Core Camp

A guest blog by Camile Peter, Chief Operations Officer for Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast

Core Camp is a special chance for Girl Scout troops to come together for a sampling of all the various activities that make Girl Scout camp one of the most fun and valuable experiences ever! If your girls and troop volunteers are camping novices, core camp’s experienced volunteer staff will help all of you gain the skills and find all the fun and excitement that camp has to offer. If your troop has been to camp before, core camp offers a variety of activities that may expand your horizons, while making your weekend worry-free.

When I first came to the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast, I was amazed at how great our camps are. I fell in love with all of our camps and quickly volunteered to lead many core camp weekends. I found it to be truly the best that camp has to offer, rolled into a weekend where someone else coordinates everything!

Here are some of the things that made many fond memories for my daughters and me, and that are still offered at today’s core camps: hiking, archery, nature activities, outdoor skills and orienteering, crafts, canoeing, ropes, flag ceremonies, closing campfires, storytime, skits and sing-alongs, kapers, s’mores and more! All you have to do is bring your troop, pillows and blankets. We will do the rest! Ok, you might want to bring a couple more things. We really will do the rest!

Outdoors Adventures Manager Tesi Strickland, aka Pickles, and our fantastic outdoor volunteer staff combine their years of experience to lead the way so that you and your troop will have a wonderful time. Of course, core camp would never be successful without great food, and you can count on Pickles and our volunteer staff to make sure that no one goes hungry.

New this year, we have added opportunities for your troop volunteers to receive outdoor training while at core camp. Just think – if your troop volunteers are already going to be there, why not attend one of the trainings offered so that your troop can continue their outdoor adventures all year long!

This year’s core camps are already on the schedule, so plan ahead and join us for a chance to experience core camp magic!

• March 9-11 (2 nights) at Camp Darden

The sky is the limit to the fun and good solid camp time you and your troop will have at our camps!

Register online, or contact us at customercare@gsccc.org for more information. We hope to see you there!

A Visit to Camp Apasus

If you keep your eyes open long enough, you can see a lot in just a few minutes.  Today I had the honor of taking a few photographs at my daughter’s Girl Scout camp, Camp Apasus. I drove through the cemetery where two of my great grandmothers are buried, and I walked into the camp with my daughter. I saw a lot in those short moments.

I saw dozens of girls wearing shirts with printed expressions like “smart girl” and “kind is cool.” I saw girls running with reckless abandon – jump roping and hula hooping.  I saw some girls who could jump rope while doing twists.  I saw some girls who couldn’t yet jump rope.  I saw the girls who excelled at jump roping encouraging their sisters who couldn’t jump rope well with tips like “keep your head up” and “pick up your feet next time.” No competition. No embarrassment.  Just genuine encouraging and supporting each other.

I saw two girls cry after having a disagreement as a strong counselor calmed them down and helped them through the disagreement.  I then saw them hula hoop off together again, the dispute quickly forgotten.

I saw girls with different hair, build, color and age come together to make pretend boats out of sticks.

I saw a team of outstanding strong young women leading these girls. These young women have their priorities straight, and they lead these young Girl Scouts by example.

I saw the girls line up for the raising of the Colors, and then they reverently raised the flag earned by a deceased veteran.  I saw the girls remove their ball caps and cover their heart with their hands as they pledged allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.  They watched the flag with wonder and respect.

I was only at the camp for about 15 minutes, and I saw ALL of this.  I left there with a full heart, for I know these young girls and young women are going to be okay.  I know that just this one week at Camp Apasus is going to make a difference in all their amazing long lives. This camp is made of the stuff that they will look back on in 20 or 30 years and remember - remember the fun, the freedom, the friendships, the go-getting, the risk-taking, and the leading that they learned how to do.  

Thank you, Girl Scouts. Thank you for inspiring and encouraging this generation of girls to be who they are.  You’ve done your job here, as you’ve been doing since 1912.  Keep on keepin’ on! 

Yours in Girl Scouting,
Kelly McMahon Willette, Girl Scout Troop Leader and Girl Scout Mom

Nine Days in Costa Rica

By Girl Scout Senior Kilani from Moyock

I want to start by saying that for my first time leaving the country, Costa Rica was absolutely an amazing experience and a blessing for me to have gone. I made so many memories and new friends who I can share them with! This is one of the best reasons to join Girl Scouts, in my opinion.

To start off our journey to Costa Rica we had a nice, comfortable flight, but I was so excited to just land. Once we did, I’ll admit that I was terrified that no one would understand me, and I’d get lost. But this was illogical seeing as how we had adults, groups and plenty of girls who spoke some Spanish.  Once everyone had got their passports stamped, we were on our way out the door to the beautiful city of San Jose! We made our way to the hotel and quickly settled for the night. We had a long day ahead the next morning.

One word to describe our second day would be hectic. We ate breakfast and left for a long day of traveling. We gratefully pulled up to the coffee plantation after a long day on the road. The coffee was phenomenal and was like nothing else! Later on, we went to a waterfall, which was terribly cold, and a hot spring. The hot spring was so relaxing.

