Girl Scout Troop 46311 used half of their Fall products money to shop and purchase gifts for kids on our local Walmart’s Angel Tree. They all have such big and generous hearts.

The Woods Service Unit is hosting 2 Journey in a Day Events on Saturday, December 18th from 8:30 am-12:30 pm. Daisy Scouts will learn what it means “Think Like an Engineer” my.cheddarup.com/c/daisy-fun-day-2021 While Brownie Scouts will explore the “It’s Our Planet, Love it!” journey. Join us for creative fun, songs, and fellowship with other Girl Scouts!

DEI Updates: Week of 12.06.21 Watch: Welcoming Transgender Girls into Girl Scouts by Sean Miller Girl Scouts of North East Ohio organized a training by Sean Miller who’s a Girl Scout herself and the presentation educates staff and volunteers on welcoming transgender youth into Girl Scouts. Please watch this incredible 20-minute training to learn how you can be a better ally to LGBTQ+ youth. Check out the Language Justice Toolkit The Language Justice Tool was developed based on requests from people on needing a resource for inclusive language. This toolkit is here as an educational resource to help people understand which groups are harmed when we use coded words or exclusionary terms in everyday communication and alternatives that do not target marginalized communities. This is a living and growing document so reach out with any feedback. Upcoming: Monthly Equity Talks This virtual series brings together Colorado community activists, thinkers, and disrupters to share what they are doing or what their organizations are doing to fight for equity and justice. The series is organized by the DEI Committee. Each session takes place in the format of 45-minute presentations or conversations that are open to volunteers, members, families and staff. January Topic: Environmental Justice and Outdoor Education by Sam Gilmore (She/Her), Education Coordinator at Environmental Learning for Kids. Sign up here. If you have speaker recommendations, please reach out. Current: Belong & Inclusion Survey The Belonging & Inclusion Survey for members and volunteers is still open until January 10th. The goal of this anonymous survey is to understand what members and volunteers want GSCO to implement to create a safe and welcoming experience for all Girl Scouts. You can support by circulating the survey or encouraging members/volunteers to complete it. Call to Action Disability 101 December 3rd was International Day for People with Disabilities. Learn how you can be a better ally by taking this free, virtual, and self-paced introductory course that focuses on disability inclusion. The modules discuss defining disability, the disability rights movement, stereotypes and societal barriers, identity language, and strategies for being an ally. It takes less than an hour to complete. Click here to start. Upcoming Opportunities Facing Hate: Antisemitism, Race, and White Supremacy Wednesday, December 8 from 5-6pm MT. Description: Understanding how concepts of race intersect with antisemitism is a critical task as we work to uproot white supremacy and racism from our schools. Participants will: Explore the history between ideas of “race” and anti-Judaic ideologies; Unpack the ways that antisemitism connects to contemporary discussions of race; Consider how educators can integrate discussions of antisemitism into their anti-racism work. The session recording will be sent out to registered participants. Historically Speaking: Black Reconstruction Wednesday, December 8 from 5pm-6pm MST. Join the National Museum of African American History & Culture for a virtual conversation with prominent historians: Eric Foner, Henry Louis Gates and Kevin Young. This webinar will focus on the impact of Reconstruction on America’s post-Civil War Black community. Sign up here. Health Equity Learning Series: An Evening with Isabel Wilkerson Tuesday, December 14 from 6pm-7pm MST. As part of its Health Equity Learning Series and in partnership with Tattered Cover Book Store, The Colorado Trust is pleased to invite you to attend a virtual discussion with Isabel Wilkerson, taking place Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021 from 6-7 p.m. MST. Isabel Wilkerson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Humanities Medal, is the author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestsellers The Warmth of Other Suns and Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. “Wilkerson’s work,” in the words of The American Prospect magazine, “is the missing puzzle piece of our country’s history.” Sign up here to attend. Advance registration is required, and space is strictly limited. Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available. Please note that this event will not be recorded. LGBTQ 102 Tickets, Wed, Dec 15, 2021 at 5:00 PM | Eventbrite Inside Out Youth Services is offering a virtual LGBTQ 102 training. Click the link above to sign up (the registration fee is donation based). PFLAG Connects: Black/African-American Community Meeting Tuesday, December 14 at 7pm MST. This is a 90-minute meeting to provide and receive support, specifically for Black/African-American community members. Note that these meetings are geared towards parents and family members of LGBTQ+ people from the Black/African-American community, though members of the LGBTQ+ community who identify as Black/African-American are welcome to join. Sign up here. 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Hollaback is offering daily Stand Up Bystander intervention trainings as part of the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (November 25 – December 10). This is a worldwide campaign to raise awareness about the importance of ending violence and harassment against women. Sign up for a training session here. USA Girl Scouts Overseas: Holidays Around the World Saturday, December 18 from 5am-6:30am MST. Join USAGSO for a global celebration of winter holidays! Girl Scouts from all across the world will gather around the virtual fireplace to share a cup of cocoa and festive snack, make a winter craft, and sing a few songs, all while learning about traditions from holidays such as Lunar New Year, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Las Posadas, and Ōmisoka. This event is open to all program grade levels (Girl Scout Daisies through Ambassadors) and adult volunteers. Sign up here. RaceTalk among White Families Post-Floyd. Now What? Thursday, December 16 at 6:30pm MST. Description: Join EmbraceRace for a conversation with two guests who discuss how to talk about race with young children after the murder of George Floyd. Click hereto reserve your spot. Once you register, you’ll receive a link to the recording, the transcript, and relevant resources in the days following the live event. Participants are encouraged to share this opportunity with their networks to spread the word. Community Healing: Practicing Skillful Speaking & Listening Tickets, Wed, Dec 15, 2021 at 12:00 PM | Eventbrite Wednesday, December 15 at 10am MST. Join Anu Gupta, the founder of BE MORE with Anu, for a candid, lunch-and-learn-style conversation on how building skillful communication can help you play a more powerful role in advancing racial equity. We’ll share and model tools that support our development as speakers and listeners inside and outside of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) spaces. We’ll also examine and troubleshoot barriers that might be coming up for folks practicing empathetic speaking and listening. In this session, we will build a safe and shame-free discussion container to openly discuss: Racial trauma and healing Tools that allow for communication rooted in empathy How skillful communication ladders up to support building and maintaining equitable communities

