#VirtualVacay: European Excursion by Sarah L.

From camping in Canada to hiking in the Swiss Alps to fine dining in the Big Apple, GSCTX Girl Scouts are on the move this summer going on whirlwind ADVENTURES! Follow along on their journey here on the Cookie Bites Blog and other social media platforms! Read more Sarah L.'s journey to Europe and the most important thing she learned while traveling with Girl Scouts! 

 I wanted to travel to Europe to experience new cultures and of course try all of the new food. I know that if I went with Girl Scouts I would be taken care of and safe. The leaders and the organization are trustworthy and scouting is international so why not? By going on the council trip to Europe I could meet new people and try a different food in each of the five countries we planned on visiting. I was going with my friend Emma who was from my troop and that helped me stay comfortable during the beginning of the trip. I am already a social person so once I got to know everyone on the trip Emma and I didn't have to stay so attached because we both felt safe and comfortable.

Landing in London 

We first went to London and the food was not so good, but I loved everything about it. I felt at home and loved being there. We saw the London Eye, Windsor Castle, got to ride on a Double Decker bus and the highlight was going to Pax Lodge, one of the WAGGGS world centers. Everybody was so welcoming and caring. It was nice to be there. We had a flag ceremony and got pinned for visiting.  I would love to go back to Pax Lodge and be a volunteer there for a season. Wouldn't it be a great experience to stay in a new country, get your food and lodging paid for and meet scouts from all over the world?

Fun Times in France 

Next, we traveled to Paris. By this time I was making friends with the other scouts that were traveling with us from California and Maryland. It was fun to get to know them and socialize. We walked around and saw Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc du Triumphe. One of the other girls on my trip, Lizzy, spoke some French so she helped me with the language. While we were there I tried crepes, macaroons, creme brulee and escargot. The first three foods were amazing and I wish I could eat them all the time. I tried escargot because my leader, Emily made me try it and I'm glad I did. It wasn't as bad as I thought, although I may not eat it again.

Sightseeing in Switzerland

After Paris, we drove to Switzerland. It was 100 percent beautiful and I would move there in a heartbeat. The scenery was beautiful, the people were nice and the food was good. We got to visit a second and the oldest WAGGGS world center, Our Chalet. The view was spectacular. Normally I wake up to a fence in my backyard and when I woke up in Switzerland I saw beautiful mountains, green countryside and clear blue skies. It was high up in the mountains and I would also love to return and volunteer once I turn 18. It made me want to visit all of the world centers and volunteer at all of them. They are located in Mexico, England, Switzerland and India. I had always heard that scouting was so big but it didn't make sense until we visited the centers. We also saw scouts everywhere we traveled. 

Italian Itinerary 

Our last trip was to Italy and Vatican City. Once I found out how good the food was I just wanted to eat the rest of the trip. We had gelato at least five times and I wanted to keep eating it. Italian culture is different from what I grew up with and it revolves around food. Food is my thing so this was the perfect country for me. Plus, the language is beautiful and sounds elegant. I learned that Vatican City is its own country. I wanted to see the Pope but Emily kept reminding me that was probably not going to happen. I saw the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican museum, they were breathtaking.

Inspired Traveler 

My trip was awesome. The most important skill I learned on this trip was how to budget. I had a certain amount of money per day and I kept all of my receipts to record what I spent so that I could stay on budget. I thought it was going to be really hard but Emily helped me. The less I spent each day the more I had for other days. It is important to know how much you can spend and how much you can't. If you go over budget it is important to learn how to fix it or how to not make it happen again. When I am older and get a job, I can use this skill to figure out my money. You have to make sure you have money in case something happens and to provide for myself. I learned how to budget previously when earning the Savvy Shopper badge but this trip helped me put my budget into real life.

I would travel again with Girl Scouts because I got to make new friends, learn about new cultures and reconnect with old ones. Our trip was planned well in advance and everything was taken care of. I didn't have to worry about anything other than having a good time. This trip inspired me to join the council trip to Russia in 2018. I want to keep traveling everywhere and see everything. Girl Scouts is opportunities and I am glad I went.

