Girl Scout Gold Award Project Being Exhibited at Barbara Bush Library

In Texas, the Cypress Creek Mirror reports that Girl Scout Rebeca Gonzales has a knack for photography, and now she’s using her talent to spread cultural awareness with a photo exhibit at Barbara Bush Library from August 18 through September 15.

With her Nikon D90, Rebeca, 17, set out to capture people with diverse heritages in her small northwest Harris County community. At first, she just wanted to fulfill requirements for her Girl Scout Gold Award project, a prestigious award earned by less than 5 percent of Girl Scouts, but the project grew as she gained support in her community.

“I wanted to do something that I could enjoy and that would motivate me,” she explained.

The results surprised her. She found people from Croatia, Mexico, Nigeria, Ghana, the Philippines, the Middle East and Central America who had embraced American culture, but still performed their cultural traditions. She also photographed subjects of different religions, a Muslim and Catholic, to promote religious tolerance.

“What is American? I wanted to teach the community about these different cultures and about how many there are in our community,” said Rebeca.

Rebeca’s interest in other cultures stems from her own heritage. Although she had many of the same cultural experiences as any other American teen, she also learned about her Guatemalan heritage from her immigrant parents, Ricardo and Brenda Gonzales.

“She’s always been proud of her heritage,” said her mother. “She didn’t have the opportunity to visit our country until two years ago, but she’s always enjoyed learning about herself and where she came from.”

A 2012 Rice University study by the Kinder Institute also showed minorities were surpassing Anglos in numbers throughout the Houston area for the first time since the country’s founding. Barbara Bush Librarians have seen the shift first hand. In 2006, the library received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to conduct a “We the People: Becoming American” project. As part of that grant, librarians surveyed their customers, and found that those who visited within a one-month time period in 2006 had been born in at least 115 different countries around the world.

Girl Scout Cookie Program Lifts Spirits of Troops Overseas

In Illinois, KFVS12 News reports that Pinckneyville Girl Scouts recently met SPC James Sroka, the soldier they “adopted” this year. Check out the report to see how the girls used proceeds from the Girl Scout Cookie Program to send care packages to the troops.

KFVS12 News

Connecticut Girl Scouts Celebrate 100 With International Camporee

In Connecticut, The Register Citizen reports that starting next week, girls from Canada, Australia, Ghana, Nigeria, Japan, and England will be arriving in Connecticut to stay with host families and explore the state, before heading off to Camp Laurel for the Girl Scout International Camporee.

Girl Scouts throughout Connecticut and surrounding areas will be gathering from August 5-11 for the International Camporee, a 100th Anniversary event to celebrate making new friends and changing the world.

Besides participating in traditional camp activities, girls will focus on “changing the world – one meal at a time.” Girls will learn about nutrition, food sources, and world food supplies. Activities and programs include workshops on sustainable farming, healthy cooking, and “hunger banquets” to showcase the inequities of food supplies around the world.

The opening ceremony will be held on Sunday, August 5. The Connecticut Governor’s Foot Guard will lead the parade of international and local guests, following with welcoming remarks from Girl Scouts of Connecticut Interim CEO Carol Keierleber, State Senator Edith Prague, and First Selectman Joyce Okonuk.

The International Camporee Visiting Day on Wednesday, August 8, will feature over 600 people gathering together at the camp to meet the international guests, sample international food, and view demonstrations of kung fu, tai chi, and singing. Two puppet shows featuring The Kids on the Block puppeteers will be featured during the day, along with a healthy lifestyles game show and an agricultural experimental station. Traditional camp activities like archery, boating, and soccer will also be available.

Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada Sponsor Robotics Day Camp

In Nevada, The Guardian Express reports that starting Monday August 6th, young Nevada girls will have a chance to use LEGO to explore the worlds of science, technology, engineering and architecture at a girl-powered robotics day camp sponsored by the Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada.

“The purpose of the Girl Powered Robotics Day Camp is to introduce girls to science and technology in a fun and exciting way,” says Emily Smith, Chief Marketing & Development Officer of Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada. “Throughout the week, girls will learn how to build and program robots using LEGO building systems. Girls will be challenged to use their creative thinking skills as they identify real-world challenges where technology (and) robotics can be a useful solution.”

Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada has been providing robotics programs and camps since 2006. The organization received their first set of LEGO robotics through a grant from Speedway Children’s Charities of Las Vegas and the program has grown since then.

“We provide robotics and STEM programs at day camps, drop-in centers, resident camp and Title I schools throughout the valley,” says Smith. “We even have Girl Scout teams who compete in competitions – last year, one of our teams won a Creative Thinking trophy. Thanks to Station Casinos, this year we’re expanding our after-school programs in Title I schools to include STEM programs.”

According to the U.S Department of Labor, as today’s girls graduate from college, America will need three million more scientists and engineers. Yet Smith says girls start leaving science and math to the boys as early as the fifth grade.

“In high school, girls match or surpass boys’ aptitude but are less likely to take advanced placement physics or computer science exams,” says Smith. “A recent Girl Scout Research Institute study discovered that girls’ future career choices are more influenced by inspiring role models than by academic interests. This is why Girl Scouts offers unique programs, like the robotics day camp, where girls can explore the sciences in a fun, all-girl setting.”

Girl Scout Gold Goes to Bell

Pennsylvania's Leader Times reports that Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania presented Kimberlee Bell with the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest recognition for achievement in Girl Scouting on June 24.

Bell is a senior at Lenape Technical School, where she is studying automotive technology. She is also a junior firefighter for Burrell Fire Department and is a member of the Midnight Rider’s 4-H Club, where she served as the vice president of the club while she was working on her Gold Award.

