Outer Banks Service Unit Bridging Ceremony

Bridging is an important transition in a Girl Scout's life. It is a defining moment when a girl becomes aware of her achievements and is ready for new adventures and responsibilities.

On June 6, the Outer Banks Service Unit hosted their bridging ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of nearly 30 Girl Scouts, as well as the volunteers who give their time and talents to Girl Scouts. Carolene Goodwyn-Harris, chair of the board of directors for GSCCC, was excited to attend the special celebration.

“I had a wonderful time meeting the girls and volunteers in the Outer Banks Service Unit,” Carolene said.

Carolene cheered for each of the Girl Scouts who bridged to the next level of Girl Scouting as they crossed the stage at the Wanchese Community Building.

Rylee and Carolene

As part of the celebration, Rylee, a Girl Scout Cadette in Troop 2432, was recognized for earning the Silver Award, which is the second highest honor and achievement a girl can earn in Girl Scouting. Rylee worked with the Outer Banks History Center to earn the award.

Amanda Grubbs, leader of Girl Scout Troop 2109, and Julie Tortelli, leader of Girl Scout Troop 2512, were recognized with Volunteer of Excellence Awards.

In addition to recognizing current members, the service unit was eager to welcome two new members to Girl Scouts. Peyton and Remington, who will be starting kindergarten in the fall, became Girl Scout Daisies during the ceremony.

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STEM Fun Day

Nearly 100 Girl Scouts took part in a day of fun and learning under the sun during a STEM Fun Day, a science, technology, engineering and math event at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head. The day was designed to teach girls about marine life, ecosystems and energy through hands-on experiences at the beach.

Girls learned casting and reeling skills while they fished from the pier, as well as proper catch and release techniques. At the other end of the pier near the parking lot, girls put their STEM abilities to the test as they raced the solar powered cars that they had built.

Inside the program center, girls learned about ocean currents through a density experiment. Each girl tested ocean, brackish and fresh water for density. They then mixed the waters from three different sources and made observations about what happens when the waters interact.

”It was very exciting to host the Girl Scouts for STEM Fun Day at Jennette’s Pier,” Christin Brown, education curator at Jennette’s Pier said. “It is always great to work with young girls who are the next generation of female leaders.”

In today’s world, women hold only about 25 percent of STEM careers. According to the Girl Scout Research Institute, 82 percent of girls see themselves as smart enough to have a career in STEM, but only 13 percent say it is their first choice. Girl Scouts is working with community partners, such as Jennette’s Pier, to give girls access to fun, hands-on and engaging ways to explore the STEM fields. 

Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast is committed to giving all girls the opportunity to participate in STEM experience. This summer, Girl Scout camps across the region will offer STEM activities. In the fall, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast, in partnership with Norfolk State University, will host Science Alive. Girl Scout camps and events are open to all girls, whether or not they are currently registered members of the organization.

Silver Award Project with the Outer Banks History Center

Girl Scout Cadette Rylee from Wanchese in the Outer Banks has earned the Girl Scout Silver Award, the second highest honor and achievement a girl can earn in Girl Scouting.

For her project, Rylee worked with the Outer Banks History Center, a regional archives and research library administered by the North Carolina State Archives. Rylee worked on a number of tasks to assist with preservation, including placing photos and negatives into sleeves for storage, organizing newspaper clippings and placing slides into acid free enclosures as part of an archival rehousing process. She also helped organize the archive collection and create inventories to help track items in the collection, and she worked on creating a finding aid for the Catherine and Donald Bryan Collection.

In addition to her assistance with the collection, Rylee also helped organize a storage room and re-shelve materials at the history center.

The Girl Scout Silver Award is the top award that middle school age Girl Scouts can earn. To earn the award, girls have to identify a need in the community and carry out a Take Action project to address the matter through leadership work.

Meet Rylee: Cookie Entrepreneur Officer

Rylee, a Wanchese eighth grader, might just be the youngest entrepreneur in Dare County. Last year, she was once again the top Girl Scout Cookie seller in the county, and she hopes to reach that achievement again this year by selling at least 1,000 boxes of the sweet treats. For Rylee, this cookie season is special because it marks the 100th year of the first known sale of cookies by Girl Scouts, and there is a new cookie on the market— Girl Scout S’mores.

Rylee knows that entrepreneurship takes a lot of hard work. Each cookie season, she starts by contacting her customers from the year before asking if they would like to place an order with her again. Then, she focuses on finding new contacts. She finds success setting up cookie booths as well as going door-to-door with cookies in tow asking friends and neighbors if they would like to make a purchase. She also knows the importance of good customer service.

