Gold Award Spotlight: Growing Nutrition

Girl Scout Ambassador Jada has a passion for cooking and nutrition and decided to share her knowledge with the community. By doing so, Jada earned the Girl Scout Gold Award through her project titled “Growing Nutrition!” Jada wanted to help people in the community make healthful food choices without sacrificing flavor so she created a community nutrition program to share her ideas using cookie funds she earned last season.

Jada created an educational cookbook, “Food is Medicine,” about nutrition with recipes suitable for a low carb diet. Jada’s cookbooks were used at NetCaster Ministry’s food pantry and in the Diabetic Prevention Program at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital. 

Jada went on to host monthly cooking classes at NetCasters’ Ministry offering guests healthful spins on her some of her favorites, as featured in her cookbook, like pumpkin applesauce muffins and turkey meatballs marinara. At her classes she shared ideas on how to make easy, healthier substitutes and how to source low cost fruits and vegetables.

Jada is now working towards publishing her cookbook and hopes to continue writing and sharing health knowledge with others.

Congratulations, Jada!

2021 Cookie Season Kickoff!

 Like many Girl Scout activities in 2020, the Cookie Kickoff event looked a little different this year, but different doesn't mean less fun! While the event was scheduled to take place on site at the Virginia Zoological Park in Norfolk, the set-back from the rise of COVID cases in the area and a new recommendation by the Governor resulted in a change of plans. GSCCC pivoted to make this in-person event a virtual one. Once that decision was made, gears moved quickly to ensure it would be an exceptional experience for girls. 

Zoo staff worked with the GSCCC Program Team to create an awesome experience where girls had opportunities to meet some of the zoo "family" members and take an educational tour. Just as past kickoff programs have done, girls were split into sessions based on their Girl Scout grade level. 

During the older girl session, zoo staff educators Mary Beth and Christine introduced the girls to a giant millipede from Africa that can grow up to 10 inches in length, a Soloman Island skink whose skin is camouflaged so he blends in with tree leaves, and a tenrec, a mammal with quills that looks like a hedgehog but is related to an elephant! The girls were able to ask a lot of questions as the zoo staff showcased each animal virtually and gave their backgrounds. After the live animal show, Zoo staff member Sarah took the girls on a virtual tour to meet the giraffes that included the youngest member, Teddy, born last May. What a treat to get a close up view of the giraffes while listening to a zoo educator talk about each one and the importance of being a conservationist. 

Bruce, the tenrec from Madagascar. 

Mary Beth showing the Solomon Islands skink. 

Teddy, the newest giraffe born on May 7! 

Following the zoo virtual interactions, girls received a preview of the Cookie Program rewards by Cookie Captains. During the older girl session, Cookie Captain Eryn showed each item girls would be earning based on the number of Girl Scout Cookie boxes sold, including Gift of Caring cookies. Girls also discussed the five skills learned during the Cookie Program and watched the 2020 video, Entrepreneur to Entrepreneur, created by Little Brownie Bakers. The video and many of the session resources will be available on the Google Classroom set up by the GSCCC Program Team. 

It's not too late to participate and get ready for the 2021 Cookie Program! Visit our Cookie page on our website for details. https://bit.ly/2W4x6SJ

Community Service Spotlight: Chesapeake Humane Society Giving Tree

Girl Scouts love helping others and the holiday season is an especially busy time of year for Girl Scouts doing community service to help their community friends, including the four paw friends! 

Girl Scout Brownie Troop 382 in Chesapeake, led by Carolyn Engler, decided to create a Giving Tree to support animals cared for by the Chesapeake Humane Society. The Brownies identified the need in the community to help animals. They took action to research what the animals most needed and then set about developing a plan. They contacted a nearby animal feed store in Chesapeake, Tractor Supply Co. located on Centerville Turnpike, and asked if they could place a holiday tree in the store with wish list ornaments. The answer, yes! 

The girls then set about making ornaments. Each ornament is made of paper but unique in design, and each has a written item from the Chesapeake Humane Society's wish list. The girls' goal was to have customers and community friends pick up an ornament and then place the gifts they purchased or made under the tree. 

Each week, the troop checks on the gifts and arranges a pick up. To date, they have collected more than 100 pounds of food and items to donate! 

Whether you’re out shopping or celebrating with friends and family, don’t forget your furry friends this holiday season! Check with your area animal shelters or animal services to see what they might be in need of and then take action! 

Picking up donations from the tree

Each ornament has a wish list item