Submitted by Carmen Valdez Pueblo Pueblo and Southeastern Colorado A Cadette Girl Scout and her leader from troop 31652 took a trip to the local City Council office in Pueblo. While visiting, the girl asked for the City Council members to sign the proclamation declaring Girl Scout week March 7-12, 2016. Way to go to this amazing volunteer and civic-minded girl! 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 a three-ponged project. I designed and created a children’s center at the Marian House Life Support Services Center; redesigned, reorganized, and stocked the book and stuffed animal pantry in the Family Dining Area of Marian House; and supported the art, developmental play, and literacy initiatives at Marian House’s pilot program Family Day Center. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? The eating area design has been followed and provided many stuffed animals and books to children. The Family Day Center has provided a place for families to gather, so they are not on the streets. The children’s area has given children a safe place to play and learn, and the space is used on a daily basis. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? The learning activities set up in the children’s area will last well past the next 5 years, and will be available to children to continue to grow and learn. I supported the new initiatives at the new Family Day Center, which is a pilot program that will now grow into an influential program. The children’s area that I created can be built upon. I set up a system in the Eating Area that can be continued to ensure the most effective distribution of stuffed animals and books. Also, there are new volunteer opportunities through the children’s area that can be set up to keep children engaged and learning. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? Homelessness is a global issue that can be best addressed on the community level. I spread awareness for childhood homelessness outside of Colorado Springs by presenting to my psychology class, a local missions organization, and National Honors Society. Also, I put together an Implementation Plan about how to set up a successful project and distributed to the PRHS Chapter of National Honor Society, the Deerfield Hills Community Center, the Hillside Community Center, and the Meadows Park Community Center. This portion of my project serves a diverse group of people across many different communities and I hope the plans will inspire others to make a difference. What did you learn about yourself? I learned to be assertive and reach out to organizations within in the community to offer them my project and partner with them. This has made me a more confident leader and better listener. I began my project with an idea in mind, but it didn’t necessarily address the specific need of the population. By listening to the people at Marian House, I molded my project into something that could best address the need. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? Earning my Gold Award has given me confidence to tackle community and global issues in the future. I have grown in my leadership skills and gained valuable experience with planning and executing community service projects. I have learned so much throughout my project and I am humbled by all of the people who serve selflessly within the homeless community and within all communities. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? Ever since I was a Brownie Girl Scout, I have looked up to the older girls and Gold Award recipients. This has always been a goal of mine. Actually taking on and completing the Gold Award project instilled in me confidence in myself and my ability to make a difference in important issues. I have grown as a leader and as a part of my community, and I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. **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 #GoldAwardee #GoldAwardCentennial #Monument #GoldAwardees #PikesPeak

Submitted by Stephanie Jones Denver Denver Metro We’re offering an opportunity for Girl Scouts of all levels on April 9th: Girl Scout University is a day-long event on the University of Denver campus to help Girl Scouts earn up to two badges. Alpha Phi Omega (a national service fraternity) at DU will be teaching two,two-hour breakout sessions on various topics ranging from public policy, first aide, etiquette, and more. Check-in begins at 8:30AM and the sessions run from 9AM-2PM. There will be an hour break for lunch. Lunch will not be included. Registration will close April 2nd. There is a $10 registration fee. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the event, or would like to register for the event, please email Emma Marshall at emarshall.2020@gmail.com or check out our event on the Girl Scouts of Colorado Calendar! http://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/events-repository/2016/girl_scout_universit.html This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #Denvermetro #UniversityofDenver