“I have always enjoyed spending time at Crooked Creek Horse Park in Manor. That is why I chose to do my Girl Scout Gold Award Project for them. For my project, I built a sandbox and picnic table for their new playground, restored their picnic tables, painted a pavilion, and stained their horse arena. When I completed my project, I had a grand-opening picnic for the children. It was a great success,” Bell said.

Bell will graduate in 2013, and plans to attend a technical school for diesel mechanics.

Behind the Scenes: Jobs@GSUSA

Here at GSUSA we thought it would be great to show our readers a behind-the-scenes look at our work here at Girl Scouts' national headquarters. Each month we'll spotlight employees from different departments and the work they do to serve our 3.2 million members. This week our Social Media Intern, Elizabeth Venere, interviewed IT Client Support Manager, Christine Tsin.

When computers crash at GSUSA national headquarters and at councils, Christine Tsin is behind the scenes, managing it all. Not only is technology an essential part of her job, but it is also a way for her to use her skills to help GSUSA support girls around the country.

As the IT Client Support Manager, Christine oversees the support teams that respond to and fix customer technology problems. She splits her time among several IT support teams to make sure tech support is provided as quickly as possible and ensure that new technology is available. She works mostly in Operations, making sure technology problems are handled, getting customer input, and looking for areas that can be improved. Recently, Christine developed several new informational resources (newsletters and webinars) to help staff feel more comfortable using technology and fit learning opportunities into their busy schedules. She’s also working on offering a new IT service portal to quickly process IT inquiries, problems, and service requests from employees and members.

Christine graduated from New York University (NYU) with a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and Organizational Behavior, and received her master’s in Management of Technology from Polytechnic University (NYU-Poly). Her motivation? A desire to serve others. Christine says she was drawn to her career because it gave her the ability to help people solve problems, and gave her satisfaction once they had worked together and found a solution. She first decided to make her career in the nonprofit world while working at the American Museum of Natural History, where she created a database to help the volunteer department catalogue its volunteer information and to manage tour schedules. She then worked at the 92nd Street Y and redesigned a registration database for summer camp and afterschool programs.

Christine’s biggest challenge is keeping up with changes and innovations in the tech world, so she relies on the experts on the IT staff to stay up-to-date and to keep Girl Scout technology running smoothly. Another challenge involves encouraging staff to use new technology, especially those who may be reluctant. Her greatest successes occur when she gains staff and customer trust and helps them use new technology. Without this trust and cooperation, Christine would never be able to guide people toward leveraging technology to support their work.

Elizabeth Venere is not only our social media intern, but also a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient entering her junior year of college this fall. She provides GSUSA with awesome social media content.

Badge of the Week: "Bugs"

The dog days of summer are upon us and everyone is looking for a fun way to pass the time. Good news is that you can keep the Brownies in your life entertained with the "Bugs" badge! This badge helps brownies learn about all kinds of crawly creatures, particularly the ones that are necessary to our ecosystem. So slap on some sunblock, head outside and start exploring!

Have you helped your Brownie earn this badge? Join the conversation on Facebook and tell us (and fellow parents and volunteers) about your experience.

North Carolina Girl Scouts Spend Summer Helping Animal Shelter

Watch what three North Carolina Girl Scouts are doing with their free time this summer to help animals. My FOX 8 reports.

R.I.P. Sally Ride, an Astronaut and Adamant Girl Scout Supporter who Changed the Future

io9 reports that Sally Ride, America's first female astronaut, has passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 61. She was a physicist, a Space Shuttle pioneer, a teacher, and one of those people who changes the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary ways.

"When I was a kid, Sally Ride was my astronaut," writes Blogger Annalee Newitz. "My parents' generation loved Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, but I loved Sally Ride. With her curly brown hair and bravery, she reminded me of another astronaut I loved — Ripley, from Alien. Except Sally Ride was real. Because of women like Ride, I grew up in a world where female astronauts were not just fictional. I knew that women could go to space, and succeed there, because an ordinary scientist like Ride had done it. Because of Ride's trip offworld, I saw the future differently than my mother did when she was young."

For that, and for all the geeky, science-obsessed girls that Ride inspired with her the Sally Ride Science company's summer camps and education tools, I am grateful.

According to CNN, Ride "is survived by her partner of 27 years, Tam O'Shaughnessy, her mother, her sister, and other family members." Our hearts go out to them, and we know that they are as proud of Ride as we are. Thanks, Sally Ride, for being awesome.

Our Thoughts are With Colorado

Last night, a gunman opened fire during a midnight showing of the film The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado in the United States. The shooter is reported to have entered the theater through an emergency door wearing a gas mask and bulletproof vest.

According to eyewitness reports, a 24 year-old gunman entered the theater about twenty minutes into the film, and walked up the stairs of the theater while shooting at people at random.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this horrible act.

Aurora police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call 303-627-3100.

Inclusion: Past, Present and Future

Girl Scouts of the USA and its local councils and troops value diversity and inclusiveness and do not discriminate or recruit on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, national origin, or physical or developmental disability.

Girl Scouts of the USA has a long history of inclusiveness. What is especially important about the Girl Scouts’ rich history of supporting women’s leadership is their insistence on being a voice for all girls, regardless of their background or neighborhood. Founder Juliette Gordon Low’s first 18 Girl Scouts included girls from influential Savannah families, as well as girls from the Female Orphan Asylum and Congregation Mickve Israel. As early as 1917 the first African-American troops were established, as well as troops for disabled girls. One of the earliest Latina troops was formed in Houston in 1922; Girl Scout troops supported Japanese-American girls in internment camps in the 1940s, and by the 1950s, Girl Scouts was leading the charge to fully integrate all of its troops.

