Raina Telgemeier is the author and illustrator of the graphic novels Smile, Drama, Sisters, Ghosts, and Guts, all #1 New York Times bestsellers. She also adapted and illustrated four graphic novel versions of Ann M. Martin’s Baby-Sitters Club series. Raina’s books have been awarded five Eisner Awards, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, a Stonewall Honor, and many Best-of and Notables lists. In an upcoming Inspiring Futures on Sept. 20 and Sept. 27, bestselling graphic novelist (and former Girl Scout!) Raina Telgemeier will share an inspirational talk about her childhood love of art and reading and how she learned to express herself through the medium of comics. “I started reading the funnies in my local newspaper when I was nine. My favorites were Calvin and Hobbes and For Better or For Worse,” says Raina. “I started making my own comic strips around the same time, and realized I liked putting pictures and words together to tell stories.” Raina’s original graphic novels are all based on her personal life experiences, which millions of young adults have been able to relate to and resonate with. Join us to learn more about the process of creating a graphic novel and see exclusive behind-the-scenes content from her art studio and old sketchbooks. Register today: September 20: Daisy, Brownie, Junior session September 27: Cadette, Senior, Ambassador session

Join us for a Mobility Day as the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) Colorado takes you on a multi-modal tour through downtown Denver. Learn how transportation affects our urban environment and how it links communities by visiting various stations in downtown Denver that highlight transportation elements, including ADA, bikes, transit, and bridges. We will start and end at the Broadway Light Rail Station: 901 S Broadway, Denver, CO. Light rail tickets will be complimentary for all Girl Scouts and Girl Scout volunteers. Lunch will be provided. The entire tour is outdoors so please dress appropriately. Please contact Amara Hildebrand at ahildebrand@eugenelynne.com with questions. Event is for 4th, 5th, and 6th Grade Girl Scouts. Register here.

What does it take to make the huge Vegas Cirque du Soleil shows happen every night? On November 5, Technical Director, Stephanie Weiss, is going to open our eyes to all the intricate details it takes to make these spectacular shows so many people love. Stephanie also spent two years with Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus! She has some fun stories about those years living on a circus train and working with elephants. Register today: Daisy, Brownie, Junior session Cadette, Senior, Ambassador session

What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary? A Thesaurus! Join us for our annual Girl Scout Day at Dinosaur Ridge when representatives from local STEM-focused organizations will lead hands-on activities for Girls Scouts! All Girl Scouts, friends, and family are invited. Dinosaur Ridge is a National Natural Landmark just outside suburban Denver and has been ranked as the top dinosaur tracks in the United States! This Girl Scout friends and family event starts at 9 a.m. and Girl Scouts have until 3 p.m. to complete activities. Troops and families should allow at least two hours to complete activities so plan to arrive no later than 1 p.m. For more information and to reserve your spot – register today!

Girl Scouts of the USA awards the Medal of Honor for “saving life or attempting to save life without risk to the candidate’s own life.” Rachel Metcalf, 18, of Loveland, was awarded GSUSA’s Medal of Honor for her heroic, life-saving measures on June 16, 2021, at Boyd Lake State Park. Rachel and others from the GECCCOs (Girls Experiencing Camping, Canoeing and Cycling Outdoors) Girl Scout troop were leading the canoe program at a day camp for Girl Scouts and younger siblings at Boyd Lake last June when a sudden microburst capsized several canoes and day campers into white-capped water. Rachel was working on shore when the wind picked up and she took immediate action to help get capsized canoers back to shore. After tying one canoe to her kayak so she could paddle them back to shore, she went back out to help others. Her troopmate was struggling to stay calm as wind-whipped waves continually splashed her in the face, and Rachel was able to calm her down and got her to hold on to her kayak while she paddled her to shore. “I was really proud of Rachel for staying calm and having the ability to completely act on her own to decide who she could safely help,” said troop leader Robyn Metcalf, who is also Rachel’s mom. “She had the knowledge to understand that the water was getting too rough to go back out a third time and instead stayed onshore to help out with gear.” Awarding of the Medal of Honor is rare. A Girl Scout from Highlands Ranch received the Medal of Honor last June for assisting in saving the life of a classmate who suffered from a seizure; and in 2016, a Girl Scout from Northglenn was awarded a Medal of Honor for saving her mother’s life and a Girl Scout from Steamboat Springs received the recognition for saving lives after coming upon a bus crash. “Rachel exercised the courage and the confidence she built through 13 years of Girl Scouting by staying calm and taking action,” say Girl Scouts of Colorado CEO Leanna Clark. “Rachel, along with her troopmates, are excellent examples of the way Girl Scouting builds leaders.”