From Girl Scouts of the USA: Yesterday, GSUSA celebrated the first day of spring by revealing the second annual Girls’ Choice badges at the grand opening of the 42nd annual Macy’s Flower Show at the NYC Herald Square location. This year’s flower show theme, America the Beautiful, aligns with Girl Scouts’ Art in the Outdoors badge series that encourages all Girl Scouts—from urban areas to rural locations—to explore the art around them. This year’s badge series demonstrates the Girl Scout Movement’s commitment of more than a century to girls and the outdoors. Girls’ Choice Outdoor badges will be shown in full bloom at Macy’s Herald Square from March 20 through April 3, 2016. The Girl Scout gardens, packed with colorful flowers in organic surroundings, will also be on display—showing that art is everywhere you look, from an urban garden to the intricate architecture of a skyscraper, from a rock sculpture to a vibrant sunset. GSUSA released its first-ever Girls’ Choice badges last year to provide girls with beneficial experiences and enhance the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE). This was the first time girls had the opportunity to vote on a range of badge topics and designs. For the second year in a row, the Girls’ Choice badges theme is focused on the outdoors. The new Art in the Outdoors badges will inspire Girl Scouts to explore the art that exists all around them through fun activities like making “galaxy shirts” inspired by the night sky or filming an environmental documentary. Girls’ Choice Art in the Outdoors badges will be available through the Girl Scout Shop by June 15. A special shout out to Girl Scouts of Greater New York who participated in Macy’s official ribbon-cutting ceremony and leading a simple nature journal craft activity for kids of all ages in celebration of Macy’s Family Fun Day. As part of yesterday’s flower show grand opening, Macy’s announced they will generously donate a variety of plants to Girl Scouts of Greater New York. The gesture speaks to both Girl Scouts’ ties to the outdoors as well as its legacy of girls taking action to make the world a better place. Girl Scouts in the New York area will plant the flowering shrubs, trees, and perennial flowers in two of GSGNY’s outdoor classrooms at its Camp Henry Kaufmann, located in Dutchess County, New York. The outdoor classrooms—The MetLife Butterfly Garden and Rita’s Organic Vegetable Garden—each play a leading role in the council’s environmental and outdoor leadership programming. If you find yourself in NYC from now until April 3, swing by the Herald Square store to experience Art in the Outdoors at the Girl Scout displays. #GirlsChoice #GSUSA #macys

Girl Scouts from Troop 60334 in Parker enjoyed “Tea with Tinesha,” which was hosted by Girl Scouts of Colorado Board Member Tinesha Ross.  Girls had a chance to ask all of the questions they wanted (career, personal life, Tinesha’s experience as a Girl Scout, and volunteering). Everyone had a blast! Tinesha is making plans to meet with the troop again soon and is working with troop leaders to encourage the girls to volunteer outside of their comfort zone. #Denvermetro #GSCOBoardofDirectors #oldergirls #Parker

What did you do for your Gold Award project? For my project I refurbished and redecorated the Severe Special Needs (SSN) room at Air Academy High School (AAHS) to make it a safe, more welcoming and more effective learning environment. SSN students face more challenges every day than most high school students face their entire life. The SSN students at AAHS not only had to struggle with their disabilities, but they also had to cope with the disorganized and dysfunctional SSN classroom. Now, the room is better than ever for staff and students alike. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? By talking with staff members, who work in the SSN room, I was able to see the full impact of my project. Staff love to share stories about how well the room is working and how all of the improvements have really changed the effectiveness of the classroom. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? I set up a donation system that will provide supplies to go to the SSN room every year. Many of the changes I made to the room will last for a long time and help many classes of SSN students. The teacher, the principal, and the facilities agree to all help keep up the room beyond my involvement. I will also distribute portfolios to multiple volunteer organizations and have them help other to tackle similar projects. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? As a part of my project, I have created a pamphlet and  power point that the SSN teacher will distribute to other SSN teachers at conferences. This pamphlet and power point explain my project and what changes I made to the room to make it more friendly, welcoming, and safe. This will spread the idea of updating SSN rooms around the community and around the nation. I am also going to have an article written about the room in the Jetstream Journal, a school news source. I will distribute the pamphlet and power point to another school district in my area. What did you learn about yourself? Throughout this project I have become a much better leader. I have learned that I don’t have to do everything by myself and part of being a leader is being able to direct others to help me accomplish my goals. It is extremely helpful to call on others to do some of the work on my project. I have also learned that I need to always keep the big picture in sight. If I spend too much time focusing on and worrying about small details, I won’t be able to accomplish the bigger, more important goals of my project. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? In the future I will definitely be less afraid to jump in and tackle big projects that I see. I will also be able to be a more effective leader on big projects. After completing this project, I understand how important it is to have a schedule and very specific plan for what my team and I need to get done each day. I will apply my new found knowledge about how to plan for a very large project during future projects that I am a part of. In the future, I know that I will enjoy applying my leadership skills to service project and giving back to my community. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? The Gold Award allowed me to bring together many of the skills I learned throughout many years of Girl Scouts and do something positive that I am passionate about. I was able to learn more about myself and contribute in a meaningful way to the lives of those around 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 #GoldAward #HighestAwards #GoldAwardee #ColoradoSprings #GoldAwardCentennial #GoldAwardees #PikesPeak

