Submitted by Gina B. Falcon Pikes Peak This is my fourth year selling Girl Scout Cookies and I have been a top seller for three! Next year, I hope to sell more than 2,000 packages for the first time. I am saving Cookie Credits for horse camp. I am a leader in all that I do! We recently went rock climbing as a troop and it was amazing! I can’t wait to go again. 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. #Falcon #2021GirlScoutCookieProgram #cookies #GirlScoutCookies #GirlScoutCookieProgram #PikesPeak

Submitted by Kim Frederking Metro Denver Highlands Ranch Junior Troop 65443 in Highlands Ranch delivered Girl Scout Cookies to their Hometown Hero, Children’s Hospital South Campus. Medical community, thanks for all you do! 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. #HighlandsRanch #2021GirlScoutCookieProgram #cookies #GirlScoutCookies #GirlScoutCookieProgram #ChildrensHospitalColorado #ChildrensHospitalSouthCampus #HometownHeroes #MetroDenver #ChildrensHospital

Girl Scouts of Colorado in partnership with Girl Scouts of the USA is excited to announce the Becoming Me program, a special collaboration with Penguin Random House and Former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama. The program follows the recent publication of Mrs. Obama’s book, Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers, and offers a unique opportunity for girls to become their best selves. The program, which includes a virtual event with Mrs. Obama, will also walk girls through earning three badges at each Girl Scout level. “Mrs. Obama is a champion for girls and women, and her journey aligns with our mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character,” said Girl Scouts of Colorado Chief Executive Officer Leanna Clark. “For me, Becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end. I can’t wait for our girls to learn this and other invaluable lessons from our former First Lady through this exciting new program.” “I am so pleased to be working with Girl Scouts of the USA on the Becoming Me program,” said Mrs. Obama. “It is a joy and privilege to support young girls along their journeys of becoming, working together to unlock the unique and profound power that lies within each of our own stories.” Girl Scouts’ Becoming Me program will be available at no cost to any interested Girl Scout enrolled for the 2021–22 membership year. Drawing on Girl Scouts’ programming, which includes more than 300 skill-building badges, we’re thrilled to release the curated Becoming Me program series, built on 18 badges that explore key themes in Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers. The program includes: A six- to eight-week experience centered around core themes from Mrs. Obama’s Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers that align with the Girl Scout mission, such as knowing and telling your story, maintaining mental health and wellness, and supporting and nurturing girls on their own journeys. A journal activity through which participants reflect on their personal experiences as they answer the question “Who are you, and who do you want to become?” A facilitator guide to help volunteers steer Girl Scouts through their journeys, as well as free digital downloads, such as modified Becoming journal content and an excerpt from Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers. Admission to a virtual event featuring a conversation between Girl Scouts and Mrs. Obama during which she’ll explore the themes in Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers and how they relate to Girl Scouts’ and young people’s experiences today. An exclusive Becoming Me patch for optional purchase. The Becoming Me program will launch in early May 2021. Learn more by visiting girlscouts.org/BecomingMe #BecomingMe #GirlScoutsoftheUSA #MichelleObama

Drive-in movies are not a thing of the past! Join the Rocky Mountain PBS Kids Club for a night of fun. The drive-in will include a screening of PBS Programming such as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Peg + Cat, and Odd Squad. There will be food trucks, family fun, prizes and each car will receive a PBS Kids Club Swag Bag. All city, state, and public health guidelines will be enforced. All attendees will wear appropriate face coverings, and parking spaces will be distanced. Guests will watch the programming from inside their vehicles. All programming starts at sunset. Denver Metro — April 17 2000 Elitch Drive, Denver, CO 80204 Grand Junction – April 30 Mesa Mall, 2424 Old US Hwy 6 & 50, Grand Junction, 81505 Durango — May 1 Durango Mall, 800 S Camino Del Rio Durango, 81301 Colorado Springs — May 14 The World Arena, 3185 Venetucci Blvd, Colorado Springs, 80906 Pueblo — May 15 3429 Dillon Drive, Pueblo, 81008 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. #communitypartners #Communitypartnerships #GSCOevents #RockyMountainPBS

