Alum Spotlight: Virginia Peninsula Media's Susan Smigielski Acker

Data from the Girl Scout Research Institute shows that participating in Girl Scouts is a foundation for success in education and careers, enables a lifetime of leadership, and provides high levels of life satisfaction. Alums, such as Susan Smigielski Acker, say being in Girl Scouts set them on a path for achievement. Susan is the co-founder, publisher and editor of VA Peninsula Media which produces the free, bi-monthly, VA Peninsula Magazine, available in 90 locations in Hampton, Newport News, Yorktown and Poquoson. You can also subscribe to their weekly e-newsletter.

 Susan is proud of her Girl Scout history. Growing up in Norfolk, Virginia, Girl Scouts was a part of Susan’s youth and was something her family supported. Both her parents, dad a Navy career man and mom who worked for the Department of Defense, considered education a priority—in and out of the classroom. Susan’s mom became involved and took on the role of troop cookie chair for three seasons. She served as a chaperone on many of Susan’s daughters’ Girl Scout capers!

 

“My favorite memory is Camp Apasus in Norfolk,” Susan said. “I still remember the camp theme song! I really enjoyed it both as a child and adult. In 2012, I took my daughters to Camp Apasus’ reunion. It was 10 days after my mom’s funeral and that morning of the reunion, we placed her ashes in her church’s columbarium. Going there for the picnic lunch cheered me and my daughters following a very sad time.”  

 

Susan’s love for writing and her talent in the arts was encouraged at home and in Girl Scouting. After graduating from Old Dominion University where she was the managing editor of the Mace and Crown, she worked in south Georgia as a staff writer for The Valdosta Daily Times and The Statesboro Herald. She also spent time as a staff writer for The Hourglass on the U.S. Army Post of Kwajalein Atoll in the South Pacific’s Marshall Islands and, here in Virginia, she worked at NASA Langley Research Center and spent 17 years as a freelance journalist prior to starting VA Peninsula Media.  

 

“I know my years in Girl Scouts helped me face challenges and become a well-rounded individual,” she said. “Girls will always face challenges. Today’s challenge is too much screen time. There are so many opportunities to get lost in staring at the phone and computer.”

 

For Susan and her family, who now live in Newport News, being “unplugged” and scheduling outdoor activities is a must. They routinely go to the beach, bike, and hike. Her daughters, Charlotte and Julia, now in college, take as much time as possible to get outdoors and enjoy nature. Julia, who like her mom spent time in Girl Scouting, says camping and the outdoor experiences were some of her favorites.

 

“Girl Scouting can really ignite a lifelong love for the outdoors,” Susan said. “It is at the core of the Movement and every girl deserves the opportunity to be introduced to and benefit from the outdoor program. It will help her challenge herself and explore which, in turn, will impact how she responds to the world in the future.”

 

Thanks to Susan and other Girl Scout alum, Girl Scouting can continue and be introduced to new generations. This year, the Virginia Peninsula Media, through Susan’s leadership, has joined other media partners in support of the 2022 Famous Formers Luncheon where women leaders who are Girl Scout alum will be recognized. The event, which raises funds to help further Girl Scouting locally, will take place on Thursday, September 15 at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. Learn more and purchase a ticket at gsccc.org.

 

Susan Smigielski Acker

Susan and her daughters at the 2012 Camp Apasus Reunion

GSCCC Girl Scouts Take on Appalachian Adventures During Shenandoah Trekking Camp Session

Summer adventures are the best kind, especially when they include time at Girl Scout camp! This year, GSCCC offered adventure sessions for teens at Camp Skimino where they traveled from camp to some awesome locations in Virginia.

The first session included travel to False Cape State Park in Virginia Beach (read about that trip here). The second adventure session, held the week of July 18, took girls to Crozet, Virginia, near Skyline Drive where the Appalachian Trail passed through their campground. It was a chance for campers to go beyond their comfort zone and open themselves up to new experiences while being supported by their sister Girl Scouts.  

