Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Amanda Brown of Westminster in the Metro Denver region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community. GSCO asked Amanda to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did. Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer? I was a Girl Scout and loved it!  My mom was one of my leaders and my grandmother was her leader when she was younger. My daughter expressed interest when we received a flyer at her school in kindergarten. After that, I knew it was going to be such a great opportunity for her and all of the girls in the program. I have since realized that the need for these girls to have this sense of sisters and empowerment is my drive in being their leader. Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout. I began as my daughter’s troop leader almost seven years ago and have since helped start our service unit up again. I am on our service unit team and assist in recruiting, running our meetings, assisting leaders throughout the year with issues, questions, etc. I also serve as a service unit cookie manager. What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer? I have learned so much from being a volunteer. This stretches from realizing how many opportunities there are for girls all the way to realizing that these girls look up to me. Learning how much they depend on my leadership and how I have impacted their lives is truly the best experience. I have also learned throughout the years that girls from all different backgrounds and experiences can come together and grow and impact the lives of each other. I learned that starting this journey with my daughter was one of the best things I have done for her and with her. What do you hope girls have learned from you? I hope girls have learned that they can be themselves and that they all have a place and can be anyone they want to be and they will succeed. I have shown them that being a leader is important, not only as an adult but as a girl. They can grow up to be a Girl Scout leader themselves and help others the same way I have helped them realize their full potential. Not everything is easy and there are stressors along the way, but when you put your mind to something, you can do it and help others along the way. How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? I am a go-getter and work hard to reach goals and help the girls get where they need to be. I am an innovator by creating new ways to do things tailored to the needs and wants of the girls. I am a risk-taker and will go into a troop meeting with my head high even when I am unprepared. If the girls think something is unachievable, we go for it and see what comes about from it. That is when I lead them in the right direction while they set their goals and always end up achieving them. Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org. #VolunteerNews #volunteerspotlight #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #NationalVolunteerAppreciationMonth #VolunteerAppreciation #MetroDenver #Littleton

What did you do for your Gold Award project? I wanted to spread awareness for CAPD (Central Auditory Processing Disorder) to help ensure students with this disorder get the help they need to be successful in school. I created a presentation that I can give to students, teachers, administrators, and schools. To go with my presentation, I put together pamphlets that I can hand out at my presentations. My pamphlets are in both English and Spanish, so I can reach more people. I also created a standalone website that people can visit if they would like more information. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? I measured the impact I had by the reactions of the people who attended my presentations. Many took extras pamphlets. I had several people come up to me after a presentation to talk to me about students that they thought might have this disability. I had people come up to me and ask if I would be willing to present to other groups.  (I am willing) I had very positive feedback from all my presentations. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? I created a standalone website that I will be updating as I go thru the next portion of my studies – that of obtaining a college degree with CAPD. On my website, I have uploaded my pamphlets so anyone can download and print them as needed. The website will be out there continuously for others to read. I plan on updating it as new information becomes available, and as more people send me their testimonies on living with CAPD. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? I reached out to people I met while visiting in the UK and Ireland many years ago. The family I contacted had a mother who was a Girl Guide leader for many years. Her daughter just finished her masters in this very topic – CAPD.  I sent her my links for Cathie to review and provide constructive critique of my website and pamphlet. I also told them that they could print up the pamphlets and provide information to those in need in the UK, where Cathie teaches now, and in Ireland, where her mother is still a Girl Guide. Additionally, my mentor had a contact back east, a third grade teacher, with whom I had contact. She previewed my website and gave me some ideas on how to improve my website. And while my website is in English only, I had a professional translator translate my pamphlet into Spanish so I could reach more people. The Spanish version is on the website along with the English. What did you learn about yourself? I learned that although I do not like speaking in public, when it is a subject that I have personal experiences with and that I am passionate about, I can speak to groups of strangers with ease. I learned to go way outside my comfort zone and get up in front of a group of teachers, nurses, principals, and coaches. It was hard, but I believe that it is important to raise awareness of CAPD because of the negative experiences I had going thru the school system with a severe case of CAPD. I want to prevent what happened to me from happening to other students. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? It has made me more confident in my abilities to overcome difficulties with school. I have become better at self-advocating and I have helped others to advocate for themselves. I have learned that I can actually talk to adults I do not know, and help them understand what their students may be experiencing in a classroom like setting – bringing better understanding to the teacher of what their students must deal with on a daily basis. I think I will be better at tackling challenging situations in the future because of what I went thru for my Gold. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? I think earning the Gold with my CAPD disability helped me to understand that even though I have a disability, I can overcome it, and use it to further educate others around me. I used to hide my ear piece (my filter) and not let others see it because I didn’t want to be different.  Now though, I wear it without embarrassment and if people ask me about it, I use it as a tool to spread awareness.  So my ear piece went from being a tool that needed to be kept hidden, to being a tool that can be used to raise awareness of CAPD. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? It helped me be a risk-taker – mainly because I used to keep my disability to myself because I wanted to be “normal.” I have siblings with CAPD, and they keep it hidden for the most part because they feel like it is a stigma. I was that way in middle school and to some degree, my early high school years. Going out into public, talking about a very personal subject, was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I first had to come to accept who I was, and be okay with that. Even though I work hard at school, and I get “A’s”, I have had people tell me I only get “A’s” because I have extra time….meaning an unfair advantage in their eyes. So, I have had to overcome my doubts about myself, and my CAPD, and realize that I work hard for my grades, and the “extra time on exams” is not a crutch, it is an accommodation because it takes me longer to process information. I also think it helped me become a go-getter. I wanted to raise awareness for CAPD, which required me to cold contact numerous schools, administrators, and teachers. I had very few people call me back, so I had to try to contact them again. I was determined that I was going to give my speech to someone!  And once I started showing my presentations, I received very positive feedback that made me determined to give more speeches whenever the opportunity arose. **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 #ColoradoSpringsEarlyColleges #CAPD #CentralAuditoryProcessingDisorder #Monument #TakeAction #PikesPeak #GoldAwardGirlSocut

Submitted by Jennifer Jones Pikes Peak Colorado Springs The girls in Troop 44429 picked the Security Fire Department for our Hometown Heroes this year. They were able to donate over 300 packages of Girl Scout Cookies to them. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #SecurityFireDepartment #ColoradoSprings #cookies #GirlScoutCookies #GirlScoutCookieProgram #HometownHeroes #PikesPeak #2019GirlScoutCookieProgram #firefighters

Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Kellie Lewis of Highlands Ranch in the Metro Denver region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community. GSCO asked Kellie to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did. Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer? I became a Girl Scout volunteer because my daughter wanted to be a Girl Scout and there was not a troop for her at our school. Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout. I became the leader of my older daughter’s troop four years ago when they were in first grade and I am still the leader of her troop. I became the service unit manager for Starry Sky Girl Scouts two years ago. I started organizing and running events for the unit last year and this year, I have taken on a lot more because I want to help provide great programming for girls. I also started a Daisy troop for my daughter that is in kindergarten this year. What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer? I have learned a lot about the Girl Scout program. I was a Girl Scout when I was a kid, but the program has changed a lot since then. Every year, I learn more about the program and I value the organization even more the more I learn. I love that it is girl-led and really helps to shape girls into young women that are responsible, confident, and curious. I love that girls learn how to take risks to become better individuals and leaders in their communities. Every year, I am faced with new challenges and reap new rewards as the girls change, our troop changes, and the families in our troops change. I am also constantly challenged to learn new things and take new risks as I take on new and different roles within the organization. I have gained confidence as a leader, I have learned how to organize successful events, I have made connections in my community, and I am continually learning better and more effective ways to work with others and hopefully inspire others. I have also gained some great friends along the way and it is so fulfilling to watch the girls grow and thrive over the years. What do you hope girls have learned from you? I hope the girls have learned and will continue to learn how to be kind, responsible, and passionate individuals who know who they are and aren’t afraid to take risks. I hope they learn that they can make a difference in their communities. I also hope they learn that if they are true to themselves, thoughtful, and hard working that they will lead a fulfilling and happy life that inspires others to do the same. How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Girl Scouts is all about being a go-getter and I have always been this kind of person. I think about what I want and what I think the world should be like and I then I do my best to do the things I need to do to go after the life I want and make a difference in my community.  Being a Girl Scout volunteer has made me a better innovator because I not only share my ideas, but I have wonderful opportunities to learn from the girls and other adults. Everyone has wonderful ideas. If we take the time to listen and work together, we come up with better ideas and achieve much more than when we work alone. Being a Girl Scout volunteer provides me with a lot of challenges and in my efforts to provide the best for girls, I have gained a lot of confidence and become more of a risk-taker to help them reach their goals. I feel my experience as a volunteer has made me a better leader because I have learned a lot about how to work with lots of different kinds of people, I have gotten much better at letting the girls take the lead and realizing that helping others become better leaders makes me a much better a leader. It really is about teaching and inspiring others. Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org. #VolunteerNews #volunteerspotlight #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #HighlandsRanch #NationalVolunteerAppreciationMonth #VolunteerAppreciation #MetroDenver

