From Girl Scouts of the USA Many Girl Scouts and troops have been asking how they can help those affected by Hurricane Harvey. When girls have experienced natural disasters like these and are surrounded by recovery efforts, participating in Girl Scouts can be one way to help them, and their families, feel some sense of normalcy. That’s why GSUSA, with the strong support of the National Board, is lifting fundraising restrictions to enable girls to raise money for Girl Scouting recovery efforts at the four impacted councils: Girl Scouts of San Jacinto, Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas, Girl Scouts of Central Texas, and Girl Scouts of Louisiana–Pines to the Gulf. Fundraising efforts will be undertaken with the sole intention of providing membership scholarships to impacted girls. Such scholarships are typically defined as dues, uniforms, credentials (e.g., insignia worn on uniforms), and Girl Scout materials. To contribute to this effort, please go to www.girlscouts.org/hurricaneharvey or text HurricaneHarvey to 41444. You can give to the fund for all four councils, which GSUSA will distribute based on their need, as defined by impacted membership, or you can choose a specific council. The impacted councils remain so grateful for the outpouring of support. However, please note that these councils continue to ask for time to assess and focus on their specific needs and to get back up and running during this critical time. Although material donations and troop offers of assistance have been greatly appreciated, as you can imagine, the councils are not currently in a position to process and organize them. Stay tuned for more information from GSUSA and councils on how Girl Scouts can support other Girl Scouts during this time, for example by teaming up on projects that troops in these areas are carrying out to support recovery efforts in their communities. GSUSA will be sending out an Action Guide on Disaster Relief early next week. And sadly, while we are working to support our members and their families whom Harvey has negatively impacted, we are also monitoring Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Jose behind it for possible impact on our members. It’s been an incredibly challenging time for many people in the affected areas, and Girl Scouts have displayed tremendous courage, confidence, and character during such a trying time. It’s been heartening to see so many in our Movement come together to help the affected communities in their time of need. Harvey Relief Guide 9-11-17 #disasterrelief

This year’s honorees were selected by a committee of their peers and chosen based on their contributions to the community, both professionally and personally. They are examples of corporate, civic, and philanthropic leadership and serve as role models for female leaders of tomorrow. The Women of Distinction program brings together a group of women dedicated to raising support for Girl Scout leadership programs. Rebecca Jewett, Executive Director, Palmer Land Trust Noreen Landis-Tyson, President and CEO, CPCD…giving children a head start Donna Nelson, Spirit of the Springs Program Coordinator, City of Colorado Springs Susan Loo Pattee, CEO and Founder, Colorado Springs Materials Development, LLC Beth Hall Roalstad, Executive Director, Homeward Pikes Peak Brenda Smith, Co-Owner, Garden of the Gods Collection Girl Scouts of Colorado will publicly honor these inductees on September 21, 2017 at the Thin Mint Dinner. This year’s event will be held at The Antlers – A Wyndham Hotel. This year’s Event Chairs are Lindy Conter, Community Volunteer, Woman of Distinction ’13 and Barbara Winter, Executive Vice President, Ent Credit Union, Woman of Distinction ’13. Thin Mint Dinner Bronze Presenting Sponsors are: Ent Credit Union and El Pomar Foundation. For information regarding tickets and sponsorships, visit www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/wodpp or contact Debbie Swanson at 719-304-8322 or at debbie.swanson@gscolorado.org. #ColoradoSprings #funddevelopment #PikesPeak #WomenofDistinction

What did you do for your Gold Award project? For my Gold Award, I addressed the problem of sexual assault by developing a course that taught high school students how to be more aware of their surroundings and defend themselves if needed. Deciding to act, I created a four-week self-defense course for Cherry Creek High School. Teaming up with Big Sisters and Dr. Keogh, Cherry Creek’s activity director, I invited anyone, students and staff, to attend the course and learn. The first week was an introduction to the problem and prevalence of sexual assault. We discussed sexual assault statistics for American women and men, on college campuses in the U.S., and globally. Then, we talked about why self-defense and self-empowerment are needed for self-protection. And finally, we discussed some basic steps to keep oneself safe. The second week a professional Krav Maga instructor from Evolve Martial Arts came to teach about awareness of one’s surroundings and self. Krav Maga is a self-defense system developed by the Israeli Defense Forces. As part of the second session, we did hands-on exercises that involved students learning to practice being passive, aggressive, and assertive in a confrontational setting, and how best to portray oneself in a threatening situation. While the skills taught were basic, they were effective. The third week a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE nurse) from Aurora Medical Center presented the steps people should take if they or someone they know is sexually assaulted. The SANE nurse talked about how one should not take a shower after the crime, but should come directly into the hospital to