 

Our campers found a quiet site at the Dundo Campground where they pitched a tent and called it home for a few days. Thanks to good planning, they had all the “fixings” they needed to grill some yummy dishes. There’s something magical about gathering around a glowing campfire, eating s’mores, gazing at the stars and leaving your cares behind!

 

With awe-inspiring scenery surrounding them, the campers were charged up to explore and hike on the first day to Blackrock Summit via the Appalachian Trail. On the second day of the excursion, they spent time viewing incredible rock formations in the Grand Caverns in nearby Grottoes, Virginia. (The Grand Caverns were discovered in 1804 and are the oldest continually-operating caverns in the nation!) Then it was off to hike the Jones Run Trail, which runs beside a 42 foot waterfall.

 

These campers had truly breathtaking experiences and learned a lot about the outdoors, nature and their own abilities. While it was hard to pack up and leave, they had to admit that the stop at an escape room on the way back to Camp Skimino was pretty cool!

 

Camping is one of the most treasured Girl Scout traditions. Whether you’re in the wilderness, at Girl Scout camp or in your own backyard, camping is a great way to connect to nature and bond with your Girl Scout sisters! Don’t forget to sign up for Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend: September 10 at Jockey’s Ridge and September 11 at Machimoco State Park. Enjoy fun activities for all grade levels and earn a patch! 

Silver Award Spotlight: Bat Box Building

Girl Scout Cadette Grace recently saw the need to help conserve the local bat population, which serve as pollinators, in her North Carolina community. By doing so, she earned her Silver Award for the project she titled, "Bat Box Building." Throughout the process, Grace used her research and planning skills to fabricate and install functional habitats for the bats living nearby.

The process involved several steps, but upon completion, Grace thoughtfully assembled eleven bat boxes that were designed to last.

"I researched bats, their habitats, and how to build bat boxes," Grace said. "I created a pattern for building the bat boxes, based on various types I saw online. I gathered the materials, cut the wood patterns, and built eleven bat boxes. I painted and caulked the boxes so they would protect the bats against the elements, and last several years." 

Along with the boxes, Grace also created an educational presentation and provided the resources to her neighborhood garden club and homeowner's association for distribution to residents. Grace has submitted a request to her neighborhood's architecture committee with the hope of approval for an expansion of her project into neighboring communities. 

Grace and her father, Albert, work together on the box fabrication

Presenting information about her project to the community

Girl Scouts Beach Camp Under the Stars During False Cape Fun

When it comes to adventure, Girl Scouts can make it happen and with those adventures comes with a lot of benefits!

 This summer, Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors were given an opportunity to sign up for adventure camp sessions where they would have the chance to take excursion trips from our resident camps. Last week, four GSCCC teens who signed up for False Cape Fun had an adventure-packed few days. They spent several days at an amazing local state park that has six miles of unspoiled beaches in an ocean-to-freshwater bay habitat that includes dunes, woodland, farm fields, salt marsh, maritime forest and wooded swamps. False Cape State Park hosts 300 species of nesting and migratory songbirds, shorebirds and ducks, otters, white-tailed deer, red fox, loggerhead turtles, American bald eagles, feral pigs, wild horses, and a number of interesting reptiles.

 

While at the park, our Girl Scouts spent nights under the stars, had fun on the beach, did a swamp stomp with a park ranger, toured the Pleasure House Point nature area, paddle boarded at Rudee’s Inlet, learned knot tying, and, of course, had s’mores around the campfire! They were also able to travel into the heart of the park in a tram and then explore the grounds on foot.  

 

This session is just one of many where Girl Scouts discover the wonders of nature, experience the thrill of adventure, and challenge themselves and one another to reach new heights in the outdoors. Did you know that repeat camping experiences, such as this one, are key drivers of girls’ leadership development? Plus, the challenge-seeking aspect of these experiences enhances a girl’s ability to better negotiate decisional ambiguities and to experience positive emotions.

 

Consider taking a day trip or doing an overnight excursion at False Cape State Park—or just plan to get outdoors more! You can add a visit to this park or another state park during Girl Scouts Love State Parks Weekend, September 10-11, 2022. Learn more and find out how to receive a Girl Scouts Love State Parks patch.

