Let's Celebrate National Women's History Month with Candid Convos!

Let’s Celebrate National Women’s History Month with Candid Convos!

Guest Post from GSUSA Blog: blog.girlscouts.org 

                                                                             

At Girl Scouts, we’re all about girl power. That’s why, every day, all over the world, we work hard to advocate for girls and women and to elevate dialogue not only about their amazing accomplishments and unique journeys, but also about the challenges they face.

This year, the theme of the National Women’s History Project, part of National Women’s History Month, is “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives.” To mark the occasion, we encourage you to find opportunities to weave women’s stories—both as individuals and as part of a larger group—into the fabric of our nation’s history. This is the perfect time to have critical conversations in your own circles—with your family, friends, and neighbors—and to create a space for expression and ideas to really flourish.

Don’t stress! It doesn’t have to be anything formal. Invite a couple of friends over, set out some snacks, and get to talkin.’ Remember: big change often begins with something as simple as a conversation, in an environment that fosters authentic, open dialogue about important issues. So it’s okay to start small.

And it doesn’t all have to be so serious, either. Take this opportunity to also celebrate one another and to rejoice in the richness of women’s history and the strength that lives within all of those present at your gathering. Maybe each person can speak about a woman in history who has inspired her, changed her, or otherwise made a difference in her life.

There are so many simple, meaningful ways to celebrate National Women’s History Month—so let’s do it! Go out and start that conversation today. This month and every day, let’s continue to reflect on the amazing strides women have made in the world and the work yet to be done to ensure true equality for future generations of girls.

Happy National Women’s History Month!

Girl Scouts Rock the Grand Canyon!

This past June 10-year-old Madison R. took an eight day trip along with her troop to the Grand Canyon! Traveling in a charter bus, the girls kept themselves busy with different activities such as making postcards for those back home. They even got to take some time to learn more about the Indians’ culture by studying their history along with sampling some unique food. Madison tried blue corn muffins, popcorn and tanka bites, which are dried buffalo meat and berries. She loved the tanka bites so much that she continued to eat them long after the other girls had fallen asleep on the bus.

Madison’s troop made several stops along the way in order to take advantage of all the historic and scenic sites in their path. Her favorite site was Carlsbad Caverns, where she was able to view the ‘King’s Palace’ room. Madison particularly enjoyed this room due to its realistic, yet creative setting. The room was set up like a palace, but everything in it was made from a part of the caverns.

The girls eventually arrived at their destination -- the Grand Canyon! From first glance, Madison explains she felt very small in comparison to this historic national park. She was in awe of the landscape and amazed to learn about the formation of it. Madison and her troop visited different areas of the canyon in several ways. They were able to travel using jeeps and even mules! One of their activities included a treasure hunt where their goal was to identify as many different rock formations as possible so they could scratch it off their list. They were not only able to have fun experiences such as this one, but her troop was also able to earn badges in the process!

Madison believes this trip helped her in many ways. It was her first big trip away from her parents and while she missed them, it helped her see that it wasn’t so bad to go on a trip without them. Her troop also played a large role in planning for the trip and because of its success; Madison is excited to start planning their next trip to Kansas City! Madison is a prime example of the ways many Girl Scouts take these unique opportunities available to them and come away from them with the courage, confidence and character to do more great things in the future! Great job, Madison and Troop 781! We can’t wait to see what you do next.

For comments or questions on planning a troop trip of your own, please contact Girl Scouts of Central Texas.

Girl Scout Incorporates Love of Art into Career

Art is my passion; it has been in my blood for a long time. I love creating, experimenting and storytelling through imagery. It allows me to put my ideas into something concrete. The great thing about being imaginative is that I don’t see things as they are, as finite ideas. I see them as the possibilities they can become. A blank surface, whether it be a canvas, drawing pad or computer screen is not intimidating to me. It is a starting ground to make something beautiful and great.

When I was presented with the big, scary question of “what do you want to be when you grow up?”, I chose graphic design. I was able to incorporate my passion into a marketable career through my education at Western Kentucky University. In school, I was able to learn a variety of studio arts, which in the long run made me a more prepared Graphic Designer.

