What did you do for your Gold Award project? For my project, I aimed to make senior citizens more connected with their communities through learning about technology in a safe, easy, fun, and cost-efficient manner. I created a website, Facebook page, and many print resources that were used for the education of seniors. Additionally, I presented to large and individual groups of seniors about creating and using Facebook and email. The website with all my materials and more is available at: https://sites.google.com/site/operationdigitaldivide/ How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? I initially began with a group of around 15 seniors, and due to my first group presentation many reported in surveys I had given them that their comfort and knowledge of technology increased to the point that many felt more secure and safe with their own Facebook pages and emails. Those who didn’t, I helped out individually to create Facebook pages and emails. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? My project is sustained through a working website and Facebook page containing all my project materials as well as a binder which is placed at the Palisades location and Union Printers Home, where my mom used to work and where I originally got the idea for my project. Additionally, Jennifer Richardson, who is located at the Palisades location, recently informed me of new renovations where a technology center will be available to residents and where she will help residents out with the help of my binder. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? Because of the Facebook page and website attached to my project, senior centers around the country and globe can access my materials and use them to educate other senior citizens. I also have the manual I have made up there, so other senior centers can use it. You can find the website here: https://sites.google.com/site/operationdigitaldivide/ What did you learn about yourself? I learned much more about perseverance and sticking with a project through it’s completion, even when I encounter struggles and have other things going on. I also learned how much I love interacting with people and being able to communicate and teach them. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? Through my Gold Award, I discovered my own personal talent and passion for teaching others. That has since become the new direction I would like to take with my life, and my project really was the catalyst of all that. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? My Gold Award really took all the skills I’ve developed through Girl Scouting and put them to the test. Every leadership, communication, and problem solving skill I’ve gained through scouting was used in the process of completing my project and generally was a good summation of the work I’ve put into Girl Scouts. **IMPORTANT NOTE: This blog represents only a small fraction of the hard work, dedication and requirements that go into earning a Girl Scout Gold Award. It is simply a brief summary, which is meant to inspire Girl Scouts to Go Gold in the future. For more information on earning your Gold Award, please email highestawards@gscolorado.org #ColoradoSprings #GoldAward #LibertyHighSchool #PikesPeak

Daisy’s Circle is for ALL Girl Scouts! Named for our founder Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low, this monthly giving program helps ensure that every Colorado girl who wants to become a Girl Scout can! When you become a Daisy’s Circle member, your gift reaches beyond your family and troop and touches the lives of girls who need a little extra support. No one believes in the power of girls more than you, and you have the power to invest in the heart of Girl Scouts and be a sister to every girl. Learn more: https://gscodaisyscircle.org/ By joining Daisy’s Circle, you make it possible to… Offer more than $100,000 in financial assistance to girls in need. Ensure quality training and screening for volunteers. Create connections for girls at regional events. Develop unique camp and outdoor program experiences. Monthly giving provides girls with opportunities to develop self-esteem, enduring friendships, and life-changing leadership skills. Through activities in science and technology, business and economic literacy, and outdoor and environmental awareness, girls grow and develop. Monthly giving builds a sustainable revenue stream that can Inspire, Encourage, Honor, and Empower girls. $25 a month provides memberships for 20 girls. $35 a month helps one girl attend a week at camp. $50 a month provides uniforms, Journey books, and pins for one troop. #DaisysCircle #donors #funddevelopment #monthlygiving

Submitted by Brandy Blair Metro Denver Broomfield Our troop of Brownies voted on a charity or foundation to help with the money they earned from selling Girl Scout Cookies.  The girls agreed on Broomfield/Adam’s County CASA to help the children in our communities. Great job girls! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #Broomfield #HometownHero #GirlScoutCookies #2017CookieSale #MetroDenver