collect evidence through a physical examination. The SANE nurse explained that this type of evidence collection will allow for the most solid case against the perpetrator. Furthermore, support is available through emotional counseling, and pregnancy and disease prevention are initiated during the examination. Although this was the most emotionally difficult day, it provided valuable knowledge on how to proceed after a sexual assault occurs. And finally, the fourth course was taught by the Krav Maga instructor again, but this time he demonstrated and taught basic Krav Maga techniques that can be applied against an assailant. The students learned and practiced techniques on how to harm an assailant so that they might escape a threatening situation. All four sessions taught the participants new skills and knowledge to prevent and negotiate unsafe situations. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? To determine the effectiveness of the school-based self-defense course, I collected information from student participants by using a seven question pre- and post-survey. The survey asked students about their knowledge regarding sexual assault and how confident they were in their knowledge and skills to prevent and/or handle an unsafe situation. Using a scale from one to five, with one being “don’t agree” and five being “strongly agree”, 15 students completed the pre-survey at the beginning of the first session and 16 students completed the post-survey at the end of the fourth session. All responses were anonymous. Data were entered into an Excel spreadsheet and mean values were calculated for the average of each question by pre- and post-surveys. The first question asked if the participant was confident in his/her knowledge of how to keep oneself out of an unsafe situation. Before the courses, the average answer was a 3.5 out of five, meaning they had some knowledge, but not a lot. Post course the average was 4.6 out of five, meaning they felt much more comfortable in their knowledge. The second question asked if the participant believed he/she has the skills to recognize an unsafe situation. The pre average was 4.2 out of five, and the post was 4.5 out of five. These results suggested that before the course the participants had confidence in themselves, by the end, there was minimal change. The third question asked if the participant had the basic skills to get oneself out of an unsafe situation, and the pre-test averaged at 2.6 out of five, while the post averaged 4.3 out of five. At the beginning, participants believed that they had proficient skills to escape, but by the end they felt that they had gained skills to escape. This gap between the pre and post was the largest area of growth for all the skills taught. The fourth question asked if the participant would be able to communicate to a date, friend, or stranger clearly so that the other person understood the participant’s physical boundaries. The pre-test averaged at 3.6 out of five and post-test averaged 4.7 out of five meaning they felt they had gained communication skills. The fifth question asked if the participants believed that sexual assault is common among teens their age, the pre averaging at 4.1 out of five and the post averaging 4.7 out of five. This displayed that even though the participants might not have known what to do, they could recognize that sexual assault is a prevalent problem. The sixth question asked if the participant knew the legal steps to take in case the participant or a friend had been sexually assaulted. Pre averaged at 3.3 while post averaged at 4.7 showing that they did learn more of the legal steps to take. The final question asked on the pre-test was if there were any questions or comments, none being received, and the post asked if there were any comments which there were several of: So Helpful! Thank You! Great class! Knowledgeable instructors and great content Thank you so much for putting this together! You (and the course) were great! Thank you Victoria! I learned a lot! The only negative comment received was from the only male who participated and he voiced that this course my not be the best for males; this may have been because he was uncomfortable being the only male there. So, overall the course was helpful and received very well. Statistics show that sexual assault is a huge problem among Americans especially students. There is a need to provide knowledge and skills to prevent sexual assault, and if necessary, to get out of an unsafe situation. This course addresses this need though the Big Sisters club at Cherry Creek High School. By teaching the participants about their surroundings, how to keep safe, and some techniques to get out of an unsafe situation, students became more prepared to keep themselves safe as they become independent adults. Post-survey results demonstrate that this program was successful in increasing students’ confidence in their ability to communicate their physical boundaries to a date, friend, or stranger, to believe in their own ability to get themselves out of an unsafe situation, and to know the legal steps if they or a friend has been sexually assaulted. Such critical skills are important as students become adults. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? I set up my project at Cherry Creek High School through the Big Sisters organization. Big Sisters at Cherry Creek High School has agreed to continue this program in the coming year without my assistance running it. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? To link my project on the national/global level, I created a website that provides resources for someone else to incorporate this type of program into their community. The link is:  https://vrd319.wixsite.com/self-defense. The website includes research, the steps that can be taken to create a four-week self-defense course, a four-week course outline, a sample flyer, a course introductory presentation, a pre- and post-survey, and additional resources. What did you learn about yourself? I learned that I like everything to be organized perfectly with no flaws, and go the way I plan it to go. However, no matter how much planning I do, things do not work out as I plan. Because of this realization, I became a better leader because now I am much more flexible. I know that life happens, and the best we can do is to go with the flow while continuing to work toward the goal. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? The Gold Award has impacted my learning path tremendously. Since I want to go to school to be a nurse, meeting and talking about the kind of work SANE nurses do has established an interest in that field of nursing in which I may decide to major. 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 was the final piece of a 12-year journey. I started Girl Scouts as a young, inexperienced six-year-old girl and finished it as a wise and resourceful 18-year-old woman. The project I created incorporated all the skills I learned from Girl Scouts over the past 12 years, putting them into practice. It was a wonderful way to conclude one of the most imperative learning experiences of my life. 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 started with a team of people who then did not follow through with my project and I was left with no team. I was a go-getter because I did not let this discourage me, but rather found a new team and kept going. **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 #Cenntennial #HighestAwards #CherryCreekHighSchool #MetroDenver #TakeAction #selfdefense #sexualassault

From Girl Scouts of the USA In times of natural disaster, it’s everyone’s responsibility to come together to support and provide aid and comfort to those directly affected. And although it’s simply human to get caught up in the harrowing news coverage, it’s also important to note that the youngest members of our families and communities—your children—are watching and taking all of this in, too. “Of course we all want to stay abreast of current events,” says Girl Scouts’ developmental psychologist Andrea Bastiani Archibald, “but when kids see footage of boys and girls their own age or even people who look like their grandparents in dire situations, it can be confusing and frightening.” But rather than brushing off catastrophic events as “nothing to worry about” or something that didn’t really happen, Dr. Bastiani Archibald suggests discussing the disaster in an age-appropriate way with your daughter. “Limit her access to the news, but if she’s already seen or heard about it, let her lead the conversation,” she suggests. “Stay calm—kids, especially younger ones, take their emotional cues from parents—and ask her what she thinks happened. But most of all, ask how she’s feeling. If she says she feels sad or frightened for the people affected, it’s absolutely fine to tell her that you feel sad and frightened for them, too. These feelings are nothing to be ashamed of, and knowing that you feel similarly will help her feel less alone.” Respond to her questions as best you can with age-appropriate, short answers and limited information. Very young children might not have many or any questions, but older girls might ask about the particular type of weather or natural disaster. Do your best to use words your daughter might already know, like storm, rain, and wind—but explain that these are much stronger and heavier than usual and quite rare. Let her know that you’ll always do everything you can to keep her safe. And although you don’t want to give her false assurances that a natural disaster like the one she’s witnessing could never happen in your region, it’s also not helpful at this moment to dwell on the fact that it could. If she’s old enough to understand, let her know about the emergency preparations and procedures already in place for your family, your community, and even her school that could keep her out of harm’s way in case of an emergency. These plans are a “just in case” and will likely never be necessary, but her safety is your top priority, and so you make sure you’re prepared for any situation. If your girl asks about family or friends who were directly affected, answer honestly but in short, direct answers. “If you’ve been in touch with loved ones in the area of the disaster, let your child know that and reinforce the positive—that they’re safe—if there’s positive information to report,” says Dr. Bastiani Archibald. “In the case that you’re still trying to reach family and friends, let her know that you’re doing your best to connect with them and that there are good people on the ground in the affected area who are helping those in need. In fact, your loved ones might be busy helping take care of others right now.” Beyond that, it’s helpful to explain to your girl what you and your community have already done or plan to do to help the people hardest hit in the disaster. Perhaps you’ve sent money to an aid organization to help families in need, or maybe a family member has traveled to the scene to offer medical assistance. “If your daughter is old enough, you might even want to have her help you research ways to lend a hand and give back,” says Dr. Bastiani Archibald. “We know donating money is often best, so she could play an active role in fundraising or researching organizations accepting donations. Additionally, she could look into alternative ways of helping—like fostering pets who may have been displaced in the disaster.” Talk to her about the kinds of things people might need in the months and even years after a disaster. Perhaps a school that was heavily affected could use new books to stock its library. Or a Girl Scout troop in the disaster zone might appreciate replacement outdoor gear, art supplies, or even just notes of friendship and support in the months to come. Getting involved, giving back, and making a difference are actions we all can and need to take when disaster strikes. Involving your daughter will not only potentially expand the impact you can make but also teach her about empathy and give her a sense of her power to do good in the world. #GirlScoutsoftheUSA #naturaldisasters