After college, I made my way to Austin, Texas and was hired by Girl Scouts. I love my job. When I come to work, I get to play with colors, photos, fonts and images. I design and produce all the print materials our council distributes. I make posters, newsletters, brochures, online camp guides, calendars and a whole array of other projects. Some days I attend Girl Scout events to take photographs and interact with the girls. I have a lot of fun bringing life and color to our materials in order to make the experience more fun for each girl. Through art and graphic design, you can make your personal mark in the world.

To view my designs, please visit my website and the GSCTX website.

- Larisa Chavarria

Less is Sometimes More with this Girl Scout

If you have ever served as a volunteer or been a Girl Scout yourself, you know a Girl Scout is a girl with a strong mentality to make great things happen for both themselves and their communities. This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to meet one of these amazing girls. Ashley Agbasoga, 18, daughter of James and stepmom Olivia Agbasoga served on the Girl Planning Committee for the first Girls’ Respect Conference. Her story proved to me and the GSCTX staff the potential a Girl Scout can reach and the kind attitude they can acquire along the way.

Ashley became a Girl Scout in 7th grade through the advice of a close friend. From there, she experienced fun camp outs, making friends and developed a strong sense of self. She kept this mentality with her as she went through the next stages of her life. Coming from a school with very little resources, Ashley never let this factor into her goals in life. A school project with a UT grad student inspired her future career aspirations as a biomedical engineer. Ashley eventually caught the attention of Colombia University and they have accepted her as a student in the fall. Not one to forget her values, Ashley intends to use her degree to help those less fortunate in foreign countries by working with the ‘Engineers Without Borders’ program.

For the short time I spoke with Ashley, I was able to gather this girl had a great head on her shoulders. No matter what she maintains the mentality that “just because you have less, doesn’t mean you can’t do more.”

GSCTX is confident Ashley will continue to make her family, friends and us proud.

-Kristine Rheinboldt

College Applications: Straight from the Mouth of a UT Student

The idea of college lingers in the minds of most young people, especially high school students. Your parents want you to attend a good college and your school counselors and teachers are constantly giving speech and speech on what forms to fill out and what scholarships to apply for (see Girl Scout scholarship opportunities). Many young people are desperate to break away from the clutter of information and still end up at the university of their choice. Here’s how to do just that.

Applying to college is a process and its one that should start from the time you walk through the doors of your high school freshman year. Helpful Hint #1: Start keeping a notebook or excel sheet documenting everything you have done starting the day you enter high school. I am talking about every extracurricular, volunteer activity, title you held while serving those groups and awards you won. Anything that makes you stand out from the rest is something you will want to write down. You need to maintain this list as you go because when it comes time to fill out the application your senior year, you do not want to be stuck trying to remember everything you did the past four years. Remember to include your Girl Scout Gold Award, CIT experiences, Program Aid experiences, etc!

Most of us dread the essay portion of the application. Having a college base your writing capabilities off two essays is nerve-racking. This is definitely something you should not wait to do at the last minute. Helpful Hint #2: As soon as the essays on the application are released, start drafting an outline. You might go through several outlines. It might even help to take these to a teacher so they can guide you through the process or at least help get you started. In my experiences, teachers have always been happy to help especially if you have made a previous effort to build a friendly relationship with them. You could even go to a former teacher if the one you have now is too busy.

Some students set their sights high when it comes to applying to the major of their choice. Being an admirable quality, it helps to evaluate your options before deciding on your desired major. Helpful Hint #3: If you want to apply to a competitive college like the UT McCombs Business School, make sure your application and grades are top-notch or take a different route. Apply to a less competitive college or choose undeclared for your first year. This will give you a chance to improve your grades and resume freshman year and give you a better chance at getting in the following year.

Lastly, the most important of them all is DEADLINES. Helpful Hint #4: Every college has a different set of deadlines and most of this information is listed on the college’s Web site. Write down all the deadlines for the universities you are applying to on a special calendar so you know when every form, transcript, etc. is due for that particular college. You also want to check when housing applications need to be in. You don’t want to spend your first year at college without a place to live! Review it at the start of each week so you ensure things get turned in on time!

