Are you excited to bring the “Becoming Me” program to your Girl Scouts? So are we! Here at Girl Scouts of Colorado, we have several options for your Girl Scouts to access this program. Option One: Facilitate the program for your Girl Scout(s) There is now a course available in the content library on gsLearn titled “512 Becoming Me Program Resources.”  This is a short 10-15 minute course that will give you an overview of the program and the resources available to you as a volunteer to facilitate this with your Girl Scouts. Screenshot of course in gsLearn: Option Two: Collaborate as a service unit and host an event for your area The “Becoming Me” program guides are available for Daisy through Ambassador with a guide specifically for multi-level. This six-eight week program can easily be adapted for a full-day or overnight event. This is also a GREAT opportunity for Program Aides to complete their internship hours or gain experience as a Program Aide. Option Three: GSCO’s Program for Brownies and Juniors In this hybrid program opportunity, Girl Scout Brownies and Juniors will have the opportunity to earn three badges as they participate in activities inspired by the former First Lady Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers. They will discuss and explore who they are and what they want to become. We will have four live sessions, which will be recorded, as well as activities to complete in between on their own time. These activities will be hosted through a Google Classroom site that Girl Scouts will have access to after the kick-off session. Live (Recorded) Sessions: Kick Off Event: Thursday, June 11 from 4:30 – 5 p.m. Outdoor Activity Night: Wednesday, June 30 from 4:30 – 5 p.m. Support Each Other Activity Night: Tuesday, July 20 from              4:30-5 p.m. “Becoming Me” Reflection Event: Thursday, August 5, 4:30 – 5 p.m. Register for this event here: https://gscolorado.formstack.com/forms/becoming_me_program_virtual_2021 Have specific questions about the program? Email inquiry@gscolorado.org. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #BecomingMeprogram #VolunteerNews #gsLearn #BecomingMe #MichelleObama

Submitted by Jessica Spangler Metro Denver Denver Daisies Elizabeth and Summer Ella with multi-level Troop 65659 completed the Daisy Automotive Design badge. They both chose to design campers.  Summer Ella’s camper will take you to the bottom of the ocean, “fast.” To entertain yourself on the way, you will have iPads and a climbing wall. Elizabeth’s camper will take you to an island, so you can find treasure. It has wings to get you over the ocean. Summer’s sister, Junior Kennedy, helped with the badge. She designed a mobile library. It has a flashing light that can take you to the past and future. It also has a sunroof that functions as a terrarium for frogs and insects. The girls really enjoyed learning about parts of vehicles and becoming designers. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #Daisybadge #Daisy #STEM #GirlScoutDaisy #Denver #Daisies #GirlScoutDaisies #badge #MetroDenver #DaisyAutomotiveDesignbadge

Troop Overnights as of May 15, 2021 Once a county is in its final stages of reopening level clear/no restrictions, Girl Scout troops may participate in activities that include an overnight stay. Both the county of origin and the county where the overnight occurs should be in the clear stage. Because COVID-19 is still present in our communities, troops are advised to take the necessary precautions, including mask-wearing, social distancing, limiting group size, and frequent hand washing. View the full list of guidance for overnights here. Troops or service units wanting to host a “camp” must meet the guidance from the state for overnight resident camps. If you have questions, reach out to your volunteer support specialist. Don’t know who your volunteer support specialist is? Call 877-404-5708 or email inquiry@gscolorado.org. GSCO currently has property reservations on hold and is going through existing property reservations to determine which might meet the current guidance. We will reach out to those groups individually. As vaccinations become available for children ages 12 and older, we continue to work with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to determine if being fully vaccinated will affect recommended precautions. For more info see our COVID page. #COVID #COVID19 #COVID19coronaviruspandemic #VolunteerNews