Submitted by Tricia Florez Pueblo Pueblo and Southeastern Colorado Teressa, Delores and girls from Troop 31272 from Pueblo Bessemer Academy participated in the Girl Scout Week event for Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado. Thank you from the Pueblo GS Council Staff! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #careandsharefoodbank #Pueblo

What did you do for your Gold Award project? For my project, I built four raised garden beds in BHS’ enclosed outdoor courtyard for two school groups: the catering/Pro-Start classes and Multi-Intensive classes. I saw that my school’s courtyard was underutilized. By building four garden beds, I created a beautiful space that could be enjoyed by many and provided a hands-on learning experience for the Catering and Multi-Intensive classes. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? To measure the impact of my project, I created an online quiz which I advertised to my school’s community. This quiz addressed the basis of the project, Girl Scout information, purpose of the project, and some environmental questions related to local gardening/farming. From this quiz, I gathered results, of which will be compared to students’ results in the future. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? My project, of course, will be sustained by the two intended classes, the Catering/Pro-Start and Multi-Intensive students, who, as a part of their new curriculum, will plant and maintain the garden beds. Broomfield High School’s National Honor Society has committed to maintain the garden beds over the summer and during the school year as a part of their mandatory volunteer hours. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? Today’s generation and youth know very little about the earth and how it functions. Many kids have not grown up learning to plant flowers or vegetables at home and with that said, very little is taught at school about the importance local gardening has on the economy and environment. Families buy so much food with plastic packaging which is thrown away and added to the ever-increasing landfill spaces. I wanted to emphasize that with the world’s population increasing and landfill space is  decreasing, we need to realize we cannot  keep throwing away the plastic packaging when there is a healthy alternative which can be built in their backyards or kitchens. What did you learn about yourself? I definitely learned a lot about myself through this project, but one of this greatest realizations was that I was not as organized as I thought nor do I have great time management. I am the girl who cleans for fun! Who, before going to bed, creates tomorrow’s to-do list. I realized that I procrastinate more than I thought. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? There are many skills that I learned or skills that were strengthened by earning the Gold Award. One of these was that I strengthened my communication skills which will impact how I do in future leadership roles. If I take on a leadership position in a lab or project, I am more confident I can present my ideas and gain team members’ respect and trust. 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 from an early age it made me want to continue Girl Scouts. I remember in first grade, at an after-school meeting, a high schooler came in and shared her Gold Award and her experience. I just thought that it was the coolest thing ever, how a girl like her could impact the world at such a young age! I told my mom, “Mom, I want to do that. I want to get my Gold!” And I am so glad I did because it was the culmination of all  leadership, community, and communication skills I learned throughout twelve years of 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 #GoldAward #Broomfield #GoldAwardCentennial #GoldAwardees #GoldAwadee #Denvermetro