Follow along on our other adventures...

#VirtualVaction platforms 

Twitter: @gsctxcouncil 

Instagram: @GSCTX 

#VirtualVacation: Chaperoning in Canada

From camping in Canada to hiking in the Swiss Alps to fine dining in the Big Apple, GSCTX Girl Scouts are on the move this summer going on whirlwind ADVENTURES! Follow along on their journey here on the Cookie Bites Blog and our other social media platforms! Chaperone Miranda S. talks about why she decided to volunteer on the Canada trip and her advice to parents! 

Full Circle Scouting 

As a young girl all of my travel came from Girl Scouting and now that I am an adult and have a troop of my own, someday I want to expose them to the world of scouting. By being a co-chaperone will help get my feet wet to share new experiences with my girls in the guiding world. I liked the opportunity for this trip because it was older girls, different from my Brownie troop and gives me the chance to meet other leaders from other countries, experience Canadian culture and learn about the people and places you visit. 

Count on Your Chaperones

As an adult chaperoning trips it helps you stay prepared for each trip after that. You know for next time to bring twice as many SWAPs, more warm clothes and lots of rain gear. You take each trip with a grain of salt and use those experiences to turn a negative into a positive and make sure that the program and event the girls came for is what you can help provide for them. My advice to parents is to trust that the chaperones have your daughter's best interest at heart and that they can help your daughter to challenge herself more than parents can, so give them an opportunity to do so. You never know what your scout can do until you give her the chance to do it. Every parent has that scary moment about their daughter traveling that something big could happen along with the little things, does she have enough clothes, did she brush her hair etc. The scout will never learn to brush her own teeth or eat her own food until she has the option to make the choices for herself. Chaperones keep your scouts safe and healthy with the promise to encourage challenges and positive actions along the way. 

Follow along on our other adventures... 
#VirtualVacation platforms 
Twitter:@gsctxcouncil
Instagram: @GSCTX

A Real-Life Superhero : The Nancy King Story

                                

GSCTX Staff Member Nancy King poses with girls 

Here’s the exclusive scoop, superheroes live amongst us. They wake up each day to a steaming cup of coffee, the morning paper, and a desire to change the world. These individuals are genuine strong people, who are not defined by masks and capes, but instead by their inspiring acts of generosity, compassion, and courage.

Nancy working with San Angelo scouts

At GSCTX we are fortunate enough to employ one of these real-life superheroes, Nancy King. Her commitment to serve Girl Scouts is undeniable, she’s been helping girls for years and shows no signs of stopping! Last year alone, Nancy served 600 girls through community based programs. Not a week goes by that she doesn’t see a girl out in the community who stops her to tell her what a difference she has made in their life. Kindness radiates out of Nancy, it’s one of her many super powers, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.

Nancy’s supervisor, Lauren White, is a big fan of what she does. “Mrs. Nancy has the perfect heart for serving girls through customized programs, and she holds a special place in her heart for each and every one of her Girl Scouts” says White. “I am so thankful to have the opportunity to learn from Mrs. Nancy, and I am honored to be a part of the legacy that she will leave at Girl Scouts of Central Texas.” Whether a girl is facing issues with self-esteem, bullying, or simply just needs a kind face who will genuinely listen, Nancy’s on it.

"Ms. Nancy" spending time with GSCTX Brownies

 As the leader of the Brown County Latch Key Girl Scout Troop, a troop serving girls (Pre-K through 6th grade) who qualify to have after school care so that they are not left home alone, Nancy has marvelously served numerous girls through her programming. She works many hours prepping projects and activities for the troop meetings and even when her plans fall through, she quickly resolves the situation with an alternative plan. In true super-hero fashion, she gives her time and kindness continuously no matter where she may be. Director of the Latch Key Program, Jessica Hardy has known Nancy for several years and believes whole-heartily that Nancy is a wonderful example to the girls she works with.

