scouts gives girls today? Girl Scouts gives girls the empowerment to build them into strong women as they graduate high school. It offers opportunities for service to others and to improve our communities. The girls receive education in various topics from STEM to the outdoors. Why did you join Daisy’s Circle? I believe it is important for all girls to have any opportunity to participate in the Girl Scout program. Girls have an opportunity to participate not only in troop activities, but also in camps and Destination programs. These programs define the women they become. All girls deserve to be courageous and strong! What is the best thing about monthly giving? It is easy because you don’t have to remember to write checks. Is there anything else you would like us to know about you? Please consider joining Daisy’s Circle. It is easy to set up and then you can make monthly contributions without having to write checks! It provides support to girls in Colorado to have an opportunity to participate in the Girl Scout program. It is an investment in the future of the young women in our state! Named after Girl Scout founder, Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low, Daisy’s Circle is Girl Scouts of Colorado’s monthly giving program. Funds raised through Daisy’s Circle provide financial assistance for girls and volunteers, support Outreach Programs and more.  For more information: https://www.gscodaisyscircle.org/ #VolunteerNews #DaisysCirclesupporterspotlight #HighlandsRanch #funddevelopment #MetroDenver #DaisysCircle #monthlygiving #alumnaenews

All girls in grades 6-12 are invited to connect with professional women in a variety of career paths at Girl Scouts of Colorado’s second annual Secrets to Success event in Colorado Springs on Saturday, November 9, 2019. Girls will personally engage with more than 20 women leaders in the fields of technology, construction, healthcare, finance, nonprofit administration, entrepreneurship, and more, learning from role models who 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. Register online now: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/events-repository/2019/secrets_to_success_c.html In preparation for this exciting event, we are thrilled to announce some of the amazing women whom girls will be engaging with. Check out this blog post and others to learn about the women participating this year. Michelle Talarico is co-owner of The Picnic Basket, Inc., rated for 24 years in a row as the “Best Catering Company” in Colorado Springs by readers of the Gazette, Colorado Springs Business Journal, Independent, and Colorado Meetings and Events magazine. Her business is heavily service-minded and nimble to meet the needs of an ever-changing and growing community. She loves that she employs hundreds of people of diverse backgrounds and encourages each of their development professionally and personally. In 2015, it was estimated that The Picnic Basket had contributed more than $50 million to the local economy. Michelle is most proud of her son, Sam, and sincerely practices a personal mission statement that includes daily gratitude, living with intention, being inspired and inspiring others, fostering positivity, and life-long learning. She has been heavily involved as a volunteer leader for many local nonprofits for many years. Michelle will be leading one of our Conversation Stations at Secrets to Success on November 9. In this role, Michelle will be telling more than 100 girls about her work, why she loves it, and how she is changing the world with it. Michelle will join more than 20 other professional women who will be networking with girls to have them learn the myriad options open to them for their own future work. We are excited to have Michelle join us for this awesome event! #ThePicnicBasket #SecretstoSuccessColoradoSprings #GSCOevents #ColoradoSprings #Inc #Communitypartnerships #SecretstoSuccess #SecretstoSuccess2019 #SecretstoSuccessConversationStationLeaders #communitypartners #SecretstoSuccessColoradoSprings2019 #PikesPeak

