What's In the News?

**NOTE: Girl Scouts of Frontier Council does not endorse any program, event or commercial enterprise referenced here. Troops, groups and individuals should research and determine which activities they will participate in.

radKIDS Teaches Local Girl Scouts Self Defense

Posted: Apr 12, 2008 1:11 AM EST     http://www.ktnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8156691

They are called Rad Kids and it is not because they are cool or popular. The program is called Rad - Kids which stands for Resist Aggression Defensively.

A local group of girl scouts are learning how to throw punches and their parents could not be prouder. This is not your normal gym class. These girl scouts are learning how to fight off a kidnapper or attacker.

"We work so hard on educating our children and the one thing we can do is teach them life skills that will help them and keep them safe and that is what a Rad kid is," explained Edwards Smart, a child advocate.

Edward Smart flew into Las Vegas to be part of the event. The kidnapping of his daughter Elizabeth Smart made national headlines.  He hopes other children can be more prepared. Edward Smart and others hope more communities will help sponsor the program.

"Changing that paradigm to thinking there is there are chances there are opportunities that they can get away instead of becoming that one that is abducted or hurt," explained Smart. 

On Friday night it was the kids doing the hurting, something that these adults are happy to see.

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Young Women of Distinction

Applications Are Now Being Sought for 2008 NATIONAL YOUNG WOMEN OF DISTINCTION.

GSUSA will recognize 10 Gold Award recipients selected as 2008 National Young Women of Distinction during a special awards ceremony at the National Council Session in October. All transportation, hotel, entertainment and food expenses for awardees to Indianapolis, Indiana, will be paid by GSUSA.

Eligibility

Any Girl Scout who earned her Girl Scout Gold Award between October 1, 2006 and April 30, 2008, even if she is in college at the time of the event, is eligible to apply.
To apply girls must submit applications directly through their Girl Scout council.

Application Deadline

Girls must submit their applications to their councils by May 15, 2008. All application packets must be received at GSUSA no later than July 7, 2008. Applications arriving late will not be considered.

A completed packet must include:

• YWOD application form (one with original signature) (  PDF  20KB     Word 45KB)
• Girl Scout Gold Award application
• Gold Award final report
• One letter of recommendation (from a source outside of Girl Scouting)

Judges will evaluate Gold Award projects based on:

• How the project reflects the passion a girl has for a cause and how she has used her leadership skills to take action.
• How the project has affected the world around her. (The impact of the project and the lasting results locally, nationally or globally.)
• How the project addresses the three Girl Scout keys to leadership:
  
  
  • Discover: Understand their values and their world.
  • Connect: Care about, inspire and team with others.
  • Take Action: Act to make the world a better place.

Application Deadline

Girls must submit their applications to their councils by May 15, 2008. All application packets must be received at GSUSA no later than July 7, 2008. Applications arriving late will not be considered.

Please Note

• Application forms will not be returned; please make a photo copy for your records.
• Send only what is requested. Attachments (e.g., videos, additional references) will not be considered.
• If an applicant makes it to the final round, her council may be asked for additional information on the project.
• GSUSA cannot respond to individual queries, but will notify councils about the status of their applicants by August 29, 2008.

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Updates to SafetyWise

Safety-Wise, which outlines Program Standards and safety guidelines for Girl Scout activities and is a vital resource for volunteers and staff, is being updated.

In order to fully prepare the document for the impact of the New Girl Scout Leadership Experience and to accommodate the valuable recommendations of council volunteers and staff, the publication process will be released in spring 2009.

Some changes will take effect October 1, 2008. Girl Scouts of the USA believes councils will be enthusiastic about some of these changes and want to share them immediately with volunteers to use with the current Safety-Wise.

1. What sort of changes can be expected?
Revisions that have been sent to councils, as well as information about the new program age levels, and clarifications of guidelines and activities—all made to help protect and maintain the safety of every Girl Scout—will be included.
2. Who is providing new or revised information?
The executive risk management staff at GSUSA, representatives from 21 councils, 37 national organizations, the Safety Group, and our partners at Wachovia Insurance made recommendations, revisions and clarifications.
3. When will the guidelines take effect?
The new guidelines will officially be in effect as of October 2008.
4. How will revised guidelines impact program delivery?
Any revisions to guidelines will still emphasize the safety of girls, but there will be suggestions for easing program delivery.
5. Will training for how to use Safety-Wise most effectively be provided?
Yes. For the first time, a training design for teen girls and adults will be made available to councils.
6. Will the revised Safety-Wise be available electronically?
Yes. A searchable document will be posted on the corporate Web site. The posting date has not been determined.
7. The new Safety-Wise will include activity checkpoints for the following:
Zip line*, Tree climbing*, Canopy cruising*  (* will use the same activity checkpoints used for challenge courses, climbing and rappelling), Fencing, Geocaching, Segway, Skateboarding, Sail Skateboarding, Skate Skateboarding, Kite Skateboarding, Ice fishing, Scuba diving, Snorkeling, Surfing.