“I’m polite, and I say ‘thank you’ whether I get an order or not,” Rylee said. “I always make sure to deliver my orders as soon as possible. You can’t procrastinate with cookies.”

For Rylee and her fellow members of Troop 2432, the Girl Scout Cookie Program helps to fund the activities they plan for the rest of the year. Last year, the troop used their cookie earnings to make and decorate cards that they took to a local nursing home to deliver to residents. The troop also allocated a portion of their earnings for fun, deciding on a trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg. This year, the troop hopes to earn enough money to again make cards for nursing home residents, purchase items to donate to the animal shelter, take a local trip and save some money for a ceremony as they move on to the next level of Girl Scouting, Seniors, in the spring.

In addition to the activities she has taken part in with her troop, Rylee also completed a project to earn the Girl Scout Silver Award, which is the second highest honor and achievement a girl can earn in Girl Scouting. For her project, Rylee worked with the Outer Banks History Center to put together binders of negatives to be put on display and transcribe newspapers from 1940.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the nation’s leading financial literacy and entrepreneurial program for girls. Girl Scout Cookies not only help girls earn money for fun, educational activities and community projects, but also play a huge role in teaching girls how to be go-getters, innovators, risk-takers and leaders as they learn essential life and business skills.

Girl Scouts Cookies will arrive to the region on February 18, and cookie booth sales will begin the following day. For more information, visit www.gsccc.org.

Gold Award Spotlight: Go Native

Carla, a Kitty Hawk Girl Scout, has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor and achievement a girl can earn in Girl Scouting.

For her project, Carla created a native plant garden at Kitty Hawk Elementary School. She then presented a lesson to third graders about native plants and why they are important, and led them in a scavenger hunt in the garden to learn how to identify native plants. Third grade teachers at the school have adopted the lessons created by Carla and integrated them into their annual plans.

Carla also created a brochure about native plants that is distributed through house rental agencies in the region to teach new residents and visitors about why native plants are important, how to identify a variety of native plants and what invasive species people should avoid planting. In addition, Carla created a video that she placed online to be used a public resource.

“I chose this project because my hometown, the Outer Banks, has a very fragile ecosystem and our maritime forest needs to be preserved and protected via native plants,” Carla said.

In order to make sure that the garden serves as an educational resource for years to come, Carla arranged for fellow Girl Scouts from the Outer Banks to maintain the space.

The Gold Award requires girls to identify an issue in the community and carry out a Take Action project to address the matter through leadership work. Nationwide, less than six percent of eligible Girl Scouts earn the Gold Award, which adds Carla to an elite group of female leaders across the country with the honor. In 2016, Girl Scouts are celebrating 100 years of girls changing the world during the centennial year of the Girl Scout Gold Award.

Girl Scouts Explore the Coastal Ecosystem in the Outer Banks

On Saturday, May 14, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast hosted Coastal STEAM in the Outer Banks, a day of fun and learning in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts and math. Girl Scouts enjoyed a warm, sunny morning near the beaches in Wanchese, while taking part in hands-on activities at the University of North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute.

Kathy Mitchell, conservation horticulturist for the
North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, teaches
 Girl Scouts Chase and Dorian about connections between
native plants and wildlife.

Throughout the morning, Girl Scouts interacted with women scientists from Jeanette’s Pier, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the North Carolina Aquarium and the UNC Coastal Studies Institute as they took part in workshops focused on learning about different aspects of the coastal environment. The workshops included opportunities for Girl Scouts to learn how to use renewable resources to generate energy, identify connections between native plants and wildlife and use equipment for acoustic ecology, which involves studying the relationship between living beings and their environment mediated through sound.

The favorite activity for the day was a workshop with Dr. Kate Brodie from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where the girls learned about how scientists use drones and lasers to create 3D maps to help predict potential weather crises, such as hurricanes.

Girl Scouts construct a wind turbine.

“The girls were great and seemed very excited,” Dr. Brodie said. “A lot of them live in coastal communities so they were already familiar with hurricanes and their potential impact. I think that learning how we use drones and cameras to make 3D maps was a tangible experience for them.”

In today’s world, where women hold only approximately 25 percent of STEM careers, Girl Scouts is working with community partners, such as the UNC Coastal Studies Institute, to expose girls to a wide variety of career option in STEM. With 74 percent of teen girl expressing interest in STEM, Girl Scouts works to create experiences for girls to increase their confidence in their STEM-related abilities, educate girls about careers in STEM and introduce girls to female STEM professionals, which will inspire girls to envision themselves in STEM careers in the future.