Submitted by Kenyan C. Northern & Northeastern CO Berthoud My name is Kenyan C. and a problem I discovered in my community, Berthoud, was the amount of plastic litter we have. Plastic is such a huge issue in our modern world, it does much more bad than good. Did you know that Americans use 100 billion plastic bags a year? And for all the damage a plastic bag causes, like harming wildlife, ecosystems, our atmosphere, natural beauty, and so much more, it is only used for 12 minutes. That bag also sticks with the earth for more than 1,000 years, due to it being non-biodegradable. Our plastic pollution is at alarming levels and to fix that I believe that everybody must do their part. I’m trying to do mine by reducing the amount of plastic we as a society use. To tackle that goal, I’m taking it one store by store. For my Silver Award project, I proposed a presentation to my local grocery store, Hays Market, in Berthoud. Now, lots of research and planning went into it and I came out with a slideshow about the types of plastic pollution, how it harms the environment, and how to resolve this issue. On Friday, September 27, 2019, I presented my slideshow to the owner of Hays Market, Neal Hays, before school. He heard what I had to say and appreciated how much research and effort went into the causes I believe in. However, he would not limit the amount of plastic bags the store stocks. Neal said that he hoped that Colorado would follow after California and Hawaii and ban disposable plastic bags. But, we also had to look at it from a marketing standpoint. For the wellness of his business, he couldn’t do completely what I was expecting. However, not all hope was lost because Neal believes the motivation to change our community’s ways was not to force them to, but to encourage and educate customers. Along with my presentation, I created a little “leave behind” card to put at check-out registers. These cards tell customers why to reduce plastic bag waste and how. You can make a difference just by bringing your own reusable bags or asking a checker for more information. Neal wanted me to finalize and print more cards so he could put them at checkers. After submerging myself with the plastic free community when researching, I felt as if I truly understood what state our earth is at and how much plastic is harming our planet. Even if I cant force our town to stop using plastic, I guess I learned not everybody understands where you come from and some people just need to research and make decisions on their own. Slowly people are realizing the consequences and making lifestyle changes, hopefully Berthoud can do that too. But, we don’t have much time. So, if you are reading this, I encourage you to do your part. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #SilverAward #HaysMarket #GirlScoutSilverAward #NorthernampNortheasternColorado #SilverAwardproject #Berthoud

All Girl Scouts, family, and friends are invited to cheer on the Air Force Academy women’s volleyball team as they take on San Diego State on Saturday, October 19, 2019 at 11:30 a.m. This event also includes a pre-game pizza party, drinks, an opportunity to meet players from the team, autographed posters, and a fan tunnel (high-five tunnel). Please provide any dietary restriction and allergy information on the registration form for the pizza party. Register online: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/events-repository/2019/girl_scout_day_with__67438456.html We encourage Girl Scouts to wear their vest or sash or a Girl Scout T-shirt to show their Girl Scout spirit! This is not a drop off event. All girls must attend with a parent, guardian, or troop leader. Adult to girl ratios for events must be met. Registration closes Tuesday, October 15. Questions? Email aimee.artzer@gscolorado.org. #AirForceAcademy #AirForcevolleyball #WomensAirForceVolleyball #ColoradoSprings #Communitypartnerships #communitypartners #USAFA #PikesPeak