In its 100th anniversary year, Girl Scouts of the USA has affirmed its unwavering commitment to girls’ leadership with the launch of ToGetHerThere, the largest, boldest advocacy and fundraising cause dedicated to girls’ leadership in the nation’s history. The multi-year effort will seek to create balanced leadership—the equal representation of women in leadership positions in all sectors and levels of society—within one generation.

“We can’t transform American leadership in a year, but we can transform expectations in a year,” says Anna Maria Chávez, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. “We can transform awareness in a year. We can set in motion a generational change and make certain that a baby girl born in 2012 will experience her life in a new and vastly different world. Only Girl Scouts, with its scale and time-honored place in society, can launch this initiative. If not us, who? If not now, when? When girls succeed, so does society. We know that together, we can get her there.”

Girl Scouts of the USA is uniquely qualified to help millions of highly qualified young women launch and sustain careers, overcome barriers that confront them, and enter the ranks of senior leadership and thrive there. Our goal is for Girl Scouts to be the catalyst for the gender-balanced leadership that this country needs.

As Top Seller, Girl Scout Kyla Wright Celebrates Business Acumen

Michigan's C and G News reports that when Southfield Senior Girl Scout Kyla Wright, 15, is on a mission to sell cookies, there’s no outlet she won’t pursue.

“Basically, I network with everyone I know. Any mode of communication I’ve pretty much used,” Wright, an incoming freshman at Renaissance High School, said. “It’s kind of like a job.”

Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program girls develop five essential skills: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

After several years coming in second and third place in the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan Cookie Program, Wright finally secured the No. 1 spot in sales this year, out of more than 23,600 local girls.

Chris Keelean, product sales specialist for GSSEM who handles the cookie sales, said that the girls always push each other, and Wright’s achievement is the embodiment of that motivation.

“I think she’s been inspired by some of the other girls who were top sellers when she was younger. She wanted to achieve what they wanted to achieve, and now she has,” Keelean said. “She sets goals, and that’s one of the key things about her.”

Wright, who has been a Girl Scout 10 years now, remembers when she first found a fellow Girl Scout to look up to, just a few years ago, helping her set the goal to continually break her own selling record.

“There were two girls who were always in first and second place, and they were three and four years older than me. The girl who always got the second highest, well we got to know each other on one of our (troop’s) mystery trips and started talking about strategies,” Wright explained. “She gave me tips because she said when she went off to college, she wanted me to have footsteps to follow.”

Wright, along with the other top four sellers in Southeastern Michigan, collectively sold more than 17,000 boxes of cookies, helping to raise more than $8 million for GSSEM this year.

With a successful selling season completed, it’s time for troops across the region to celebrate — Wright’s troop will be heading on a cruise from Florida to Cozumel, Mexico, in less than two weeks.

West Coast Woman Profiles Sue Stewart, CEO of Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida

West Coast Woman has a profile of Sue Stewart, CEO of Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc. Despite not being a great fan of Girl Scouts—and especially of camping—in her younger years, Sue lives its mission every day.

With a background in healthcare and hospice work, she recalls her journey to the Girl Scouts and eventually to Sarasota. “I took a position with Girl Scouts in upstate New York that was in the process of merging five councils into one council. I was motivated by the organization's transformation to articulate why leadership is so important for girls. For 100 years, the Girl Scouts have been instilling the skills, knowledge, and experiences that change girls' lives. My parents have lived in Sarasota for 16 years so I applied for the position and was hired in January 2010.”

Linda Getzen, President of the Board of Directors of Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida and a Girl Scout alumna, says, "After more than two years, I'm still excited that we hired Sue Stewart to be the CEO of Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida. Sue is a true Girl Scout who 'bleeds green.' Her leadership qualities and dedication to service exemplify what we strive to teach girls and young women in Girl Scouting. Sue is an enthusiastic and tireless advocate for girls."

The Girl Scouts office in the striking building at Cattlemen and Proctor Roads is the nerve center of operations for the organization that serves 10 counties from Manatee to Collier. Not only does it house 32 employees working in fund development, advertising, and administration, but also a spacious and attractive retail operation that sells diverse Girl Scout products. The organization owns $12 million in properties—debt-free—including the Cattlemen Road administrative office and an event and conference center, Camp Honi Hanta in Manatee County, Camp Caloosa in Fort Myers, and six Girl Scout Houses.

When asked what people may not know about her, she says, “I'm very adventuresome and courageous. I hiked in the New York winters. I like to camp and zipline.” Sue doesn't rule out a run for public office sometime in the future. Her motivation in her current position and as a potential public servant comes from her desire to fulfill unmet needs in the community. For now, Sue is leading the charge to prepare young girls for leadership, healthy living, and financial literacy.

South Carolina Girl Scouts Learn to Work With Seniors

South Carolina's Aiken Standard reports that Hailey Barron and her fellow Girl Scouts recently visited the Hitchcock House assisted living facility - playing games and cards with the residents, even painting their nails.

"We're having fun today," said the Girl Scout. "Before coming today, I was really nervous, but this is exciting."

Barron and the others said it was a big help to travel earlier in the day to Aiken Technical College. They met with instructor Beth Williams' gerontology students, who conducted an age sensitivity workshop for the scouts.

"It's a way to illustrate age-related changes and show the Girl Scouts how they can adapt to being with older adults," Williams said.