This event was funded with grants from the Currituck-Dare Women’s Fund and the Northeastern North Carolina Research and Environmental Education Fund. The Northeastern North Carolina Research and Environmental Education Fund, established in 2014 by Bill and Peggy Birkemeier, long-time Girl Scout who served as the lead volunteer for this event, supports charitable uses in the field of coastal scientific research and environmental education in the northeastern counties of North Carolina. Coastal STEAM in the Outer Banks has been a yearlong planning process between the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast, North Carolina Sea Grant and UNC Coastal Studies Institute.

Fun, Sun and Wind

Over 100 Girl Scouts took to the beach for a day of science learning on April 25 during a special STEM (science, technology, engineer and math) event for Girl Scouts at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head. The event was an a fun and educational experience for girls to learn more about marine life, ecosystems and energy.

Girl Scout Cadette Emma fishes off of Jennette's Pier

During the day, girls explored the biodiversity of the intertidal zone and learned about the animals that call the shores and waters of the Outer Banks home. They went on a beach scavenger hunt to look for shells, skate egg cases and other signs of the unique ecosystem at the beach. Girl Scouts also learned the basic skills necessary to catch a fish from the pier, including casting, reeling and proper catch and release techniques.

Kristen Brown, curator of education at Jeanette’s Pier, led a workshop for Girl Scouts to learn about harnessing wind energy by making their own wind turbines. Girls worked in groups to design blades for the turbine and tested how much energy they could harness in a wind tunnel set up in the classroom on the pier. During the workshop, Brown also taught the girls about the advantages and disadvantages of wind energy, the importance of clean wind and alternative energy.

Girl Scout Cadettes Jada and Kaelyn work on building a wind
turbine in the classroom at Jennette's Pier.

“So many jobs are based on technology and science today, and girls need to see that they are an important part of our future workforce,” Brown said. “Girls are just as good at building things as boys, and they need to be exposed to engineering tasks from a young age if we want them to take an interest in it.”

In today’s world, women hold only about 25 percent of careers in STEM. According to the Girl Scout Research Institute, 82 percent of girls see themselves as smart enough to have a career in STEM, but only 13 percent say it’s their first choice. Girl Scouts is working with community partners, such as Jennette’s Pier, to give girls access to fun and informal ways to explore in the STEM fields.

Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast is committed to giving all girls the opportunity to participate in STEM experiences. This summer, girls can attend various STEM-themed Girl Scout camps. Also, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast, in partnership with Norfolk State University, will host Science Alive, a day of hands-on STEM learning, in September. Girl Scout camps and events are open to all girls, whether or not they are currently registered members of Girl Scouts. For more information, visit www.gsccc.org.

Encourage Access to Girl Scouts

GSCCC members in North Carolina, please support North Carolina Senate Bill 400 sponsored by NC Senator Erica Smith-Ingram.

S400 - This bill would encourage regional schools in North Carolina to facilitate access for students to participate in activities provided by the Boy Scouts of America, and its affiliated North Carolina groups and councils, and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, and its affiliated North Carolina groups and councils. Student participation in any activities offered by these organizations shall not interfere with instructional time during the school day. Find details of the bill here.

Allowing Girl Scouts to give information on, and provide activities from, the Girl Scout Leadership Experience will help us reach more girls and serve our mission of helping build girls of courage, confidence and character, to make the world a better place!

Find members of the North Carolina Assembly – Whorepresents me?

Hatteras Island Girl Scouts Hold Tagalong Tango

Outfitted in their best dresses with bows in their hair and smiles on their faces, 65 Hatteras Island Girl Scouts stepped out for a night on the town on Friday, February 27 for the Tagalong Tango. This annual dance, which was held at the Hatteras Island Civic Center, is organized especially for Girl Scouts and their dads, grandfathers or other significant adult males who play important roles in their lives.

Members of the military from Coast Guard Station Hatteras
with Girl Scouts Sally, Delaney, Elizabeth and Kimber 

This year, five military members from Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet joined the fun after learning about the event from a local Girl Scout leader. They decided to get involved so that all of the girls, even those who came without a date, had a dance partner. Their volunteer efforts were worth it; everyone had a good time dancing the night away. 

“This is one of our best attended events,” Dawn Wimmer, membership specialist for the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast said. “It’s an opportunity for dads and granddads to get involved in the organization their girls are passionate about, and girls appreciate the special time they get to spend with their dad or other caring adult.”

Girl Scout moms and volunteers supported the event by serving food and stepping up as the designated clean-up crew.