Calling all environmental explorers! Girl Scout groups are invited to book a program or service project opportunity with Sand Creek Regional Greenway. Explore the wilderness in the city by going on an adventure to the local Sand Creek Greenway that runs through Aurora, Denver, and Commerce City! The Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership’s education program offers a variety of fun and engaging youth centered programs that allow participants to explore local green spaces and learn about the flora and fauna who call these areas home. Girl Scouts can earn badges by participating in activities such as going on a bug hunt, collecting and learning about aquatic macroinvertebrates, soil testing, creating nature art, learning outdoor survival skills, and much more! Programming can be tailored to fit badge requirements and/or the needs of any group. Program cost is $5 per participant per program. To inquire about programming or to schedule a program contact Elena Smith at esmith@sandcreekgreenway.org.

Is your troop planning a trip in the near or distant future? Local? Day Trips? Overnight? Toni Rath is a Girl Scout volunteer with lots of travel planning experience and is ready to pass her tips and tricks for developing itineraries that will create memories to last a lifetime. Troop travel helps girls to build their planning skills, cultivates confidence, and teaches them to overcome challenges and practice collaboration. Join us as Toni walks us through the trip planning process and what it takes to be a successful travel advisor. Transportation, hotels, cruises, day trips, and more – all a part of Toni’s days. She’ll cover two steps of the Traveler badge for Senior Girl Scouts and go over a few steps of the cookie badges as well! Register here for Inspiring Futures – Travel Advisor – Outdoor on January 12 from 5-5:45 p.m. Find recorded sessions on our GSCO Inspiring Futures YouTube Channel.