Chemical engineers are professionals who test substances and materials to develop new products. Essentially, they make things come to life and have a significant impact on society! To develop and improve many things, they utilize chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering principles. Join us at this Inspiring Futures on November 1 with Gwendolyn Juip, to learn about her journey in becoming a chemical engineer. She’ll discuss careers in chemical engineering from lab to factory and everything in between, educational pathways from elementary school science fairs to PhDs and the difficulties, wins and pay-scale for a woman in this field. Register here for the  Daisy, Brownie, Junior session. Register here for the Cadette, Senior, Ambassador session.

Lawyers play several roles in our dynamic and multi-faceted legal system, one of which includes assisting entrepreneurs and businesses navigate their legal rights and obligations along every step of their development. Our presenter, Stella Gore, is a New York based merger and acquisition and venture capital lawyer who advises emerging and high growth companies through all stages of development, including through formation, financing, and merger and acquisition. What does this mean? Join us to find out! We will learn about the challenging and exciting world of law, the education and training required to become a lawyer, and the vast world of opportunities that await you! This session is for Cadette, Seniors, and Ambassadors. Monday, October 24, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Register today!

For her Gold Award project, Girl Scout Maggie Donohue created Refocus Centers for Pine Lane Elementary School. Refocus Centers are tools that teachers and kids can use to take a break from the classroom and recenter themselves, so they are ready to return to learn. Each center is a different Colorado nature theme that includes facts, sounds, and sensory stimulation. Students will find reminders on how to self-soothe that compliments the social emotional curriculum in place, as well as explore each center visually and auditorily. Maggie’s hope is that students can learn to recognize their stressors and identify ways to rectify them, so their learning is not interrupted. Here is a link to the Refocus Center website to learn more. Maggie suffers from migraines and non-epileptic seizures.  She spent over 12 weeks in a wheelchair this past year and had to participate in speech therapy, physical therapy, and biofeedback. Despite these challenges, Maggie persevered and was still able to complete her Gold Award project. Through the process of completing her Gold Award project, Maggie has learned how to balance her ideas with the needs of the community and to advocate for herself and other student needs. “With Girl Scouts, I have learned how to use my voice to help others,” said Maggie. “I feel like I belong to a much larger family and have met many new people. We have experienced things that we wouldn’t have done as individuals.” Maggie’s Refocus Centers will continue to have a positive impact for the teachers and students of Pine Lane Elementary for generations to come. Since the Refocus Centers were implemented, staff have noticed that students have improved coping and teachers have had less behavioral interruptions.

The Girl Scouts of Colorado Fall Product Program is a great way for troops to earn startup money for Girl Scout activities throughout the year or to get one step closer to reaching their next goal, such as earning a highest award, doing a Take Action project to benefit their community, or going on a troop campout or troop travel. The Fall Product Program also helps girls learn the 5 Skills: goal setting, decision-making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. All troops receive 13% of their magazine orders as troop proceeds, plus $1.05 per item for nuts and chocolates. Girl Scouts can also earn Cookie Credits and rewards. Girls can do the entire program online and/or sell products in-person using the order card. There is no physical inventory for troops and families to manage during the Fall Product Program. After the program ends, volunteers will receive and distribute nuts and candy items to girls and caregivers, for girl delivery to customers. Troop volunteers, caregivers, and Girl Scouts find that the Fall Product Program is straightforward and participating in it can serve as practice for success during the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Fall Rallies – check out the Fall Rally Activity Guide on the GSCO Fall Product Program page. Fall rallies will be hosted in areas around the state. Check in with your area service unit for more information. Service units hosting Fall Product Program rallies can order rally patches by completing the form before Friday, Sept. 30, 2022 Training – Service units will start offering troop training late August, early September. TFPM training will also be available in gsLearn after Labor Day. Fall Product Program starts on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2021. In order to participate, all troops must have a completed 2022-2023 membership year ACH form and a Troop Fall Product Manager agreement form. M2, the Fall Product Program operating system, will open to service units and troops the week of Sept. 4 (after Labor Day). Volunteers will receive emails with information and a link to access M2. Girls/caregivers will receive an email to gain access to M2 starting on Saturday, Sept. 10. Caregivers/parents can complete the digital permission form, include the name and email address of their troop fall product manager, and have a copy of the form sent to their the TFPM. A copy of the form will also be sent to the caregiver in a confirmation email once they have submitted the form. S’mores Club Girls and troops must participate in both the Fall Product Program and the Girl Scout Cookie Program and meet the specific criteria outlined for S’mores Club membership. Participating girls can earn a pair of custom Converse shoes and a personalized avatar patch. Troop and service unit fall product managers and cookie program managers will also earn the personalized avatar patch and custom Converse shoes!* Questions? Read the S’mores Club FAQs. *The Troop Fall Product Manager and Troop Cookie Manager are eligible for volunteer rewards. If the TFPM and TCM are the same person, only one reward will be given. See the S’mores Club flier for more details. For more information about S’mores Club and to access all Fall Product Program resources, go to the Girl Scouts of Colorado website, Fall Product Program page under the “Cookies” tab. If you have questions, please contact Girl Scouts of Colorado customer care at inquiry@gscolorado.org.

