Commission on the Status of Women

Last fall, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast received notice that we are one of four Girl Scout councils selected from across the country to send a delegation of four local Girl Scouts to the 58th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March in New York City. Girl Scouts Morgan, Baillie and Reid from Virginia Beach and Emilia from Seaford were selected through an application process by GSCCC to represent the Council at this special session of the United Nations.

The CSW is an annual event dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women. During the session, delegates work together to identify challenges facing women, discuss progress made in gender equality and make decisions about setting global standards for the worldwide empowerment of women. At this session, delegates will primarily focus on this year’s theme: elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.

Through participation in this opportunity, Morgan, Baillie, Reid and Emilia will gain a renewed global perspective on women’s issues. By educating them about the importance of gender equality and empowering them to work towards advancement of women worldwide, these girls will return from the CSW and share their passion for these issues to create a positive change in their communities and beyond. Stay tuned for information about events and activities these girls will be hosting in our area to share what they’ve learned.

GSCCC is dedicated to offering globally-focused programs for girls throughout the year. From travel opportunities to special workshops, there are a numerous ways for girls to be involved in global leadership activities. Check GO! for upcoming opportunities.

The trip is being generously supported by Dr. Lucy’s, a manufacturer of gluten-free, allergy-friendly cookies based in Norfolk, Va.

The girls leave on March 7, so check back soon to get live updates from New York.


From left: Dr. Lucy, Reid, Eileen (adult chaperone), Baillie, Emilia (via Skype),
Kaitlin (adult chaperone), Morgan, and Julie of Dr. Lucy's.

Be Your Own Kind of Star in Girl Scouts!

Sing! Dance! Perform! You can be your own kind of star in Girl Scouts! On Saturday, April 5 from 1 to 4 p.m., Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast will be hosting talent showcases at Pembroke Mall in Virginia Beach, Patrick Henry Mall in Newport News and Southgate Mall in Elizabeth City. No matter what your talent is, all girls are invited to come out and join the fun.

This event is designed for girls and their families to learn more about becoming a member of Girl Scouts. Currently registered members of Girl Scouts may attend and participate by bringing a friend who registers to become a Girl Scout. Girl Scouts who add a member are eligible to receive a Power of One patch. The new Girl Scout will also be eligible to receive the patch. Learn more here.

At the event, there will be entertainment from Young Audiences of Virginia, including Atumpan, The Talking Drums and North Carolina Marionette Theatre. Girls can enjoy fun, hands-on activities and explore booths to learn about opportunities with Girl Scouts and community partners. There will also be meet and greets with talents from WAVY-TV 10 and FOX 43 at each location.

In Girl Scouts, there are always new opportunities for girls to have new experiences, where they make new friends, challenge themselves to try new things and have fun! These talent showcases are an opportunity for girls to build and show their courage and confidence as they take center stage and shine.

Girls of all ages may participate in the talent showcases in individual or group performances. Register to be a part of the show by filling out this form. Everyone is invited to come join the fun and learn more about becoming a member of the nation’s premier organization for girls.

This event is being generously sponsored by FOX43, WAVY-TV 10, Young Audiences of Virginia and Tidewater Family Magazine.

 

 

World Thinking Day 2014

Girl Scout Juniors Alaina and Leilani from Troop 795 stand by

their Nicaragua display during the World Thinking Day

celebration at Pembroke Mall on February 15.

On Saturday evening, Pembroke Mall was abuzz with international flair, as Girl Scouts in Virginia Beach hosted an event in honor of World Thinking Day, which is celebrated internationally on February 22 by Girl Scouts and Girl Guides in 145 countries around the world to give thanks for their international friendships with one another.

Each Girl Scout troop that participated in the World Thinking Day event selected a country and created a display with information about the history, traditions and culture of the country. Girls were given passport books and had the opportunity to visit the displays, learn about the countries and receive stamps in their books. Many of the Girl Scouts dressed in traditional outfits to represent the country that they researched. They also created SWAPS, which are small keepsakes that Girl Scouts exchange, to represent their country and trade with fellow Girl Scouts. From German pretzels made of pipe cleaners to Turkish beads on a pin, Girl Scouts enjoyed visiting the international displays and trading SWAPS with one another.

The Girl Scouts also participated in a parade of flags through the center of Pembroke Mall, and student volunteers with Norfolk NATO Festival set up a booth to talk to Girl Scouts about their native homes in Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom.