What did you do for your Gold Award project? I created a mural of diverse and significant members of the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) community. It is located in the Lyons Middle/Senior High School math classroom spanning 15’5” by 9’. It features Maryam Mirzakhani, Muhammad​ al-Khwarizmi, Alan Turing, Margaret Hamilton, Leonhard Euler, Albert Einstein, Shiing-Shen Chern, Annie Easley, and Srinivasa Ramanujan. These figures were carefully chosen based on their contributions and their backgrounds. Altogether, it includes men and women with Caucasian, African American, Asian-American, European, Middle-Eastern, Indian, heterosexual, homosexual, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Atheist, and Jewish backgrounds. Additionally, I created a website, stemmural.weebly.com, about the mural featuring a research project on the figures of the mural for middle/high school students. The research project will be implemented in the school each year and can be accessed by other teachers worldwide. My goal was to inspire students in my community, not only to be more accepting in a globalized world, but also to be excited and interested in pursuing a career in STEM. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? The volunteers who painted my mural with me have been the first to be impacted by the mural. A survey I took of them before working on the mural concluded that of the nine people to be painted only one was recognized by all six volunteers. After creating the mural, they agreed they had an acute understanding of each of the people, four out of the six even did research on their own about the figures on the mural they were interested in. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? The mural will remain a permanent part of Lyons Middle/Senior High School and the local math teacher will use the accompanying research project annually. The website will allow for far-reaching sustainability. It can be accessed by any teacher as it is public, and used by students because of its classroom-friendly layout. The visual aspect of the mural along with its academic value will continue to inspire curiosity to those who encounter it. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? Through the addition of the educational website the mural can reach people beyond the confines of Lyons to make a nationwide impact as more students can be inspired by the people on the mural and their accomplishments. In order to promote the project internationally, I will contact the president of the Outreach Society at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland to give a presentation on the mural and using art for outreach. What did you learn about yourself? My greatest self-revelation came from working with less artistically experienced volunteers. I had to learn that leaders need to use patience and encouragement when helping their volunteers. I grew to understand the importance of teaching, rather than telling. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? Being so familiar with the subject matter of the mural really empowers me to take all the confidence I gained and be able to jump straight into projects. I am not afraid to take on big tasks, because I feel more qualified. In college I will be surrounded by new people and new professors, but with a goal in mind those people feel more approachable. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? Growing up I had always heard numerous people saying they were an Eagle Scout, but scarcely ever heard of anyone receiving their Gold Award. I wanted to be a person who could tell younger kids that I had earned my Gold Award. Accomplishing this task through hard work and cooperation has been the best way to finish my time as a Girl Scout. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Completing the STEM mural taught me the value of hard work. I know now that if I want something I have to put myself out there and campaign for my goals. Becoming a go-getter through this project has made me confident in knowing I really can start more outreach projects on my own throughout the rest of my life, if I am willing to do the work it takes. **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 #Lyons #STEM #NorthernampNortheasternCO #TakeAction

Attention all 8th grade Cadettes, Seniors, Ambassadors, troop leaders, and parents in Western and Southwestern CO! If you (or your girl) is thinking about going for her Gold Award, don’t miss out on training in Gunnison on Sunday, September 10, 2017 at 1 p.m. at Western State Colorado University. This is a free training. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest achievement in Girl Scouts. In this training, girls will learn the requirements, council procedures, and tips for making her Gold Award experience successful and rewarding. Gold Award training is mandatory for any girl interested in pursuing her Gold Award. Troop leaders, co-leaders, and parents are encouraged to attend. Register to attend online by Wednesday, September 6: https://gscolorado.formstack.com/forms/gold_award_training_sw_9_10_2017 #GoldAward #HighestAwards #GoldAwardTraining #training #WesternSlope #TakeAction #Gunnison