What did you do for your Gold Award project? Throughout my time in elementary and middle school, I observed two different circumstances within the student body: kids that over pack for lunch and have leftovers, and kids that are left feeling hungry as they don’t have access to enough food. My project matched kids’ leftover food with those who lacked an adequate amount of food. I placed bins in Creekside Elementary School (677 students) and Liberty Middle School (1,121 students) for kids to donate their extra non-perishable, sealed food to support the fight against hunger in our community. After the food was collected from each school, it was transported by my team to the food bank Hope Starts Here where it was later distributed to families that live in the area that are in need. Additionally, my project included educating students at Creekside and Liberty about hunger in Colorado and explaining to them what they can do to combat the crisis. Students became not only aware of the hunger around them, but now that they are equipped with the knowledge of what they can do, they can help. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? I measured the impact of my project with a survey that was given to the fourth and fifth graders at Creekside Elementary School. My survey demonstrated that the students obtained knowledge about local food banks and what they can do to help those in need, and they now talk about hunger with their families. According to my survey, 7.2% more people had a good discussion with their parent(s), 26.9% more people were aware that others around them may not have enough food, and 53.2% more people are aware that there is a food bank nearby Creekside. Another way that I measured my project’s impact was by counting the amount of food that was donated at Creekside. In total, the students donated over 1,900 snacks to families at the food bank Hope Starts Here. At Liberty, there were also a lot of snacks that were collected, but since my project was not done over just one week but is an ongoing process, I didn’t count the food at Liberty. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? My project will be sustained at Liberty Middle School and Creekside Elementary School. I created a SignUp Genius in which the members of Grandview High School’s NHS will volunteer once a month to collect the food from each school. One bin was left at Creekside, while 10+ bins were left at Liberty. To ensure that the kids are frequently informed, flyers will be left on the walls at both schools to remind the kids that they can always donate their food. I also was able to acquire a letter of commitment from both Liberty Middle School and Creekside Elementary school ensuring that my project will be sustained. I believe that this program can be implemented at any school. It is better to collect food at a school with less of a free and reduced student population, so people actually have a surplus of food to give and they can learn about hunger needs in their area. However, there are always going to be people who are willing to give food and people who are in need of food. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? My project has a global/national connection because I made a website that can be viewed by people locally and globally. This website was made so that if someone wanted to replicate my project at their school or a school near them, they would be successful. I included important resources that were pertinent to the success of my project: the steps that I took to accomplish my project, flyers and a brochure that I made that helped to inform the entire school, drafts of emails that I sent to the principals of the schools that I worked with to introduce my project, etc. I sent the URL of my website (gold-award-website-2.webnode.com) to parents at Creekside Elementary School, parents at Liberty Middle School, and people at the food bank to offer them the directions needed to implement this at another school. What did you learn about yourself? My project taught me various leadership skills, such as perseverance. Specifically, I learned that in order to get into contact with someone and get something done, you must persist and have patience. When I was trying to get into contact with the head of the food bank Hope Starts Here, I emailed them and called them constantly, but no one ever answered. As I was tempted to go to the food bank and approach the employees face-to-face, I thought that I would give them a little more time to get back to me. After that still didn’t work, I sent a final email, and someone finally got back to me. From then on she was quick to respond and very helpful. I learned that I must not give up when something isn’t going right, and sometimes, if you want something to be done quickly, you must approach them face-to-face. Another skill that I learned about myself, is that when you are managing a project, you must stay on top of tasks, and have a good work ethic. Throughout my project, principals and teachers constantly said that I was always on top of things. If I met with a principal and we decided that I was going to draft an email to send to teachers, I would draft it that night or as soon as I could. This taught me that people appreciate it when you keep your word and follow through with what you had planned on doing. As I worked with both Cub Club at Creekside Elementary School and NJHS at Liberty Middle School, I was able to improve my leadership skills. I learned that in order for kids to listen to you, you have to make a connection. Therefore, I connected with the students in Cub Club and NJHS while we made posters, and they were able to get engaged in participating in my project. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? Earning my Gold Award will impact my future because it will open new and exciting doors. For instance, as colleges and business are aware of the work that I accomplished and the benefits that I contributed to society, I will be more likely to be accepted into a college or a job position. My Gold Award project also exposed me to my love of volunteering. In my future, I am excited to pursue other service projects and help other service organizations. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? My Girl Scout Gold Award was an important part of my Girl Scout experience because it taught me numerous life lessons that I will carry throughout the rest of my life. While other aspects of Girl Scouts that I participated in, including the Bronze and Silver Awards and other projects with my troop, taught me lessons such as teamwork since I worked with my troop, my Gold Award forced me out of my comfort zone and taught me what was required to work individually. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? My Gold Award project helped me to become a better risk-taker. Before this project I was intimidated by reaching out and talking to adults. Through this project, I was forced to communicate with principals, employees of the food bank, and other people through emailing, calling and talking face-to-face. I am now more comfortable with reaching out to people and engaging in conversation in a formal manner. **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 #HopeStartsHere #HighestAwards #GoldAwardGirlScout #foodbank #Aurora #MetroDenver #TakeAction #GrandviewHighSchool

Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Peggy Riordon of Arvada in the Metro Denver region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community. GSCO asked Peggy to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did. Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer? I wanted our daughter to have fun experiences and adventures with other girls. Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout. I have been a troop leader for different troops for over 30 years. I was a service unit manager for nine years and planned many service unit events and camping experiences. I am the fall product program manager for two units, as well as the cookie service unit manager for two units. I have run the North JeffCo cookie cupboard for at least 26 years. What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer? I have learned many things about working with the girls. That is where my true passion lies. I have learned how to work with a variety of personalities to achieve the best outcomes. I have also learned more about organization and public speaking. What do you hope girls have learned from you? I hope the girls have learned to trust in themselves and their abilities. I also hope they have learned how to get along with and work with different personalities and attitudes. The most important thing, I hope, is that they learn that each and every one of them is GREAT! They all have strengths they didn’t realize they had. They all have weaknesses that they learn how to overcome or acknowledge which also gives them the ability to work past them. How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? When I started as a leader all those years ago, I never dreamed that I would wind up organizing trips and units. I was never a public speaker and now I speak in front of large groups of people without my voice shaking with every word. I have learned so much from the girls and they have filled my heart. Now, I try to share my experiences and the knowledge I have gained with other leaders in hopes that their experience with Girl Scouts will be as great as mine has been. Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org. #Arvada #VolunteerNews #volunteerspotlight #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #cookiesvolunteers #NationalVolunteerAppreciationMonth #MetroDenver

What did you do for your Gold Award project? Both my biological parents were drug addicts that suffered from mental illness. I was taken into foster care at age two and adopted at age three. You would think my story would end there. A kid born to drug addicts and placed in foster care should fail, right? My biological parents gave me a gift, the gift of both musical and artistic talent. Due to early childhood trauma, I experienced at the hands of my biological parents, I struggle with attachment disorder, a mental illness. Our society often views people with mental illness as failures. The stigma attached to speaking out about mental illness and getting help for a mental illness is one of our nation’s greatest social problems. This is where my Gold Award project takes shape. I combined my experiences with having a mental illness and my artistic talent to speak up, take a risk, and make a social change. I built a little library full of mental health books. I spoke out to groups of people about my mental illness and asked them to support my project with books. I presented to groups of young children and educated them on mental health issues. I created a safe place for conversation around mental health issues while creating a physical library people can go to get information on mental health. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? I found that my storytelling became in itself a work of art and an important part of my project. The impact of storytelling is hard to fit into a spreadsheet and measure. The conversations started by the box have become just as important as creating a beautiful space for mental health resources to be exchanged. The creation of a physical box started a conversation. We must tell our stories to address the social need of breaking down the stigma around mental illness. We need to find spaces that are safe to share our resources. The stories people shared with me measured the impact more than any numbers every will. I do, however, visit the box weekly and see titles are gone and new titles put in there place. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? My project is sustainable as long as there is a book in it. The library will continue to impact people by educating them about mental health, as well as providing amazing resources for families in need. I have partnered with therapists and counselors and asked them to continue to direct people to the free library. This mental health library is also listed on a global website that directs people to free little libraries around the world. https://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/ What is your project’s global and/or national connection? I am an artist. I looked at the link between mental illness and people with artist backgrounds. I researched how difficult it is for all people to access mental health resources. Nationally, there is a lack of funding for mental health resources. I wanted to create an artistic work of art that would also function to provide mental health resource to the community. “Countless painters, composers, writers, and musicians have suffered from depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, prompting people to ask the question, are artists more likely to suffer from mental illness. The research says yes. A 2012 study followed 1.2 million patients and their relatives and found that bipolar disorder is more common in individuals with artistic professions including dancers, photographers, and authors.”  