In effect, the ATC students "aged" the Girl Scouts, said Kotonjua Johnson, a human services major.

"We showed the aging processes like the range of motion and how eyesight deteriorates," she said. "We got old pairs of glasses and smeared the lenses with vaseline. We taped their fingers so they had trouble buttoning buttons and writing. It was fun to work with the Girl Scouts."

Lori Beth Long, activities director at Hitchcock House, took a gerontology-based course from Williams at USC Aiken a few years ago. She was delighted to collaborate with her former professor on the project.

"These Girl Scouts are awesome and our residents love young children," Long said.

As they painted Nadine Gregory's nails, Tori Peacock and Preston Sigler were surprised to learn that Gregory is 91.

"I'm enjoying all this attention, really the royal treatment," Gregory said. "I never had any daughters, just two sons."

Girl Scout Briana Ratchford Prepares Peers for College

C and G News reports that Briana Ratchford, a 17-year-old Girl Scout from Southfield, was among 23 girls from the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan to receive the organization’s most prestigious award — The Gold Award.

The Gold Award is presented to Senior and Ambassador-level Girl Scouts who display exemplary service to their communities and beyond, seeing through a successful yearlong project.

Ratchford’s project, “On the Right Track: Preparing for College in High School,” prepared other youth for their journey to college through a three-hour workshop.

She based her workshop on her experience getting ready for college as a senior at The Roeper School in Bloomfield Hills, she said.

“I found I was very knowledgeable on the topic of college preparation, and I received compliments on my presentation,” said Ratchford, member of Troop 43950. “I was able to overcome my shyness and transform into a strong public speaker.”

Participants in the workshop were able to ask Ratchford and her college counselor questions, in addition to learning about college and being successful through a multi-media presentation.

Denise Dalrymple, Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan, chief executive officer, issued the statement that she was proud of Briana and the other local girls who worked hard for the honor.

“This year’s recipients join the ranks of an elite group of outstanding young women,” she said. “Nationwide, less than 5 percent of Girl Scouts achieve this prestigious award. Their hard work and dedication reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set them apart and will prove invaluable throughout life.”

Girl Scouts Unveil Celebrate Scouting Stamp in Savannah

In Savannah, GA, WSAV News 3 reports that to commemorate that milestone, the U.S. Postal Service and the Girl Scouts unveiled a special forever stamp Wednesday afternoon. Also, Low's family members were on hand to present the Medal of Freedom that President Obama awarded to Low earlier this year. It will be on permanent display at the Juliette Gordon Low birthplace.

"Dolores Huerta, who is the friend of Cesar Chavez who founded the farmer labor movement, she came up to me at a reception, and said 'I want you to know that everything I learned in the Girl Scouts helped me do my job', and I thought that was the most meaningful moment for me," said Dick Platt, Low's great-nephew.

Juliette Gordon Low's incredible legacy lives on.

According to the newly released Girl Scout Research Institute report Girl Scouting Works: The Alumnae Impact Study, women who were Girl Scouts as children display significantly more positive life outcomes than do non-Girl Scout alumnae, outcomes that include perceptions of self, volunteerism and community work, civic engagement, education, income, and socioeconomic status.

Approximately one in every two adult women (49%) in the U.S. has at some point been a member of Girl Scouts, with the average length of time spent in Girl Scouts four years. There are currently an estimated 59 million Girl Scout alumnae living in the U.S.

University of Nebraska at Omaha Hosts Cookie University

Nebraska's World Herald reports that at “Cookie University,” a three-day program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, 21 high school-aged Girl Scouts learned how the skills gained from the Girl Scout Cookie Program translate into college and careers. The program, now in its second year, is sponsored by the Spirit of Nebraska Girl Scout Council at no cost to the Scouts or their troops.

Cookies and cookie selling were not the focus. It's not a seminar to help Scouts boost sales.

“These girls are already really good cookie sellers,” said Traci Cherrington, the council's product program manager — a.k.a. the “Cookie Lady.”

“This is to expose older girls — who oftentimes wander away from Scouts — to business, leadership and a little bit of the college campus experience,” she said. “They don't always make the connection that the Hillary Clintons of the world started out as Girl Scout cookie sellers.”

Plus, it's fun to spend time on a college campus with other girls, said Jenna Podany, 15, a high school sophomore from Clarkson, Neb., sitting with Kylie Congdon, 14, and Melinda Union, 15, two girls she just met from Conestoga High School in Murray.

“I got a postcard in the mail,” Podany said. “I thought it looked fun. It would be meeting new people. As you look forward to college, it gives you a better understanding of what you're getting into.”

UNO faculty and staff taught classes on credit-card management and budgeting but also provided information about extracurricular activities and services offered at college.

Gamble seemed a little stunned after a budgeting session, in which finance, banking and law professor Kath Henebry guided the Scouts in identifying the expenses of daily life — food, housing, car expenses, insurance, even the cost of caring for pets — that should be included in a budget. The budget session followed one on the pitfalls of credit cards.

Girl Scout earns Gold Award for music education program

In Ohio, The Sun News reports that after 150 tornadoes tore through the south, killing nearly 300 people in April, 2011, Isabella “Izzey” Pirl saw an opportunity to assist those in need.

“I knew it was my time to help,” she said.

So Pirl, then a sophomore at Strongsville High School, took her passion in life – music – and used it to help others, developing a fourth-grade music education program for Tuscaloosa County Elementary School.