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Change It Up! What Girls Say About Redefining Leadership

By Judy Schoenberg, Ed.M., Senior Researcher; Kimberlee Salmond, M.P.P., Senior Researcher; Paula Fleshman, M.S., Research and Evaluation Analyst. (New York, N.Y.: Girl Scouts of the USA, 2008). (Executive Summary)

Girl Scouts has always been about leadership. As we move further into the 21st century, it is imperative to ask and explore questions that address girls' attitudes, perceptions, behaviors, and experiences of leadership; how leadership impacts girls of this generation; and, the implications of their current behaviors and attitudes on their future lives. Will the leadership experiences of girls today translate into greater leadership roles for them tomorrow? What kind of leadership does this generation of girls aspire to and connect with? What do we need to know in order to support the next generation of girl and women leaders?

Conducted in conjunction with Fluent, a New York-based research firm, and Girl Scouts of the USA, Change It Up! What Girls Say About Redefining Leadership presents findings from a national study of over 4,000 girls and boys on leadership: how they define it; their experiences, failures, and successes with leadership experimentation; their aspirations, hopes, and fears; the effect of gender biases and stereotypes; and predictors of leadership aspiration. Gender, race/ethnicity, age, and income are explored in their relationship to girls' and boys' leadership aspirations, experiences, and identities.

From the evidence of this report, girls are clearly saying that we need to "change it up" in how we define and think about leadership.

To find out more about why and how girls want and need to "change it up," download the executive summary of the study below.  
http://www.girlscouts.org/research/publications/original/
girl_scout_research_study_march_27_2008.pdf

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Exploring Girls' Leadership

FROM GSUSA

We are pleased to announce the newest publication from the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI): Exploring Girls’ Leadership, a research review that comes at a pivotal time for Girl Scouts of the USA as the organization renews its commitment to girls’ leadership development. While there are many youth leadership programs, little information exists on how girls experience and are impacted by leadership development.

Exploring Girls’ Leadership reviews the literature from the youth development and youth leadership fields and contrasts continued misperceptions about leadership with youths’ realities and community approaches. The contribution of single-sex environments to girls’ leadership is also discussed. Listening to the voices of girls, the review also includes the findings of a small, online survey and focus groups of girls around the country. Girls’ definitions of, experiences of, and aspirations to leadership are highlighted along with tips and lessons for youth development organizations and communities.

Exploring Girls’ Leadership will serve as a resource for existing research on youth, girls, and leadership thus far and is the lead-up piece to a GSRI original national study on girls and leadership currently underway to be released spring 2008. As well, this work will support the launch of the new Girl Scout Leadership Experience for girls in kindergarten through highschool in 2008.

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Dairy Queen Blizzard® Flavor Treat

Girl Scout Merchandise is pleased to announce a national promotion with American Dairy Queen, the treat industry leader and home of the iconic Blizzard® Flavor Treat. Under a national license agreement, Dairy Queen will introduce a new treat—the Girl Scouts Thin Mint Cookie Blizzard. Made up of creamy soft-serve blended with Girl Scouts Thin Mint Cookie pieces and a crème de menthe topping, the Girl Scouts Thin Mint Cookie Blizzard is scheduled to debut summer 2008.

Dairy Queen will promote the product with national television advertising, local radio, print advertising and in-store signage.

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"Leader" Magazine Gets a Makeover

Girl Scout’s official national magazine, Leader, has had a makeover!

Now 60-plus pages with advertising, the new and improved Leader is innovative and in-depth, with a focus on issues facing girls around the world today. The cover story features “international cultural explorer,” world-renowned journalist, and former Girl Scout Lisa Ling. Readers will also find a photo essay on girl culture by filmmaker Lauren Greenfield, an inside look at what’s coming to Indianapolis for the 51st convention, and informative insights on girls and leadership.

In 2008, Girl Scouts of the USA will release two issues of the magazine, with the next issue off press in October. Beginning in 2009, Leader magazine will resume quarterly publication.

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Daisy Girl Scout Troop 319 To Appear In USA Weekend Magazine

By Alpha Husted editorial@post-journal.com
4/14/2008 - SINCLAIRVILLE, NY 

On a crisp October day last fall, members of Daisy Girl Scout Troop 319 and their leader Audrey Little surprised Bob Peterson with gifts of homemade applesauce and baked apple treats.

‘‘Happy Make A Difference Day,’’ the little girls chimed in unison. The kindergartners then cheered and danced around the amazed Peterson, taking time now and then to load their 88-year-old friend’s arms with plastic bags of applesauce and baked apple goodies spiked with cinnamon and nutmeg.

The local World War II veteran was more than a little surprised and impressed — ‘‘bowled over,’’ as he put it. Applesauce, he said, is one of his ‘‘favorite things.’’

Months later, a surprise would be in store for the scouts and their leader. In a recent letter to Mrs. Little, officials at USA Weekend Magazine —founder of Make A Difference Day and contest—relayed the good news: Daisy Girl Scout Troop 319 and their project would be highlighted in the national magazine. Sometime later, the Girl Scouts, Mrs. Little and Peterson were photographed by a USA Weekend photographer.

