Multi Level Girl Scout Troop 36268 marched in the Fiesta Day Parade to help conclude the Colorado State Fair. Girl Scouts and their families passed out fliers and Girl Scout stickers to hundred of parade goers. The troop had so much fun and are looking forward to the amazing new membership year. #multileveltroop #Pueblo

During the Fall Product Program, GSCO will have a drawing to win the giant-sized, Emperor Penguin, Penny, our program mascot! Girls can qualify to enter the drawing in multiple ways and increase their chances to win Penny the Penguin! Below are the different ways to qualify for entering the drawing: Giant Penguin Drawing – Form open from Sept. 11 – Dec. 10 Girls who renew their membership by Sept. 30, 2021, and who participate in the Fall Product Program can get 1 drawing entry. Girls who sell 15+ magazine subscriptions can get 2 drawing entries. Girls who reach the level of $650+ in combined sales can get 3 drawing entries. Girls who create a video or voice recording for their M2 online storefront can get 4 drawing entries. Girls MUST complete the Penguin Contest form only once. Each criteria met could mean up to 10 total entries to the drawing! Girls do not need to meet each criterion to enter the drawing. *Combined sales can be any combination of online and/or in-person sales. How to Enter: Girls can check off the criteria they have met on the contest form. Criteria will be verified by GSCO staff. Each criterion that’s met could mean up to 10 total entries in the drawing! Contest Entry Deadline and Drawing: Girls must complete and submit form by the deadline: Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, 11:59pm. https://girlscoutsofcolorado.formstack.com/forms/2021_penguin_contest_entry_form Contest drawing will be on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. Note: We cannot ship the giant plush penguin. The winner will need to schedule to pick it up from the nearest GSCO office. Fun Facts About Our Mascot: Their aerodynamic bodies and strong flippers make them excellent swimmers, reaching speeds of 7.6 mph. They can dive deeper than any other bird – as deep as 565 m 1850 ft – and they can stay under water for more than 20 minutes. A social animal, they will walk up to 75 miles each year to reach their colonial nesting areas. Once an egg is laid, the male will care for the egg until hatched while the mother returns to the sea to hunt for food. This can last up to 2 months! As the young penguins grow, adults leave them in groups of chicks called crèches while they leave to fish. Considered a “near threatened” species due to disease, habitat destruction, and disturbance of breeding colonies by humans They can live 15-20 years in the wild To learn more about Emperor penguins, and the scientists and activists working to protect them, go to: https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/penguin Questions about the contest? Call Girl Scouts of Colorado customer care at 877-404-5708 or email inquiry@gscolorado.org #2021FallProductProgram #FallProductProgram

Penny, Pebbles, and Pip are the Emperor penguin mascots for the 2021 Fall Product Program! Girl Scouts can earn multiple entries into the drawing for the giant plush penguin, Penny, by meeting certain criteria. To learn more about the drawing, head to the article on the GSCO blog. The small and large plush penguins are two of the rewards for the 2021 Fall Product Program. Pip is earned at the $350 level, and Pebbles at $750. To see all 2021 Fall Product Program girl rewards, check out the order card posted on our website. Remember that all rewards are cumulative. Fun Facts About Emperor Penguins: Their aerodynamic bodies and strong flippers make them excellent swimmers, reaching speeds of 7.6 mph. They can dive deeper than any other bird – as deep as 565 m 1850 ft – and they can stay under water for more than 20 minutes. A social animal, they will walk up to 75 miles each year to reach their colonial nesting areas. Once an egg is laid, the male will care for the egg until hatched while the mother returns to the sea to hunt for food. This can last up to 2 months! As the young penguins grow, adults leave them in groups of chicks called crèches while they leave to fish. There are approximately 595,000 adult Emperor penguins in Antarctica. It’s the only animal to inhabit the open ice of Antarctica during the winter. They face wind chills as cold as -76oF and blizzards of 124mph! Four layers of scale-like feather protect them from icy winds and provide a waterproof coat. Colonies of adults and chicks work together to huddle for warmth. 5,000 or more tightly packed adults and chicks shuffle around, so each takes a turn – but not too long – on the outside of the huddle where it’s cold! To learn more about Emperor penguins, the scientists who study them and the activists working to protect them, visit the websites below: https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/penguin https://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ref=us-fish-and-wildlife-service-proposes-to-list-the-emperor-penguin-as-&_ID=36967 https://friendofthesea.org/marine-conservation-projects-and-awareness/save-the-penguins/ If you have questions about Fall Product Program or need assistance, please contact GSCO customer care. Call 1- 877-404-5708 or email inquiry@gscolorado.org. #2021FallProductProgram #FallProductProgram