The project, titled “Rainbow of Music: Bringing Therapy and Hope to All,” recently earned her a Girl Scout Gold Award. To receive the award, each girl has to identify a need in the community, and meet it.

In Pirl’s case, the Tuscaloosa County Elementary School had been wiped out by the twister, and the district was struggling to resuscitate it.

“It was a pretty impoverished area to begin with,” Pirl said. “And then the tornado came, and completely devastated the area.”

The project was about helping the children in the school find a way to heal through rebuilding the school’s music education program. Pirl said she knew music was an avenue to find that healing from first-hand experience.

“There have been a lot of events in my life that, if it weren’t for music, I don’t know that I would’ve been able to get through,” she said.

A musician herself, Pirl helped organize a benefit concert in Northeast Ohio with nine local bands that raised the money for instruments, including recorders, percussion sets and an acoustic guitar. She also raised money for CDs, music theory books and classroom decorations.

“I made it easy enough so that any teacher could teach the program, whether they had a music background or not,” she said.

But her time in music will not be cut short – after she graduates high school next year, Pirl said she hopes to go to Cleveland State University or Baldwin-Wallace University to study music therapy.

CEO of Girl Scouts of Central California and Gold Medalist Shares 1964 Olympic Experience

In California, KSEE 24's A.J. Fox had a chance to speak to two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and current CEO of Girl Scouts of Central California Cathy Ferguson. She won both her gold medals in swimming in the 1964 games in Tokyo, Japan. We asked her to describe her Olympic experience in her own words.

A Week Girl Scouts and Girl Guides Won’t Soon Forget

Guest blog by Andrea Quintanar, who is a senior Girl Scout and Silver Award recipient who attended the Girls’ World Forum in Chicago. Andrea will begin work on her Gold Award in the fall.

Last night was our last in Chicago and I’m so sad that the Girls World Forum is over. By the time you read this, I’ll be flying home. I had so much fun this week—it was unbelievable. For the discussion sessions, we were split up into patrols of eight to ten girls each. We were able to have very deep, insightful conversations. Some of the topics were the three Millennium Development Goals the forum was focused on, as well as self-esteem, advocacy, and other issues. We grew so close to each other, including the facilitators.

We had three full days of sessions and also had some days outside the hotel. We went to the Brookfield Zoo to learn about environmental sustainability. We also went to Chicago Cares, an organization on the south side of Chicago that runs a community garden for the low-income residents. It was such a rewarding experience; we worked really hard, picking crops, shoveling compost and mulch, building an herb garden structure and planting the herbs. We got a lot of rain in the afternoon and we all ended up soaked, but it was worth it hearing from the volunteers how much our help was appreciated. We also went on a tour of Chicago on a double decker bus, which was a wonderful way to see the city.

Not everything about the forum was perfect, the communication was sometimes a bit off and the schedule sometimes got messed up. Despite that and the very tightly packed days, I was able to take a lot away from the experience. One thing was the way people spoke about their different countries and what a certain tópico meant to them. Another was what the keynote speaker at the closing ceremony said about how she had left her village in Africa in search of a good education and what giving back meant to her. I learned a lot from this event, and it’s given me a lot of material about what could be better in our world—and what we can do to make it happen.

Girl Scout Supporter Marissa Mayer, Yahoo's Next CEO

Congratulations to Marissa Mayer! The New York Times reports that Marissa Mayer, one of the top executives at Google, will be the next chief of Yahoo, making her one of the most prominent women in Silicon Valley and corporate America.

In 2008, Girl Scouts of Northern California honored Marissa Mayer with the Juliette Gordon Low Award, which recognizes outstanding women in the community who are role models for girls and young women. At the time, Marissa was vice president of Search Products and User Experience at Google. The gala evening at Villa Ragusa in Campbell raised over $52,000 through sponsorship and a robust live auction, and featured local Girl Scouts in their Girls Go Tech program and members of the Space Cookie Robotics Team.

This Just In: Thin Mint is a Presidential Favorite

Sources close to Girl Scouts of the USA are reporting for CNN that after his speech in Cincinnati, OH, today, President Obama took seven questions from members of the audience, including one query from a Girl Scout about his favorite Girl Scout cookie. And the prize goes to Thin Mints!

Girl Scouts Pal Around With Puppies at Dog Show

San Antonio Express-News reports that the dogs at the River City Cluster of Dog Shows flaunted their primped coats to more than just judges Friday when a team of Girl Scouts toured the event.

The scouts petted any dog allowed. From a pair of fluffy golden retrievers to a wrinkly shar-pei, the girls clustered around each of them, hands outstretched for petting, while the dog's owner talked about the breed.

“It was really soft and cute,” said Katie Schilling-Ramirez, 10, of San Antonio, after holding a papillon, a type of spaniel.

Schilling-Ramirez is one of more than 20 members of the Girl Scouts Southwest Texas public relations team invited to enjoy the event and represent the scouts. The entire team has about 115 girls from troops around the state, ranging from fifth-graders to high school seniors.

As the girls walked between show arenas and wiggled around dogs on leashes, the owners had the chance to brag about their stars.

“There's not another breed like this, to me,” said owner Kathy Nusz of her two Chinese crested dogs, Lola and EZ. “They're clowns.”

She said Lola is already a grand champion and that EZ is “working on it.”

Long-haired Irish setter William was a particular hit with the girls, who showered him with caresses while breeder Karen Bishop, 52, talked about his talents.

Aside from petting and seeing a variety of dogs, the best part was learning about the work it takes to groom and prep each dog, said San Antonio scout Lauren Broderick, 17.

“There's a lot more things that go behind the scenes,” she said.