 “Mrs. Nancy is the kind of lady that walks into a room and the room lights up.  Anyone that comes in contact with her leaves with a smile on their face “says Hardy.  “She’s a very Godly lady that works selflessly, kindly and lovingly with all those that she comes in contact with no matter who they are or how old they are.” 

In the community, Nancy knows no stranger as her giving heart is loved by all. When a girl is in need of a mentor, a friend, a superhero - Nancy is there to continuously remind her that she’s not alone. We’d like to thank her for her inspirational determination of building girls who WILL make the world a better place. As Robin Wheeler, Membership Development Executive, simply put it…

“Everyone is a better person for having known her.”

This is lame, we’re too busy and this is for babies: Why these GSCTX parents pushed past stereotypes and encouraged their girls to stay in Girl Scouts

There is a widely known and deeply concerning trend in Girl Scouts. Once girls reach middle school their interests change, their schedules grow busier with new extracurricular activities, and their passion for Girl Scouts, once the highlight of their week, wanes and inevitably evaporates. “My daughters have choices just like other people,” LeMay says. “High school gets extremely busy, along with church activities.”  According to a 2012 Girl Scout Institute Research Survey, the average girl only spends about four years in Girl Scouts. When Annie and Miranda L. considered leaving Girl Scouts, their mother Sabrina says she encouraged her daughters to consider how well-rounded Girl Scout programming is. “Mostly what makes our girls stay in Girl Scouts has a lot to do with the friends they have made and the opportunities that Girl Scouts has offered them. I have had 2 of my daughters go to Costa Rica on a Destination trip and 2 others went to Europe for 10 days,” she said.

Sabrina LeMay's daughters and GSCTX Scouts on Destinations trip

As the transition to middle school and high school brings what seems like an endless array of options from sports to band, from student government to social clubs, parents and girls often feel forced to choose. It is at that particular fork in the road that girls find themselves confronting the unspoken stereotype of older Girl Scouts: they’re just not that cool.

Aubree with Lady Cans teammate

In an effort to learn more about our council’s older girl experience and capture their stories, we interviewed several girls to get their take on what’s it like being an older Girl Scout. Cadette, Aubree K.M. reflects on what it was like when she was younger in her troop. “We went on a lot of camping trips, and as we got older we were thinking this maybe wasn’t as cool, you know? Until,” says Aubree, her posture straightening and eyes widening, “I found the Lady Cans robotics team. So then, there’s actually a lot of good experiences and I met a lot of cool people.” She pauses to think for a moment before adding, “I mean, we build robots!” How cool is that? Another benefit of being a member of the Girl Scout community says Aubree, is having a sense of belonging.

It was that sense of belonging that proved to be critical for Sabrina L. as a young woman. “I was a teen mom, delivering my daughter at 15 years of age. During that time, when so many people shunned me for being an unmarried pregnant teenager, my friends in my troop accepted me and helped me,” says Sabrina. “They showed me what family and friends were about. They helped me through the tough times and never turned their backs on me.”

Brooke in Costa Rica 

Like Sabrina’s daughters, GSCTX Cadette, Brooke S. traveled to Costa Rica through the GSUSA Destinations program which is only available to girls once they turn 11-years-old. Each memory Brooke shares from her trip—making new friends, volunteering at a local elementary school, learning to surf--- is punctuated with a wide grin. Chief among her reasons of why she believes older girls should stay in Girl Scouts is the added boost in interest she gets when filling out applications for school organizations, “I definitely make sure to put down that I’m part of Girl Scouts and I have been for almost the last ten years. People usually respond with ‘Oh, that’s cool,’ so you get more opportunities from that too,” she said. Last year Brooke applied to join National Junior Honor Society, which nationally recognizes outstanding middle school students. She credits her Girl Scout experience with being accepted into the organization.