The Fall Product Program kicks off this Saturday, Sept. 11 and the magazine contest is back by popular demand! *The first 50 girls who sell 15 or more magazine subscriptions and complete the magazine contest form, will receive an awesome S’mores tote with a mystery reward inside! Magazine subscriptions are purchased through a Girl Scouts’ online storefront in M2. There are lots of popular titles to choose from for sports enthusiasts, foodies, fashionistas, green thumbs, crafters, news hounds and nature lovers! Magazines make great gifts for family and friends to enjoy, plus there are no shipping fees. Troops also earn 13% of subscription costs as proceeds. Bonus – Girls who sell 15+ magazine subscriptions will not only qualify to receive  a S’mores Caddy with a mystery reward inside, but they will also qualify for two entries into the drawing for the giant plush penguin contest too! For more information about the penguin contest, read the article on the GSCO blog. http://gscoblog.org/ The contest form opens Saturday, Sept. 11. As soon as a girl has sold 15 or more magazine subscriptions, she should complete the form to qualify to receive the S’mores tote with a mystery reward inside. *The first 50 girls to qualify will be based on the date that the contest form is submitted, and the verified number of magazine subscriptions sold. Magazines Contest Form Note: S’mores totes will need to be picked up from the nearest GSCO office. Questions? Call Girl Scouts of Colorado customer care at 877-404-5708 or email inquiry@gscolorado.org #2021FallProductProgram #FallProductProgram

The Girl Scout Multicultural Community Celebration patch was designed to celebrate the countless contributions that diverse communities have made and continue to make in the United States. Girl Scouts of all levels and their leaders have plenty of activities to choose from to earn each segment of this fun patch. We encourage girls from all ethnic backgrounds to participate, they are sure to learn interesting new things. The first segment to be released is the Girl Scout Hispanic Heritage Celebration patch in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15). It is designed for Girl Scouts of all levels and their leaders, to celebrate the cultural richness of all people in the U.S. whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Patches can be purchased through the Girl Scout shop. Requirements for the Hispanic Heritage Celebration patch can be found on the GSCO website. Other segments to be released this year include: Native American Heritage Black History Asian American Pacific Islander Month LGBTQ+ Pride Month We would love to hear how you celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! Share your story on the blog or tag us on social media.

Submitted by Karen Grealy Multilevel Troop 67744 from Parker earned their Shapes in Nature badges. They tallied shapes and objects found in nature with an outdoor scavenger hunt. After charting their results, they realized they found a lot of bushes around our meeting space. They also learned about patterns and tessellation. For an activity, they each made a quilting square and combined them into a troop “blanket”. #Denvermetro #GirlScout

Teen Girl Scouts on the Western Slope recently had a chance to earn their Think Like a Citizen Scientist Journey during a field research event featuring Colorado’s cutest mammal, the Pika. Led by Pika biologist Johanna Varner, robotics engineer Sarah Wilson, and environmental educator Sarah Johnson, girls collected data and gained field experience while documenting pika presence and land cover characteristics in Western Colorado. The two-day experience began with a Friday evening classroom training at Colorado Mesa University, followed by a Saturday field excursion to Grand Mesa National Forest, where the Girl Scouts helped collect data for the Colorado Pika Project and the GLOBE Observer program. These young women received first-hand experience of what it’s really like to be a scientist, while engaging with three female trailblazers in STEM. If you’ve got Pika FOMO, don’t worry! Varner, Wilson, and Johnson are also developing an online training module so that Girl Scouts across the state can participate in these activities. The online module will be available via Girl Scouts of Colorado’s “GSCO On the Go” virtual asynchronous programming. Watch for an announcement when these materials become available in time for exploring outdoors and observing pikas during the 2022 summer months. This IF/THEN® She Can Change The World Project was made possible with the support of Lyda Hill Philanthropies as part of the AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors Program.