From L to R: Jamie Adler, Executive Director NCWIT, Christina Bear, winner of 2016 National Award NCWIT, and Ruthe Farmer, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer and Director, K-12 Alliance of NCWIT. (PC R. Shenoi) Congratulations to Christina Bear, a senior at Colorado Academy in Denver, Colorado, who was selected as a winner for the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) National Award for Aspirations in Computing! Christina traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, on an all-expense paid trip to attend the Bank of America Technology Showcase and Awards Ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel held on March 4-6, 2016. She received a $500 stipend, a laptop provided by Bank of America and an engraved award for Christina and her high school. For more information, please see www.aspirations.org The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing is “an initiative designed to increase women’s meaningful participation in computing careers by providing encouragement, visibility, community, leadership opportunities, scholarships, and internships to high potential technically inclined young women”. Only 35 National Award winners were selected out of 3135 applicants nationally. NCWIT builds a talent pool for the growing technical workforce and helps academic and corporate organizations celebrate diversity in computing by honoring young women at the high-school level for their computing-related achievements and interests. Award recipients are selected based on their aptitude and aspirations in technology and computing; leadership ability; academic history; and plans for post-secondary education. Christina is grateful to her AP Computer Science teacher at Colorado Academy, Ms. Kimberly Jans, for providing excellent teaching and support for going above and beyond academics. Ms. Jans is the recipient of the 2016 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Educator Award in Colorado. Christina is grateful to Girl Scouts of Colorado, her mentor Ms. Rae Ann Dougherty, the Association of Professional Fundraisers, and her parents for their support and encouragement in founding Project STEM Student Mentors. Christina is thankful to Mr. Jessie Skipwith, Executive Director of Horizons at Colorado Academy, for believing and sustaining a long-term vision to provide enrichment in technology and coding to minority students. Christina has been selected as a 2016 Colorado Affiliate winner of the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing.  The Colorado Affiliate Aspirations Award ceremony will be held at the University of Colorado at Boulder on Sunday, April 24, 2016. #GoldAward #GoldAwardee #ChristinaBear #STEM #Denvermetro

From Girl Scouts of the USA: Girl Scouts of the USA Chief Executive Officer Anna Maria Chávez has long been a champion of making engagement with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) a vital part of the Girl Scout experience. Now, she’s being recognized for her leadership, guidance, and commitment toward improving STEM education—and advancing workforce development—as a recipient of a 2016 U.S. News STEM Leadership Hall of Fame award. What’s more, Anna will be inducted into the STEM Leadership Hall of Fame during a special ceremony and keynote discussion at the STEM Solutions National Leadership Conference, on Thursday, May 19, 2016, at the Hilton in Baltimore, Maryland. “America has a tremendous potential for economic growth by encouraging and supporting girls’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math,” Anna explained. “When girls succeed, so does society.” In addition to Anna, the incoming members of the 2016 U.S. News STEM Leadership Hall of Fame are: Norman C. Francis, president emeritus, Xavier University of Louisiana; Ellen Kullman, retired chair and chief executive officer, DuPont; Edward B. Rust Jr., chairman, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company; and John J. Tracy, Ph.D., chief technology officer, The Boeing Company. “These five trailblazers are an inspiration to all of us and are a driving force as the nation strives to bolster its STEM pipeline and equip America’s students with the science and tech skills they’ll need for both their personal and professional lives,” said Brian Kelly, U.S. News editor and chief content officer. U.S. News is honoring valued innovators and visionaries whose initiatives collectively act as a blueprint for solving the STEM crisis. Way to go, Anna! #AnnaMariaChavez #GSUSA #STEM

Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts have so many options at summer camp. They can go to our most adventurous camp sessions to hone their outdoors skills, they can go on extended trips, and they have amazing options with Troop Camps (new High Adventure Troop Camp!) and Family Camps too. Whatever the camp, Seniors and Ambassadors are bound to make lifelong friends and build skills that will come in handy as they grow into adulthood. Register your Girl Scout for camp now! Review camp sessions. Here is a list of open sessions at our camps at this time: Adventure camps are a hit with Seniors and Ambassadors! They provide a level of challenge and skill mastery in a community atmosphere of support. TR27 TARDIS TR39 Expedition Wild! (12-days! Perfect for the girl that never wants to leave camp!) Is horseback riding your thing? Seniors and Ambassadors can take a Colorado horseback adventure. In this trip, girls will take a 3-day, 2-night adventure on horseback. They’ll then spend 3 days on a working ranch at cowgirl camp. One day will be spent whitewater rafting. TT01 Colorado Horseback Adventure Three-day camps offer Seniors and Ambassadors a taste of camp without the huge time commitment! We know Cadettes often have busy summers, but there is still time for camp! SH34 Wizarding World of Beasts (3-day) TR45 Tri Wizard (3-day) Leadership sessions enable trained Program Aides and Counselors In Training to further their skills leading girls and programs at camp. Program Aide should be completed during the Cadette years and then allows girls to register as a PA at Overnight Camp once they are entering 9th grade. CIT’s must complete a training their first year, and then continue their leadership with CIT 2 the second or third year after that. Our CIT 1 sessions are full at this time. SH09, SH20, SH30, SH46, SH58, SH67 PA SH11, SH21, SH32, SH48, SH59, SH69 CIT 2 Troop Camps are a fun for Seniors and Ambassadors to camp with their troop and leaders. At Troop Camps, meals, activities and lodging in camp cabins or tabins is included. At Troop Camp, you’ll experience sisterhood with other troops from around Colorado (and maybe beyond!) SH35 Sky High Troop Camp TC01, TC03, TC04, TC07 MMR Troop Camp TC044, TC074 MMR High Adventure Troop Camp TC05 Camp Jackson Troop Camp TC06 Western Slope Troop Camp Do you like to camp, and love the outdoors? Show off your skills! Reach for the Peak, is an annual outdoor skills competition that is 29 years strong. Do you and your troop have what it takes? Reach for the Peak is at Sky High Ranch on August 12-14. The Reach for the Peak Tickler gives troops a practice day of the skills before for the big event on June 4, 2016. Family Camps allow Seniors and Ambassadors and their parents to experience Girl Scout Camp together (maybe for one last time if they are graduating!). Create memories at camp together where you’ll have delicious camp food, sleep in camp cabins together, and get to do fun camp activities too. FC01 Lazy Acres Me and My Guy FC03 Tomahawk Ranch Me & My Family FC04 Tomahawk Ranch Me & My Guy Register now for Girl Scout Camp! Review camp sessions. Reserve a Girl Scouts of Colorado Property for your troop/group! Check out Travel Opportunities for Girl Scouts! Pay camp balances with CampInTouch, with a Cookie Credit Card or a Gift Card prior to April 30 to lock in Early Bird Pricing! #summercamp #overnightcamp #SkyHighRanch #oldergirls #familycamp #troopcamp #MeadowMountainRanch #TomahawkRanch #camp

Submitted by Annabella Armstrong Colorado Springs Pikes Peak In my first year selling cookies I learned quickly what the “no soliciting” sign meant. It meant a lot of people I couldn’t sell to, a lot of houses I had to walk away from. I sold everything door-to-door with my parents. No booths. I knew because of that I would have more competition, but I was up for the challenge! One day as the street lights were coming on and we were wrapping up sales for the day, I walked up to my last house. It had a sign – oh no. But then I read the sign, and it said, “No Soliciting, we are too broke to buy anything, we gave at the office, we love our vacuum cleaner and we know who we are voting for, seriously unless you are selling Thin Mints please leave…”  So I rang the doorbell. My mom was freaking out because she saw the sign but didn’t read it..when the old man answered the door, I smiled and said, “I have Thin Mints!” and he laughed. He bought five boxes and told my mom I did a good job reading the sign! I am very careful to look for those signs now! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #ColoradoSprings #PikesPeak #ThinMints