The next day, we hiked all morning until we came across a volcanic rock trail and went up to see everything. Once we climbed past the clearing, we could see everything. It was so beautiful. We took pictures and then climbed down and made our way back. Back on the bus we went, and we were on our way to go kayaking. We got dropped off and made our way down to the lake. We were instructed on what to do, and it took a lot of work until you got the hang of it. I ended up with calluses by the end of the day, but I don’t mind them because they have a story. We all boarded the bus once more and drove back to the hotel room to change so we could go to the chocolate tour.

On our fourth day, we left for the next hotel. After a quick meal, we headed out to go zip lining. It was scary because there was a lot you had to do, and I was afraid to mess something up. But we had help, and that was extremely appreciated. You never appreciate the world until you’re soaring above the treetops looking over all the valleys, hills and lakes. It was like some other unknown planet. That night, we went on  a night walk through the rainforest. We saw so many creatures, including spiders, snails, snakes, birds and much more.

The next day, we went on a hike in the cloud forest. It was quite calming and miraculous, all at the same time. There was so much biodiversity and everything was covered in green. After the walk, we made our own footprint on the world and planted a tree. After, we were all excited to go horseback riding! I was so thrilled because I haven’t been horseback riding since I was 10, I believe. Once I got on my horse, most people told me I looked experienced which really boosted my confidence. One part of the group ended up splitting up from mine. I happened to be in the very front so I was the leader. I felt so free and my horse was amazing.

It was our sixth day there, and we were all ready to see our families but some parts of us didn’t want to leave. We traveled to a new hotel, dropped off our stuff and left for a crocodile tour. After arriving at the tour, we got on the boat and saw a few crocs and left to go to a treetop tour. We saw a butterfly room and soon after ascended into the treetops looking at all the flora and fauna. We saw many sloths and some birds. After the tour, we went back to the hotel and settled down. The downside to this day was the fact that we were having power issues. We spent some time in the pool, and after swimming, we came back to the room to find a little lizard inside on our window.

On our seventh day, we were finally going to the beach. We ate breakfast, packed up and headed out for the day. It’s nothing like the beach here, let me tell you. The water was so clear and the sand was super soft. Wildlife was everywhere. We saw monkeys and raccoons, and they even tried to take our food. We enjoyed playing in the water and walking on the beach.

After our long day, we went back to the hotel and changed just to turn around and go to visit the scouts of Costa Rica. It was by far one of my favorite experiences. We got to experience the amazing culture of this beautiful place! I got to make a lot of friends from Costa Rica. I still keep in touch with a few of them now. After singing and doing activities, we went to get ice cream and socialize. 

The next day would be our eighth day, we packed up and left for San Jose again. On our way, we stopped for a lesson on ox cart paintings and a little bit of last minute shopping for souvenirs. I was jersey obsessed and bought so many! On our drive back, we stopped at one of the local churches. Everything was so extravagant! After stopping at the hotel for awhile, we went to a folklore show. 

On our ninth day, we went whitewater rafting. .After a full day of fun, we went back to our room and packed everything and went to sleep.

Sadly, we got to our last day, and we went to breakfast and packed up the bus. We said our goodbyes to San Jose and went on our way to Atlanta. This trip was by far was one of the best experiences of my life.

To finish off my blog and my amazing adventure I’d like to thank my friends, including my new ones, for making this such a memorable experience. I’d also like to thank Mel .B, Ms. Eileen and the other adult volunteers for dealing with us crazy girls. All of you made this trip more enjoyable by far! I’d like to thank my parents for getting the money for this trip and letting me go. I most of all would like to thank Girl Scouts in general because without this I would’ve never gone to Costa Rica. Girl Scouting has played a huge role in my life and I can’t wait to continue on. I’m proud to call myself a Girl Scout! Always remember to keep adventuring!

Community in Costa Rica

By Troop 771

Troop 771 from Chesapeake traveled to Costa Rica this summer. Although the timing of the trip was exactly the same as the Council sponsored trip, it was not the same trip. But, our itinerary was almost exact, and we even ran into each other a few times.

We did have a couple of exceptions. We had the opportunity to interact with the Maleku indigenous tribe.  Their numbers are dwindling rapidly and they are expected to be extinct within 60 years. We were treated to their traditional drink and they danced for us. We also painted either a butterfly or toucan on balsa wood with their guidance.

We also met with local Scouts on the beach where we made guacamole together and then built a fire and roasted marshmallows. We took turns singing songs to each other.  Our girls got to practice their Spanish and the Scouts were able to practice their English. Then, two days later, we met the Scouts at their school where we donated more than 100 pounds of school supplies and about 15 soccer balls!!!!  They were so excited. We spent the morning painting shelters in the schoolyard with the Scouts. They use these shelters for their break time and sometimes eat their lunches there. We were able to see some classrooms and then we played some typical games with the Scouts. We then were given special coins from the Scouts as SWAPs.

We experienced so much it’s hard to say what was the most fun! We were able to see four kinds of monkeys, two kinds of sloths, four kinds of toucans, scarlet macaws, crocodiles, snakes, tarantulas and tree frogs! We visited coffee, chocolate and pineapple plantations! We ziplined, climbed a volcano, hiked down a waterfall, cruised on a crocodile river and went whitewater rafting!