Upcoming: Monthly Equity Talks This virtual series brings together Colorado community activists, thinkers, and disrupters to share what they are doing or what their organizations are doing to fight for equity and justice. The series is organized by the DEI Committee. Each session takes place in the format of 45-minute presentations or conversations that are open to volunteers, members, families and staff. January Topic: Environmental Justice and Outdoor Education by Sam Gilmore (She/Her), Education Coordinator at Environmental Learning for Kids. Sign up here. Current: Belong & Inclusion Survey The Belonging & Inclusion Surveyfor members and volunteers is still open until January 10th. The goal of this anonymous survey is to understand what members and volunteers want GSCO to implement to create a safe and welcoming experience for all Girl Scouts. You can support by circulating the survey or encouraging members/volunteers to complete it. DEI Office Hours Sign up for DEI Office Hours if you’d like to meet our DEI Engagement Director, share ideas or experiences related to diversity, equity & inclusion. Call to Action As part of Native American Heritage Month: Check out these 5 Native-led podcasts and continuing learning about Indigenous communities all year.5 Native-Led Podcasts for Media Literacy (facinghistory.org) Check out these children’s books that center Indigenous narratives. American Indians in Children’s Literature (AICL) (americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com) Watch PFLAG National’s discussion on the State Department’s first gender-neutral US passport. Click hereto tune in. Upcoming Opportunities I Love Me! Nurturing Positive Self-Identity in Young BIPOC Children Tuesday, November 30that 6:30pm MST. Join EmbraceRace for a free webinar on parents, family members, and adult figures can best support the development of positive self-identity in young Black, Indigenous, and all children of color. The webinar will offer everyday actions you can take, routine conversations to have to help BIPOC children learn to love all parts of themselves and engage the world as brave, strong, and resilient people who are confident in their racial identities. Watch the recording here. Facing Hate: Antisemitism, Race, and White Supremacy Wednesday, December 8 from 5-6pm MT. Description: Understanding how concepts of race intersect with antisemitism is a critical task as we work to uproot white supremacy and racism from our schools. Participants will: Explore the history between ideas of “race” and anti-Judaic ideologies; Unpack the ways that antisemitism connects to contemporary discussions of race; Consider how educators can integrate discussions of antisemitism into their anti-racism work. United Way: Courageous Conversations: Equitable Access to Healthcare Tuesday, December 7 from 12pm-1:15pm MST. Join United Way for a virtual learning session on the inequities within our healthcare system. The session will focus on understanding how poverty, racism, and access to quality healthcare impact health outcomes and quality of life for communities of color. Sign up here. Note: If you register for this event but cannot attend, please cancel your register with United Way so they can plan accordingly. Historically Speaking: Black Reconstruction Wednesday, December 8 from 5pm-6pm MST. Join the National Museum of African American History & Culture for a virtual conversation with prominent historians: Eric Foner, Henry Louis Gates and Kevin Young. This webinar will focus on the impact of Reconstruction on America’s post-Civil War Black community. Sign up here. 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Hollaback is offering daily Stand Up Bystander intervention trainings as part of the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (November 25 – December 10). This is a worldwide campaign to raise awareness about the importance of ending violence and harassment against women. Sign up for a training session here. USA Girl Scouts Overseas: Holidays Around the World Saturday, December 18 from 5am-6:30am MST. Join USAGSO for a global celebration of winter holidays! Girl Scouts from all across the world will gather around the virtual fireplace to share a cup of cocoa and festive snack, make a winter craft, and sing a few songs, all while learning about traditions from holidays such as Lunar New Year, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Las Posadas, and Ōmisoka. This event is open to all program grade levels (Girl Scout Daisies through Ambassadors) and adult volunteers. Sign up here.