In July, Troop 34649 attended Adventure Day at Lazy Acres Camp. We spent the night before and the night after at the camp. Our Girl Scouts got to have experiences in canoeing, climbing and hiking. They even cooked on a camp stove in the pouring rain! They tried several new recipes after planning their menu and shopping for all of their food. These Girl Scouts are going into their Junior year of high school and we do not know when they will make it back to their favorite camp, so they made the most out of their time this year. They conquered many fears and tried new things!

Imagine it– you and your forever friends. Dreaming up adventures. Making the whole world sparkle with your own personal brand of magic. Join us to discover all that Girl Scouts has to offer. Check out our events calendar or the events listed in your area below. Check back frequently for updated information and links. We can’t wait to start making memories with you! Western Slope and Southwest Colorado: What: Girl Scout Sign-up Day When: August 19 Time: 4-7 p.m. Where: Orchard Mesa Baptist Church, Grand Junction, CO Learn more and mark your calendars today! What: Girl Scout Sign-up Day When: September 1 Time: 4:30-6 p.m. Where: Florida Grange, Durango, CO Learn more and mark your calendars today! What: Girl Scout Sign-up Day When: September 16 Time: 4:30-6:30 p.m. Where: Holly Park, Montrose, CO Learn more and mark your calendars today! Pueblo and Southeastern Colorado: What: Girl Scout Open House When: August 26 Time: 4-6 p.m. Where: Vectra Bank, Pueblo, CO Lean more and mark your calendars today! What: Girl Scout Sign-up Day When: September 17 Time: 1:30-3 p.m. Where: El Pueblo History Museum, Pueblo, CO Learn more and mark your calendars today! Pikes Peak: What: Girl Scout Sign-up Day When: August 14 Time: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: John Venezia Community Park, Colorado Springs, CO Learn more and mark your calendars today! What: Girl Scout Open House When: September 18 Time: 10 a.m.- 2p.m. Where: Girl Scout Office, Colorado Springs, CO Learn more and mark your calendars today! Mountain Communities: What: Girl Scout Day When: August 25 Time: 4:30-5:30 p.m. Where: St. John’s Episcopal Church, Grandby, CO Learn more and mark your calendars today! What: Girl Scout Open House When: August 30 Time: 4-5 p.m. Where: Summit County Library, Frisco, CO Learn more and mark your calendars today! What: Girl Scout Open House When: September 6 Time: 3:30-4:30 p.m. Where: Concordia Lutheran Church, Steamboat Springs, CO Learn more and mark your calendars today! Metro Denver: What: Girl Scout Sign-up Day When: September 25 Time: 12:30-3:30 p.m. Where: Carstens Park, Federal Heights, CO What: Girl Scout Sign-up Day When: September 25 Time: 12-3 p.m. Where: Stanley Marketplace, Aurora, CO What: Girl Scout Sign-up Day When: September 25 Time: 12-3 p.m. Where: Centennial Center Park, Centennial, CO What: Girl Scout Sign-up Day When: September 25 Time: 12-3 p.m. Where: Arvada High School, Arvada, CO Northern and Northeastern Colorado: What: Girl Scout Day When: September 18 Time: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Where: Boulder County Fairgrounds Picnic Shelter on South side of Fairgrounds, Longmont, CO Learn more and mark your calendars! What: Girl Scout Day When: October 1 Time: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Where: Immanuel Lutheran Church, Loveland, CO Learn more and mark your calendars today!

Girl Scout Troops 60593, 60766, 64473, 64175, 49861, 40914, 60447, 68220 and Boy Scout Troop 317. Thanks to memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in August 2022 by the FBI and Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), 16 Girls Scouts from 8 different troops were treated to a special program seeking to increase young women’s interest, confidence, and competency in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Our group was granted a demonstration by a bomb tech expert on robots, bombs and radio communication. And as a special surprise, we were treated to a tour of the Evidence Response Team Rooms. It was a fantastic morning full of new information, for which we are incredibly grateful! *Ref: https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/denver/community-outreach