What did you do for your Gold Award project? A huge passion of mine is animals so when I saw a need in my community to improve my local dog park, Wiggly Field Dog Park, I knew that’s what I wanted to do for my Gold Award Project. The dog park did not have any shade for dogs or places for their people to sit. For shade, we installed a 10’x 16′ Trex pergola on a cement slab.  I also installed two new picnic benches underneath of the pergola for people to sit and relax. We also installed a sign in Wiggly Field Dog Park’s parking lot, so the community can easily find the local dog park. On Sunday, January 29, 2017, from 1 – 4 p.m. I held an Opening Day Celebration at Wiggly Field Dog Park. At the celebration, I invited local dog-related businesses to have stations with merchandise for sale and/or information about their business. The celebration also had a Girl Scout troop selling Girl Scout Cookies because it was the also the first day of cookie sales for the year. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? Before I did this project the park would only have a few visitors a day.  At the Opening Day Celebration, we had about 250 people come with their dogs. I had many people tell me “I have never seen this many people here,” “we come here all the time, but there are never any dogs to play with our dog,” “ I didn’t even know that we had a dog park in our neighborhood.”  Since the Opening Day Celebration the park has 10-15 visitors each day. I think this number will also increase as the weather improves and more people are doing things outside with their dogs. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? Throughout my project I made many conscious efforts to make changes to the park that would last for a long time and will not require a lot of maintenance. For example, we ordered a Trex pergola instead of a wood/ cedar pergola. Even though a wood pergola would be less expensive upfront it actually becomes more expensive in the long run. Trex pergolas are made from recycled plastic and they have a 20-year warranty on them so if something goes wrong  The Meadows Neighborhood Company, the business that maintains the park, will be able to fix it free of charge as long as they follow the warranty requirements. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? I have a huge passion for helping all animals especially misunderstood breeds like pit bulls and rottweilers. I feel that the Villalobos Rescue Center has made a huge difference in so many pitbulls lives but they have also made a huge impact on the way people think about pit bulls. I also sent the Villalobos Rescue Center in New Orleans a letter explaining what a Gold Award is and what I did for my project. I also attached some pictures that were taken throughout my project so they could see what I have done to better the lives of people and their dogs in my local community. What did you learn about yourself? I learned so many valuable life skills from this project, including leadership, perseverance, and negotiation skills. There were many times during the process of my project that I thought to myself “every girl should do this kind of project” and “when I have kids, I want them to be apart of an organization like this that helps kids learn valuable life lessons and prepare them for their future.” How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? By earning my Gold Award, I have opened a lot of doors for myself. It is an accomplishment that I will be able to write on college applications and job applications for the rest of my life. Earning your Gold Award says something about who you are and also sets you apart from others. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? Ever since I joined Girl Scouts I have been working towards my Gold Award by working on the journeys and earning my Bronze and Silver award. Everything I have done in Girl Scouts has prepared me for earning my Gold Award. **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 #CastleRock #CastleViewHighSchool #GoldAward #MetroDenver

Submitted by Bertha Koch Pikes Peak Colorado Springs You’re invited to join fellow Girl Scout alumnae as we celebrate 100 years of Girl Scouting in Colorado! Join us for tea and treats on Saturday, April 22, 2017 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Mountain View Church of Christ at 1080 East La Salle Street in Colorado Springs. $15 per person. Please contact AlumPPR@gmail.com to register by April 7, 2017. Adult Girl Scout alumnae only please. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #Alumnaetea #ColoradoSprings #PikesPeak

Submitted by Rebecca Lankford Metro Denver Broomfield Cadette Troop 63572 is hosting two day camps this summer as part of their leadership progression. Why two camps? The troop has 17 active Girl Scouts who all have big goals so lots of things we do are big! The two primary outcomes chosen for these camps are confidence and courage. The campers will work together through some traditional scouting activities like songs and games, and challenge themselves while learning new skills. Buttercup Bootcamp will be at East Interlocken Park in Broomfield from June 26 – 30, 2017 and She’s Crafty will be at the Westminster campus of Front Range Community College July 17 – 21, 2017. Information and how to register can be found at: https://scoutingforfun.com/ Each camp is $175 and is completely volunteer-run. Our troop has held many successful events and the girls are excited to work with younger girls at these fun camps. Interested in volunteering or helping as a PA or PAI? Info is available on the camp website! The number of campers we can have will be dependent on the number of adult volunteers. Contact us at camplikeagirlscout@gmail.com with questions. 40963104_girl_scout_day_camps This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