If you ever get the chance to go to Costa Rica – you simply must go!

My First Year as a Girl Scout Leader

By Emily Holmes, leader of Girl Scout Troop 723 in Moyock

My first year as a Girl Scout troop leader was a great success. I started out with seven girls in mid-October and eight more girls joined the troop by the time summer came around. All of them were first year Daisies, half in kindergarten and half in first grade. During our first year, 12 girls completed earned all of their Petals, and the remaining three are not far behind.

All of my girls participated in the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Together, they sold more than 2,500 boxes of cookies. About half of the girls sold more than 200 boxes and one sold more than 600 boxes! My girls also participated in parades, took part in Earth Day activities, went caroling and attended World Thinking Day, just to name a few of the wonderful things we did this year. We had an end of year party where we awarded the girls their Petals, rewards from the cookie program and fun patches. The girls earned a combined 130 fun patches this year!

Our entire troop renewed for next year, and we had three moms step up to become co-leaders. As a leader, I have become CPR/AED/First Aid certified, completed Outdoor I/II training, attended Girl Scout Program Basics I/II as well as many online trainings. We have had a great year and we have learned so much. I am already excited about next year— half of my girls will be bridging to Brownies in the fall and new adventures will begin.

Adventure Awaits in Costa Rica

By Girl Scout Senior Kilani from Moyock

This summer I’ll be attending the international trip to beautiful Costa Rica. I’m looking forward to the memorable moments that I’ll have and all the stunning views. I chose to travel with Girl Scouts because the opportunity came up, and I made the adventurous decision to go.

Quite frankly, at first I never even thought about going to Costa Rica. But then I saw the flier and decided that I had to go. It honestly still surprises me to hear that I’m actually going. Imagine going on about your day and then someone brings it up and you just sit there stunned because it’s actually going to happen. 

This is my first ever international trip. It’s exciting to anticipate what this trip will bring me. I’ll meet new people, eat new foods and see new places. It’ll be like a whole new world with new culture and adventures. 

The trip will be here before I know it, so I have to prepare myself. We’ve already discussed some items that we should pack including some very odd items, such as doggy bags. You may be wondering why, and the answer is simply that in Costa Rica you cannot flush toilet paper. You’re probably wrapping your mind around the idea of not being able to flush toilet paper and instead disposing it, but we’ll see how it goes when we get there. I’m not to worried about it though. It’s hard for me to worry about anything when I’m so ecstatic to just go.

We are Camp Skimino, the Mighty, Mighty Camp Skimino!

By Elizabeth Coyne, GSCCC Communications Intern and Camp Staff Member

GSCCC Outdoor Adventures Manager Tesi Strickland and
CEO Tracy Keller accepted the Bronze Award on behalf of the Council

Camp Skimino, a GSCCC camp located in Williamsburg, was recognized with a Bronze Award for Best Summer Camp by Coastal Virginia Magazine. The magazine held a reader’s choice contest from January 1 to the end of March. The camp will be featured along with other reader’s choice awards in their July/August issue. Yesterday, GSCCC CEO Tracy Keller and Outdoor Adventures Manager Tesi Strickland were on hand to receive the award certificate from Kathy Talmage, a representative from the magazine.

Elizabeth at camp last summer.

It was no surprise to me that votes from the public brought recognition to Camp Skimino. As someone who worked as a camp counselor there, I totally agree that Camp Skimino is awesome! Camp Skimino has everything a camper could dream of, from belaying 25 feet off the ground on the wobbly bridge of our high-ropes course to water fights from canoes on Skimino’s man-made lake, Lake Adahi. Camp also has a nice, big swimming pool to cool off in after playing capture the flag on the field on a hot, sunny day. And, you can’t forget about the Camp Skimino amphitheater that sits right on the lake that we use for our opening and closing campfires, which are filled with friends, camp songs and of course s’mores! Camp Skimino is the perfect place for girls and their families to experience the outdoors.

Camp Skimino is full of tradition and history that we share with campers each summer. The local Girl Scout council purchased the 98 acres that is now Camp Skimino in 1955, and it officially opened for camping in 1956. Skimino, a Native American word meaning “smooth creek” was used to name the Girl Scout campsite after the first human inhabitants of the area.

This summer, Camp Skimino is hosting a week of resident camp for registered Girl Scouts and their families for only 25 dollars per person, per night and children under five stay for free. Families may stay for one to five nights and choose their daily camp activities, including archery and arts and crafts, or pick to go explore Williamsburg. Located only 10 minutes away from historic Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens, Water Country USA, and all that the area has to offer, Camp Skimino is the perfect family holiday trip. Your family will be staying in platform tents, which is a large canvased wall tent with a wooden floor, complete with cots, mattresses and bug nets. Modern shower houses, complete with flush toilets and hot water for showers, are located near the tents. Meals are not provided. Families plan and cook their own meals or eat at one of the many family and fast food restaurants in the area. For more information, or to book your family for camp, contact customercare@gsccc.org. Come enjoy this beautiful camp that is full of history.

Camp Skimino provides year-round activities for Council girls and adults. It also provides lodging to Girl Scouts from all over the country as they visit the historical Williamsburg area. Other youth groups, businesses, and organizations utilize the site as well for retreats, employee events, and weddings.