Magazine officials say the photo and story will appear in the April 25-27 USA Weekend edition. On that weekend, the magazine will be tucked, as usual, within The Post-Journal on Sunday.

According to Pamela Brown, senior editor-in-charge of the USA Weekend Make A Difference Day Program, the local Girl Scouts were among an ‘‘estimated 13,000 girl scouts from throughout 30 states who completed approximately 1,000 projects. The Sinclairville Girl Scouts,’’ she said, ‘‘are being spotlighted to represent Make A Difference achievements of all Girl Scouts nationwide.’’

Thanks to Sinclairville’s Troop 319 and all other troops involved, the magazine official said, the national office of the Girl Scouts of the USA will be awarded $10,000 as one of 10 winners of the 2007 Make A Difference Day competition.

Looking back on the project, Mrs. Little recalled ‘‘the kids particularly liked the idea of working while Mr. Peterson was visiting his wife, Dorothy at the Heritage Green Nursing Care Center. The girls could see that Mr. Peterson truly was surprised — you can’t fool kids — and, for them, that was very rewarding

‘‘Not only did they pick apples for the applesauce, they cleared the ground of all the apples that had fallen from the tree,’’ Mrs. Little said.

‘‘I remember one little girl’s reaction when she picked up a rotten apple with a worm. ‘Yuck,’ she said, but she never complained and never stopped picking up the ‘bad apples.’

‘‘I wanted them to understand,’’ the Girl Scout leader said, ‘‘that caring and sharing are the most important things we can do for one another. The kids saw for themselves that sometimes it takes only a little thing like applesauce to make a big difference in someone’s life.’’

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International Camp Staff Opportunities - USA Girl Scouts Overseas

http://www.usagso-na.org/camp.php

Camp Staff Opportunities

Opportunities to become part of our dynamic camp team are available!

Do you have an interest in working with children? Do you believe girls are capable of and competent in planning and conducting their own activities with the assistance of caring adults? Do you love to be active in the outdoors and have a few camping skills?

Every summer adults find their way to Germany (and in 2008 Italy too!) as camp volunteers. Parents of campers, active duty soldiers on leave and other interested and caring adults have found a summer home with us. The support of this special group of "campers" is a vital part of our summer programming.

We will be offering resident camp opportunities for girls at two locations:

Camp Lachenwald - 7 June - 12 July in Germany!

Campeggio Bosco Ridente - 16 July - 4 August in Italy!

We are looking for staff to work the full season - that means at both locations! Download the 2008 Camp Staff flyer which contains general camp information and available staff positions. The Camp Brochure will be on-line 5 March 2008 and will include detailed unit program descriptions for each session. To assist you with the application process before that date you can request an abridged copy of the program descriptions. We hope they tempt you to join our summer team!

Detailed position descriptions and program descriptions can be requested from: Mary Edna Wuertenberger.

Applicants must be at least 19 years of age to work as a camp counselor (with demonstrated resident camp experience) and at least 16 to work as a kitchen assistant. All staff live at camp and are provided room and board in partial compensation for their position. Girl Scout accident insurance and illness insurance which provides coverage while camp is in session is made available at no cost for every staff member.

An intensive 7 day pre-camp training is provided for staff from 7-13 June 2008. Staff learn more about the expectations of their positions and the program; develop working relationships with their peers; explore the camp facilities and surrounding areas; and develop or fine-tune skills.

Staff Positions Include: Resident Camp Director; Assistant Camp Director; Program Director; Health Services Manager (Nurse with a minimum of EMT Level I certification required); Unit Leaders; Assistant Unit Leaders; Assistant Cook and Kitchen Assistant.

You must complete an application and two reference forms to be considered. You can download the forms here, request Word document files or have your questions answered from Mary Edna Wuertenberger.

If you are interested in assisting for just one session, volunteer opportunities are available too. Contact Mary Edna Wuertenberger for a copy of the Volunteer Application packet.

Join us as we empower girls to:

DISCOVER their world and their potential through a wide variety of program activities!

CONNECT with other Girl Scouts throughout Europe celebrating friendships...old and new!

TAKE ACTION as they develop and hone their leadership skills to make the world a better place!

We promise you a summer filled with adventure and lasting memories at Camp Lachenwald (Germany) and Campeggio Bosco Ridente (Italy) - Tschüss and Ciao!

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National Research Study Re-Affirms Effectiveness of Girl Scouts Leadership Development Model

MIQUON, Pa., March 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/

A groundbreaking national study on girls' views of leadership was hailed by the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP) as a re-affirmation of the Girl Scouts' core leadership development model and mission, and as a call to action for more girls to get involved in Girl Scouting.

The study released today by the Girl Scouts of the USA Research Institute indicates that girls find the traditional command-and-control style of leadership unappealing and that a majority of them would aspire to a different kind of leadership focused on personal principles, ethical behavior and the ability to affect social change. The youths also defined leaders as people who prize collaboration, stand up for their beliefs and values, and try to improve society. The majority of girls polled do not desire to be future leaders and fear they would not be capable enough to assume leadership roles.