Celebrate your Highest Awards Girl Scout or your achievement of earning one of Girl Scouts’ Highest Awards on social media! Use any of the graphics at the bottom of this post to let friends and family know that you earned or are the parent/caregiver of a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award Girl Scout. Be sure to tag us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Twitter and Instagram users should also use #GSColo, #GirlScoutsGiveBack, #gsGoldAward, #gsSilverAward, or #gsBronzeAward. Don’t forget to join Girl Scouts of Colorado on May 16, 2021 to celebrate our 2020-2021 class of Gold, Silver, and Bronze Award Girl Scouts in Colorado! Virtual Highest Awards Celebrations 1 p.m. Bronze Award Celebration 2 p.m. Silver Award Celebration 3 p.m. Gold Award Celebration These celebrations are an opportunity to recognize the outstanding Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award Girl Scouts who have earned their distinction in the last year. All troops and/or girls who have earned their Bronze, Silver, or Gold since March 2019 are invited to participate in a celebration of their choice. You do not need to register for this event! The celebrations will premiere live on our Facebook and YouTube channels at the event start time. 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 #SilverAward #Twitter #GoldAwardGirlScout #BronzeAwardGirlScouts #Facebook #GirlScoutBronzeAward #GirlScoutSilverAward #SilverAwardGirlScouts #GirlScoutGoldAward #socialmedia #BronzeAward #Instagram #TakeAction

Do you know a GSCO volunteer who deserves to be recognized? The deadline for nominations and accompanying endorsements for the 2021 Volunteer Recognition Awards is Wednesday, March 31! Members statewide are invited to take this opportunity to recognize an outstanding volunteer by nominating them for a Volunteer Recognition Award. Nominators are responsible for ensuring enough endorsements are submitted to support their nomination of a volunteer for an award. Check with your volunteer support specialist if have questions about a specific nomination or required endorsement. More information about the awards, including the number of required endorsements for each award, is listed on the volunteer appreciation page on our website and in the Volunteer Recognition Award Guide. You can also learn more about how to write strong nominations and endorsements. Questions? Please contact your volunteer support specialist or customer support at 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. #2021VolunteerRecognitionAwards #VolunteerNews #Volunteerrecognitionawards