What did you do for your Gold Award project? My Gold Award project was manufacturing and providing raised PVC pipe pet beds to help senior pets be more comfortable in shelters as they await adoption.  I decided to make these type of beds because they are beneficial to pets and shelters in that: the elevated design allows the dog’s weight to be evenly distributed and keep them off any cold, hard floor. They worked great for both dogs and cats. The light, durable nature of these beds also allows them to be easily placed outdoors as well. They were durable and can last for a long time. This raised dog bedding are great for elder dogs, you should purchase one for your pets too. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? The way I measured my impact was when I helped people and their families realize that there are challenges that exist when owning a senior pet, they asked questions and wanted to help me with my project.  I witnessed their understanding that leaving these animals in a shelter, for whatever reason, that there are factors that can hinder the senior pet’s quality of life. Specifically, I saw that I had impacted Troop 550 the most in that: they are going to work towards their own Gold Award Projects and work to make a difference in their community. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? My project is sustainable in that these beds can be easily built and are already in use by the shelter I worked with. In addition, I have provided a master copy of instructions for the shelter to use when building new beds for themselves along with sharing that list with others, spreading the word of “Caring Cots” further. My project will also be sustained beyond my involvement by a signed letter of commitment by Andrew Brooks, the Lead Volunteer Coordinator at the Adams County Animal Shelter in Commerce City. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? I have created a Powerpoint presentation/tutorial that has a materials list and step-by-step instructions on the construction of these beds along with a some pictures to go along with it. I have posted a link to the powerpoint on my Facebook page to spread my project through this social media platform. The same link has been posted to my Pinterest page, available for all the view. Both of these pages have been created as a Gold Award Project. What did you learn about yourself? What I learned about myself is the level of determination and focus that I have. “Caring Cots” has helped me improve my leadership skills by having me organize an entire workshop and overnight for my building team. This allowed me to really get a sense of being in charge and having to instruct others. This project has also helped me improve my public speaking skills; I’ve started to feel more comfortable talking in front of a group of people about my project and my opinions. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? By earning my Gold Award I have cemented my name in the Gold Award Hall of Fame and proven to myself that I am capable of doing amazing things to give back to my community. This project will also be on my resume, which will help me get into college and get the job I’m looking for. I also think this project will impact my future in that I will be an example to other girls working on their own Gold Awards. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? I’ve earned my Bronze and Silver Award previously and getting my Gold Award was a huge goal for me. I absolutely love everything about Girls Scouts and I feel that earning my Gold Award was the perfect way to show my love and appreciation for this organization. I feel extremely honored to be a recipient of the Gold Award and I feel that my Girl Scout experience has made me a Girl Scout for life. **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 #Aurora #Denvermetro #EaglecrestHighSchool

Two more Girl Scouts in the Mountain Communities region are headed to Girl Scouts of Colorado summer camp after receiving the Mary Jo Jacobs, M.D. Memorial Girl Scout Adventure Fund. Samantha of Glenwood Springs will attend Sky High Animal Adventures at Sky High Ranch in June. Kayla of New Castle will go to Tomahawk TriWizard at Tomahawk Ranch in July. “I am so excited to go to the TriWizard Camp this summer. I can’t wait to have fun with friends, learn new things, and learn to be more independent,” Kayla wrote. “I am so excited to go to camp and learn as much as I can about the animals! I’ve never spent that much time away, and it will be so fun to meet new friends,” Samantha wrote. Mary Jo’s four children established the scholarship in December 2014 to honor their mother’s extraordinary legacy. As an 8-year-old girl growing up in 1937, Mary Jo wanted a new pair of roller skates. She wanted them more than anything in world— until she learned her Brownie troop was going to be able to go to summer camp. Mary Jo had to make a choice: spend the $8 she had worked so hard to earn on roller skates or Girl Scout camp? For Mary Jo, the decision was simple. She was going to Girl Scout camp. Mary Jo’s mother walked her to the local Girl Scout office, so she could be the first to register. A reporter for the Artesia Daily Press in New Mexico even wrote a story about Mary Jo and her decision. After returning home from camp, Mary Jo continued to participate in Girl Scout activities, including going to camp. Eventually, she became a doctor and worked tirelessly to serve the people of Eagle and Garfield Counties, Colorado. The Mary Jo Jacobs, M.D. Memorial Girl Scout Adventure Fund provides Girl Scouts from Eagle and Garfield counties in Colorado with a scholarship so they can experience the learning opportunities, joy, and camaraderie of attending Girl Scout Camp. “Our hope is that that many girls will have the same positive experience, education and adventure that mom had through her involvement in Girl Scouting and her opportunity to attend Girl Scout camp,” said Dr. Patricia VanDevander, daughter of Dr. Mary Jo Jacobs. Registration for Girl Scout Camp is now underway on the Girl Scouts of Colorado website at girlscoutsofcolorado.org. For summer 2017, girls can attend overnight camp sessions at Sky High Ranch near Manitou Lake and Woodland Park or perennial favorite Tomahawk Ranch near Bailey, southwest of Denver. Activities include archery, backpacking, photography, and rock climbing. Overnight camp runs from 3 to 12 days for girls ages 6 and up.  Girl Scouts of Colorado will continue to offer day camping adventures throughout the state. The summer camp schedule is live on the Girl Scouts of Colorado website (girlscoutsofcolorado.org). Girl Scout summer camp programs are open to all girls throughout Colorado, whether they’re in a troop or not, and new campers get a 10-percent discount. Girl Scouts has been helping girls shine for more than 100 years. Girl Scouts of Colorado is proud to serve more than 22,000 girls across the state with the help and support of 10,000 adult members! Learn more how you can be part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience by visiting girlscoutsofcolorado.org, calling 1-877-404-5708, or emailing inquiry@gscolorado.org. #SkyHighRanch #NewCastle #MDMemorialGirlScoutAdventureFund #MaryJoJacobsMDMemorialGirlScoutAdventureFund #TomahawkRanch #GlenwoodSprings