During the Fall Product program, Girl Scouts create their own online storefront through the M2 platform – or they can share an order card with family and friends – and sell nuts, candies and magazines. Girls learn to set goals and market their business, earning rewards and Cookie Credits. Troops earn $1.05 per nut and candy item sold, and 13% of magazine sales. Troop proceeds can be used to offset the cost of troop outings, camp outs or other activities, community service or take action projects, or troop supplies and badges. We asked Girl Scouts participating in last year’s Fall Product Program what they liked about it and to share their pro tips for success. Here’s what they had to say: Do you like creating an avatar that looks like you? I love creating an avatar that looks like me! I also like recording a message. — Clemmer, Highlands Ranch What tips for success would you share with girls who are participating for the first time? Design your avatar so that it looks like you and reflects your personality. Also, be sure to record your message; it’s really cool to watch your avatar say it. And make sure you know all about your products. And, always, always, always have fun with it. — McKenzie, Grand Junction You should always load a video and ask ALL your friends and family.  — Clemmer, Highlands Ranch Send the website (link) to your friends and family early in the season, so you give them plenty of time to get back to you. — Bianca, Denver What has your troop done with Fall Product Program troop proceeds that you’ve earned? We use our funds all year-round for activities and camp, but this year, we are saving for a trip to Utah next summer to visit national parks. — Leah, Littleton We did a carnival for kids experiencing homelessness with cookie and fall product money [last year]. It was lots of fun. We are [also] saving up to go on a fun camping trip once COVID is over and the money helps buy all the badges we earn! — Ada, Grand Junction What’s the coolest reward that you have earned? Cookie Credits to put toward my troop’s trip [abroad]. I also loved earning the S’mores Club sweatshirt [2019] and I’m going to work hard to earn the customized Converse shoes this year [2020]. — McKenzie, Grand Junction The Fall Product and Girl Scout Cookie programs are part of the foundation of entrepreneurial experience in Girl Scouts. Both programs provide opportunities for girls to learn business skills in a supportive environment. Why is entrepreneurship important for girls? Developing an entrepreneurial mindset fosters girl’s imagination to figure out new, innovative ways to solve problems, evolve ideas and methods and face challenges with creativity and resilience. Explore the new entrepreneurship badges for Girl Scouts of all ages! Go to the GSUSA badge explorer and select “Entrepreneurship” under topics. Check out the Entrepreneurship Progression Chart too! For more information, go to the Fall Product Program page on the GSCO website or contact GSCO customer care at 1-877-404-5708 or inquiry@gscolorado.org. #2021FallProductProgram #FallProductProgram

Participating in the program is a safe, easy, and fun way for troops to earn proceeds for future Girl Scout adventures – 13% of magazine orders and $1.05/item for nut and chocolate items sold. Girl Scouts build their entrepreneurial business skills by running their own business! Funds from Fall Product Program can help you take those plans to the next level and give back to your community in an even more meaningful way. Girls earn rewards and Cookie Credits based on their participation in the Fall Product Program. Click here to see girl rewards! Important 2021 Fall Product Program Dates September 11 – Fall Product Program begins. October 10 – In-person sales end. Last day for paper order card/Nut Promise orders. October 13 – Online, girl delivery orders close. Online orders of shipped nuts candy and magazines continue. October 25 – Fall Product Program ends. Online storefronts close. All materials for Fall Product Program are shipped directly to service unit fall product program managers (SUFPM) and then distributed to troops. SUFPMs will coordinate distribution of program materials to troops and Juliettes. Volunteers and families can also download or print Fall Product Program materials from the Fall Product Program Resources page on the GSCO website. For troop fall product managers and Girl Scout families, training will be available online after Labor Day. For more information, go to the Fall Product Program page on the GSCO website or contact GSCO customer care at 1-877-404-5708 or inquiry@gscolorado.org. #2021FallProductProgram #FallProductProgram

Submitted by Wendy Theys Troop # 26237 in Pagosa Springs is happy to go horseback riding, have a family campfire, and earn their Robotics badge at the Science Museum before they head off to a busy school year!