Missoula Landmark Goes Green for Girl Scouts 100th

In Montana, Girl Scouts dressed in green, hiked up the Mount Sentinel trail Friday to commemorate the organization’s 100th birthday.

The Missoulian reports that the “Eclipse of the ‘M,’ ” took place as Girl Scouts in green shirts sat on the ‘M’ and laid out green tarps to create an eclipse effect on the white surface before the weekend’s “Journey Through Girl-Scouting Camp Out.”

The campout was a two-night stay at Fort Missoula with more than 250 Girl Scouts from Montana and Wyoming as part of an ongoing celebration of the organization’s 100th anniversary.

Helena Troop Leader Tolly Patten explained the history-based trips while standing next to a Helena pickup truck overflowing with pink and purple luggage at the base of Mount Sentinel.

Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming started their 100th birthday activities in Helena in November. The theme of that trip was the early 1900s, so girls spent the days learning to spin wool and churn butter. In January, they headed to Casper, Wyo., for a Depression era-themed trip. Then in April, the scouts made tie-dyed T-shirts and listened to rock n’ roll in Cody as part of the 1950s-’70s theme. The trip to Missoula this weekend will focus on the late 1900s, and contributions to science during that time. In August, they head to Cheyenne for a weekend of modern technology. “It’s going to be a haul to Cheyenne, don’t get me wrong,” Patten said amidst the carfuls of girls she came to Missoula with.

Membership manager for southwestern Montana Dawn McCloney was helping organize the hike up Sentinel. McCloney said the greening-out of the ‘M’ was part of the Girl Scouts’ effort to go green. “Girl Scouts are going green,” McCloney said. “We have a huge initiative nationwide to go green.” While the Scouts hiked, they picked up trash along the way.

Girls Scouts and Girl Guides from All Over the World Gather in Chicago

Guest blog by Andrea Quintanar, who is a senior Girl Scout and Silver Award recipient who attended the Girls’ World Forum in Chicago. Andrea will begin work on her Gold Award in the fall.

Hello from the Girls World Forum! I arrived in Chicago for the event yesterday and it began today. The Girls World Forum is designed to discuss three of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. The three goals that the girl participants chose were Gender Equality, Environmental Sustainability, and Reduction of Poverty. I was one of two girls chosen to represent the San Diego council at the forum. Along with two girls from each council in the United States, there are also Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from 92 countries.

Last night, after the hustle and bustle of various check-ins and paperwork we all got together for dinner. As we ate, we listened to the Girl Planning Board, the National President of Girl Scouts Connie L. Lindsey, and the Girls Scouts of the USA Chief Executive Officer Anna Maria Chávez. They told us how excited they were to have all of us together, and how happy they were to be there. After dinner, we were all given one assignment: mingle. There were so many girls from so many interesting places that it wasn’t hard to do at all. I walked around, talking to girls and chaperones.

The swaps were amazing, but even more so the girls. Lucy from New Zealand. Hannah from England. Mai from Taiwan. Beverly from Namibia. They all had things to say about their countries, Girl Scouting, and the one thing everybody heard over and over: “It's so nice to meet you.” And it was. It was nice to finally meet the people with whom we’ll be discussing such big complex topics in the next few days. After about an hour or so, everyone started heading to their room to sleep after long days of traveling. We were assigned to rooms of two, and each girl is rooming with a girl coming from a different place. Last night, I wrote this blog post while I listened to the sound of my roommate sleeping. She is an amazing girl from Africa. It’s been hectic so far, but I’m excited for next few days.

Girls' World Forum 2012 is currently underway in Chicago.

Girl Scouts Inspire STEM Push for Girls, Globally

In Africa, Ventures reports that M-Farm, an award-winning Kenyan agribusiness company created by three young women, has launched a new mobile application as part of its efforts to empower both rural farmers and women seeking careers in technology.

Having already achieved success with its SMS tool, which allows subscribing farmers to obtain price information, buy farm inputs and find buyers for their produce, M-Farm has now formed a partnership with Samsung to create a mobile application that allows farmers to receive accurate, real-time crop price information daily.

The new application allows constant access to five major Kenyan markets to Kenyan farmers, who have suffered from a lack of price information and often susceptible to middlemen taking hefty cuts. Additional monthly price analyses allow farmers to make more informed decisions on what seeds to plant and where is best to sell them.

M-Farm was in part facilitated by a group called Akirachix, a community of over 200 tech women which is seeking to help develop a successful force of women in technology in order to help build the industry. The number of women working in the field of technology is low – just 15 percent – with recent research from the Girl Scout Research Institute showing that women considering a career in the technological industry were aware of perceived embedded discrimination, with 57 percent saying they thought they would have to work harder than men to be taken seriously. Other women consider the career to be a male-orientated one.

In California, Whittier Daily News reports that The Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, AT&T and the nonprofit organization Girls In Tech Los Angeles came together to sponsor the event, which hosted area girl scouts as well as students from high schools in Whittier and El Monte.

"Imagine: Your STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Future" attracted dozens of girls from eighth grade to 12th grade.

"It's about Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles reaching out to girls in underserved communities to help them explore careers in the STEM fields," GSGLA spokeswoman Liliana Arguello said.

The participants rotated through four classroom activities focusing on four different areas: cutting edge, planet, engineering and lab.

In the cutting edge section, the girls learned about product development and the quickly changing world of social media and computer networks.

In the planet section, the girls learned about different methods of cleaning up oil spills by creating small versions of their own spills, then trying out different real-life techniques to clean them up. They also built simple fountains to learn about the potential for creating clean energy through hydraulics and pneumatics.