Source: https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/stories/8-artists-who-suffered-mental-illness What did you learn about yourself? I learned that I am stronger than I thought. That I can start an uncomfortable conversation. Lastly, that I can overcome obstacles thrown my way. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? It is my hope that my project has helped create a new space for sharing mental health resources, while encouraging others to share their stories.I hope to continue using my gifts and talents in the future while seeking a degree in art therapy. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? I have been in Girl Scouts for over 10 years. I always looked at doing my Gold Award as the last step in my Girl Scout experience. The Gold Award gave me something to work for in my career of Girl Scouting. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Risk-Taker! Let’s face it, many people who ignite change, at first, fail!  The first person who said, “Women should be given the right to vote,” risked failure, and failed for years. Being a teen who stands up to announce that she lives with a mental illness makes people uncomfortable. In telling my story and using my artistic talents to create a safe place to exchange mental health resources I am taking an authentic creative risk. I am saying it it time to tell our stories about surviving and thriving with a mental illness. I am using my story and my talents to say it is time for us to provide free resources to support those with mental illness and it is past time to feel safe to stand up to say I live everyday with a mental illness. I will gladly fail if my creative project and my story helps start to break down the stigma attached to living with mental illness. **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 #mentalillness #mentalhealth #LyonsMiddleSeniorHighSchool #NorthernampNortheasternCO #Longmont #GoldAwardGirlScout

What did you do for your Gold Award project? The overall theme of my project was to help prepare students for success in school. There were two parts to my project. With the help of kindergarten teachers from Cheyenne Mountain School District 12, I wrote a “Ready for Kindergarten” booklet that outlines important skills and behaviors necessary for a child to know before starting kindergarten. After receiving feedback from teachers and editing, I translated the booklet to Spanish and had it reviewed by a high school Spanish teacher. I also coordinated and led the high school club Student and Teachers Aiding Humanity (STAH) in a children’s book drive at my school to provide books to Skyway Elementary School for their reading intervention program. The teachers will distribute the books to those students who most need them. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? I received positive feedback regarding the “Ready for Kindergarten” booklet from John Fogarty, Assistant Superintendent of Student Achievement; Stacy Aldridge, Principal at Skyway Elementary School; Sandi Sessions, Skyway Elementary Kindergarten Teacher; Courtney Parker, Gold Camp Elementary Kindergarten Teacher; Stacey Merkel, Pinon Valley Elementary Kindergarten Teacher; and Landra Decker, Gold Camp Elementary Kindergarten Teacher. I was also thanked by Amy Babcock and the other interventionists at Skyway Elementary for the hundreds of books donated. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? I provided Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 with both digital and paper files of the “Ready for Kindergarten” booklet for use at their annual kindergarten round-up. I also provided the booklet to several different school districts throughout the state so that they can use the project as well. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? As a nation, we need every child to be well educated. Although every child in the United States has access to an education, many students start at a distinct disadvantage due to family situations and lack of access to other educational resources. I created my project to aid this situation in my community. What did you learn about yourself? Throughout this project, I learned to be more confident in myself and I improved my communication skills. I also improved my leadership skills and learned how to better manage my time. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? This project has taught me so many life skills that I will use in the future. I learned how to better communicate with adults and ask for help, which had intimidated me before. I learned from all of the mistakes I made throughout the project and I will now be able to avoid them and learn from them in the future. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? I think that this project help me grow as a person and as a leader and that I will be able to use the skills I learned to help me in the future. It was great to be able to come up with an idea and to be able to see it through to the end by leading other people in the project. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Throughout this project, I developed my leadership and go-getter attitude and learned how to better manage my time and how to work with a team to accomplish a goal. At the beginning of the process, I found it difficult to find the time to work on my project, but as the deadline grew closer, I started creating schedules and prioritizing tasks, which helped me complete the project. When working with other people on my team, I improved my communication skills and I learned how to delegate tasks to efficiently finish a job. **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. #HighestAwards #ColoradoSprings #CheyenneMountainSchoolDistrict12 #GoldAwardGirlScout #SkywayElementarySchool #GirlScoutGoldAward #TakeAction #PikesPeak #Kindergarten

Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Dezire Sanchez of Greeley in the Northern and Northeastern CO region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community. GSCO asked Dezire to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did. Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer? When my daughter was in kindergarten, we were at a UNC football game and they advertised a Girl Scout event in conjunction with UNC. My daughter was interested in the event, so we decided to give Girl Scouts try and registered, so that she could attend the event. We did not have plans on continuing after that year, but we quickly discovered the joy that Girl Scouts brought both of us. At the end of her first year, I decided to take a leader role as I was excited that we had found something that we both enjoyed. When I signed her up, I had no idea of the journey that I we were about to begin. Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout. Currently, I have the following volunteer roles within Girl Scouts: member of the service unit team, service unit fall product program manager, troop leader, troop fall product program manager, and troop cookie manager. When I became involved in the troop my daughter joined, I had no idea that I myself would become a Girl Scout. I have greatly appreciated each of these roles as they have helped me learn and experience being a Girl Scout. I have also made many new friends and have witnessed the kindness and welcoming that I all hope each Girl Scout feels throughout their journey. What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer? I have learned that you can become a Girl Scout at any age. I have also learned so much from dealing with the challenges of time management and going outside of my own comfort levels to being a good role model for these girls. I have learned that no matter how hard or rough of a week I am having I will have one uninterrupted hour that I will dedicate to the girls. I have learned to look at the world through their eyes and their hearts and appreciate the compassion and drive they have. I have learned more from these girls than I could have imagined. What do you hope girls have learned from you? My hope is that the girls continue to always choose kindness and that we always leave the places and people better than we found them. I hope that these girls continue to gain confidence in their abilities, skills, and knowledge to reach their goals. I also hope that they have the courage to continue to try new things and always seek adventure. How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? When I began this journey, I would not have expected my experiencing to be anything other than a leader. Oh to look back and realize how incorrect my thoughts were. As a volunteer, I am a G.I.R.L. I am a go-getter most during cookie season. I work with the girls to create a plan that will motivate them to sell cookies and help them understand the commitment they will need to reach their cookie goals. I am an innovator while planning our meetings and activities. I am a risk-taker when we are camping. To be honest, I have never been “outdoorsy,” so this was always a big deal for me. However, camping has quickly become an activity that my daughter and I enjoy tremendously. I fulfill my leader role within service unit level and am truly amazed by all of the wonderful troop leaders I have come to know through our service unit. Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org. #VolunteerNews #volunteerspotlight #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #NorthernampNortheasternCO #Greeley #NationalVolunteerAppreciationMonth

Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Marie Williams of Golden in the Metro Denver region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community. GSCO asked Marie to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did. Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer? I became a Girl Scout volunteer in 2016, when my daughter Caley started kindergarten, because it was a great opportunity for us to spend meaningful time together. We have fun, explore new things, and learn important life lessons. I have stayed a volunteer — and gotten more involved — for those same reasons, and also because I have found personal fulfillment in my volunteer work. Working with girls, and seeing them learn and grow, fills me with pride and is one of the ways I am making the world a better place. Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout. I am currently a troop leader and troop cookie manager for my daughter’s second-grade Brownie troop; the service unit manager and service unit product program manager for Hills and Dales in Golden; and I serve on the Membership Connection Committee. I have been a troop leader since the beginning, along with my fabulous co-leader, Courtney Fox. I took on the service unit manager role in 2017 because our area did not have an operating service unit, and I saw the huge potential in having experienced leaders as a resource for all of our newer leaders. We continue to work on growing our service unit to make it a source of help and inspiration for all. I took on the product program roles in 2017 because I had a vision of how to make them run more smoothly. Most recently, I joined the Membership Connection Committee last fall because it allows me to communicate feedback between GSCO and the Girl Scouts in my area, and also allows me to contribute to the discussion about and development of our Girl Scouting program for the future. (And I also work full-time and have a three-year-old son, if you were wondering!) What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer? Though not a new lesson, my Girl Scout volunteer work reminds me of the incredible diversity of life experiences and personalities in the world, including in a group of seven-year-olds! I have learned that, although not every girl’s family can contribute as much time as I can, they all have something important to contribute to the girls’ experience. One of the most important jobs I have as a leader is to bring together their diverse talents and experiences for the benefit of all of our daughters. I also have learned that, when you truly love what you are doing, it never feels like a burden. Even during those dark days of cookie booth sales when you can’t figure out where that other case of Thin Mints went, it is merely a task to be completed, and not something that weighs on you. I am passionate about the Girl Scout experience, and committed to seeking out new ways for all girls to benefit from it. What do you hope girls have learned from you? I hope the girls are learning a ton! My co-leader and I work hard to provide our girls with a variety of creative opportunities to learn about the world around them. With our girls in second grade, our primary focus is on exposing them to things they might not learn