Submitted by Elizabeth Duke Metro Denver Greenwood Village Daisy Troop 65370 delivered Girl Scout Cookies to the Denver Police Department. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #DenverPoliceDepartment #GirlScoutCookies #greenwoodvillage #MetroDenver

What did you do for your Gold Award project? When I went vegan after learning the conditions animals are forced to endure for human use, I knew I wanted to focus my Gold Award project on educating others to inspire them to take action on this issue as well. I created a lesson for young adults to inform them of the conditions animals are forced to endure in factory farms, animal entertainment industries, and animal testing laboratories and provide them with alternatives to supporting these industries. In my lesson, I introduced the audience to the concept of speciesism (discrimination against other species), and I raised thought-provoking questions to encourage the contemplation of why our society values certain species (such as dogs and cats) above others. I presented my lesson to over 80 teenagers and young adults from various groups and clubs. I then posted a video of one of my presentations on YouTube and it is on AnimalActionNetwork.org, and has been shared on multiple Facebook pages. I know from personal experience that it can be difficult to transition to a diet with fewer animal products, so the second component of my project was creating an email list that anyone can sign up for to receive one vegan recipe per week for eight consecutive weeks to make incorporating more plant-based meals into one’s life easier. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? At the end of each of my presentations, before answering questions from my audience, I asked them one question: “What actions, if any, will you now implement in your lives to help animals?” I was happy to hear a range of answers, from “I will eat less meat” to “I will look for the cruelty-free symbol on body care products.” How  is your project sustainable? How  will  your  project  continue to impact after your  involvement? A video of one of my presentations is posted on YouTube, the homepage of AnimalActionNetwork.org, and numerous Facebook pages. Not only can people continue to view this video in the future, but I hope that the audience members of my presentation will continue to share the information that they learned and inspire others to take action. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? I have contacted 27 different vegan, vegetarian, and animal rights organizations with a description of my project along with a link to my YouTube video of my presentation. These organizations are all over the nation and world, ranging from Hawaii to Singapore to the Netherlands. Although I didn’t ask for a reply, nine organizations have sent me a response to say that they were glad I had done this project. What did you learn about yourself? I honestly didn’t expect to learn much about myself over the course of this project, but I did learn that if I have enough passion for something, I can convince myself to do almost anything that I would normally be too afraid to do. As someone that is normally petrified in front of a crowd, I was surprised that I wanted to pursue a project that required public speaking. Throughout my project, I continually reminded myself of my end goal: to inspire others to better the lives of animals. This simple reminder was enough to encourage me to follow through with my project, even when it was uncomfortable. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? With the confidence, public speaking skills, and knowledge that passion can be a strong motivator, I know I will continue to be an activist for causes I believe in. I know that I have the ability to put together and follow through with a large project and that one person really can make a difference. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? Since I became a Girl Scout eight years ago, everything that I’ve done through Girl Scouts has been with my troop— that is, until I pursued my Gold Award. The activities that I had done with my troop, while fun and fulfilling, weren’t necessarily what I would have chosen to do on my own. In addition, when completing a project as a part of a group, I felt less of a responsibility to complete as much of the project, since I felt that the responsibility could be shared among the group members. Completing my Gold Award gave me the opportunity to pursue an issue that I personally had a passion for and that I had full responsibility for. **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 #boulder #BoulderHighSchool #GoldAward #NorthernampNortheasternCO