Troop 533 made it all the way to Ambassador

Laurie R. agrees that staying in Girl Scouts can help a girl distinguish herself from her peers during the college application process. Laurie comes from a Girl Scout family. In 1950, her mother earned the Curved Bar or what is now known today as the Gold Award. She and her sisters also made the promise to serve God and their country, help people at all times and live by the Girl Scout Law. After moving to Buda just before her daughter Christina entered kindergarten, Laurie began searching for ways for her to make friends. When a Girl Scout flier made its way home from school with Christina, Laurie signed her up immediately. This spring, Christina and her troop completed their Ambassador year of Girl Scouts and in the fall, Christina will begin her freshman year at the University of Texas.  “I attended many financial aid seminars in the last two years in preparing for Christina to go to college in the Fall and one thing a UT Financial Aid speaker said that really stuck with me was that when they are looking at applications, they are looking to see that the students got involved with something and stuck with it,” said Laurie.

Aside from a resume boost, Laurie says the experiences Christina has had in Girl Scouts has helped her move past self-doubt and fear and is now able to focus on accomplishing her goals. “I think selling cookies brought that attitude out of her.  The rejection from people we have encountered at the cookie booths is not fun, but there is an ultimate goal and you deal with the rejection and get back to work,” she said.

Laurie's daughter Christina 

For parents like Sabrina and Laurie and girls like Aubree and Brooke, being a Girl Scout goes beyond a uniform and preconceived notions of little girls selling cookies. For them and countless others it is an opportunity to build a network of cherished friendships, have adventures that might not otherwise be possible, and gain real, meaningful experiences that have and will shape their futures.

More importantly, Girl Scouts is not what they do. It is who they are.

#GoForTheGold: Claire R.

We're celebrating the 2016 Olympics by showing love to the women proudly representing Team USA in Rio and the outstanding Girl Scouts who earned gold right here in Central Texas! 

Whether it’s the Gold Award or an Olympic gold medal, you need resilience, perseverance, dedication and a strong will to make it happen just like U.S. Basketball Player Tamika Catchings and GSCTX Gold Girl Claire R. 

Aimed at shattering STEM stereotypes and encouraging more girls to pursue STEM-related classes, Claire’s Girls CAN Do Tech, project consists of a video she produced to highlight STEM and robotics and an online community she created where girls can find resources, support, and encouragement. 

 To learn more about the Gold Award and other Girl Scout awards, visit our website. 

Read more about other GSCTX Gold Award projects here.

#GoForTheGold #GoldAward

#GoForTheGold: Isaree P.

We're celebrating the 2016 Olympics by showing love to the women proudly representing Team USA in Rio and the outstanding Girl Scouts who earned gold right here in Central Texas! 

Whether it’s the Gold Award or an Olympic gold medal, you need resilience, perseverance, dedication and a strong will to make it happen just like U.S. Gymnast Simone Biles and GSCTX Gold Isaree P.

A nature lover, Isaree used her project, An Arbor Bench and Many Flower Presses, as an opportunity to empower younger kids in her community to contribute to nature by teaching them how to build their own flower presses. She also extended the Adelphi Acre Community Garden by building an arbor bench for other nature lovers to take in the beauty around them.

 To learn more about the Gold Award and other Girl Scout awards, visit our website. 

Read more about other GSCTX Gold Award projects here.

#GoForTheGold #GoldAward

#GoForTheGold: Solana O

We're celebrating the 2016 Olympics by showing love to the women proudly representing Team USA in Rio and the outstanding Girl Scouts who earned gold right here in Central Texas! 

Whether it’s the Gold Award or an Olympic gold medal, you need resilience, perseverance, dedication and a strong will to make it happen just like U.S. Tennis Player Serena Williams and GSCTX Gold Girl Solana O.

Solana’s project, Knights in Need, serves students at McCallum High School and their families by offering support in the form of bus passes, clothing, and toiletries. The project is aimed at helping students whose families are in crisis or who have little to no financial support and therefore allowing the student to focus more on their academic success. To learn more about the Gold Award and other Girl Scout awards, visit our website. 

Read more about other GSCTX Gold Award projects here.

#GoForTheGold #GoldAward