The theme for this year’s World Thinking Day is based on the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goal 2, which is to achieve universal primary education, and is especially focused on making sure girls have access to education. In support of this theme, Girl Scouts in Virginia Beach collected new and gently used books at their World Thinking Day event to be donated to REACH, Inc., an organization that supports literacy needs of homeless and at-risk youth living in shelters in South Hampton Roads.

Girl Scout Sydney from Troop 819 stands by her troop's

display about Mexico.

Black History Month Read-a-Thon

Girl Scouts Jordan and Marvetta
read about Coretta Scott King at the
Read-a-Thon hosted by their troop.

A group of 10 Girl Scouts from Troop 329 gathered at the Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee Library in Chesapeake on February 8 to host their second annual Black History Month Read-a-Thon for children in the South Norfolk community. The girls, who are in grades 3 to 6, carefully selected their favorite Black History Month books to read to children at the library. They also set up reading response activities for the children to make character puppets out of brown paper bags, write about what they learned from the book and draw scenes from the stories they heard.

The Girl Scouts, who invited all children at the library to participate in the Read-a-Thon, also set up stations for children to decorate key chains, make snowflakes, play games and win prizes. The Girl Scouts were each responsible for setting up and running the stations.

Through this project, Girl Scout Troop 329 is addressing the issue of illiteracy that is affects people around the world. In the United States, some 30 percent of all 17 year olds are functionally illiterate. By offering children the opportunity to participate in activities that reinforce literacy skills through fun and interactive experiences, Girl Scouts are working to make an impact on this issue by making reading and writing fun activities.

Girl Scouts Catori and Anaiya work on paper bag puppets
after reading stories about famous African Americans.

Literacy has been a fundamental part of Girl Scouting's informal education program activities since its founding over 100 years ago. This is just one of the many benefits of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Research shows that girls with enriched literacy skills, such as those obtained in Girl Scouting, attain higher levels of education, as well as higher-paying and more satisfying jobs, and are more likely to hold leadership positions in their communities. Girls who are reading at or above age level are also less likely to engage in risky behaviors.

At Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast, we recognize that the ability to read, write and communicate has never been more crucial. If girls and women are to thrive in this information age, they must become lifelong learners so that they will have the ability to build knowledge and skills. This fall, our Girls Who Read Lead membership campaign helped us to share the ways that Girl Scouts continues to place a high priority on giving girls the opportunity to develop good reading skills. This includes badges and awards that girls can earn from completing Girl Scout Journeys, such as It's Your Story- Tell It!

To learn more about how Girl Scouting supports academic achievement and engagement, read the Girl Scout Research Institute's study, Linking Leadership to Academic Success: The Girl Scout Difference.

2014 Samoa Soiree

Chef Kisha Frazier's winning
Key Lime Samoas Tarts

On February 8, top chefs in Hampton Roads competed in the 6th annual Samoa Soiree, an annual fundraising event hosted by Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast, where Girl Scout Cookies are used to create unique desserts and appetizers. This year’s competitors included returning champion Chef Kisha Frazier of Chesapeake, who took home the award for judge’s choice for favorite dessert for her Thin Mints-inspired macaroons in 2013. This year, her Key Lime Samoas Tarts stole the show, winning Best in Show and People’s Choice for Favorite Dessert.

Frazier’s popularity as a pastry chef has been growing for the past four years since she opened Terebinth Patisserie and Bistro in Chesapeake. She has closed Terebinth, but her sweet treats are still available at her new location—Hummingbird Macarons located inside Now That’s Good Cooking Culinary Studio in Chesapeake, as well as a kiosk at MacArthur Center in Norfolk.

For Frazier, participating in the Samoa Soiree is about much more than the friendly culinary competition. It’s about supporting the Girl Scouts, an organization that helped to shape her life and today. Frazier vividly remembers cooking a Sunrise sandwich over a campfire with Girl Scouts—an experience that helped her chart a course in culinary arts.

“I still remember how great that open-faced sandwich tasted,” Frazier said. “We hollowed out the center so we could cook the egg in the middle, and sprinkled the outer edges with cheese. Not only did it taste great, but I experienced it at a campsite in Hawaii with 20 of my favorite Girl Scout friends!”

Her experiences in Girl Scouting, earning badges, including the cooking badge, and learning to take risks in and out of the kitchen, inspired her to pursue her dream to be a chef and take the risk of being a business owner.