And those are my tips straight from my experiences applying to UT. If you have any other questions, comments or concerns feel free to leave a comment!

-Kristine Rheinboldt, Communications Intern

Photo: Gold Award recipient and GSCTX Board Chair, Linda Pelton, at 2009 Statewide Gold Award Ceremony.

Future Biomedical Engineer

Devynn is a member of the Robotics Rulers team from Waco. Learn about her experience by reading the Q&A below!

Why did you first get involved in the Girl Scout robotics team?
I wanted to be on a team where there would be other girls that had the same interests as me. I also thought the idea of building a robot was pretty cool.

What have you learned from your FIRST Lego League experience?
I learned many things over the last few months. I learned many things about structural engineering, engineering design, computer programming, working together as a team, and that your ideas won't always be perfect the first time. But the most important thing i have learned while being on this team that what you learn is more important than what you win. For many people they seem to think what you win is more important because it is tangible, even though you can show off a trophy, that trophy wont get you a career, learning will.

What was the most challenging project your team had and how did you overcome it?
Working together is always hard because everyone has there own ideas, and it can be hard to listen to other people when you have tons of ideas that you want to try out to see if they work.

What advice can you give a girl who is intimidated or scared by science?
There is no reason to be scared or intimidated because its actually pretty easy after you start working with science ideas. You don't have to be the smartest person in your class to be interested in science. Anyone is smart enough to do it as long as they have the will to learn about it. So if you are interested in a science group, try it. If you find out that you don't like it you don't have to continue for the rest of your life with it.Also if you are in a science group, you will learn things that the rest of your friends don't know.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
I want to be a Biomedical Engineer.

-Devynn R., Girl Scout Cadette

To learn more about Girl Scout robotics teams or other technology programs, visit the EDGE.

What does a Girl Scout Brownie Do?

My daughter, Isabel, is a Girl Scout Brownie. She loves her troop, Camp Texlake, leading the pledge at school, participating in service projects, and her troop leaders.

I was so moved when she recently attended a back-to-school fashion show and talk organized by a local author. She surprised me by pulling out her pen and taking notes during the lecture, matching her friends, teachers, and troop leaders to various virtues.

She has also become quite a little salesgirl which amazes me because I am such a reticent seller. In first grade she partnered with another troop to sell cookies because she was so incredibly passionate about it, selling over 120 boxes. Her favorite was getting donated boxes which she handed out to panhandlers. In second grade she joined her troop and sold at booths, selling just above the minimum for a basic patch. This year her troop are participated in Fall Product Sales, something I had not realized until she left the first meeting order sheet in hand. She had prospects in mind and had closed four sales before dinner. A few days later we went to a school distict-wide meeting downtown and she eagerly sold to many of our friends. The polite "no thank you’s" didn’t stop her and she continued to tell them about how much she loved her troop, the service project which would be funded by the sales, and other details. Many of these are new customers who are interested in buying cookies in 2010.

It reminded me of a young woman I had recently discussed strengths with. As a young girl she became incredibly motivated to sell subscriptions and with her mother’s support became a top seller. I lag behind my daughter who is thirty years younger than I in gaining confidence in this area, a necessity for my current profession.

I am so grateful for how Girl Scouts is raising myself and my daughter and how the Girl Scout Law applies to so many aspects of our life. I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.

-Claire M., Girl Scout Mom

Meet Isabel
Watch Claire's daughter in this video about Girl Scouting and Girl Scout Cookies!




P.S. Girl Scout Cookie sales begin January 20.

Girl Scout Grows To Be Homecoming Queen

Q. How did you first get involved in Girl Scouts and what kept you involved through high school?

A. My first encounter with Girl Scouts was when I was at four months old and my sister was a Girl Scout Daisy. When I got older, I wanted to get to do the things she was doing, so I became a Daisy. I have stayed in Girl Scouting because of the wonderful people and the unique opportunities. My Dad is in the Air Force and Girl Scouts has been great way to get active in new communities. Also enjoyable for me are the opportunities I have to work with younger girls.