GSCCC Honors Jerry Hansen

This blog was written by Tracy Keller, CEO of Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast

Tracy Keller and Nellie Hayes- both members
of the Great Bridge Rotary

This time of year is a time to reflect and to thank those who made 2016 a great year. Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast (GSCCC) wants to extend a thank you to the Great Bridge Rotary for the support they have given Girl Scouts over the years. From helping build boardwalks and small bridges to connect our properties to donating funds for girl programs, Rotary members have provided hands to work and hands to care.

I’m proud to be part of this collective leadership who gives their expertise to make the world a better place, and who tackle challenges, such as getting kindergarteners, especially from families in need, ready for school with health checks, supplies and other support. I am also proud of the fact that they have chosen Girl Scouts as one of the organizations they regularly support, with many of their members prioritizing their volunteer time to advance Girl Scouts. Jerry Hansen was one of those members.

Jerry's family and friends

Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast honored Jerry Hansen on October 24, 2016. Jerry was charter president of the Great Bridge Rotary Club which started 22 years ago. He and past GSCCC CEO Nellie Hayes were instrumental in raising funds for A Place for Girls, the headquarters and program center located on Cedar Road. To celebrate his life, the Jerry Hansen Tagalong Trail in The Outback- an 8.5 acre nature area that lies behind A Place for Girls- was named after him. On what would have been his 75th birthday, Jerry was also honored by the Great Bridge Rotary Club.with a bench in his name.

Girl Scouts Building Responsible Citizens

Girls can’t be what they can’t see. A phrase I use often when speaking about the need for more women leaders and more mentors for girls. Well, the view for girls has just become a little brighter this year as more women have stepped up to leadership. This year is truly THE year for women in politics. We have the highest number of female senators ever – 29. There’s a female running for the highest office in the United States!

While that in itself it reason enough to throw confetti, there’s still room for improvement and that’s why Girl Scouts continue their mission of helping girls build courage, confidence and character to make the world a better place. Studies show that when women are given leadership positions in companies, the companies do better. It’s safe to assume that government and society as a whole will do better with more women leaders. To make it a reality, there must be more women in the pipeline to take on leadership roles.

According to the 2014 Girls and Political Pulse Poll released by the Girl Scout Research Institute, 67% of American girls between the ages of 11 and 17 are interested in politics. But only 32% believe society encourages women to be politicians, and, perhaps most dismaying, 74% believe that if they were to go into politics, they would have to work harder than a man to be taken seriously. Girls who responded to the survey had some suggestions for how to change the perception by girls that politics is not for them. Among the suggestions – they want more mentors, more support from teachers and other adults and better images of women in the media. A small list that would create a big change.

While organizations such as Girl Scouts can begin to address some of these issues and give girls more mentors and encouragement, based on a study from researchers at American University, Girls Just Wanna Not Run The Gender Gap in Young Americans’ Political Ambition, it will take parents, educators, peers and organizations such as Girl Scouts working together to give girls the message that choosing a seat in the House or Senate is a good thing.

Here are five factors outlined in the AAUW study that hinder young women’s political ambition.

• Young men are more likely than young women to be socialized by their parents to think about politics as a career path.
• From their school experiences to their peer associations to their media habits, young women tend to be exposed to less political information and discussion than do young men. 
• Young men are more likely than young women to have played organized sports and care about winning. 
• Young women are less likely than young men to receive encouragement to run for office – from anyone. 
• Young women are less likely than young men to think they will 13 be qualified to run for office, even once they are established in their careers.

We’re in a pivoting place in our world’s future and in so many ways girls represent our future. There is great potential there and the possibility of building a new global leadership paradigm. Whether it's in politics, business, science, academia, or elsewhere, girls can change our world. We just need to lift the barriers open a space where girls are inspired and empowered to bring their talents to the political arena.

By Tracy Keller, CEO of Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast

Northeastern North Carolina Girl Scouts Exhibit Talents at Art Gallery

By Guest Blogger Sandra Warren, with Troop 2119 in Camden

A casual conversation about how to help a Girl Scout Senior finish her GIRLtopia Journey led to an amazing opportunity for all the Girl Scouts the Heart of the South Service Unit in northeastern North Carolina. Troop Leader Deborah Verhofstadt worked with the staff at the Arts of the Albemarle Gallery in Elizabeth City to arrange an exhibition of work for not only the Senior, but also for all girls in her service unit.

The message went out that any Girl Scout who was interested could submit a painting, photograph, drawing or collage piece. They were encouraged to base their pieces off of their Girl Scout badges and Journeys. Twenty girls took the opportunity to have their work put on exhibit.

Darlene Tighe, the gallery manager at Arts of the Albemarle Gallery, was so excited about the idea of the girls displaying their work that she wants to make the exhibit an annual event for the Girl Scouts. She was very impressed with the quality and variety of the submitted pieces, and she shared that members of the public even inquired about purchasing some of the artwork, and she explained that the pieces were just for display.