"This study makes the case that girls in general need more support in developing their leadership potential, which is what Girl Scouts has been doing for effectively for almost 100 years. This is also strong evidence that our holistic, collaborative and horizontal approach is what girls desire," said GSEP Chief Executive Officer Ann Meredith. "Service to others, making the world a better place and collaboration are the cornerstones of our successful leadership development model. The great news for America is that we don't have to reinvent the wheel to give girls what they want and need to be leaders in their own lives and in their communities."

The study revealed a number of key insights into girls and their needs and attitudes about leadership:

-- Promoting leadership in girls is primarily a matter of fostering their self-confidence and providing supportive environments in which to acquire leadership experience. To be relevant to and successful with girls, a leadership program must address their aspirational or preferred definition of leadership, their need for emotional safety, and their desire for social and personal development.
-- 68 percent of survey respondents said they would want to be leaders who stand up "for their beliefs and values."
-- 59 percent said that they would like to be a leader "who tries to change the world for the better."
-- 39 percent of girls want to be leaders, and that the desire for leadership is higher among African-American (53 percent), Hispanic (50 percent) and Asian-American (59 percent) girls compared to Caucasian girls (34 percent).
-- Boys and girls share many of the aspirations to and perceptions of leadership. However, girls are more likely to be driven by altruistic motives and the desire to change the world for the better. Boys were more likely to be motivated by power and money.

"It's remarkable how the findings and conclusions drawn by the study mirrors the Girl Scout model. We foster courage, confidence and character by providing a supportive, girl-led, group-driven environment with trusted mentors. We have a Promise and Law built on core values and beliefs that our girls are expected to uphold in their daily lives, and community service is a way of life for Girl Scouts," Ms. Meredith said. "In 1913 our founder Juliette Gordon Low published 'How Girls Can Help Their Country' -- and we've been doing it ever since."

The study, which provides a rare glimpse into girls' evolving perceptions of leadership, involved a national survey of 2,475 girls in general, not just Girl Scouts, and 1,514 boys ages 8 to 17, as well as a series of focus groups and ethnographic interviews.

"We will be using this study to engage policy makers, educators, community leaders and parents on what girls want and need, and how our holistic, values-centered and mentoring model can help them," Ms. Meredith said. "The recent realignment of our three regional councils into one high capacity Council and creation of our new Center for Girl Research and Leadership Development provides the infrastructure and resources necessary to respond to our girls' yearnings to be a leader in their own lives and in their communities, and deliver even better outcomes and innovations."

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Henrietta Potter helped Scouts get their Wings

Henrietta Sinn Potter (Photo by Gloria Dahlhamer/)

By GLORIA DAHLHAMER  Herald-Mail.com

Editor's note: This is one in an occasional series of profiles of area residents who share the stories of their lives and experiences.

Henrietta Sinn Potter remembers vividly the day she took her Girl Scout troop to Washington National Airport to see the U.S. Air Force's famed Blue Angels. The Hagerstown Scouts, members of Shawnee Girl Scout Council's only Wing Scout troop, had been given the honor of escorting the pilots from their plane to the airport. Potter says, with a twinkle in her eye, "It was supposed to be a dignified occasion."

Instead, her young Girl Scouts got the giggles.
"The more I admonished them to be quiet, the more they giggled. Finally, one of the girls whispered, 'Mrs. Potter, they aren't wearing pants.' Sure enough, they weren't. You could see right through their flight suits to their underwear. One of them was wearing polka dot shorts."

That was back in the late 1940s, when Fairchild Aircraft was booming and C-82 Packets were rolling off the local assembly line. Airplanes were big business, and aviation was an attractive career field for young women as well as young men. In 1944, at the urging of Girl Scout Executive Katherine McCullough, Potter organized the first Wing Scout troop in this area. Ten teenage girls signed up to learn about planes and pilots, and especially Packets.

"We met once a week in Republican headquarters above the Colonial Theater," she recalls.
The troop was sponsored by the Hagerstown Business and Professional Women's Club (BPW), and received support from the Washington County Republican Club. Classroom studies included aircraft identification, meteorology, navigation, radio communication and related subjects. Potter says advanced training included orientation flights in a J-3 Cub donated by the Piper Aircraft Corporation. Pilots and flight instructors for these flights were volunteers from Fairchild, Henson Flying Service and Civil Air Patrol.

One of the troop's big jobs, she recalls, was washing airplanes at Hagerstown Regional Airport.
"That's how I got my son-in-law," she says. Her daughter, Betty Lou, met her future husband, Fairchild test pilot Bill Rinn, during one of those plane washing sessions.

The Wing Scouts' favorite activity was touring other airport facilities. With members of Hagerstown BPW serving as chauffeurs, the girls took field trips to Andrews Air Force Base and New York's LaGuardia Airport, and studied aviation history at Kitty Hawk, N.C.

Once the girls completed their training, they won their wings and graduated from the troop. Potter says she took three troops through the program between 1945 and 1952, when the program was abandoned. In that seven-year period, 26 girls earned their wings.