Launching January 2022, Inspiring Futures is a new virtual series that features in-depth and interactive sessions with motivating women from a wide variety of occupations. Each of the guests will represent one of the Four Pillars in Girl Scouting – STEM, Outdoor, Life Skills, Entrepreneurship. And…there’s a patch for that! Some guests will also be able to cover badge steps in their presentation and discussion with Girl Scouts – so be on the lookout for speakers that can help the girls with badges and also inspire them. The patch and rockers will be available in the GSCO shop. Check our GSCO events calendars for Inspiring Futures events happening soon! Find recorded sessions on our GSCO Inspiring Futures YouTube Channel.

In this kickoff to our Inspiring Futures Webinar Series, presented by College Invest, we will talk with Kelsey Schultz, Career Education Manager at Colorado State University. Career coaching is a tool which can be very effective in allowing students to realize their true potential and find work that aligns with their natural curiosities and predispositions. She works with college students daily, so let her show you what she knows so you can get a jumpstart before you enter college! Kelsey will also share what it’s like to work in higher education, then give us a snapshot of what it’s like to be a career coach, working with college students regarding career exploration! She will also share with us some career myths, possibility modeling, and some confidence-boosting as it relates to personal storytelling. As Kelsey is sure to spark some curiosity about possible futures, Girl Scouts will have some time to ask specific questions about certain career paths! This Inspiring Futures event will be recorded with permission from our presenter. You can register here. Only register if you can attend the live session. All sessions will be recorded and available for on-demand viewing through our GCSO Inspiring Futures YouTube Channel. Make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel and blog so you are the first to know when new sessions are announced! This event will be held on Zoom. Meeting information will be available after registration.

BUILD IT & RACE IT! WHEN: January 23rd, 2022 Check in starts at 10:00AM- Race starts at 11:00AM WHERE: Buffalo Park in Castle Rock WHO: Girl Scouts- Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors Participation is $10 per girl (includes patch) and all entries must be registered. NO RACE DAY REGISTRATION Girl Scouts & Leaders: This is a great way to earn a combination of badges from Fair Play to Automotive Design to Mechanical Engineering. Girls will have a blast designing and building a sled together. Then come together on January 23rd to race and have fun sledding! To Register: https://girl-scouts-duct-tape-derby.cheddarup.com Learn more about the event and team rules here: https://www.facebook.com/events/994474994617701/?sfnsn=mo

The Cadette Girl Scout troop 70455 are heading to Europe in 2023 and they want YOU to join! They have many great ideas for generating money for the trip, some by EF Tours and some by us, that will be educational, fun and fund producing. The excitement to see International Girl Scouts and meet new Scout Sisters, is an experience you do not to be miss. You will receive a $200 discount if you sign up before the end of 2021. This trip is open to all Girl Scouts of Colorado. Sign up to join Online: www.eftours.com/2451660HB Phone: 800-665-5364 Christine Guy, Cadette leader 70455 Estes Park,  Colorado Shutterbug1970@hotmail.com

Troop 55316 sponsored a food drive at Breckenridge Elementary. At our meeting this week, we delivered all the donations to the FIRC Community Market. The girls then spent there stocking shelves, bagging produce, and making meal kits. Such a fun way to spend the afternoon and give back to our community we love!

Since your brain will be on break from school, let’s use some of that brain power to innovate! This past summer we partnered up with Arrow Electronics to provide an in-depth program to walk Girl Scouts through the process of taking their passion to change the world and transforming it into innovative solutions to have an impact on their communities near and far. This program is now available on demand for Girl Scouts across Colorado! To gain access to this program, complete this form and receive instructions in the confirmation email. Make sure you save your idea and prototypes as late this spring will host an Innovation Fair with Girl Scouts across the state showcasing their ideas and competing for some amazing prizes. Start working on your innovation now to be ready! Questions? Contact us at inquiry@gscolorado.org.