During a reception at the gallery on August 26, Girl Scouts from the Heart of the South Service Unit presented Tighe with a Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast Community Award, which is given to show appreciation to organizations and individuals in the community who support the Girl Scout movement. Impressed and inspired by the turnout at the reception, Tighe will be creating a community art wall for other community groups to use to display artwork.

The Girl Scout Art Exhibit will be on display through the beginning of October at the Arts of the Albemarle Gallery at 516 East Main Street Elizabeth City, NC 27909/

Back to School, Back to Troop

By Shirley Bergstrom, guest blogger

Shirley with her daughters, Marcelina and Gabriella

I have two daughters. One is a first year Junior and the other is a first year Cadette, and they have both been a Girl Scout since kindergarten. Girl Scouts has been such a great experience for them and maybe even more so for me because I have been able to help not just my girls, but a whole troop of girls, grow and expand their horizons. Some of my daughters' most memorable experiences wouldn’t have happened if they weren't Girl Scouts... camping, friendships, learning about conserving resources, serving their local community and who could forget about igniting their entrepreneurship fire!

We’ve only been in Girl Scouts for a few years but here are a few tidbits for getting back into the swing of things with Girl Scouts and school I’ve learned along the way…

• Renew your membership! It will make things easier for your troop leader to get ready for Fall product sales.

• Stay in touch with your troop’s co-leader(s). Ask for a schedule of meetings for the year, at least up to Christmas. My daughters are in the same troop with girls from Daisies to Cadettes. I keep in touch with each level’s co-leader.

• Get Girl Scout bag to carry your daughter’s Journey books and Guides to Girl Scouting.

• For newly bridged girls, have the vest ready to go with all your patches and troop numbers and patches earned during the summer. The GSCCC shop staff is very knowledgeable with handling all our vest/sash and uniform needs. And, if you’re new and can’t remember your troop number, the shop staff can look it up for you!

• I could go on and on about ideas for organizing everything, but having your Girl Scout meetings and events scheduled into your calendar (paper or electronic) with location is important! I like to color code my calendars to distinguish work, personal, Girl Scout and family events.

• Sign up as a troop helper or driver! This gives co-leaders extra helping hands to make meetings and events run more smoothly… it takes a village!

• Read all publications and emails from Council. I'm always sure to keep up with the monthly enews, Volunteer Connection and the GSCCC blog. 

London to Lucerne: Pre-Departure Part 2

This blog was written by Lily, a Girl Scout Cadette from Virginia Beach who will be traveling with her mother Aimee on GSCCC's London to Lucerne trip this summer. Lily and Aimee are excitedly packing and preparing for their European adventure that starts on July 11.

Lily and her mother Aimee

It felt like a really long time ago that my mom told me that I was going to get to go to Paris with her.

Flashback: I was looking through my mom’s scrapbook she had made of her trip to France. I looked up at her and said, “I really want you to take me to France one day, Momma.” She started laughing at me, which confused me. She said that she didn’t want to tell me this so early, but that we were going. I thought that she meant that one day we would, but she said, “No, like, I just bought the tickets!” Later, I found out it wasn’t just Paris, but also London and Switzerland! Since then I have learned a lot about all the places I am going to get to visit, including an extension to Florence and Rome.

As I have been telling my friends, I’ve gotten a list of what to bring back. It’s GIANT!

My mom and I travelled to New York in January of 2015 with the Girl Scouts, and we had a great time, but my mom made me talk to other people and spend time with them on the trip (oh no!). I made a lot of good friends on that trip because she did that. Now I feel more comfortable talking and making friends with people who had been strangers just hours before. I’m glad my mom is going with me on my first international trip because I know she loves Europe just as much as I do.

I’m super anxious to see King’s Cross station in London, England. It holds a lot of Harry Potter experiences in my Potterhead heart. At the end of sixth grade, I decided to change my electives for seventh grade. Instead of pursuing orchestra another year, I chose to take French I. Now, if I get lost I can tell right from left, and that I actually like escargot!

My mom has been shopping online to buy alternatives to anything liquid! She has also been buying organizing accessories. There’s going to be so much extra space in my luggage for all of my souvenirs!

I’ve been in Girl Scouts since I was four and I have so many amazing memories. I think that if I didn’t travel with Girl Scouts, it wouldn’t be as much as fun as it will be. The New York trip with my troop leader, Ms. Eileen, has definitely influenced my love of travel. So in all, I’m dying for the trip to be here already. It’s a month, hop, and skip away. I’m stoked to travel internationally with Girl Scouts. I hope every girl gets this opportunity.

London to Lucerne: Pre-Departure Part 1

This blog was written by Aimee Haywood, a Girl Scout volunteer who will be traveling with her daughter Lily on GSCCC's London to Lucerne trip this summer. Aimee and Lily are excitedly packing and preparing for their European adventure that starts on July 11.

Lily and Aimee on a GSCCC trip to New York City

When I was 16 years old, I had the opportunity to travel to France with my French teacher. I was with a group from my school and another local school. That experience happened two decades ago, but it still feels like it happened yesterday. When Eileen Livick, the GSCCC travel pathway volunteer, shared with me that my daughter would be old enough for international travel during the 2016 London to Lucerne trip, it felt very far off for many reasons. First, my daughter was just nine years old, and 12 seemed so far off. Second, I had just become a single mother, working part time, and getting ready to be a full time college student. But, I knew what this could do for my daughter, so I signed us both up because travelling with a group was a great way to see and experience a lot, plus make new friends.