Although Wing Scout Troop 20 no longer is a part of Shawnee Girl Scout Council, members still get together once a year. Former Wing Scout Janice Carper of Shepherdstown, W.Va., says friendships started back then have continued for 60 years. The Scouts meet for lunch annually to reminisce. While most of the members have remained in the Washington County area, some live as far away as Texas and Florida. Potter keeps up with all of them via letters and phone calls. Eight of the 26 Wing Scouts have died. Potter remained active in Girl Scouting through 2004, serving on Shawnee Council's board and most recently on its archives committee.

Now 93 years old, she's slowing down as a result of a broken ankle. She lives at Homewood in Williamport and takes part in activities there and with other organizations. She is a former member and past president of the Hagerstown Business and Professional Women's Club and participates in the club's special events, including its 70th anniversary celebration earlier this year.

Born Henrietta Louise Betts in Big Pool, the nonagenarian remembers when Hagerstown YMCA summer camp was in the Big Pool area. Her family moved to Hagerstown when she was 3 years old, and she went through the local public school system. She attended elementary school at the former Surrey School, where "the elementary grades were on the first floor and the boys' high school was on the second floor." She attended the girls' high school in the former Broadway School, and graduated in 1929 at age 15 from the "new" consolidated high school in Hagerstown's north end. "That was back when you could skip a grade if you could keep up," she says. "I skipped two grades. And when the schools finally went co-ed, I thought that was just great."

Her first job was as a telegrapher with the postal telegraph service. She went from there to Hagerstown Shoe & Legging, "where my church (Christ's Reformed) is located today." She spent 12 years as a secretary in the county register of wills office, and another eight years as a secretary in the Maryland state legislature during the two terms of Gov. Theodore McKeldin. She says she especially remembers working with Washington County delegates Charles Downey and Myron Bloom.

In the 20-year period between 1960 and 1980, Potter co-owned and worked as a tour guide with Travel Plans Inc. She visited almost a dozen countries, "but I was too chicken to go to Russia." During that period, she saw the famed Passion Play in Oberammergau in Germany four times.

Of all the things she's done, she says she's most proud of her stint as a Wing Scout leader. "The girls have all turned out to be model citizens," she says. "We've got a doctor, teachers, a lab technician ... all good people in our group. "After all these years, they're still my girls."

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Can you enjoy Girl Scout cookies without blowing your diet?

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD , WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature

It comes but once a year, that time when $3.50 will buy you a stroll down memory lane. As we speak, girls dressed in green are knocking on doors across America, carrying boxes filled with everyone's favorite treat -- Girl Scout cookies.

Which ones do you look forward to? It's a very subjective thing. While my husband is a Thin Mint kind of guy, my youngest daughter is a Tagalong. I'm all about the "All Abouts" while my oldest daughter enjoys all of the above.

And yes, this dietitian and her family do enjoy these not-so-healthy treats. I usually buy a box of everyone’s favorite cookie, we enjoy them, and after about a week or two, we move on. Girl Scout cookies are one of those unique food traditions that mark a certain time of year. And if you are someone who really looks forward to these cookies and would register it as a loss if you didn’t partake, I'd say you should celebrate the cookies -- but with moderation in mind.

What’s New in Girl Scout Cookies?
Two different bakers make Girl Scout cookies, and each of them make their particular rendition of the classics (Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Do Si Dos, Samoas, Shortbread). Depending on which baker supplies your particular cookie connection, the names and nutrition information can vary. I might say "Tagalongs" and you say "Peanut Butter Patties;" or you say "Shortbread" and I say "Trefoils." "Thanks-A-Lot" are similar to "All Abouts," and "Peanut Butter Sandwiches" are equivalent to "Do-si-dos."

Each year, the two chosen bakers try out several new cookie options. If they don’t sell well, they aren’t usually back the next year.

"It’s a constant process," says Michelle Thompkins, External Communications Consultant for Girl Scouts USA. "But there’s always a demand for healthier cookies."

While Girl Scout cookies can't exactly be considered health food (they are cookies, after all), this year, there are a couple of new, more healthful options:

• Cinna-spins come in 100-calorie pouches topping out at only 2 grams of fat, 1 gram saturated fat, and 8 grams of sugar.
• Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies have 0 grams sugar (but 7 grams of sugar alcohol that's mostly not digested). But they're relatively high in fat (9 grams per serving) and calories (160 per serving).
  

Rating the Girl Scout Cookies

The most figure-friendly Girl Scout cookies are those with the fewest fat grams and calories per sensible serving. The most heart-friendly cookies, meanwhile, are those lowest in saturated fat -- which often match up with those lowest in total fat and calories.

Below is my ranking, from most figure-friendly to least, of popular Girl Scout Cookie options. The ones with asterisks beside their names were superlative in some category (like lowest in fat or highest in sugar) among those ranked.

To view the rest of the article, please see
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/surviving-girl-scout-cookie-season

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Reduced Fee Lifetime Membership

Do you know a graduating Senior Girl Scout?  A lifetime membership in Girl Scouting would make a perfect gift.  A reduced rate is available for her until Sept. 30 of her graduating year of high school. 