For the engineering segment, the girls built their own electronic buzzer devices, then used them to play a mathematical trivia game while troubleshooting their creations.

In the lab portion of the program, the students performed hands-on experiments.

"Right now, we were extracting DNA from a banana," said Girl Scout Brooke Roth, 16, of Los Angeles.

She added she was considering becoming a doctor and enjoyed the science-centered event.

Congrats to Pamela Cook, Award Winning Girl Scout Volunteer!

Pennsylvania's ABC News 27 reports that on Valentine's Day, Cabot Creamery Cooperative and its partners launched Reward Volunteers 1.0, the nation's first mobile and web app that allows volunteers to log hours, post to Facebook and win rewards for themselves and the organizations they serve. During the five month run of the program, more than 2,300 users from 12 countries and 46 U.S. states have connected to Reward Volunteers, representing nearly 800 organizations and logging just under 45,000 hours of community service.

The Grand Prize winners for Reward Volunteers' first campaign – dubbed Reward Volunteers 1.0 - have been selected. Among the top winners is Pamela Cook, a volunteer for The Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains.

"I can't believe I won," says Pamela Cook, a volunteer for the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont, who will receive $3,000 for her volunteer efforts this month. "I plan to pay some bill and maybe take a weekend getaway with my winnings. While I love volunteering for the Girl Scouts, it is nice to be recognized, and I hope this encourages others to get out there and volunteer."

Kudos to Pamela Cook and to all the Girl Scout volunteers out there!

Leaders in North Carolina Celebrate the Benefits of Girl Scouting

In North Carolina, The Salisbury Post reports that when Susan Kluttz was growing up, no one told her she could be a mayor or serve on a city council.

She did both anyway, and Kluttz said she now sees the importance of encouraging girls to be leaders — as the Girl Scouts have done for 100 years.

“I was a Girl Scout in the ’50s, when women were not in leadership roles,” she said. “I think it influenced me

to be involved in and love my community.”

As a Brownie and a Girl Scout at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Kluttz said, she was proud to be part of the group and wear its uniform. She also loved the friendships that developed.

“After my 14 years as mayor and recognizing both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, I think they’re a tremendous asset to young people,” she said. “They teach and promote good citizenship.”

Maggie Blackwell, who serves with Kluttz on the Salisbury City Council, said she looked forward to going to troop meetings during the five years she was a Girl Scout.

“One of the big things I felt was a sense of belonging,” Blackwell said. “It was the ‘group-ness’ of it — all doing the same thing together, and doing unique new things.”

Dari Caldwell, president of Rowan Regional Medical

Center, said she was in Brownies and Girl Scouts for a few years. Her troop met at Kimball Lutheran Church in Kannapolis. She said the thing she remembers and appreciates most is the opportunity to earn badges and learn about so many different subjects.

“I think what impacted me the most is that as a 10-year-old kid growing up in Kannapolis, I didn’t have much exposure to a lot of things,” Caldwell said. “Girl Scouts ... opened the window to a world that I might not have realized was there at that age.”

According to the newly released Girl Scout Research Institute report Girl Scouting Works: The Alumnae Impact Study, women who were Girl Scouts as children display significantly more positive life outcomes than do non-Girl Scout alumnae, outcomes that include perceptions of self, volunteerism and community work, civic engagement, education, income, and socioeconomic status.

Approximately one in every two adult women (49%) in the U.S. has at some point been a member of Girl Scouts, with the average length of time spent in Girl Scouts four years. There are currently an estimated 59 million Girl Scout alumnae living in the U.S.

Investing in Science and Technology is Good for Girls – and for Business

"Over the next decade, 8.5 million jobs in science, technology, engineering and math will be available," writes Maria Wynne, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana in Crain's.

"Jobs will be plentiful, but the challenge facing America today is ensuring that we have qualified people to fill those openings. We are not ready.

What's at stake? America's competitive standing in the global economy. The economic crisis facing the U.S. will be fueled by a lack of qualified workers in the fields taking center stage and driving economic growth through innovation."

According to the Girl Scout Research Institute study Generation STEM: What Girls Say about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, though a majority of today's girls have a clear interest in STEM, they don't prioritize STEM fields when thinking about their future careers.

This latest offering from the Girl Scout Research Institute shows that 74 percent of teen girls are interested in STEM subjects and the general field of study. Further, a high 82 percent of girls see themselves as "smart enough to have a career in STEM." And yet, few girls consider it their number-one career option: 81 percent of girls interested in STEM are interested in pursuing STEM careers, but only 13 percent say it's their first choice. Additionally, girls express that they don't know a lot about STEM careers and the opportunities afforded by these fields, with 60 percent of STEM-interested girls acknowledging that they know more about other careers than they do about STEM careers.

Girls are also aware that gender barriers persist in today's society: 57 percent of those studied concur that if they were to pursue a STEM career, they would "have to work harder than a man to be taken seriously."

"This is not a new problem, but it's getting more alarming. As the boomer generation retires, too many high-school students are dropping out before they can even get a degree in a STEM field," writes Wynn. "And women, who make up the majority of graduate degrees, are not pursuing STEM careers. Often overlooked, girls are the key to resolving much of this problem. Research indicates that girls are interested in these subjects and yet few pursue them in higher education or as a career due to a lack of mentorship and exposure, an early introduction of gender bias and a lack of investment in girls."

Read her entire OpEd here.

Louisiana Girl Scouts Building Computers at Geek Squad Summer Academy!