about in school or in daily home life. Whether we’re building roller coasters or race cars for a STEM badge; exploring different arts through pottery, painting, and performing; climbing a rock wall; camping for the first time; learning how to talk to our cookie customers; stocking donated food on the shelves at a food pantry; or visiting a hangar at Centennial Airport and learning about Flight for Life — we’re showing them the vast opportunities available to them in their world. And throughout, we emphasize the specific lines of the Girl Scout Law. More than just something to memorize, we want it to be something they understand and live by. How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? The biggest change I’ve seen is that my volunteer experience has made me a more confident innovator. In both our troop and our service unit, if I see something that’s not working, I have the freedom to try new things, experiment, and find something that works better. Through these experiences, I have become more confident in my abilities to develop solutions that work for groups of all sizes. Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org. #Golden #VolunteerNews #volunteerspotlight #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #NationalVolunteerAppreciationMonth #MetroDenver

What did you do for your Gold Award project? My Gold Award comprises two parts: the Pen Pal Program and a social skills curriculum. The Pen Pal Program is designed to address social isolation in youth, aged 11 to 19, who have epilepsy. The Pen Pal Program addresses this issue by providing an opportunity for these youth to connect with someone who may share similar experiences or perspectives. Communicating through letter writing, emailing, or texting provides a safe opportunity to develop important social skills, such as the ability to reach out and make a connection with a new person. Learning how to express one’s thoughts and feelings, and reaching out to others for friendship are social skills that are essential to feeling content and confident in life. The social skills curriculum focuses on learning how to feel confident in establishing a relationship. The primary emphasis is mastering how to greet others, initiating and maintaining a conversation, and negotiating difficult social situations. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? I measured the impact on my target audience by sending a closing survey to evaluate the positive and negative effects of the program. I also asked for statements from some of the pen pal participants. One of the participants, Amelia, sent me a statement detailing how the Pen Pal Program has impacted her. Through her experience, she has been able to come out of her comfort zone, and make a new friend who understands the difficulties of living with epilepsy. Her pen pal, Bailey, has also expressed that her friendship with Amelia is off to a strong start, as they “have reached out to each other and have each other’s email, phone number, and even Snapchat!” How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? The Pen Pal Program and social skills curriculum will be sustained beyond my involvement by the Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado’s Youth Council and my foundation liaison, Marcee Aude. One or two Youth Council members will be in charge of continuing the Pen Pal Program and another one to two members will be continuing the social skills curriculum. Marcee Aude will be overseeing it all to ensure it runs smoothly and efficiently. I have obtained a signed letter of commitment from Marcee. In the letter Marcee stated, “This is a Letter of Commitment that the Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado and the Youth Council commits to sustain the Pen Pal Program.” Marcee and the Youth Council have committed to continuing by “sustain[ing], grow[ing] and expand[ing] the program to help so many more youth with epilepsy who may be feeling isolated and struggling with their diagnosis.” My project will continue to have an impact after my involvement because the social skills curriculum will continue to be taught and new pen pal pairings will be made. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? Social isolation in epileptic youth is not an issue unique to youth in Colorado, it is a domestic and international issue. In order to address this, the Pen Pal Program is expanding to recruit pen pals from not only Colorado, but also Wyoming, Illinois, Iowa, the National branch of the Epilepsy Foundation, and New Delhi, India. This will be achieved through my partnership with the Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado, the Wyoming Epilepsy Organizations (the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities and the Wyoming Neurologic Associates), the Indian Epilepsy Association (based in New Delhi), and the Epilepsy Foundation of Chicago. Through these partnerships, participants will gain the opportunity to meet people similar to them from different corners of the globe. What did you learn about yourself? From this project, I have learned the importance of  maintaining patience and perseverance. I have also learned how to be a stronger leader. Initially, I was not receiving the  number of participants that I had expected, so I collaborated with my team at the Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado and brainstormed new ways to raise participation levels. I learned to listen and take feedback from those people who had expertise regarding epilepsy and marketing. It is important to be creative and flexible when planned solutions do not work out, because objectives still need to be achieved. It is essential to be patient and focused on the end goal because it is not guaranteed results will occur as quickly as anticipated, or at all. Through the process of developing this program, I have learned how to lead and collaborate with a diverse group of people. I have worked with Marcee as well as the Epilepsy Foundation Youth Council. The Youth Council is diverse and represents varying ages and cognitive abilities. Some of them have epilepsy; and some of them are like me, and have a connection to epilepsy, such as, through a sibling or parent with epilepsy. Each  pen pal relationships is different. Because of this, I needed to determine how to  adapt the program to suit each pair’s unique needs. One example of this was when there was a non-epileptic brother, Ty, who was paired with an epileptic youth, Dominic. After being paired, Ty’s mother reached out to me to say that Ty would like to be paired with another non-epileptic youth, as he feels like a caregiver in this role with his epileptic brother at home. Ty and his mother felt that his pen pal partnership with Dominic would be a similar dynamic. I fixed this situation by expanding the pen pal partnership to include Ty’s younger brother, who has epilepsy, Nolan. Ty is assisting Nolan in being a pen pal to Dominic. As the Pen Pal Program expands, Ty will receive another pen pal, who will be a better match. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? Earning my Gold Award will impact me in the future because I have developed leadership skills that I will be able to apply to various aspects of my life. From my experiences during the development of my Gold Award, I now know what makes a good leader. A good leader is one who listens to his or her peers, applies the feedback given, and is able to work in a collaborative environment. Good leaders need to be able to recognize that they do not know everything, and that there may be other people who have more knowledge in certain areas. In the future, I will be a better leader because of the skills I have gained from developing this program. Some of the skills I have gained are the ability to “think on my feet,” the importance of collaboration, and the ability to problem solve with a team quickly and efficiently. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? The Gold Award was undoubtedly an important part of my Girl Scout experience. It taught me many valuable skills such as how to lead a diverse group and how to adapt to different situations quickly. Developing my Gold Award also provided me with experiences I would have not had otherwise. I would not have had the opportunity to work with the Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado and provide these youth with the ability to create friendships for the future. I feel that through developing my Gold Award, I was able to use all the skills I have developed throughout my years in Girl Scouting. 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 leader and an innovator. It helped me become a leader because I discovered the traits that make a  good leader as well as how to lead a diverse group of people. Good leaders listen to their peers, apply the feedback given, and work in a collaborative manner. Strong leaders recognize that they do not know everything, and can defer to others with more knowledge and experience when necessary. Earning my Gold Award helped me to become an innovator because when things did not go as planned, I had to collaborate with my team to quickly devise a solution. I became an innovator because developing The Pen Pal Program was a unique means of addressing social isolation in epileptic youth. **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 #epilepsy #EpilepsyFoundationofColorado #GoldAwardGirlScout #Aurora #MetroDenver #TakeAction #GrandviewHighSchool

From Stephanie A. Foote, President & CEO of Girl Scouts of Colorado You may not wear a mask or a cape, but your uncanny ability to help girls charge toward their destinies is nothing short of super! We’re continually wowed and humbled by our volunteers’ collective super powers. Being a Girl Scout volunteer isn’t always easy, and we can’t thank you enough for the energy, positivity, and love you give every day. (Don’t think we didn’t notice!). As we celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Month, we want you to know that you are the reason Girl Scouts continues to be the best leadership development program for girls. You open the doors of possibility for millions of girls who will make the world a better place—— and that’s real power. Because the work you do with girls is not just for a better today but also ensures the best tomorrow, Girl Scouts of Colorado has made a donation to the Restoring Colorado’s Forest Fund in YOUR HONOR. Our partnership with the Colorado State Forest Service is a perfect fit. The gift of seedling trees to be planted in areas impacted by wildfires and other natural disasters will make a difference for generations to come. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you from all of us at Girl Scouts of Colorado. Watch the video Celebrate World Environment Day Girl Scouts, families, and friends are invited to celebrate World Environment Day at Meadow Mountain Ranch on Sunday, June 16. In partnership with the Colorado State Forest Service, Girl Scouts of Colorado is excited to offer members a way to focus on and celebrate the environment. World Environment Day is a global occasion to highlight and discus the importance of environmental awareness and action. When celebrating World Environment Day, Girl Scouts honor Juliette Gordon Low’s legacy, by promoting respect and love of the great outdoors far and wide. Through Girl Scouting, girls see the earth as their home. Whether they’re learning about endangered wildlife, developing creative recycling projects, or working toward a grade-level award, girls focus on care, conservation, and responsibility. They make sure the beauty and wonder of our planet endure for future generations to enjoy. Girls will have the opportunity to participate in several activities across the camp property throughout the day. The event is open-house style and you’re welcome to come for the whole event, or part of it, and participate in whichever activities interest you. Learn more Celebrating you dedication Throughout April, Girl Scout lifetime membership will be available at a special 50% discount—— from $400 down to $200—— for volunteers who have served for ten years or more. Lifetime membership is an investment that ensures girls have a place to reach their full potential and grow into the courageous leaders we need—— now and always. When you upgrade to lifetime membership through myGS in April, you can expect: Continuous membership in Girl Scouts $25 of your dues to fund one year of Girl Scout membership for an underserved girl from Girl Scouts of Colorado A lifetime membership card and pin 10% off Girl Scout merchandise purchased from girlscoutshop.com An invitation to join an annual call hosted by GSUSA’s CEO A monthly enewsletter Thank you for your years of service and all you’ve done to help create the next generation of female leaders. We couldn’t do it without you! Become a lifetime member #VolunteerNews #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #StephanieAFoote #ColoradoStateForestService #NationalVolunteerAppreciationMonth #VolunteerAppreciation #CSFS #CouncilNews