If you are an adult in the program and see yourself becoming a true Green Blood, then, perhaps lifetime membership is for you.  Save money over your life span by paying your membership dues just once AND you also can purchase the lifetime member pin to wear with pride. 

Lifetime members are a cherished part of the GS family. By making a commitment to Girl Scouts, you will be supporting the Lifetime Membership Endowment Fund, which is used to develop and extend Girl Scout membership to all girls. Lifetime membership as a Girl Scout adult is available to any individual who accepts the principles and beliefs of the Girl Scout Movement, pays the one-time lifetime membership cost, and is 18 years of age or older or is a high school graduate or the equivalent.
You will receive:

• A lifetime membership certificate signed by the Chair of the National Board of Directors
• A lifetime membership card
• Information on how you can purchase a lifetime membership pin
• A lifelong connection with a mission-focused, values-driven organization that helps girls develop as happy and resourceful citizens

The lifetime membership dues are $250.00 (25 times the annual dues). A special lifetime membership, at the reduced cost of $130.00, is offered to girls who are registered Girl Scouts 14-17 at the time of their high school graduation, provided they apply for lifetime membership before their current annual membership expires.
To download the brochure, go to:
http://www.frontiercouncil.org/forms_publications/publications/lifetime_brochure.pdf

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Hello from Our Chalet!

The season is beginning to change at Our Chalet as we are heading into a warm Spring! To mark the beginning of this new season we are releasing our new young adult events. We now have two events on offer for men and women aged 18 and over who want to experience Our Chalet in Summer (High Adventure Week – September 2008) or in Winter (Rover Week – February 2009). Our Chalet is also continuing our tradition of Summer Youth Events. In 2009 we are offering a comprehensive package which eliminates the hassle of planning for leaders and provides Girl Guides and Scouts with the opportunity to experience the culture and natural environment that Switzerland has to offer. For more information on any of these programmes please take a look at the attached brochures, or at our new website www.ourchalet.ch. But hurry as places are filling fast for all three programmes!

We are also currently searching for a new catering manager, so if you are looking for an opportunity to live in Switzerland for a year, cook some spaghetti bolognaise for a room full of scouts and hike and ski on your days off this could be for you! If you are interested or know someone who is please contact us directly at info@ourchalet.ch

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Yours in Guiding & Scouting

Rachel Newson
Programme Co-ordinator
Our Chalet
Hohliebeweg 1
CH-3715 Adelboden
Switzerland
Tel: +41 (0) 33 673 1226
Fax: +41 (0) 33 673 2082
www.ourchalet.ch

Summer Programme Package   Upcoming Adult Events     Kitchen Position

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Book Donation

Large Book Donation is a Valuable Gift for the "SMART" Tutoring Program

by Rebecca Zisch, Nevada State College

On Wednesday, December 12, Santa Claus came early to a one bedroom apartment in a public housing development in Las Vegas.   Over 4000 donated books were delivered by representatives of the Girl Scouts of Frontier Council to be read and enjoyed by the children who participate in an after-school tutoring program at the Ernie Cragin development near Bonanza and 28th Street. 

The children all came outside to see the heavy boxes unloaded and could barely contain themselves as they dove into the piles of books.  They were shouting, “I am so excited!” and “I love this book!” Their eager energy was for a true joy of reading.

The small apartment where the books were delivered serves as the classroom for the Scholarly Math and Reading Tutoring (SMART) program, a six-month old partnership between the Nevada State College School of Education and the Housing Authority of the City of Las Vegas (HACLV). 

Regional Girl Scouts had an extraordinarily successful book drive as part of their fall reading program called “Treasure Your Mind.”  They reportedly hoped to collect about 1000 books, but due to so much generosity that goal was easily surpassed.  Books came in from Girl Scout troupes from throughout the Frontier Council’s jurisdiction, including Tonopah, Needles and Baker, California.  Toni Carey, Director of Product Sales and In-School Programs, was one of the people who delivered the thousands of books.  “We just thought this was a way to collect books for someone else who might need them.”

Isis Medina is an NSC alum who currently teaches at the Innovations Charter School.  She supervised SMART during the summer and helped coordinate the book donation from the Girl Scouts.  She says the books will have an enormous impact on the program.  “Now we have more than enough books for the children in our program to read during free time.  But this also means that we can use money that we would have spent on reading materials for other supplies that we really need.”

Program Supervisor Michelle Segal was amazed by the donation.  “This is overwhelming.  We are so blessed.  These books will stock our library here, but we’re also going to be able to pay it forward by passing on books to so many other organizations that are in need.”

Through SMART, elementary-age children who live in nearby public assistance housing have a place to gather after school to get help with their schoolwork from NSC Education students and licensed teachers.  They also provide learning enhancement opportunities like books and games they don’t have at school or home and field trips to nearby places that the children may not have experienced before, like Davis Nursery and S2 Art Center. 

Al Conklin, Supportive Service Manager for HACLV, initiated the SMART partnership with NSC and is enthusiastic about the results so far.  “In this neighborhood, almost every child is performing below grade level.  Putting a tutorial site right in the community brought a lot of buy-in for the program from the residents… I couldn’t be more happy that NSC jumped up to the plate… this [partnership] was a perfect fit.”