What did you do for your Gold Award project? I created a wilderness skills program for kids. Through this program, I have run numerous educational events for more than 230 kids, created an online skills guide, and have a booklet available as a Wilderness Junior Ranger Program at Steamboat Lake State Park and as a patch program with Girl Scouts of Colorado. I created this program because I attended a charter school that taught wilderness skills and my family enjoys camping, backpacking, and hiking.  After learning that I knew unique skills that most of my friends had never learned, I wanted to share them with the kids in my community. My passion for sharing outdoor skills and getting kids into nature gave me a clear focus for my Gold Award. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? I was able to see the difference in participants every time I taught them new wilderness skills. I am looking forward to seeing my patch on the back of girls’ uniforms.  I also see incredible changes in my Girl Scout friends who have helped me by teaching skills. Their newfound confidence is inspiring to me. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? This project will be sustained without my involvement through my website, through availability at Steamboat Lake State Park, and through a patch program with Girl Scouts of Colorado. My website will be online until I choose to take it down, which I hope to keep updated instead. The website has all the information I would want to teach any kid, no matter the age. Currently, I have a booklet that guides kids through multiple activities, all teaching them aspects of wilderness skills. This program is active at Steamboat Lake State Park and will be used there for at least a year, but most likely for the foreseeable future. I have another version of this booklet as part of a Girl Scouts of Colorado patch program.  The initial order was for 500 patches, so they intend to advertise my program and keep it active for years to come. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? My project includes a website, booklet, and a Girl Scout patch. When you look online, there are very few websites teaching wilderness skills for kids. Many are written for older audiences that the younger generations are unable to understand. By creating a website, I am giving kids the tools to learn outdoor skills from anywhere. Girl Scouts of Colorado intends to make my patch available to other councils nationwide. I already have interest in the patch in Illinois, Washington, Arizona, and Wyoming. What did you learn about yourself? For my entire life, I have heard about people who do amazing things such as making a business, writing a book, or creating an event. Without the Gold Award, I would have never attempted this large of a project. I conceptualized, planned, and implemented a program at the elementary school for 100 fourth graders, with middle and high schoolers as my team leaders. I wrote a booklet with the outdoor skills I believe are the most important for kids to know. I created my own website for a topic I deeply care about. This multifaceted program was my vision and goal. I shared the skills learned from my family, school, and years of Girl Scouts. Through this project, I learned that I am stronger than I imagined and that making a positive impact on the world is not as hard as I thought. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? This project has made me an activist and a leader. My leadership skills will continue to grow because I learned how to turn my vision into reality. In the future, I will be able to let the leader in me show through in everything I do. I cannot wait until I get to see Girl Scouts with my patch on the back of their uniforms, seeing how my Gold Award has affected not only my life, but those around me. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? The Gold Award is something very few girls earn. I am proud I can join their ranks. This is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn and is an award most girls never earn. For my final year before I become a Girl Scout troop leader, I made it my goal to earn this prestigious award. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? My Gold Award taught me how to strive for what I never thought I could accomplish. I learned how to go for my dreams and make them a reality. Even when problems arose, I used my innovation to develop my ideas and solve any problems I faced. I have put my program and myself out for the world to see. I took the risk of letting the world see what I am passionate about. Every adult I worked with believed that I am a strong and confident young woman. Leading is what I have been developing my entire life. My Gold Award is my outlet to lead and share my knowledge with kids everywhere. Girl Scouts provided a place for me to learn about myself and become a better G.I.R.L. **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 #outdoors #HighestAwards #GoldAwardGirlScout #GirlScoutGoldAward #SteamboatSprings #TakeAction #gsoutdoors #mountaincommunities #SteamboatSpringsHighSchool #outdoorskills

All girls in grades 6-12 are invited to connect with professional women in a variety of career paths at Girl Scouts of Colorado’s second annual Secrets to Success event in Colorado Springs on Saturday, November 9, 2019. Girls will personally engage with more than 20 women leaders in the fields of technology, construction, healthcare, finance, nonprofit administration, entrepreneurship, and more, learning from role models who 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. Register online now: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/events-repository/2019/secrets_to_success_c.html In preparation for this exciting event, we are thrilled to announce some of the amazing women whom girls will be engaging with. Check out this blog post and others to learn about the women participating this year. Ann-Marie Manning is Pikes Peak Community College’s Faculty Member of the Year for 2018-19. She has been a professor in the Social Work department at the college since 2013, obtained her Masters in Social Work in 2001 and has been a Licensed Clinic Social Worker since 2016.  Ann-Marie has also been a Licensed Addictions Counselor since 2017.  The honor she received as Faculty Member of the Year stems from her love of the people at the college she works – especially students. In addition to teaching classes in Social Work and Women Studies, she is extremely active working with the President of PPCC, Lance Bolton, to solve tough issues student’s face, such as housing and food shortages. She knows that when a student is struggling to find affordable housing or food that it makes it difficult to be a good student. She actively seeks out people in the community who can offer services or partnerships to help solve these issues. By solving these issues, Ann-Marie believes the entire Colorado Springs community will benefit by having students who are healthy and thriving and ready to be hired into positions open in the area. Ann-Marie will be leading one of our Conversation Stations at Secrets to Success on November 9, which is being held at Pikes Peak Community College. In this role, Ann-Marie will be telling more than 100 girls about her work, why she loves it, and how she is changing the world with it. Ann-Marie will join more than 20 other professional women who will be networking with girls to have them learn the myriad options open to them for their own future work. We are excited to have Ann-Marie join us for this awesome event! #SecretstoSuccessColoradoSprings #GSCOevents #ColoradoSprings #Communitypartnerships #SecretstoSuccess #PikesPeakCommunityCollege #SecretstoSuccess2019 #funddevelopment #SecretstoSuccessConversationStationLeaders #communitypartners #SecretstoSuccessColoradoSprings2019 #PikesPeak