The Tagalong Tango is named in honor of a Girl Scout Cookie variety, Tagalongs, the third best seller among the eight varieties that are being sold by area Girl Scouts through March 29. You can find all the varieties at cookie booths. To find a booth near you, use the Cookie Finder app or visit www.girlscoutcookies.org to enter your zip code and find cookie booths nearby.

It’s not too late in the year for girls to join the fun of Girl Scouting. For information about how to get started, visit www.gsccc.org.

Girl Scouts Exhibit Archives Display in Kill Devil Hills

Debbie Martello of the Kill Devil Hills
Library stands along the Girl Scout archives
 exhibit currently on display. Martello is the
mother of a Girl Scout in Troop 4335.

During the month of January, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast is displaying an archives exhibit at the Kill Devil Hills Library. The display shows the history of Girl Scout dolls, a popular collectible since the early years of Girl Scouting. The exhibit includes a wide range of Girl Scout dolls from over the years, ranging from a 1940s Girl Scout Brownie doll to the Girl Scout Barbie doll, which was released in 2014 in correlation with a career exploration program for girls.

The opening of the archive exhibit correlates with the beginning of this year’s Girl Scout Cookie Program, which begins on January 10 when girls will begin taking orders from customers. Girl Scout Cookies will arrive in the Outer Banks during the third weekend in February.

The Girl Scout doll collection currently on display includes two dolls that were issued with toy-sized Girl Scout Cookie boxes, depicting the importance that the Girl Scout Cookie Program, the nation’s leading financial literacy and entrepreneurial program for girls.

The display is free and open to the public to view during normal library hours: Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Find more information about the Girl Scout Cookie Program or joining Girl Scouts here.

North Carolina Girl Scouts Host Food Drive

This fall, over 40 Girl Scouts from 11 different Girl Scout troops in the Outer Banks participated in a food collection drive to support local families in need. The Girl Scouts collected 931 pounds of food that they donated to the Roanoke Island Food Pantry and the Beach Food Pantry.

Members of Troop 2512 from Kill Devil Hills dropping off
the food donations that they collected

To collect the food, the girls distributed bags and fliers to friends in the community, and then went back to collect the donations. They also helped to unload the food at the donation sites, where it was weighed and sorted before being distributed to needy families in the Outer Banks.

“The Girl Scouts arrived at the drop off station full of excitement and joy,” Bob Noffsinger, a coordinator at the Roanoke Island Food Pantry, said. “This food drive was a great way to inspire the girls to be generous in service to others.”

In North Carolina, nearly 20 percent of residents are considered food insecure, meaning they do not have consistent and reliable access nutritional to food. Food drives, such as the one hosted by the Girl Scouts, help add a great variety to the food on the shelves at food banks.

For over 100 years, Girl Scouts have been committed to making the world a better place. From collecting food for those in need to tending to gardens at local schools and churches, Girl Scouts are committed to taking action to improve the community.

Girl Scout Earns Silver Award for Hosting Integrated Dance Festival

Girl Scout Jaya from Kill Devil Hills has earned the Girl Scout Silver Award, the second highest honor and achievement in Girl Scouting.

For her project, Jaya organized and hosted the Dare County Integrated Dance Festival at the Dare County Arts Council. Integrated dance incorporates people of all ages, with and without disabilities, who perform as a group. Jaya planned this event because she wanted to raise awareness in the community about integrated dance and help dissolve stereotypes about disabilities.

For the festival, Jaya organized performers and dances from her church’s dance ministry, Liberty Christian Fellowship, and the Monarch Beach Club, a day program that provides support, services and activities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She also choreographed and performed a dance at the festival with her sister, as well as prepared and performed solo pieces. In addition to the dances, Jaya gave a speech that she wrote about dancing and disabilities, and hosted a question and answer session with the audience. At the end of the festival, Jaya welcomed members of the audience on stage for them to try integrated dance for themselves. Additionally, Jaya created an informational brochure about integrated dance that she distributed at the festival.

Jaya also scheduled community partners, including the Outer Banks Family YMCA and the Monarch Beach Club, to set up tables at the festival to share their mission with those who attended the festival.

“I think that my dance festival really had an impact on people,” Jaya said. “I was so happy that everything went so well, and everyone had a good time.”

After the festival, Jaya created an online scrapbook, a public service announcement and a blog about integrated dance in order to further educate people about the subject. Jaya continues to update her blog so that followers can stay updated about recent news on integrated dance.

To earn the Girl Scout Silver Award, girls must identify an issue in their community and carry out a Take Action project to address the matter through leadership work. The Girl Scout Silver Award is the highest award that can be earned by Girl Scouts in middle school.