Girl Scouts of Colorado announces Mental Wellness Initiative – Sisterhood of Support! Our nation is in the middle of a youth mental health crisis and girls are at its epicenter.  Half of all mental health conditions start by age 14, but most go undiagnosed and untreated. At Girl Scouts of Colorado, we are deeply concerned about the mental well-being of our Girl Scouts and the mental health issues, such as anxiety, they are experiencing. We’ve heard loud and clear from Girl Scouts that they want tools and support to help them take the lead for their own mental wellness, as well as that of their peers and community. To provide this, we have partnered with experts in the field to bring the Sisterhood of Support, a new mental wellness initiative to Colorado. In Girl Scouts we finish the Girl Scout Law by stating “be a sister to every Girl Scout”, affirming that we are here to support each other through the good and bad in life- just like a sister would. Our Sisterhood of Support initiative is a support system for Girl Scouts, leaders, and broader Girl Scout family to learn how to take care of themselves and how to look out for their friends. What’s to come in 2021 – 2022 Girl Scout Support Sisterhood of Support patch program: Through lessons developed by GSCO and our partners,  Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors will learn the skills, tools, and knowledge to support themselves and their peers. Rainbow of Feelings: Girl Scout Brownies and Juniors learn about our their feelings and why it is OK to have a rainbow of feelings. Make Kindness the Norm patch program: Developed by Random Acts of Kindness, Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors explore the power of kindness and how both receiving it and sharing it with others can truly change the world, one kind act at a time. Sisterhood Retreat: In spring 2022, a weekend retreat at our Tomahawk Ranch resident camp property for Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors and one of their friends  (can be a Girl Scout or not) to get some hands-on experience with meditation, mindfulness, self-care, outdoor exercise, and other techniques to build their knowledge around being a mental health ally. Mastering Meditation through Virtual Reality: Cadette, Seniors, and Ambassadors will get some hands-on experience with a variety of meditation practices through virtual reality. Tapping the expertise of NMHIC, the girls will take part in  guided  meditation  using VR headsets that takes relaxation to high-tech levels with the immersive experience of virtual reality. Leader Support Mindfulness in Troops: At the Leadership Summit on September 18, Mindfulness & Positivity Project will deliver a keynote address on the importance of mindfulness in youth, then have a workshop to discover how to bring mindfulness into troop meetings.  (Register now for Leadership Summit in gsLearn) Feelings 101: In partnership with NMHIC, this training  will  help our adults understand the complexity of feelings that we as humans experience.  Simple tools will be provided to help identify and label those feelings to be able to know  how to work through them with their Girl Scouts. Caregiver Support Mindfulness & Positivity Project Program: This six-week program will give caregivers a deep dive on the science behind mindfulness then explore the knowledge, tools, and skills to support the youth in their life with their mental well-being. We would like to take a moment to thank and introduce our partner organizations who are supporting Colorado Girl Scouts through their expertise in mental wellness. National Mental Health Innovation Center Random Acts of Kindness Mindfulness & Positivity Project #mentalhealth #sisterhoodofsupport

Join Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and take part in a Journey in a Day on Saturday, September 18! The planned activities will help you work toward fulfilling the requirements for the Think Like A Citizen Scientist Journey and you will take away great ideas for your Take Action project. Learn all about birds, biodiversity and what makes a healthy ecosystem! Also learn how you can contribute meaningful data to science by observing the natural world around you! The formal program will run from 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. but you are welcome to arrive early or stay late and enjoy Barr Lake State Park. We will break for lunch on your own (we’ll provide the space, you provide the lunch) from 12-12:45 p.m. and reconvene at 1 p.m. Be sure to bring water bottles, hats, sunscreen, insect repellant, and anything else you need to be comfortable in the outdoors all day. Please note a $9 daily entry or an annual Colorado State Park Pass will be required for entry into the park, please bring a check or exact cash if you need to purchase a daily pass. This event is for Girl Scout Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors. We will send out final details three days before the event with parking and driving directions but feel free to reach out if you have any questions prior to that. Please complete the GSCO Covid prescreen for each participant prior to arrival If you have questions about the event, please reach out to Sherry Nickolaus at sherry.nickolaus@birdconservancy.org or call (303)659-4348 ext. 11 https://birdconservancy.doubleknot.com/event/girl-scout-journey-in-a-day-think-like-a-citizen-scientist/2847596 #Denvermetro #GirlScouts #GSCOevents #Journey