Submitted by Madeline Paige Northern & Northeastern CO Fort Collins Madeline and Ellie from Troop 77002 delivered the troop’s Hometown Hero Girl Scout Cookies to Larimer County Foster Services on May 17, 2021. The troop selected foster care children and their families to receive donated cookies this year to brighten their days. Their troop crest is the sun and they have really embraced it this year! The troop also set aside some cookies for the staff at Collinwood Assisted Living. Girl Scouts will deliver these cookies soon along with more than a hundred homemade cards and individually wrapped Eileen’s Cookies for the residents. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #LarimerCounty #fostercare #NorthernampNortheasternCO #LarimerCountyFosterCareFamilies #2021GirlScoutCookieProgram #cookies #GirlScoutCookies #GirlScoutCookieProgram #FortCollins

We have some exciting news to share regarding the Girl Scouts of Colorado Retail Shop! Under new regulations from Denver County, retail stores can now be at 100% capacity! Starting Thursday, May 20, 2021, shop hours will be: Tuesday – Friday 10 a.m. – noon (By appointment only) 1 – 5 p.m.  (Walk-ins allowed) Saturday 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. (Walk-ins allowed) Keeping in mind that some of our members and customers are high risk and prefer limited social interaction, appointment-only shopping will remain on weekday morning hours. No contact pick-up will also continue, as well as priority shipping. The Sky High Ranch trading post will also be open this summer. Don’t forget, Cookie Credits can be used for purchases in-store or over the phone. Use this link to make an appointment: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4faea722a4fec25-gsco If you have any questions/concerns, contact the shop directly at retail@gscolorado.org or (303) 607-4880. #GSCORetailShop #shop #VolunteerNews

Join Girl Scouts of Colorado for our last Meet an Expert happening in Spring 2021! On Tuesday, May 25, we will talk with Jen Friedberg, a prosecutor in the Special Victims Unit at the Fourth Judicial District Office of the District Attorney (El Paso County). Before Jen became a lawyer, she was a photojournalist and multimedia producer for 12 years. She will talk about her education, switching jobs, and how to find a fulfilling career. After a short presentation, Girl Scouts will have an opportunity to ask Jen questions live through the chat box. Register here by May 24: https://gscolorado.formstack.com/forms/meet_an_expert_prosecutor_webinar_05_25_2021 When registering you are telling us you will be logging in LIVE! Our expert will prepare based on registration numbers, so please make sure you log in on time. This program will be recorded and posted to GSCO’s YouTube channel. If you are interested in participating, please join us live! We will use Zoom to host this program. All information on how to join online or via phone will be emailed to registrants the day before the program. Each individual participant should be registered so we can track participation. Please do not share the information on how to join with others who have not registered. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #ElPasoCounty #GirlScoutingatHome #GSCOevents #GirlScoutsatHome #Meetanexpert #webinar #prosecutor #MeetanexpertWebinarSeries #PikesPeak

Thank you to everyone who joined Girl Scouts of Colorado on Sunday, May 16 for the 2021 Highest Awards Virtual Celebrations!  Missed the celebrations? That’s okay. You can watch the recordings now on the GSCO Facebook page or YouTube channel. Facebook Links Bronze Award Celebration Silver Award Celebration Gold Award Celebration YouTube Links Bronze Award Celebration Silver Award Celebration Gold Award Celebration Whether you joined us live or are watching the recordings at a later date, we encourage troops and families to make these events feel special for their Highest Awards Girl Scouts in any way possible! Dress up, have your girl wear her Girl Scout vest/sash, decorate your home, or maybe bake something special. Also, be sure to share congratulations for your troop and help our Highest Awards Girl Scouts feel even more proud of their huge accomplishments. You can also use these Highest Awards social media graphics or share photos and videos from your celebration with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Twitter and Instagram users should also use #GSColo. Honor Your Highest Awards Girl Scout Honor your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award Girl Scout by making a gift to Girl Scouts of Colorado to help us continue to support older girls who are making the world a better place! Make your donation here: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/support-us/donate.html Questions? Email highestawards@gscolorado.org. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #2021VirtualHighestAwardsCelebrations #GoldAward #HighestAwards #SilverAward #GoldAwardGirlScout #BronzeAwardGirlScouts #GirlScoutBronzeAward #GirlScoutSilverAward #VirtualHighestAwardsCelebrations #SilverAwardGirlScouts #HighestAwardscelebration #GirlScoutGoldAward #BronzeAward #TakeAction #BronzeAwardGirlScout #HighestAwardscelebrations

