Gold Award Spotlight: Church of the Holy Family Prayer Garden

Girl Scout Ambassador Emily from Virginia Beach has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor and achievement a girl can earn in Girl Scouting.

For her project, Emily revitalized an area at Church of the Holy Family that was used to dump tree branches and extra dirt and turned it into a prayer garden. Emily began her project by reaching out to the Lynnhaven River Project to choose native plants and natural soil products to place in the garden. She then built wooden benches and planters and purchased a concrete statue of Mary that she sealed and placed in the garden.

“I knew that I wanted to do something at my church for my Gold Award project,” Emily said. “Previously there was no space for quiet contemplation on the church property, and I wanted to change that.”

After completing the garden, Emily met with Girl Scout Troop 442, which meets at the church, and arranged for the members to maintain the garden. She also invited members of the church community to attend a ceremony where Father Gaudencio Pugat blessed the garden.

The Gold Award requires girls to identify an issue in their community and carry out a Take Action project to address the matter through leadership work. Nationwide, less than 6 percent of eligible Girl Scouts earn the Gold Award, which adds Emily to an elite group of female leaders across the country with the honor.

Camp Fury 2015

The youngest firefighting trainees in Hampton are at it again— climbing 85 feet up a ladder, rappelling down a four-story tower and racing against the clock to open fire hydrants and get the water flowing. But, these trainees aren’t the newest recruits in the fire academy. They’re a group of 24 Girl Scouts participating in a unique summer camp session, Camp Fury, at the City of Hampton Division of Fire & Rescue Station 9.

In addition to challenging themselves to reach new heights and try new things, the girls learned a variety of firefighting skills during their week at camp. They participated in fire extinguisher training, took part in search and rescue drills and learned how to use a self-contained breathing apparatus. They also practiced ladder carry techniques, competed in a bucket brigade drill and learned how to roll, connect and empty fire hoses.

Camp Fury is designed to not only teach girls about firefighting, but to also introduce them to a variety of women who work in fields typically dominated by men, including military and law enforcement. During Camp Fury, the girls visited the United States Coast Guard Base Portsmouth, welcomed a female crime scene investigator as a guest speaker and got to hear from a woman who works on the Nightingale helicopter, after the craft was landed on the field next to the fire station. By introducing girls to women in nontraditional careers for females, the girls are able to better picture themselves in similar positions in the future, and give them the confidence they need to pursue their career interests, no matter what they may be.

“It’s so great to see the girls pushing themselves and trying new things,” Medic Firefighter Jami Salvio said. “Last year, one of the girls didn’t make it all the way up the ladder during the aerial climb, but this year she came back, pushed herself and made it to the top.”

Salvio, along with Lt. Denee Nichols, brought Camp Fury to Hampton after learning about a similar camp while attending a conference for women in fire service in 2011.They traveled to Arizona to see the camp in action, and then partnered with Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast to bring the camp to Hampton Roads. The goal of Camp Fury is to immerse girls in a supportive, all-girl environment where they can develop leadership skills, build self-confidence and are more likely to try new things, take risks and discover what they are capable of.

Attorney General Herring Visits Camp Apasus

Attorney General Mark R. Herring got a chance to be a camper today at Girl Scout Camp Apasus. As part of his tour of camps using the Virginia Rules curriculum, he spoke to both girls and boys attending a camp being sponsored by the Sheriff Bob McCabe Foundation.

Attorney General Herring autographed T-shirts for the campers

During his visit, he spent some time getting to know the campers and heard about their week-long experience which included camp favorites such as archery, swimming and canoeing, as well as a bike safety course and a trip to the Virginia Zoo.

“We’ve had a super week,” said Deputy Debbie Vogler who served as a camp counselor for the camp and is a Girl Scout alumna. “ The Virginia Rule module is a program that covers a wide range of subjects and issues that kids are facing today. I know it has made an impact on the kids just by listening to them during our discussions on gang violence, bullying and internet safety. ”

Maranda White, a Girl Scout alumna who attended Camp
Apasus and is will be entering the Norfolk Sheriff's Office
Academy, and  Deputy Debbie Volger were camp counselors.