Frazier started out as a banquet server, and she discovered that she enjoyed making sure that people had an enjoyable dining experience. This prompted her to attend Johnson and Wales University and then receieve accreditation in food and beverage management at Norfolk State University. Following her schooling, she was the opening chef at Nordstrom Café. She also worked as the school server manager at a top private school before opening Terebinth. Now, as the owner and pastry chef at Hummingbird Macarons, Frazier can focus on the things she does best—including macaroons and tarts.

Read more about Samoa Soiree here and view photos here.

Chef Kisha Frazier (second from right) with friends in front of her table at
the 6th annual Samoa Soiree.

Dedication of Oma's Daisies' Boathouse at Camp Skimin

On Sunday, December 8 Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast hosted a dedication ceremony of Oma’s Daisies’ Boathouse at Camp Skimino in Williamsburg. This facility was constructed during the fall thanks to a generous donation of $25,000 from Marion Kaurup. This much-needed boathouse will help to ensure that generations of girls can enjoy canoeing on the camp’s pond.

Marion Kaurup and GSCCC CEO Tracy Keller in the boathouse.

During the ceremony, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast CEO Tracy Keller spoke about the many skills girls gain through program activities such as canoeing and how this gift will enhance the waterfront activities at Camp Skimino. Chair of the Board Melissa Burroughs also spoke and took part in commemorating Kaurup's generous donation with the presentation of the boathouse tribute plaque. Two benches, located next to the boathouse, were also presented to honor Marion and pay tribute to her late husband Arthur.

Marion was asked to speak during the dedication ceremony. She recalled how she was recruited to lead her daughter's Girl Scout Junior troop in the 1950's when the family lived in Brooklyn, New York. She later volunteered to be a Girl Scout Daisy leader when the program was launched in 1984 by GSUSA.

During the dedication program, Marion and her daughter Carol, along with other family members, took part in a sing along led by Girl Scout Alumna Jo Bazar. Kaurup was proud that she still remembered many of the songs from her early Girl Scout years and beamed with a big smile when she taught guests an extra verse to the song Make New Friends!

 Marion shared with guests that camping, canoeing and doing community service projects to support the church where the troop met were some of her favorite memories.She added that she was making new memories in Girl Scouts, thanks to her grandson, Jody Kaurup, who serves as GSCCC's Property Manager. He keeps her up to date with national Girl Scout news and sends her photos of the happenings at GSCCC.

The dedication ceremony was followed by refreshments and a tour of the camp.

National Girl Scout Recruitment Week

As part of National Girl Scout Recruitment Week, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast will be hosting a series of literacy awareness events on Sunday, October 6. The events, Girls Who Read Lead, will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. and offer hands-on activities and information booths, as well as introduce girls to special speakers. Current members of Girl Scouts who wear their uniform or Girl Scout T-shirt and bring a friend to register to be a member will receive a free gift!

WAVY-TV Anchor Cheryl Tan will be present at the Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library location in Virginia Beach. Other guests include: American Girl book author Sharon Cindrich, The Virginian-Pilot reporter Kathy Adams, blogger and author Maggie Ruch, Spectrum Puppets and Theatrix Productions Children’s Theater. Two Virginia Beach Girl Scouts will also speak - Erin Winebrenner will share her literacy-related Girl Scout Gold Award project that benefited the Samaritan House, and Julia Inglesby will share her experience as one of eight girls from across the country that represented Girl Scouts at the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education.

These events are an opportunity for girls and their families to learn about Girl Scouting and register to become a member of the premiere organization for girls, as well as learn the importance of reading, writing and communicating. Research shows that girls with enriched literacy skills attain higher levels of education, are more apt to achieve higher-paying jobs, and are more likely to hold leadership positions in their communities.

National Girl Scout Recruitment Week is being launched with the help of First Lady Michelle Obama, our Honorary National President who is also an advocate for literacy. The First Lady has taped a video highlighting the importance of volunteering for Girl Scouts. We ask that you help us get the word out about Girl Scouting by sharing this video!

You can read more about the national campaign to recruit new members on the Washington Post website here. The nationally syndicated television show The Daily Buzz has done a segment with a volunteer and two Girl Scouts that is airing across the country. You can view the segment online.

Visit Girls Who Read Lead event page for details. Thank you WAVY-TV 10, FOX43 and TidewaterParent.com for sponsoring Girls Who Read Lead!