What did you do for your Gold Award project? As young girls mature into teens, they are very vulnerable to the impacts of social media, culture views, TV, magazines, and peers. Elementary and middle school aged girls can become more susceptible to the impact of negative views on a girl’s unique qualities. Therefore, early introduction to positive self-worth is crucial. For my Girl Scout Gold Award, I hosted a six-week weekly workshop to strengthen positive body image in 5th and 6th grade girls. During this workshop, I worked to prevent a lowered self-esteem and teach girls that they can be accepted for who they are. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? Each week had an individual theme pertaining to the overall topic of positive self-esteem. Throughout the weeks, I noticed the girls became a lot more comfortable speaking their mind. I noticed a major change in the girls, during the fourth week, “Counter Negative Media Messages.” The girls each had their own opinion and were not afraid to share it. Each week, I had the girls fill out a journal with questions pertaining to the weekly topic. During the first week, I asked the question, “What words best describe you.” Their responses weren’t very deep and usually consisted of words like, “funny,” “nice,” or “lazy.” During the sixth week, I asked the same question and their responses were, “strong,” “fierce,” and “beautiful.” The change in the girls and how they viewed themselves was a major difference between the six weeks and I feel that I have contributed to their positive growth. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? The workshops were attended by my project adviser and also by the guidance counselor from the elementary school where I held the workshops. In the future, the guidance counselor plans to host the workshops as an after school club. In this way the project will be sustained in my local community. I wrote a manual that included research, snack ideas, instructions for introducing the topics, activities/games, and journal pages for each workshop. By doing this, other people will be able to recreate the workshops and make a difference in their community. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? I created a website for national and global exposure for my project. It can be accessed at: iamgoldaward.com. On this website, I wrote about my project and the impact it made on my community. I also emailed three elementary school principals, assistant principals, and counselors in two other districts regarding my project. I gave then all a manual and the information about my club and got responses saying they would keep the information in hopes of expanding the club. What did you learn about yourself? I was able to research, plan, and execute a project that I feel very passionate about. I gained more knowledge on the subject of positive self-esteem and body image. I developed decision making and people skills by coordinating the workshops with girls, parents, my project adviser, and school officials. I feel that through this project I learned that I am capable of setting achievable goals and working toward reaching them. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? I learned that I am capable of setting and reaching goals and that I am able to lead a large project. I feel that these new skills will be beneficial in college as well as future careers. Low self-image can lead to very serious issues; therefore, we should be encouraging the young girls in our world. Through what I learned in this project, I will continue to advocate on the importance of positive self-esteem. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? I have learned so much through this project, not only about the importance of positive self-worth, but about my capabilities as a young member of the community. I am proud of my accomplishments and feel that my project has and will continue to make a difference. I designed my project on a cause I have learned about through Girl Scouts and have utilized the skills I learned along the way. This project has given me the confidence to be a positive young adult who leads by example and I will continue to strive to be a positive role model like the Girl Scouts before me. **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 #ColoradoSprings #GoldAward #PalmerRidgeHighSchool #PikesPeak

Submitted by Kelly Vogtner Pikes Peak Colorado Springs All Girl Scouts are invited to attend the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships 2017, April 7 – 8, at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs. This event will feature 24 teams of 16 women competing in synchronized figure skating, from around the world. It is sanctioned by the International Skating Union, and hosted by U.S. Figure Skating. The United States hosts it only every 3-4 years. The Opening Ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m., Friday, April 7, immediately followed by the Short Program Competition. Denver Synchronicity, pre-juvenile team, a local team of 15 girls, ages 7-13, from the Denver FSC will be performing in the Opening Ceremony. The Free Skate / Championship event will be on Saturday, April 8, 2017, at 5:45 p.m., where the World Champion is crowned. Team USA 1, the Haydenettes, from Boston, are the reigning World Bronze Medalists. Two athletes on this team grew up training in the Denver area. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #ISUWorldSynchronizedSkatingChampionships #ColoradoSprings #Communitypartnerships #communitypartners #PikesPeak