Applications are now open for 2018 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Girl Scouts who have recently earned Silver and Gold Awards may be particularly good candidates for this exciting award program. This youth recognition program, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, has recognized more than 120,000 middle and high school students – including thousands of Girl Scouts – at the local, state and national level for outstanding acts of volunteerism over the past 22 years.  Top winners receive sizable cash awards, engraved medallions, and an all-expense-paid trip with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C. for the national awards ceremony in May 2018. Last year, Gold Award recipient Emma Albertoni, of Arvada, was named a State Honoree, traveled to Washington, D. C. for the national awards ceremony, and received an engraved medallion. In 2015, Gold Award recipient Christina Bear of Golden was named a “Distinguished Finalist” and received an engraved bronze medallion. In 2014, Girl Scout Morgan Hays, a Gold Award recipient from Evergreen, was honored with a Certificate of Excellence. We are thrilled to share this opportunity again and hope to see more girls share this prestigious honor. Girl Scouts can apply online at http://spirit.prudential.com or www.nassp.org/spirit.   Applications must be submitted to Girl Scouts of Colorado by November 7, 2017.  We will then review applications and select one or more Girl Scouts to represent our council in the state-level judging. If you have any questions or need a paper version of the application, please call 877-525-8491. We’re excited about this opportunity to re-emphasize the importance of volunteering within our council, and to possibly gain statewide or even national recognition for our Girl Scouts. We hope we can count on your participation. #GoldAward #HighestAwards #SilverAward #STEM #TakeAction #PrudentialSpiritofCommunityAwards

Meet S’more and Marshmallow, the mascots for the 2017 Fall Product Program! Marshmallow is the small, white bunny. S’more is the large, brown bunny. They are among the rewards for the 2017 Fall Product Program. Marshmallow is earned at the $325 level, S’more at $850. Rewards for the 2017 Fall Product Program also include the “Explore Your Dreams” t-shirt for $425 in sales. With $850 in sales, girls earn a 10% discount at Girl Scouts of Colorado camps and for every $200 earned beyond $975 in sales, girls will earn an additional $10 in Cookie Credits. Check out the order card to see a full list of 2017 Fall Program rewards.  All rewards are cumulative. Learn more about the 2017 Fall Product Program on the Girl Scouts of Colorado web-site:  http://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/cookies/fall-sale.html You can also check out our FAQ’s: https://girlscoutsofcolorado.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/2565380-fall-sale-faqs Questions? Email us. #2017FallProductProgram #ProductSales

How long have you been a Girl Scout? 45 years How long have you been on MCC? Less than a year What inspired you to join MCC? Back in Michigan, I had been a part of a similar committee and wanted to play my part in keeping communication open between staff and volunteers. What have you learned through being part of this committee? This is a hard working group of people from all over Colorado who strive to make Girl Scouts a great experience for all girls. Why would you recommend being a member of MCC to other volunteers? It’s a great way to get involved and stay involved and make a difference to Girl Scouts in Colorado. Tell us about yourself. I moved to Colorado four years ago from Florida (and Michigan where I grew up). I truly believe in what Girl Scouts represents and what it teaches girls. That’s why I have stayed in so long. I am currently the leader of my granddaughter’s Daisy troop and I love working with these young girls. I can tell how they have grown in just one year. Can’t wait to see how they progress over the next eleven! I am also a member of GSCO History Committee. Girl Scouts of Colorado is lucky to have a unique governance system with the Membership Connection Committee as the centerpiece of our democratic process and a way to give our members a strong voice in the issues they care most about. Would you like to be a voice for Girl Scouts of Colorado? Speak up and contribute our success together! To reach the MCC, e-mail GSCO.MCC@gscolorado.org #VolunteerNews #volunteerspotlight #MembershipConnectionCommittee #MCC #alumnaenews

What did you do for your Gold Award project? For my Gold Award, I designed activity booklets for kids on monarch butterflies and bumble bees. The activity booklet included color-in drawings of the life cycle of the monarch butterfly and bumble bee, their anatomies, a maze, flowers, a list of ways you can help their populations grow, and a quiz on the back. In addition, I gave a presentation at six different summer camps on why monarch butterflies and bumble bees matter and why they are both endangered species. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? At the end of each presentation, I asked the kids to take a quiz on the back of their activity booklet. In return, I gave the kids a Jolly Rancher or one of my “world famous high fives” after they had finished the quiz. I checked their quiz results one by one to go over it with the kids if they had gotten any questions wrong. All the kids scored an 80% or higher on my quiz! How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? Mario Padilla, my Gold Award project advisor and entomologist at the Butterfly Pavilion, will email the PDF file of the activity booklet to the parents of campers during the next camp cycle of the summer of 2018. He will also post the link to the activity booklet on the Butterfly Pavilion’s website. Ashley Young, an educational coordinator at the Gardens on Spring Creek, will print copies from the PDF file of the activity booklet. I gave a presentation at one of her summer camp programs and she is excited to continue giving the booklet out to visitors. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? For my global link, I contacted a butterfly pavilion in British Columbia called the Victoria Butterfly Gardens. I have sent them an email, asking if they would be interested in having a PDF file of the activity booklet to give away in their gift shop. I haven’t heard back from them yet, but it feels good to know that I have tried to connect my project to others around the world. What did you learn about yourself? I learned that I enjoyed making the handmade activity booklets for kids, because I took a couple of drawing classes in high school. Giving the presentation was a bit of a struggle at first, because I was not used to teaching around kids, but I was always happy whenever a kid raised his/her hand to ask a question. Teaching around children was a lot easier than I thought it would have been, it just took some time getting comfortable. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? My leadership skills will grow based on the self confidence that I have gained from this project and the ability to work on other independent projects in the future. One of the most crucial leadership skills that I learned from my project is that it is important to always keep track of the tasks that need to get done. Such as, remembering to contact different places to give my presentation, keeping track of the resources that I need to bring to the presentations, and keeping track of dates to fit in deadlines. Creating a schedule was probably the most important task in completing the Gold Award. 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 was like finishing up a final test to see what skills you have gained from your troop. Earning the Gold Award is mostly on your own because if you see a problem, go tackle it yourself. Why wait for someone else to do the work? How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? The Gold Award helped me become a go-getter because there is nothing more satisfying than to tackle a problem and raise awareness in the community. Being a go-getter can make you into a better person because life is too short to stress over the little things and to hope that they will all disappear if you wish them to. **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 #Westminster #NorthernampNortheasternCO #ButterflyPavilion #boulder #MetroDenver #TakeAction

Submitted by Kristy Miller Metro Denver Centennial Three girls from Troop 972 (Katelyn-14, Safiya-14, and Mallory-14) wanted to help the kids with disabilities at Liberty Middle School by building a sensory garden. Two of the three girls went to Liberty and had been thinking of doing it from the beginning of their middle school years. They all joined together and decided to help the school’s ILC (Individualized Learning Center) program. The girls studied and researched on different sensory gardens built from scratch to prepare them to build their own garden. After their research was done, they went out to ask for donations from multiple franchises. Once they got all the materials they needed, they started building. It took about two months to finally get the garden ready for the school. Now in the 2017-18 school year, Liberty Middle School gets to use the garden for their learning. The girls are very glad they got to help the ILC teachers and kids learn to enjoy the outdoors with all senses. After finishing our Silver Award, we would like to give a special thanks to the people who helped fund this project, including Michael Maroney from Big Horn Landscaping, Jake Henrickson from the Parker Lowes, Jordan from the Southlands Lowes, the employees at the Lowes on Buckley, Mary Adkins from the Parker Home Depot, the employees at Tagawa, our troop leaders Ms. Kristy and Ms. Kerry, and the wonderful principal and vice principal at Liberty Middle School: Mr. Doherty and Ms. Hale. Doing this project has not only allowed us to get more experience volunteering in our community, but has created a beautiful space in the community where students and teachers alike can learn more about nature. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #HighestAwards #SilverAward #Centennial #LibertyMiddleSchool #MetroDenver #TakeAction #sensorygarden

Submitted by Kathleen B., 2017 “Look Wider” International Travel Scholarship  winner Metro Denver Centennial My name is Kathleen, and I became a Girl Scout in first grade. It started out with cute little badges that my mother helped iron on my vest, selling cookies, and planting flowers in front of our elementary school. That’s the image that comes to mind for most people when they think of Girl Scouts, and so many people are surprised when I tell them that I was a Girl Scout in high school. Their confusion quickly turns to jealousy once I start to describe the incredible adventures I went on as an older Girl Scout. I still earned badges, sold cookies, and volunteered in my community, but I also went rock climbing, white water rafting, and ziplining. I even got to volunteer at a panda base in China through ATS Destinations. Now, in my last summer of being a girl member, I embarked on another journey across the world, all the