So here we are three years later about to head off for an adventure, but this has been a journey in of itself. Lily worked hard with product sales, I worked a lemonade stand at the amphitheater, and we have been blessed by friends and family who know the benefits of traveling and gave gifts to help with the expense, and I’m a semester away from receiving my bachelor’s degree.

My daughter and I have also spent time learning about our destinations, from the World Centers that she has presented about for World Thinking Day to the culture of the places we are visiting (“women in Paris do not wear shorts!”). My daughter even chose to take a high school level French class in the seventh grade to be able to know some of the language. I have been using Pinterest to find great traveling tips and purchased a few things that hopefully will make life on the road easier (packing cubes are the things I am most excited to try out!). We’ve also made a trip out to A Place for Girls to make sure our uniforms are in pristine order for the pinning ceremonies at Pax Lodge and Our Chalet.

As we prepare for departure, I have a sense of calm. Now I am about to leave the country with my 12 year old daughter and leave my son for 11 days; then leave my daughter to travel on to Italy while I escort girls home from Switzerland. Staying calm is kind of a big deal, but I know Eileen has everything under control. She’s done it before, and will again in the future. I am really excited for the adventure that lies ahead.

The desire to travel the world has already infected my daughter because Lily and I were able to travel to New York with Eileen and EF Tours which set in our minds how our European trip will be. We know we will be busy, but we will get to see so much and meet great people.

Unsinkable Girl Scouts

This post was written by guest blogger Jonée Lillard.

What happens when you give six teenage girls three months to build an underwater robot?

Amazing things…

Such is the story of Unsinkable Girl Scouts, the Girl Scouts of Colonial Coast’s first ever ROV (remotely operated vehicle) team, of which I was a member in early 2016. Participating on the team and in the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) ROV competition was enjoyable and rewarding, and an invaluable opportunity to learn about engineering, professionalism and teamwork.

Mary, Peighton, Elizabeth, Kaylee, Jonée and Nancy

An ROV is a remotely controlled aquatic robot, connected by a tether to a control mechanism on the surface. ROVs are used for various underwater tasks too dangerous for humans to perform. The MATE Center is an organization dedicated to advancing ocean science, including marine robotics education. In the premise of the competition, our team was a company with the ROV as its product, so our assignment involved not only building and operating the ROV to perform underwater “demonstration” tasks but also making a marketing display board and presenting our company and product to a panel of MATE representatives and engineers.

During a preliminary workshop at Nauticus, we experienced firsthand what the competition would involve. We experimented with different ROV designs in their test pool and decided that a cubic model would work best for our group. At subsequent meetings, we assembled the control box from a kit purchased from MATE, replicated the props to be used in the competition, such as corals and CubeSats, and constructed the ROV’s frame from PVC pipe after determining appropriate dimensions that would fit into a compact 40-centimeter circle. The practice props were helpful in designing the ROV, as we tailored the retrieval tool to fit them, and in testing, which allowed us to improve the design, including adjusting buoyancy and replacing and reinforcing motor mounts.

Besides learning practical skills such as soldering and drilling, we also gained experience in delegating and communication. We chose our positions in the “company” based on our skills, from CEO (Mary), Operations Manager (Peighton), CFO (Kaylee), R&D Engineer (Elizabeth), Marketing Manager (Nancy), and Safety Manager (Jonée) in the first few meetings to ROV operators and tether handlers during testing.

The regional competition at Old Dominion University on April 30 was the crowning moment of our experience. Seeing the product of our efforts perform exactly as it was designed and presenting it to the judges was immensely rewarding. We won the competition-wide award for Best Team Spirit and placed second overall in the Scout (beginner) level.

The assistance of our engineering mentor, Mr. Lee Scarbrow, was invaluable throughout the process: he helped us enormously with the design, taught us technical skills, and allowed us to use his backyard pool for testing. Many thanks also to Mrs. Donna Farnham, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast program event specialist, for helping us with supplies and venues; Mrs. Emily Balke, for motivating and encouraging us every step of the way; Ms. Susie Hill and Nauticus, for their invaluable help and for encouraging us to begin the team; the American Society of Engineers, for the funding to make this program possible; and the Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast for their support.

Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors who would like to be a member of the 2017 ROV team can contact donnaf@gsccc.org. 

Wonders of Water Journey Presented by Troop 292

Two years ago, the teen members of Girl Scout Troop 292 decided that they wanted to plan an international adventure. Together, they would be able to explore a new place and immerse themselves in a new culture. Choosing a destination, however, wasn’t such an easy task. Thinking about where they wanted to go and how much money they would need to get there has been a big part of the planning process. Recently, the four members of the troop decided to save up for a trip to the Caribbean to be their culminating experience as Girl Scouts before starting college.