Join Girl Scouts of Colorado on Sunday, May 16 for the 2021 Highest Awards Virtual Celebrations! You do NOT need to RSVP or have a link to attend these virtual celebrations. You can watch the live premieres on our Facebook page. You can get a notification that the event is starting, by clicking the “Get Reminder” button on the bottom right of the video premiere post. Aren’t on Facebook? That’s okay. Watch on our YouTube channel using these links: Bronze Award Celebration at 1 p.m. Silver Award Celebration at 2 p.m. Gold Award Celebration at 3 p.m. Please note that these links will not work until the celebration starts. If you log on early, you may need to refresh your screen at the start time. We encourage troops and families to make these events feel special for their Highest Awards Girl Scouts in any way possible! Dress up, have your girl wear her Girl Scout vest/sash, decorate your home, or maybe bake something special. Also, be sure to share congratulations for your troop and help our Highest Awards Girl Scouts feel even more proud of their huge accomplishments. You can also use these Highest Awards social media graphics or share photos and videos from your celebration with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Twitter and Instagram users should also use #GSColo. Please share this information with all the girls in your troop who earned their award, and their families. We encourage all Bronze and Silver Award Girl Scouts to also attend the Gold Award celebration at 3 p.m. to hear about all of the amazing things Girl Scouts in Colorado did this past year. Win a Prize This year, there is a scavenger hunt for girls during the virtual celebrations! The scavenger hunt sheet is available to download now on our Highest Awards webpage. To enter in the drawing to win a prize from the GSCO Retail Shop, submit your scavenger hunt sheet to highestawards@gscolorado.org by 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 16! To find all of the scavenger hunt items, girls will need to watch either the Bronze or Silver Award celebration AND the Gold Award celebration. Girls do not need to watch both the Bronze and Silver celebrations for the scavenger hunt, the items from those celebrations will be the same. Honor Your Highest Awards Girl Scout Honor your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award Girl Scout by making a gift to Girl Scouts of Colorado to help us continue to support older girls who are making the world a better place! Make your donation here: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/support-us/donate.html Questions? Email highestawards@gscolorado.org. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #GoldAward #HighestAwards #HighestAwardsVirtualCelebrations #SilverAward #GoldAwardGirlScouts #2021HighestAwardsCelebrations #GirlScoutBronzeAward #GirlScoutSilverAward #SilverAwardGirlScouts #GirlScoutGoldAward #BronzeAward #TakeAction #BronzeAwardGirlScout #HighestAwardscelebrations #2021HighestAwardsVirtualCelebrations

Leaders, Caregivers, and Educators- Are you looking for a way to engage your Girl Scouts or youth in your lives with environmental stewardship? Check out these trainings provided by Project Learning Tree! They have resources and tools to help youth grow into responsible, resilient, engaged citizens who care for themselves, the environment, and their communities. When: May 24, 2021 from 1:30 – 3 p.m. May 26, 2021 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Self-Paced online training available through June 15 Register Online: https://www.plt.org/alignment-to-standards/nonformal/girl-scouts/ Registration Closes May 20 Cost: $35/person Scholarships are available. What: 96 Hands-On activities for science, reading, writing, math, and social studies Ready-to-use lessons for virtual spaces Optional 0.5 graduate credit from Colorado School of Mines Why: It can also correlate with Girl Scout badges and Journeys to enhance your Girl Scout’s or troop’s experience. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here #Communitypartnerships #communitypartners #environment #ProjectLearningTree #environmentalstewardship