way to outer Mongolia. So what does one do in Mongolia? Well, you know the saying, “When in Mongolia, do what the Mongolian do.” And in Mongolia, they ride horses. Before we could do that, however, we learned archery. The professionals showed us how it was done first. A boy barely older than us galloped by at breakneck speeds, the horse flying over the yellow grass. With a quick motion and a sharp twang, an arrow suddenly sprouted from the center of the target. I gave it a try with both feet on the ground, the bow master showing me how to grasp the string with only my thumb and finger. Everyone got a turn, but only a few arrows actually pierced the stack of hay. After an hour and a half of practice, we had to keep moving so we could start the best part of our trip: the horseback riding. When our group arrived at our host family’s group of gers, or yurts, there were around 20 horses waiting for us. They weren’t the horses we would be taking on our week-long trek, we were told, but we could use them to learn how to ride. I was given a dark brown horse with a black mane. Mongolians don’t give names to their horses, but I ended up calling that practice horse “Blue”, since his harness was a bright cyan. Once the stirrups were lengthened to accommodate my long legs, I was shown how to hold the harness in the Mongolian fashion and which commands Blue responded to. I started out slowly, clutching the reins so tightly my knuckles turned white. The Mongolian horses moved in a way I was not used to, but I could feel the strength practically radiating from the small horse. We rode until dusk, going as fast as we wanted. It was exhilarating. The horizon stretched on endlessly, blue sky reaching down to brush yellow hills, and my horse yearned to meet it. The next day, we loaded up our trek bags and drove to where we would start our trek. On the way, we stopped to try fermented mare’s milk, a traditional Mongolian drink. We also saw falcons and vultures up close, and hiked Turtle Rock, an enormous rock formation that looks like a turtle. By the time we got to the new horses, I was already exhausted, but I was excited to start our trek. I was given a new horse, one I decided to call “Buzz”, for his short mane. We crossed the river, water rushing over our boots and splashing up to hit our faces. We trekked through a forest for an hour when suddenly it opened up into a vast, open plain, with rolling hills and thin, winding dirt roads. I rode alongside the other girls in my group, chatting away and singing. Sometimes, I would ride next to one of our Mongolian guides and pester them with questions about their country and their experiences. My favorite part was out midday break, where we could lay down by a stream or in some shade, and eat lunch. It was usually the same, mutton stew and bread, sometimes rice. It was surprisingly filling, and occasionally we would get Mongolian candy as a treat before getting back into our saddles and starting again. We stayed with host families half the days, eating delicious meals and learning about the culture out on the steppe. The other half of the days, we camped out wherever we settled down for the night, and hung out with our guides and each other. Despite my aching legs and sunburned face, I was having the time of my life. Still, I was relieved when we said goodbye to our horses and our guides, and made our way into the city. Once we were done touring the giant statues of Genghis Khan in and outside the city, we went into the National Museum to learn more about the history of Mongolia. I never knew how much I didn’t know about that part of history until I went into that museum. It made me wonder what else I was missing when it came to the history of people around the world. We also explored Mongolian culture through a concert that showed all the different traditional music and dances. I even cried during one of the performances. It was wonderful. I kept thinking back to it even as we split up into groups to go shopping in the city. On the long plane ride home, I leaned back in my seat, exhausted. I had only been in Mongolia for a week, but it felt like days. I scrolled through the pictures I took on my phone, each one another memory that I’ll cling to for years to come. I came to a picture of the Mongolian horizon, wide and empty. There were no fences, no barriers. It was free. Americans consider themselves a free people, but I have tasted a different kind of freedom, where the sky never touches the earth. I came back from Mongolia with a better understanding of my own life and a different perspective of the world. All because I am a Girl Scout. There are more opportunities as an older Girl Scout than people can even imagine. I was able to get scholarships and financial aid from Girl Scouts and Look Wider. I seriously encourage all of my fellow Girl Scouts to go on Destinations, see more of the world, and look wider. *** “Look Wider” International Travel Scholarships are made possible by the Rae Ann and Richard Dougherty Look Wider International Travel Fund Endowment at Rose Community Foundation. Thanks to this generous commitment, Girl Scouts of Colorado will award scholarships to girls every year. Learn more about Girl Scout destinations and other international travel at forgirls.girlscouts.org/travel. Applications for destinations travel are due before Thanksgiving each fall. The application for the “Look Wider” International Travel Scholarship is available from November through February and is meant for individual girl travel. Read more about Global Girl Scouting and how to get involved atgirlscoutsofcolorado.org/global-girl-scouting. #LookWiderInternationalTravelScholarship #Centennial #Mongolia #travel #MetroDenver