Girl Scouts is a beneficial program and the best way to recommend it to others is to set an example like my sister did for me. My two younger sisters are following in mine and my older sister’s footsteps and I hope there are other girls I have influenced in such a way. After receiving the honor of Homecoming Queen at my high school, a mother came up to me with her 7 year old daughter and told her daughter that I was a Girl Scout too.

Q. What is your proudest Girl Scout accomplishment?

A. My proudest accomplishment as a Girl Scout was earning my Gold Award. Thanks to my incredible leader, Sharon, our troop was able to focus, work around our crazy schedules and keep the troop together and strong. We worked extraordinarily hard to finish our goal of the Gold Award and Sharon was there the entire way guiding and supporting us.

Q. How has Girl Scouts influenced or changed your life?

A. It has helped me accomplish goals and to be a better role-model for the people around me. It has also helped me improve my communication skills, organizational skills, and of course outdoor and campfire skills! I am an expert S’more maker!

Q. What advice can you offer girls who are considering leaving the Girl Scout program?

A. Girl Scouts can really help you in the future. You have so many opportunities to positively impact your community that it is worth sticking with it. In addition to the many traits Girl Scouting builds, there are many opportunities down the road such as scholarships.

Q. If you could tell the whole world one thing about Girl Scouts, what would it be?

A. Although tasty, there is so much more to Girl Scouting than cookies! It is so neat how Girl Scouting incorporates character building through fun activities like skiing, horseback riding, rock climbing and more. There have been opportunities for me to make a positive impact on the world by working at soup kitchens and through clean up and restoration projects all over the country. I have served as a Girl Scout Council delegate during the national restructuring of Girl Scouts. All these experiences have made me a better person.

Q. What are your plans for the future?

A. I plan to attend at least four years of college. Currently I am undecided, but I have considered becoming a physician or a marine biologist. I also plan on keeping Girl Scouts as a part of my life so I can continue to have a positive influence on younger children. Like my older sister, I plan on becoming a Lifetime member of Girl Scouts when I graduate from high school. Just as all my amazing Girl Scout leaders, Linda, Dorthey, Barbara and Sharon have done, I hope to someday serve as a troop leader.

-Mary, Girl Scout Ambassador

Mary was recently crowned Homecoming Queen at Wall High School. She is an active athlete at her high school and participated in the 2009 Girl Scout Race on the River in San Angelo. 

Your Vote = $10K

I Live Here, I Give Here, Central Texas’ Campaign for Philanthropy, is hosting the Big Give contest as part of their second birthday celebration. The Big Give recognizes Central Texas nonprofits that exemplify excellence in donor relations as determined through online donor voting. The winning organization receives $10,000 at their October 22 celebration.

GSCTX made it through the first round with more than 500 votes, landing us a spot as one of three finalist organizations. Hurray! Each vote is a testament to the commitment of Girl Scout supporters in Central Texas. On behalf of the girls, volunteers, board and staff: THANK YOU!

Now that we’re in the final round we need your votes more than ever. The $10,000 prize could help improve resources for girls and volunteers while keeping Girl Scout program costs low. With your help, this unique funding opportunity can make a significant impact on more than 20,000 Central Texas girls who are developing courage, confidence and character through Girl Scouting.

If you’ve given to GSCTX, please take a minute today and cast your vote in the Big Give contest. Your vote could be the best $10K you’ve ever given.

-Cheryl Lowe

Welcome to GSCTX's Blog!

Welcome, reader, to GSCTX’s very first blog entry! We’re thrilled to launch this blog as we begin our 2009-2010 program year.

The goal of this blog is to share information about purposefully developing girl leaders who have the courage, confidence and character required to make the world a better place. From insights into the creation of GSCTX programs to conversations about the challenges girls face, this blog is the go-to place for anyone committed to the next generation of women leaders.

Ask questions, suggest topics, share your experiences, forward an entry to a friend or just read it when you have a moment. No matter how you engage, your participation will ensure a stronger, more capable generation of girls.

So tell us, what needs to be discussed? What topics have to be explored, dissected and resolved for girls in the 21st century to succeed? This is your blog; we just secured the url.

-Cheryl Lowe