What did you do for your Gold Award project? While I was in middle school, I really struggled with my self-esteem and my body image. There are so many images on the internet and on social media where people have seemingly perfect bodies or lives, but a lot of the time, these images are photoshopped or people only share the positive parts of their lives. It wasn’t until I went to high school when I realized that the uniqueness of every individual is what we should be seeking. My Girl Scout troop also conducted a selfie project many years ago in which people could go around a room and write kind notes to others based on one of their selfies, which I think really opened my eyes to the harsh realities of the internet. And, I recognize that many people eventually come to terms with themselves, but I wanted to start that process at a young age, so that adolescents aren’t struggling with their identities especially with the presence of technology. “Warm and Fuzzies” addresses the issue of low self-esteem and body image in middle school students ages 11-13 and it is a way for individuals to connect to each other through meaningful notes/letters that they write to one another while engaging in positive reinforcements. Initially, this project was going to be in a live setting such that the students could hand write each other notes, but as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, I switched to a virtual version in which students each had their own Padlet boards where they could leave messages for their peers. With this project, students were able to build meaningful relationships with their peers while understanding the importance of self-confidence and body image. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? As a means of determining the impact of my project, I asked the students to fill out both a pre-survey and a post-survey regarding their self-esteem and body image in addition to conducting individual interviews with some of the students. Through these surveys and interviews I found that there was a 34% increase in the overall self-esteem of the students. These results were achieved through the discussion of the negative effects of social media and technology use on adolescent self-esteem. I discussed concepts such as the prevalence of Photoshop, and how oftentimes what people see on social media isn’t actually reality. Furthermore, students were able to write each other meaningful and positive notes which promoted interaction between students and also provided positive reassurances. Many times, individuals are more likely to agree with a statement presented by others rather than themselves e.g., a student does not think they are hardworking, but when a classmate tells them that they are, there is a higher chance that they will believe it. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? In order to sustain my Gold Award, I have created a “Warm and Fuzzies How-To Guide” which I have distributed both to some of the 8th grade Altona Way students, as well as to some administrators. This how-to guide includes both the live and virtual versions of my project with logistics as well as tips and tricks on how to successfully implement the “Warm and Fuzzies.” The Altona Way students expressed their passion for helping address adolescent self-esteem and body image issues from an early stage given that many of them have or are struggling with similar issues. I conducted two workshops with some of the 8th grade Altona Way students and taught them the process that I followed in order to conduct the weekly presentations for the students to learn about various themes. They have since been working together to develop numerous lessons that they can then present to more teachers throughout Altona to spread the project not only throughout the 7th grade class, but also to the other grades. With the help of my “Warm and Fuzzies How-To Guide,” individuals can take on the role of starting a Warm and Fuzzies program at their local schools or within their Girl Scout troops. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? Upon creating my “Warm and Fuzzies How-To Guide,” I reached out to a few national non-profit and organizations whose missions encompass the themes of adolescent and young adult self-esteem, confidence, and mental illness. I discussed the purpose and results of my project and shared my successes with these organizations along with my “Warm and Fuzzies How-To Guide.” I reached out to three national non-profit organizations including “The Youth Mental Health Project,” “BeYOUtifully,” and “Active Minds.” “BeYOUtifully,” more specifically, is an organization that is centered on supporting middle and high school girls through their journey toward self-confidence. They recognize that with the increased pressure from social media, peers, and friends, girls are overwhelmed with negative images and stereotypes regarding their identity and appearances. They support young girls and provide them with space to truly express themselves as individuals without the external pressures that they are faced with in the world. I strongly believe in the values of this non-profit organization because they perfectly coincide with my project as well as my passion for promoting self-confidence in adolescents, and specifically, girls. I cannot wait to hear back from them and soon hope to join “BeYOUtiful Me” sessions in which I will be able to connect with other young adults and young girls that struggle with similar self-esteem issues as me and many other young individuals. What did you learn about yourself? Through my Gold Award, I learned that I am able to overcome the obstacles I am presented with, as long as I am committed and I have a support team. I initially had a clear plan for my project, but for a period of time, everything was up in the air and I needed to reorganize the entirety of my project because I could no longer follow through with anything in a virtual setting because of the coronavirus pandemic. However, instead of completely abandoning my project, I worked with my team to develop a virtual plan that I could still implement despite the restrictions. In addition, there were many times throughout the course of my project when I was overwhelmed with my school and personal life, however, I was committed to my project and was able to persevere through such challenges with the support and reassurances from my family, friends, and mentors. There were times when I was working on college applications, school work, extracurriculars, chores, and my Gold Award. I became overwhelmed, but with a support team, some time management, and commitment I was able to successfully manage and work through all of these items. In addition, I have learned that I love helping adolescents and young adults in many different aspects of life. For example, I was able to connect with some of the students who were participating in my project and learn about their experiences and answer any questions they may have had regarding high school or even if they simply wanted to talk. I found that being able to connect with individuals from various age groups is extremely important and I have come to value such relationships. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? My Gold Award has taught me many valuable lessons, especially with regard to leadership. With strong communication and organizational skills that I have learned, I feel that I am equipped to take on challenges that may come my way, including other projects, though they may not look exactly like my Warm and Fuzzies project. I have also gained a lot of experience with working with others, which in my opinion is a valuable skill that I will take with me into my future endeavors. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? Like many Girl Scouts before me, I began my journey as a Girl Scout while in Kindergarten as a Daisy. I engaged in various activities including badgework and cookie sales. As I grew older and progressed in Girl Scouts, I worked through Journey books, Take Action projects, and my Bronze and Silver Awards. Similar to my Bronze and Silver Awards, my Gold Award is a large milestone in my overall Girl Scout experience. Like other aspects of Girl Scouts, the Gold Award is centered around growing as an individual and developing life-long skills, however, it is unique because as a Girl Scout, we are expected to follow through with this project as an individual, but we are thoroughly supported along the way. I feel that the Gold Award process has helped me grow as an individual and develop important leadership skills that are important to my success as a Girl Scout. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? With the aftereffects of the unpredictable coronavirus pandemic, I was forced to reevaluate my Gold Award and remain committed to my project. Given that my initial plans of conducting my project in person were no longer viable, I became an innovator and developed a virtual version of my project. I spent hours communicating with my team and developing a model that fit best with the virtual realm. This allowed me to think creatively and work around obstacles in order to successfully conduct my project. Furthermore, earning my Gold Award has helped me develop my skills as a leader. As mentioned before, the coronavirus pandemic led to many changes with my project, especially with regard to communication. I was unable to physically meet with anybody from my team and was forced to communicate solely in a virtual manner. However, I felt that I was able to develop my communication skills through email and other modes in order to adapt to this barrier. I also learned the importance of being flexible in order to accommodate changes beyond my control as well as to support my team throughout the implementation of my project. **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 #StVrainValleySchoolDistrict #NorthernampNortheasternCO #NiwotHighSchool #Longmont #GoldAwardGirlScout #GirlScoutGoldAward #TakeAction