Join us September 10 and 11, 2022 for Girl Scouts Love State Parks Day Weekend which will be packed with state park fun: https://bit.ly/3t6IGMX

More ways to get outdoors with Girl Scouts: https://bit.ly/3v5AGhs

2022 Norfolk Camp Fury Recap!

Last week, nine Girl Scout Cadettes through Ambassadors took on their next adventure as Girl Scouts during the 2022 Norfolk Camp Fury session in partnership with Norfolk Fire and Rescue! During the week-long session, the Girl Scouts were challenged through learning lifesaving skills and techniques alongside real Fire and Rescue professionals!  Along with vehicle extrication, fire safety, and first response skills, they were also guided through rappelling at Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, part of Nauticus in the Waterside District of Norfolk, VA.

Camp Fury, which has been held for several years, is all about gaining leadership skills and confidence, giving girls the opportunity to learn hands-on lifesaving skills and techniques under the guidance of female firefighters and EMTs in roles society may deem "non-traditional." Nichole Collins, City of Norfolk Master Firefighter, helped organize the 2022 program in Norfolk and worked alongside the girls during the five day camp full of adventures. 

She said, “By exposing girls to situations that they may not be totally comfortable with, they’re able to make decisions for themselves and see the results of those choices. It might seem scary at first, but by the end, they’re so proud.”

The camp session was concluded by a graduation ceremony at on July 1, 2022 where the nine Girl Scouts were recognized for their perseverance and accomplishments throughout the week.

In Memory of Lifetime Girl Scout and Volunteer Helen Kattwinkel

Helen Kattwinkel spent decades as a Girl Scout volunteer. She started her volunteer career in 1964 as a leader overseas in Turkey and went on to serve in many roles. When she and her husband, Frank, and their six children settled in Virginia Beach in the 1970s, she immediately became involved with the Greater Tidewater Girl Scout Council -   first as a troop leader and then as a trainer, working alongside master trainer and good friend Barbara Mettler. Helen’s ability to organize and lead landed her in the role of Service Unit Cookie Chair, overseeing nearly 30 troops. Later, she became a Virginia Beach Cookie Coordinator and managed an area-wide Cookie Cupboard, opening her house for cookie storage during the cookie season. She did this for more than 20 years! An article on the “Cookie Lady” appeared in The Virginian Pilot’s Beacon publication.

Helen’s talent as a trainer was known council-wide. She was the first Girl Scout trainer of the newly released older girl program, which included the Gold Award release, in 1980. She attended a regional training and then took on the responsibility of training leaders and other trainers in Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast (GSCCC). Helen also helped start the GSCCC Gold Award Committee.  She spent more than four decades giving leadership and guidance to GSCCC’s Gold Award Committee.  “Earning the Gold Award is hard work,” Helen said. “Girls come with great ideas but don’t always know the depth of the work it takes. It’s our job to help them through the process. It’s rewarding to see them complete their projects and the confidence they have gained along the way.”

Helen attended many Girl Scout National Conventions, including the 2002 convention in Long Beach, California where she served as a National Council Delegate. She was recognized with the highest national awards bestowed upon an adult, the Thanks Badge I and II, and she also received the Council’s highest adult award, the Dorothy Barber Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.

In 2016, as part of the Council’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of the highest award in Girl Scouting, a reception was held in Helen’s honor at Wycliffe Presbyterian Church in Virginia Beach. Girl Scout friends gathered to pay tribute to her. A plaque was presented to her and the Helen Kattwinkel Lifetime Membership Award soon followed, an award that is given out annually by GSCCC to a Gold Award Girl Scout.

In addition to her volunteer time at Girl Scouts, she was very active with Wycliffe Presbyterian Church, the Virginia Beach Infant Stimulation program, and participated in hand bell choirs.

Helen will be greatly missed. The sparkle in her eyes, her sense of humor, and her tireless dedication—especially when it came to helping girls.

A memorial service to be announced at a later date. Those who wish to send cards or condolences to the family, may send them to Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast, 912 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, Virginia, 23322 and the council will forward to the family.