Since they decided on their trip, the girls have been working to earn the funds to pay for it. They’ve sold cookies each year, and have saved the proceeds to put towards their trip. Recently, they planned a special fundraising event where they led 79 Brownies to earn their Wonders of Water Journey. The girls worked together to come up with the activities for the day, develop a budget for supplies and advertise their event. Through the event, each Brownie completed their It’s Your Planet—Love It! Journey, even completing the Take Action portion of the requirements.

Troop 292 used the Wonders of Water Journey, which was designed to give Girl Scouts the opportunity to learn about environmental issues, to give girls the chance to interact with issues affecting the planet. Each member of Troop 292 was responsible for a specific activity, from teaching the water cycle to leading a brainstorming session about how to save water. Water fun was also part of the agenda. Girls talked about their favorite water activities and learned how to take trash found in waterways and turn it into treasured craft projects.

To round out the fun, Troop 292 led the Brownies in an activity to make painted fish out of plastic water bottles. Together, all of the girls enjoyed fish-themed snacks before the end of the day.

Through their hard work, Girl Scout Troop 292 earned $850 to put towards their Caribbean trip. The girls are planning to replicate the Wonders of Water Journey event early next year to raise more funds. In the meantime, they are also planning an overnight camp for Girl Scout Brownies and Juniors this fall as a fundraiser for their trip.

Post by Chris Ramos-Smith, guest blogger

Advocacy in Action: House Bill 942

By Tracy Keller, CEO of Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast

Over the past two months while I’ve worked to support House Bill 942, I’ve learned a lot, or “relearned” a lot, by refreshing my school-day memories of government and civics classes. It’s also made it crystal clear that advocacy is an important part of what we do as Girl Scouts. As adults in the organization, we become the voice for girls and make a difference in our communities, state and nation. Together, we work as a team to educate policymakers and community leaders on issues that directly affect girls and our movement. And just as important, we are the role models for girls who see us stepping up and taking action.

One of my favorite quotes that found its way to me this week, was one by Melinda Gates – “I tell my daughters to have their voice in this world, and it became clear I needed to role-model that.”

Without a doubt, role models are important. I received an email from a troop leader recently that brought tears of pride to my eyes. After learning about HB 942, the leader organized a troop meeting to go over the legislative process. In good Girl Scout form, her “ lesson plan” was filled with fun, and it excited the girls to take action. The girls wrote letters to their senator that are priceless and say more than any message I or another Girl Scout CEO could send.

The compelling voices and perspectives of girls is a window into our organization. Their voices shout out how we are engaging them in the program process and how we include them as persuasive advocates for themselves and for other girls. When girls take action on their own behalf, it enables them to think of themselves as leaders and helps them build advocacy skills that will possibly protect their rights and the rights of others in the future.

This is one of the reasons I am supporting House Bill 942 with determination. I want every girl to have that sense of courage and confidence. With the passage of this bill, we will be in a better place to access more schools and provide girls and their families with information on the Girl Scout Leadership Experience and how it can make a difference in their lives and the lives of others in their communities.

Please take a moment and take action today. Send a message of support to your Virginia senator. Find your senator here.

From Volunteer to Career

This post was written by Tammy Carlson, human resources director for Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast.

"Volunteers aren’t paid, not because they are worthless, because they are priceless." —Anonymous

I recently met someone and asked, “What do you do?” They responded, “I’m just a volunteer.” They then proceeded to share the myriad of positions they hold. I was overwhelmed with the amount of commitment and responsibility of this one person. Just a volunteer?!?! My mind was racing with the experience this volunteer was acquiring. I stated they must have an impressive resume with all that experience and they replied, “I don’t list volunteering on my resume.” What! Why!

As a human resources director, I’m looking for EXPERIENCE. However, notice I didn’t say paid experience. Experience can come in many forms: education, previous employment, training, and especially volunteerism.

Volunteerism is a great way to gain skills that will assist or advance with your career exploration. Looking for skills in the field of education consider a troop leader or series advisor position. Interested in finance, product sales or troop finances is for you. Find something you love to do!

Here are some quick things you can do to maximize your volunteer experience:

• Find the right volunteer position. If you are not in the right position, try something else.
• Treat your volunteer experience as a job—remember it is! Be on time, don’t overcommit, and be professional.
• Lead, lead, lead!
• List your volunteer title and duties on your resume. Don’t bury it at the bottom. Have a category called experience that includes both paid and unpaid history. 
• Don’t just list experience, list results: lead a troop of XXX girls, managed XXX troop accounts, coordinated product sales resulting in XXX of sales.
• Know you are valuable. The current value of a volunteer is $23.07 per hour!

Try these few things and you will quickly move from volunteer to career!

"We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we give." -Winston Churchill

Tammy Carlson will be facilitating free workshops on how to use your volunteer experiences to grow professionally this fall. She will provide tips on building your resume and getting the most out of your volunteer experience to find a great job. The workshops will take place: Saturday, August 22 at Great Bridge United Methodist Church in Chesapeake Saturday, September 19 at Church of the Holy Family in Virginia Beach Saturday, October 10 at Shiloh Baptist Church in Yorktown Registration for each workshop is required. More information can be found here.

Hampton Youth in Government Day

This post was written by Girl Scout Senior Ashleigh, a member of Troop 1289 in Hampton.