The Attorney General thanked the Sheriff and his team for holding the camp and said that the work they do is very important.

“When kids spend time with local law enforcement officials it builds a sense of community, helps prevent crime and gives kids the tools they need to make good decisions," Attorney General Herring said.

This is the third year that the Sheriff Bob McCabe Foundation has partnered with Girl Scouts to offer a summer day camp aimed at building relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. The special camp will continue to be offered for another week. A Girl Scout day camp will be offered at Camp Apasus in August.

Mad Science Camp

Girl Scout Camp Apasus was abuzz with young scientists who were experimenting, discovering and analyzing during a weekend-long summer camp session at the end of June. The camp was designed to engage girls in a variety of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities and allow them to explore their interests in the STEM fields.

During their two days at camp, girls participated in 12 different science experiments. They conducted density experiments as their made their own lava lamps, learned about the states of matter by making their own slime and experimented with light refraction through prisms. The girls also explored solubility and properties of matter as they used permanent markers and rubbing alcohol to tie dye T-shirts. A favorite activity for the girls was the egg drop experiment for which the girls had to engineer a container to protect an egg that was dropped by a Girl Scout volunteer from a roof at camp.

“It’s important to teach girls that science can be fun,” Kim Dewitt, the Girl Scout volunteer who organized the camp, said. “I want girls to see that you don’t have to be in a laboratory with expensive equipment to explore and discover.”

In addition to planning special events and summer camps for girls, Dewitt is also the leader of Girl Scout Troop 436 in Virginia Beach, which is made up of 13 first and second graders. As the girls get older, Dewitt looks forward to introducing them to more science activities, including learning about electricity through snap circuits.

In today’s world, women hold only about 25 percent of STEM careers. The Girl Scout Research Institute found that girls are interested in the process of learning, asking and problem solving, but about half of girls feel that STEM isn’t a typical career path for girls. In fact, 57 percent of girls say that if they went into a STEM career, they would have to work harder than a man just to be taken seriously. Girl Scouts is working to fill this gap providing girls with fun and comfortable environments where they can solve problems, learn about how things work and do hands-on science projects.

Pool Dedication at Camp Burke's Mill Pond

Girl Scouts dedicate the new pool

On Tuesday, June 30, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast hosted a dedication for a new pool at Camp Burke’s Mill Pond in Gloucester. Girl Scout alumnae and friends from the community gathered to dedicate the new pool, tour the camp and share Girl Scout memories. A group of Girl Scouts also attended to conduct a flag ceremony and try out the new pool. Girl Scouts were able to add the pool, as well as a deck around the pool, thanks to generous donations by Marion S. Kaurup and A. Kenneth Scribner, Jr.

For over 40 years, Girl Scouts from southeastern Virginia have been going to Camp Burke’s Mill Pond to enjoy the outdoors and participate in a variety of activities, including canoeing, archery and swimming. Lorna Wass, a Girl Scout volunteer who was instrumental in obtaining the camp property for the Girl Scouts, was just one of the Girl Scout alumnae who attended the pool dedication.

Lorna Wass

In the 1970s when Wass was volunteering at a Girl Scout day camp down the street from Burke’s Mill Pond, she met Fred Mason, the owner of the property, who had retired in Gloucester with his wife after a career as the owner of a candy manufacturing company in New York. Mason’s wife had passed away and he told Wass that he was in the process of making decisions about his estate and wanted to find a way for the community to be able to enjoy his land. He invited the Girl Scouts to come swimming at Burke’s Mill Pond and Wass brought them the very next day.

“Right away, Mr. Mason saw how much the girls enjoyed the pond,” Wass said. “Pretty soon after, he decided that he would leave his property to the Girl Scouts.”

By 1973, Burke’s Mill Pond was open for troop camping and Girl Scouts ran summer camps at the property as well.