Conklin saw the need for an after-school program, but it was important that it be an educational atmosphere.  “I wanted these kids to have someplace to go where they could improve their performance in school.  Structure, curriculum, everything’s there [at SMART].  The kids come into a wonderful learning environment and that has turned behavior around.”

The program began in June 2007 as a summer program, but its success encouraged everyone to continue the collaboration into this fall.  And because the program is consistently at capacity, there is even talk of expanding the program to an additional location or a larger space next year.

The small apartment where SMART is located has been fashioned to look more like a classroom, with child-size tables and chairs and colorful drawings and posters on the walls.  Its single bedroom is used as an office for Michelle Segal, the Program Supervisor and NSC alum, and other alumni, faculty and students who come to supervise the program and tutor the children.

On any given afternoon, there will be 10 – 16 students, two tutors and a supervisor at the SMART tutoring center.  The students have to be registered for the program and they attend most afternoons.  While the tutoring is specifically for elementary age children, Clairin DeMartini, Assistant Professor of Education, says that they have been able to incorporate some older children into the program, as well.  Supervisors have been able to mentor 6th graders and middle and high school age students have volunteered to help in the tutoring center and assist with field trips.

DeMartini sees the added benefit of SMART as the opportunity for NSC’s School of Education students to work as paid tutors.  “This is an authentic teaching experience.  It’s a chance to work in a diverse learning environment that might encourage them to return to a diverse community to teach… we would like to help fill schools in this and similar neighborhoods with quality teachers.” 

NSC Sophomore Erica Chavez is a SMART tutor gaining just that experience.  “Dr. [Rho] Hudson told us about the tutoring center in class and I thought this would be a good opportunity to work with kids since I’m going into the Education field.  I love coming here and working with the kids.”  Dr. Hudson and DeMartini coordinate the program for the School of Education.

According to Medina, these books are a great addition to the students’ time at SMART and learning that goes on at home. “[The children] can take them home.  [The books] will definitely enhance their education here and at school, but it will also promote literacy at home.”

Medina announced that each child could choose two books to take home to keep that night.  The younger children flocked to anything with a character they recognized, like Elmo, Babar or Winnie the Pooh.  One 5th grade boy who had read Harry Potter books before, was excited by a hard back copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.   A 5th grade girl was clutching a copy of Charlotte’s Web.  She had seen both film versions of the book and was excited to read it herself.  “I used to get straight As,” she said, “I started coming here this fall with my cousin to help me get better grades again… I really like coming here!”

Receiving over 4000 books will be a lasting benefit the children who participate in "SMART," a successful after-school partnership between the Nevada State College School of Education and the Housing Authority of the City of Las Vegas.

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Our World News

Our World News, is the quarterly magazine of WAGGGS. It publishes exciting news stories and features related to Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting around the world.  

Our World News is designed to bring WAGGGS Member Organizations, individual members and others interested in Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting, the latest world level news from the Movement.   

The publication features our five regions and four World Centers and also includes a calendar of upcoming events. To read past issues, go to: http://www.wagggsworld.org/en/own. Our World News welcomes news about projects, events, awards and issues relevant to Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting. 

Please send a brief description and photo (if available) to WAGGGS’ Communications Department, World Bureau, Olave Centre, 12c Lyndhurst Road, London Nw3 5PQ, England or email Elisenda@wagggsworld.org

If sending photos, please be sure you have obtained permission from the individuals in the photographs. And you must give us permission to use the photo and specify any photo credits, otherwise, all photo credits will revert to WAGGGS.

Our World News Subscriptions...quarterly magazine from WAGGGS

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Nationwide Reverse Telephone Book

Google has implemented a new feature which enables you to type a telephone number into the search bar and hit enter and you will be given the person's name and address. If you then hit Map, you will get a map to the person's house. Everyone should be aware of this! It's a nationwide reverse telephone book.

If a child gives out his/her phone number, someone can now look it up to find out where he/she lives. The safety issues are obvious, and alarming. Note that you can have your phone number removed or blocked.

Please look up your own number. In order to test whether your phone number is mapped, go to: Google (http://www.google.com) Type your phone number in the search bar (i.e. 555-555-1212) and hit enter. If you want to BLOCK Google from divulging your private information, simply click on your telephone number and then click on the Removal Form. Removal takes 48-hours.

Check your own number and although this may not apply to you if you have an unlisted number or cell phone as primary contact, you may know someone who needs to know this. Please share this information with friends and family.

For more information, please visit: http://www.snopes.com/computer/internet/google.asp.

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American Indian Youth Award

Any registered member of the Girl Scouts of the USA between 12 and 17 years of age, of any race or ethnicity, is eligible to work toward the American Indian Youth Award Certificate.

Requirements

• Be active registered member for at least 6 months.
• Wear full tribal dress, part of which has been made by the applicant.
• Do and explain two traditional Dances.
• Sing two American Indian Songs, recite an Indian prayer, or speak the language of her or his tribe.
• Make, show, and explain a craft from the tribe.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the tribe.