Join Girl Scouts of Colorado on Sunday, May 16 for the 2021 Highest Awards Virtual Celebrations! Bronze Award Celebration at 1 p.m. Silver Award Celebration at 2 p.m. Gold Award Celebration at 3 p.m. You do NOT need to RSVP or have a link to attend the virtual celebrations. They will premiere live on our  Facebook page and YouTube channel at their respective start times. Please share this information with all the girls in your troop who earned their award, and their families. We encourage all Bronze and Silver Award Girl Scouts to also attend the Gold Award celebration at 3 p.m. to hear about all of the amazing things Girl Scouts in Colorado did this past year. Win a Prize This year, there is a scavenger hunt for girls during the virtual celebrations! The scavenger hunt sheet is available to download now on our Highest Awards webpage. To enter in the drawing to win a prize from the GSCO Retail Shop, submit your scavenger hunt sheet to highestawards@gscolorado.org by 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 16! To find all of the scavenger hunt items, girls will need to watch either the Bronze or Silver Award celebration AND the Gold Award celebration. Girls do not need to watch both the Bronze and Silver celebrations for the scavenger hunt, the items from those celebrations will be the same. Honor Your Highest Awards Girl Scout Honor your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award Girl Scout by making a gift to Girl Scouts of Colorado to help us continue to support older girls who are making the world a better place! Make your donation here: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/support-us/donate.html We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #GoldAward #HighestAwards #GSCOevents #HighestAwardsVirtualCelebrations #SilverAward #YouTube #GoldAwardGirlScouts #BronzeAwardGirlScouts #2021HighestAwardsCelebrations #Facebook #GirlScoutBronzeAward #GirlScoutSilverAward #SilverAwardGirlScouts #GirlScoutGoldAward #BronzeAward #TakeAction #HighestAwardscelebrations #2021HighestAwardsVirtualCelebrations

Submitted by Kara Hlavnicka Metro Denver Littleton We delivered our Hometown Hero Girl Scout Cookies to nurses at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora. We wanted to thank the nurses for their strong and passionate commitment to help during the COVID-19 pandemic. We delivered 94 packages of cookies, which far exceeded our troop’s goal for this year! We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #Aurora #cookies #COVID19pandemic #GirlScoutCookies #GirlScoutCookieProgram #ChildrensHospitalColorado #HometownHeroes #MetroDenver #COVID19 #ChildrensHospital #Littleton

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to raise the awareness of those living with mental or behavioral health issues, and help reduce the stigma that so many of our Girl Scouts and community members experience. Girl Scouts of Colorado has partnered with subject matter experts to develop new programs and resources to help you and your Girl Scouts reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.  See the resources below and stay tuned for more programs for both adult volunteers and girl members coming in Fall 2021. Conversation Starter: Speak Out About Mental Health Earlier this month, we spoke with Debra Boeldt, deputy director at the National Mental Health Innovation Center at University of Colorado’s Medical Campus. In this important conversation, we learned what new approaches there are in the mental health world and some tips to speaking about our own mental health while helping youth in our lives do the same. Watch this conversation: https://youtu.be/XrIwvhKKz9E Mental Health Awareness through a Girl Scout Lens Another way to start talking about mental health is through activities in our National Program Portfolio. We have compiled activities for each program level that can be found in our badges and Journeys. Don’t worry if your Girl Scout already earned the badge or Journey, the activities are great on their own! https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/content/dam/girlscoutsofcolorado/documents/2021-documents/GSCO%20Mental%20Health%20Resources.pdf Research from GSUSA’s Research Institute Deepen your understanding of the current state of our Girl Scouts by reviewing the Girl Scout Research Institutes 2020 report. https://www.girlscouts.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gsusa/forms-and-documents/about-girl-scouts/research/GSUSA_GSRI_Girls-Speak-Out-Mental-Health-2020.pdf We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #UniversityofColoradosMedicalCampus #2021MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #behavioralhealth #mentalhealth #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #NationalMentalHealthInnovationCenter #UniversityofColorado #mentalandbehavioralhealth