Louisiana's Donaldsonville Chief reports that Best Buy’s Geek Squad Summer Academy is being offered to girls, ages 10 to 14, in Baton Rouge. Girl Scouts Louisiana East, who is hosting the two-day academy, was selected as one of only 23 partners nationwide, through a competitive application process.

“Geek Squad Summer Academy is open to all girls, not just Girl Scouts,” said Jill Pollard, Vice President of Program and Volunteerism at the local Girl Scout council. “This is an opportunity for any girl interested in technology to learn new skills in a fun, interactive environment.”

According to Pollard, the team building activities include a PC build where girls will learn to tear down and re-build a computer, computer programming, digital photography, and digital music. Girls will learn some of the most popular music creation techniques with music creation software, as well as picture-taking techniques through advance photography methods used by professional photographers. For more information, look here.

Arizona Girl Scouts Embrace Renewable Energy to Keep Tucson Clean and Beautiful

Arizona's Tucson Citizen reports that the hot days of summer often find Tucsonans seeking refuge indoors to escape the sun’s powerful rays. This is not the case for girls participating in the Girl Scouts’ Power Up camp, which takes place next week at the University of Arizona. The thirty girls signed up for this unique hands-on science experience will be looking at ways to use the sun’s rays to their advantage by harnessing its energy to power up original inventions that will emphasize a commitment to keep clean Tucson clean and beautiful.

During this weeklong camp girls ages eleven to fourteen will explore alternate energy sources and will discover the world that surrounds them in an entirely new way. Girls will not only learn about the current methods for harnessing the power of solar, wind, and water resources to power up houses, cars, and even boats (as seen with the Solar Sailor in Sydney, Australia), they will also have the opportunity to team up with University of Arizona Engineering & Design students to develop the concepts introduced by PBS’s Design Squad Kinetic Sculpture Challenge. Girls will create their very own moving sculpture, which will include designing a prototype and marketing their invention. They will present their work at an end of camp showcase for their family and friends.

Power Up Camp will also have a number of VIP guests. Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, State Representative Bruce Wheeler, and State Representative Macario Saldate all plan to attend the Camp and to support the continuing interests of girls in the STEM fields. Renewable energy is a cause particularly close to Mayor Rothschild’s heart. Not only does he enthusiastically support the Solar Power 101 community education workshops started by Congresswoman Giffords, he also made solar energy and water conservation an integral part of his 180 Day Work Plan upon becoming Mayor. Representative Wheeler and Representative Saldate are also passionate about this issue; they are both active members of the House’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Michelle Higgins, Girl Scouts STEM Director, is excited for what lies ahead. “This is a great opportunity for the girls to meet and interact with University of Arizona students and professors as well as community leaders who share their interests and are committed to powering up new ideas and inventions. It’s s also really amazing to see girls extrapolate engineering design concepts into every day applications. I can’t wait to see them in action and their final products.”

Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines CEO Rusine Mitchell Sinclair is a Business Leader

Triangle Business Journal reports that Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines Chief Executive Officer Rusine Mitchell Sinclair has been named one of the most 100 Influential Business Leaders in the Research Triangle of North Carolina as well as the 2012 Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award winner.

The 2012 list of top business leaders includes familiar names in business, education, philanthropy, and government. A special feature relating to these 100 individuals will be published July 27.

The Women in Business awards program recognizes Triangle women who have proven to be dynamic and outstanding leaders with established track records of significant accomplishments in business and/or community service. Judges pored through more than 160 entries to come up with this year’s crop of 26 winners, including the lifetime achievement honor. Sinclair and the other winners will be recognized at an awards luncheon on August 23.

Sinclair has been chief executive officer for Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines since August 2007, when the two legacy councils merged. Prior to joining Girl Scouts, Sinclair spent 25 years with IBM as a vice president and officer of the IBM Corporation before her retirement in 2007. She will continue to lead the council through the remainder of Girl Scouts’ centennial year, and then retire in January 2013.

Nevada Girl Scout Camp Fuels Olympic Aspirations!

Nevada's Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that when Sunrise-area resident Zoe Buntjer went to the Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada's Camp Foxtail, she met new friends, learned responsibility and developed a greater love of the outdoors. She also came away with a love of archery, Olympic aspirations and the ability to hit a bull's-eye at 70 meters.

"I've met 60-year-old women who spent their lives working outdoors in things like the (U.S. National) Park Service because their time in the Girl Scouts sparked their love for environmentalism," said Emily Smith, chief marketing and development officer at Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada. "Camp does wonderful things, but when you see a girl take up a sport with the goal of making it to the Olympics, that's pretty amazing."

"I loved the archery program at Girl Scout Council and started taking private lessons," Zoe said and added modestly, "I'm pretty good at it."

Gabe Bozarth, owner of Pacific Archery, had a more effusive opinion of Zoe's skills.

"She's awesome," Bozarth said. "She's very dedicated to what she's doing, and she's slowly building herself up."

Bozarth contends that archery helps develop important skills, including sportsmanship, discipline, patience, concentration, execution and learning to take things to completion.

Zoe works with a 26-pound recurve bow. The Olympics have yet to incorporate modern compound bows with the pulleys that provide additional mechanical advantage. That means when Zoe fires an arrow, she has to pull back with 26 pounds of force and hold it for seven to 10 seconds.

"It's a series of steps," Bozarth said. "You pull back to your anchor. You aim. You pull through. There's a little device called a clicker on your bow, and it clicks when you reach a certain point, and that's a mental key to let you know it's time to release the arrow. Once you key the mechanics, it's just repetition, repetition, repetition."