Submitted by Sarah Benjamin Metro Denver Littleton 🍀 They did it! 👏 Our Girl Scout troop hosted their first Girl Scout-led event. 🌻🌸 Last spring, they were supposed to lead an in-person hike, but we all know how that story ended. 🍀 This year, they planned and hosted a 🥧 Shamrocking Grasshopper Pie Day and of course, on no other day than Pi day with nine participants. They educated them, demonstrated the pie, and sang songs. 👏 Kudos to Captain, Simba, Pepper, Cricket, and Red 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. #Littleton #MetroDenver #PieDay

Submitted by Marie Merrill-Exton Southwestern CO Pagosa Springs Sage, a Brownie from Pagosa Springs, accomplished the biggest goal she set for herself this cookie season, which was to collect 80 packages of Girl Scout Cookies to donate to the staff and teachers at her local elementary school. Sage wanted to recognize them as Hometown Heroes and thank them for all they have done to make sure the children could attend school safely 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. #PagosaSprings #teachers #2021GirlScoutCookieProgram #cookies #SouthwesternCO #GirlScoutCookies #GirlScoutCookieProgram #HometownHeroes

Submitted by Laura B. Louisville, KY Hi Colorado! I am a Girl Scout Ambassador, and for part of my Girl Scout Gold Award project, I created a film about the Suffrage Movement and one of its most famous leaders Alice Paul. There will be a nationwide showing of my Gold Award film on March 17, 2021 at 5 p.m. Girl Scouts who attend will receive a custom patch. I first became interested in suffrage when I visited the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument on a trip to Washington, DC. I realized I wanted to tell stories about the women’s suffrage movement because I knew there were girls like me who didn’t know enough about the movement, and more importantly, they could gain strength from its empowering message and lessons. I was on my way to creating a live staged performance before COVID-19 hit, then I pivoted to telling Alice Paul’s story on screen. Although not my original plan, this change has allowed me to show my film to reach you and audiences across the country who I hope will take something away from the women’s suffrage campaign. Register now: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/events-repository/2021/march17_her_voice_ou.html I realized that I have had very few past and current female role models to look up to. I felt extremely empowered when learning about these women who fought hard to break the voting glass ceiling. They have now become my role models. These inspiring women made me want to educate the public and encourage female leadership and gender equality. I hope female audiences will gain confidence after learning that women have been in situations just like the ones women face today. That’s the beauty of the Suffrage Movement, it provides role models and strategies that we can learn from as we face challenges with modern day glass ceilings. I am a G.I.R.L. I am a go-getter just like all the Girls Scouts who have had to work hard to pivot their Gold Award Projects during the pandemic. I am an innovator. I wrote my own script and the lyrics to three songs for my short film. I am a risk-taker. I had no idea how to create a film. I had performed in many musicals, so the stage is my comfort zone. With the film, I had to take on the responsibility of scouting locations, editing, and promoting it to audiences. I am a leader. I have written, directed, and produced my first film. 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 #GSCOevents #GirlScoutGoldAwardProject #GirlScoutGoldAward #GirlScoutGoldAwardcandidate #SuffrageMovement

Submitted by Hailey C. Metro Denver Broomfield This is my first year as a Girl Scout. I have enjoyed getting out into the community to give back. I loved doing cookie sales for the first time and learning about how to run a business. I’m looking forward to running a meeting and earning my leadership badge. I have met many new friends and love it so far! 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. #Broomfield #MetroDenver

Have you earned your Troop Excellence patch? Though this year has been tough, your Girl Scouts have continued to stay engaged with badges, virtual events, product programs, community service, and so much more. Has your troop completed all of the steps in a foundational Girl Scout year? Welcome families to Girl Scouts Show girls they belong to a big sisterhood Guide girls to develop as leaders Empower girls to take action in their communities Support girls to build skills through badges Expand girls’ view of the world Celebrate with ceremonies and traditions Use a girl-led approach Encourage girls to earn and learn through a Girl Scout product program Inspire girls to continue to grow through Girl Scouts If so, complete the Troop Excellence form and receive a FREE patch for every Girl Scout! Please limit requests for the girls in your troop. This patch is only available to Girl Scouts of Colorado members. 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. #2021TroopExcellencepatch #patch #TroopExcellencePatch