In fulfilling the requirements, a youth may use either the tribe of their own heritage or the tribe of the community in which they live.

An adult leader must verify that all requirements have been met. This leader should be someone other than the youth's parent or guardian.

For more information, please visit: http://aisa.scoutreachbsa.org.

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WAGGGS Shop

You can now order all WAGGGS merchandise through a secure server. http://www.wagggs-shop.org

• Clothing
  Have a look at new t-shirts and fleeces available in a range of colors and designs.
• Outdoor activities
  Be prepared wherever you go with this range of outdoor essentials.
• Badges, flags and pins
  Make worldwide friendships and swap your badges wherever you go.
• Stationery
• Accessories
  Get decked out with the latest must-have accessories
• Promotional materials
  A 10 minute film tells you more about the work of WAGGGS around the world.
• If you would like order any of WAGGGS’ free publications (for example, WAGGGS’ leaflets, regional leaflets, toolkits and guidelines), please contact the World Bureau wagggs@wagggsworld.org or tel +44 20 7794 1181
• If you would like to subscribe to WAGGGS’ quarterly magazine, Our World News, please contact wagggs@wagggsworld.org.  Annual subscriptions are available at £12.50 (US $22.50)

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Our Rights, Our Responsibilities

WAGGGS members everywhere are being called to action by the current triennial theme, ‘Our Rights, Our Responsibilities’.Through this theme, WAGGGS aims to achieve global impact in fulfilling its mission, which is: 

To enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world.

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WAGGGS New Look

FROM WAGGGS HQ:

We are very excited about our changing identity. We are on the road to achieving our vision: to be the global voice for girls and young women.

We have carried out extensive research among our members and it became clear that we needed to take our organization to a new stage, with a look that reflects our strategic plan and vision. We recognized that we needed a modern and dynamic image that says who we are and that raises our profile in society. Girls, young women, volunteer members and leaders all want to be part of an organization that has something to say and is relevant in today’s world.

There were many factors that we had to include in the new image:

We needed to highlight the importance of the individual girl and the combined voice of 10 million girls in all that we do
We have a duty to give girls a voice about issues they care about; to give them the platforms and opportunities to speak out
The World Association should make statements and speak out on girls’ behalf
We needed our communications to reflect our global reach
We have developed an exciting image for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts to support our Vision and to show the outside world how we are changing.

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WAGGGS Leadership Development

By supporting Member Organizations to give their members an ongoing learning experience, we can ensure that leaders are able to fulfill their leadership responsibilities at any level and become active global citizens.

Leadership development is a process concerned with the way in which values and attitudes are fostered. Special attention is given to nurturing the leadership potential in each individual and helping them to define their experiences to be a leader through mentoring, coaching and active learning.

WAGGGS leadership development focuses on the aspects of international leadership that are unique to Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting, namely:

Values based
Non formal education
Inter-generational
Cross cultural
These aspects are a connecting thread in all modules.

Leadership development is at the core of our Movement and our Strategic Direction.

WAGGGS Leadership Development Program

WAGGGS is currently developing the WAGGGS Leadership Development Program (WELD) which consists of 8 modules, each covering a topic area that enhances leadership skills and personal growth. It will be targeting two specific types of leader in our Member Organizations:

Providing opportunities for existing leaders to develop international leadership skills and experiences, to meet their needs and the needs of the organization at national, regional and world level.

Actively developing potential leaders, specifically young women for current and future roles.

The WLDP will strengthen WAGGGS as an organization by addressing the needs of our Member Organizations and giving support in specific areas of leadership development. This is part of our ongoing commitment to assisting Member Organizations in their succession planning.

It will also have benefits at an individual level: For those currently in a leadership role, changing leadership roles or moving into a new leadership role, attending a WLDP event will not only strengthen their capacity but have a positive affect on other areas of their lives.

WAGGGS is working with leading educational institutions (universities) in order to create high quality learning materials. We continue to network actively with other youth organizations with an interest in leadership development.

Timeline

The WLDP will continue to be developed and piloted during the next 12 months. It will be officially launched at the World Conference in 2008.

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Sangam World Centre

You can now email subscribe to Sangelee Spirit, Sangam's quarterly newsletter.

Go to: http://www.sangamworldcentre.org/en/about/subscribe. Insert your name and email address. You can also access the past year's editions at http://www.sangamworldcentre.org/en/resources/documents/252.

The Friends of Sangam USA is a group of dedicated supporters of Sangam who live all over the US. We are available to you in any way associated with our world center in India - from Thinking Day ideas to assistance with planning your trip. We would like to help match prospective travelers with each other as we know that a trip to Sangam and India is like none other - the experience is greater when you go with a travel buddy or two.

Contact me privately if the Friends of Sangam can assist you.

Gail Tsuboi, Chair
Friends of Sangam USA

Just in case your group might choose India for World Thinking Day, check out this great resource on the WAGGGS Web site. http://www.sangamworldcentre.org/en/about/activities

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