Today, Camp Burke’s Mill Pond has 11 camp sites, a nature trail and Treakle Cabin for indoor activities and camping. Girls still enjoy the pond for swimming and canoeing. The camp facilities, including the new pool, are also available for members of the public to rent. For more information, visit www.gsccc.org.

View more photos from the day here.

Meet the GSLI Keynote Speaker: Tori Molnar

From July 31 to August 2, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast will be hosting a regional leadership conference in Norfolk for high school girls. The special guest speaker for the weekend in Tori Molar, an 18 year old entrepreneur, writer, professional speaker and blogger. She is also the executive producer and co-host of an upcoming entrepreneurship reality television show, House of Business.

Tori was 13 years old when she officially founded her first company, Utoria, an entrepreneurship empowerment company for young women. Looking back on her childhood, however, Tori sees that she has been business-minded her entire life. When she was four years old, she remembers setting up a candy stand at her grandmother’s flea market.

“In a day, I ate all of my inventory, and I didn’t know how to count change, so anyone who bought something got a quarter back,” Tori said.

Although she didn’t profit much from that experience, it was moments such as those at the flea market that inspired Tori to become a business woman. Tori went on to become the youngest member of the Direct Selling Association and continues to be the youngest CEO in the organization. At a young age, she also joined Girl Scouts, the premier leadership organization for girls.

Tori recognizes that her success is, in part, due to the support of other entrepreneurs who supported her early on in her career. She often talks about her first mentor, Tory Johnson, an entrepreneur and contributor to Good Morning America. Today, Tori spends a lot of her time tasting snacks for her start-up company, Bars & Bites, for which she curates all-natural food products from small producers. She also works as the editor-in-chief for Bites Media, the sister company of Bars & Bites.

In her life, Tori has had to overcome numerous obstacles, including the early death of her father and being diagnosed with cerebral palsy, but she has never let that hold her back from reaching her goals.

“My life’s mission is to help other young people live their entrepreneurial dreams and their best life as a result,” Tori said.

In addition to working with Tori to develop their leadership skills, girls who attend the conference will have the opportunity to learn about developing their personal brand, being responsible social media users and how to choose a career path. Girls will also have the opportunity to attend a session on business etiquette and meet local women leaders in business. Find more information about the Girl Scout Leadership Institute and register here.

Girls' Choice Outdoor Badges

The world is a better place when we let girls choose. Our new outdoor badges are here, and we can’t wait to see Girl Scouts in action. It’s time to get out and become one with nature. You can download the requirements for the badges here.

Girl Scout Brownie Outdoor Adventurer Badge

Starting today, girls can work toward earning the new badges, which are Outdoor Adventurer, Horseback Riding, Archery, Paddling and Ultimate Recreation Challenge.

In Girl Scouts, girls are encouraged to decide which topics they want to explore and how they want to go about it. During the selection process for the new outdoor badges, girls were involved every step of the way, starting last November with an online poll inviting girls to vote on a diverse option of outdoor badge themes.

Girl Scout Senior Paddling Badge

This summer at Girl Scout camp, girls can get started working on the requirements to earn the new outdoor badges. Each of our camps offer opportunities for girls to explore the outdoors, try archery, go canoeing and more. Get more information about summer camp with GSCCC here.

Girls can also explore the outdoors this summer while participating in the GSCCC Step Outside Photo Contest. Now through October 5, Girl Scouts can submit a photo showing the beauty of a GSCCC camp or a photo of girls having fun in an outdoor program for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate!

For volunteers interested in taking trainings in order to bring their Girl Scouts on more outdoor adventures, the following opportunities are coming soon:

• Outdoor I: Cabin Camping, July 25, King's Grant Presbyterian Church in Virginia Beach
• Adventure Games and Initiatives, August 15 at Camp Skimino in Williamsburg
• Canoe Basics, August 15 at Camp Skimino in Williamsburg
• Challenge Course and Ropes Initiatives, August 16 at Camp Skimino in Williamsburg
• Archery, September 13 at Camp Skimino in Williamsburg