On April 22,  I had the opportunity to participate in the City of Hampton's Youth in Government Day. The day started at City Council, where Ms. Katherine Glass, clerk of council, welcomed 30 high school Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts from the Peninsula. We were also welcomed by Mayor George Wallace, and he proudly announced that Hampton has been bestowed All-America City for three years consecutively. Every year, Ms. Glass and her staff come up with creative and thought-provoking activities for us.

"I have always been a strong supporter of these programs because it connects our most promising and important rising young citizens with the inner works of our city," Ms. Glass told us.

The day's activities began with Mr. Brian DeProfio, director of budget and strategic initiatives, giving us a brief on how city council and staff members determine the annual budget and project considerations. We then participated in Operation Shark Tank, where project managers gave us presentations for us to consider sponsoring. Every Girl Scout and Boy Scout there was given an electronic voting gadget and our votes were cast instantly on a screen. We then reversed roles and were randomly chosen to represent council members and stage a mock council meeting. Through this process, we experienced how intricate the task is to satisfy the needs of the people and how budget constraints affect decisions.

By noon, we traveled from City Hall to meet Two-Hawk, our tour guide at the Hampton History Museum. He shared his family background, cultural experiences and impressive beadwork. Then, we made our own bead bracelets to bring home. We visited Blackbeard's Point and learned about the significance of pirates in Hampton. We also stopped by the Emancipation Oak at Hampton University and took a break on the lawn to hear a live reading of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Hampton Youth in Government Day is an essential program to me because it gives us knowledge of our state. Many people don't understand that Virginia is an important place in history. The day gives us a learning experience that everyone should encounter at one point in their lives, whether it will be school, work or Girl Scouts. History can be boring when you just sit at a desk and take notes on things that don't involve you, but on this particular day, they make it fun and exciting.

I applaud city council for promoting programs that are hands-on, educational and keep future young voters aware of the issues that affects our lives on a daily basis. We can make a difference if we are aware of what to change.

Guest Blogger: Girl Scout Cadette Michaella

In January, a group of more than 30 Girl Scouts took part in a travel adventure to New York City. The trip was planned by girls and volunteers from Community Two. Girl Scout Cadette Michaella from Troop 475 in Virginia Beach wrote about her favorite parts of the trip:

I have always wanted to go to New York City, and for my thirteenth birthday, I asked for a trip. My mom saw this opportunity through Girl Scouts and thought it was the perfect fit to go everywhere I wanted to visit, and have a fun mother/daughter experience. I raised all of the money for the trip selling jewelry, hair clips, photo cards and other crafts I create. I was super excited to go, and finally the day arrived. The bus trip was long, but worth it when I first saw the New York City skyline. It was amazing! We saw and did so much it is really hard to believe it was all in one weekend.

Michaella at the top of the Empire State Building

My favorite moment was going up in the Empire State Building at night. I was really anxious because I don't like heights, but when the elevator doors opened I could see all the city lights. It was breathtaking! It was so cold but I didn't want to leave because it was so beautiful. I also really loved the Statue of Liberty and took some cool pictures. Miss Eileen, our leader, challenged us to take a photo that looked like we were holding Lady Liberty between our thumb and finger. I got a great shot! I also loved the Broadway show Aladdin! The genie was so incredible and even got a standing ovation during the show. I also had a fun time taking pictures with my mom in Times Square. We even bought some New Year’s 2015 glasses to take silly photos.

This trip was the best and I hope to travel more with Girl Scouts. Our leader, tour guide, and bus drivers did a great job and took care of everything we needed. Thank you to Girl Scouts for offering this adventure!

Guest Blogger: Girl Scout Cadette Sianna

This blog post was written by Girl Scout Cadette Sianna from Norfolk.

My name is Sianna  and I am a first year Girl Scout Cadette. I went to Fort Monroe in August because I was doing a photo shoot, representing Girl Scouts and helping launch the Junior Ranger Program for kids.

Fort Monroe is in Hampton, Virginia, and it’s completely FREE! Now if you go to the museum, you don't have to go through security and the museum is lots of fun. It’s an amazing place to visit, and I learned lots of facts while I was there. For example, the Junior Ranger mascot is a cartoon version of a real dog that helped out at the base. I also got to walk into the real cell that Jefferson Davis was imprisoned in for about four months.

Sianna was sworn in as a Junior Ranger at Fort Monroe by
Kirsten Talken-Spaulding, who is superintendent of
Fort Monroe National Monument and a Girl Scout alumna.

The Junior Ranger Program is meant for kids ages 5-12 but you don't have to be a kid, lots of adults do it too (they are called “Not So Junior Rangers”). All you have to do to complete it is pick up the book from the Visitor Center, finish the book, (you have to do most of the book if you're over 8, and less if you're younger) then one of the rangers will swear you in as a Junior Ranger, and you get a pin.

I went out West this Spring and did the Junior Ranger program and collected badges and patches from seven national parks. You can collect park stamps by going to the visitor center and you will get a stamp for that park. My favorite park was the Grand Canyon, because I went there when I was 3, and it brought back memories from when I was little. While I was there I got sworn in as a Junior Ranger for the Grand Canyon.

I hope you all go to Fort Monroe and enjoy all they have to offer.