Submitted by Nicole Harmon Metro Denver Aurora Hello Girl Scouts, families, and friends, I have an amazing opportunity that I would like to share with your troops, girls, and parents … A nine day all-inclusive trip to Costa Rica. This trip gives opportunities for troops to delve into an ecological paradise, walk amid lush rainforests and beneath towering volcanoes in enchanting Costa Rica. Transport your troop deep into a misty cloud forest, get up close to the world’s most magnificent plant and animal habitats, and see sensational waterfalls and hot springs. From beginning to end, experience natural beauty and thrilling adventures beyond what you ever imagined. See above for the tour flyer with itinerary and final cost of the trip. Registration is $95 and there is an option to pay every two weeks per person or once per month. There is even a manual payment plan where you can pay as you go. Look over the flyer let me know if you have any questions. July 2021 is when the trip takes place. Feel free to share with other Girl Scouts and their families if you would like. Remember upon enrollment you must use the group code on the flyer to join our trip. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the girls to visit another county and experience this kind of excursions. Here is the link as well to our personal website for this tour where you can find much more information including registration…http://girltrips.eftours.com/2218043ye or (720) 249-8923 with any questions Girls must be 11 at the time of travel. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to travel and explore the beautiful Costa Rica. Meet new girls, make new friends and learn about what it is like to do amazing things, as go getters, innovators, risk takers and leaders ready to change the world one GIRL at a time ! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #CostaRica #GSCOevents #travel

Meet Rita and Razina, the Northern white rhino mascots for the 2019 Fall Product Program! Rita, which means “child of light, brave and honest,” is the smaller rhino. Razina, which means “strong and patient,” is the larger rhino. The rhinos are among the rewards for the 2019 Fall Product Program. Rita rhino is earned at the $325 level, and Razina rhino at $725. To see all 2019 Fall Product Program girl rewards, check out the order card posted on the GSCO website. Remember all rewards are cumulative. Facts about Northern White Rhinos: The white rhino lives in Africa, in long and short-grass savannahs. White rhinos are grazers. Its wide, square upper lip is adapted for feeding on grasses. White rhinos can live to be 50 years of age. White rhinos have three toes on each foot. White rhinos are grey, not white. White rhinoceros is taken from the Afrikaans word describing its mouth: “wyd,” meaning “wide.” Early English settlers misinterpreted the “wyd” for “white.” There are two subspecies of white rhinos – the southern white rhino and northern white rhino. There are only two northern white rhinos now in existence, Nijan and Fatu, a mother and daughter. A team of conservationists is hopeful they can use in-vitro fertilization to preserve the species. The Fall Product Program vendors, M2 and Trophy Nut, chose the Northern white rhinos because they are nearly extinct, but there are also highly innovative ways scientists and conservationists are working to preserve the species. Knowing Girl Scouts are the leaders of today and tomorrow, the vendors wanted to appeal to girls who could join the efforts to save the rhinos, and other endangered species. To learn more facts about rhinos and the initiative to save the Northern white rhinos, click here. Nijan and Fatu, the nearly extinct northern white rhinos, live at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, Africa. You can also visit the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research where their initiative is to save the rhinos through Reproductive Sciences, Conservation Genetics and using the Frozen Zoo Resources. CBS News feature about the Northern white rhinos If you have questions about Fall Product Program or need assistance, please contact GSCO customer care. Call 1- 877-404-5708 or email inquiry@gscolorado.org. #VolunteerNews #FallProductProgrammascots #2019FallProductProgram #cookiesvolunteers #2019FallProductProgrammascots #cookies #FallProductProgram