“It’s so nice to be out in nature...we don’t get this privilege in Chicago.”
FINDING PEACE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS Janae never imagined she would find herself here. Where the ground was muddy from melted snow. Where the air was chilly, and quiet—confusingly quiet. Where she was surrounded by tall, skinny trees, just starting to bloom. Still, she liked it. “It’s so nice to be out in nature,” she shared. “We don’t get this privilege in Chicago.” Janae was among the 140 GirlSpace Girl Scouts who camped out at Butternut Springs during the Chicago Public Schools’ spring break. Surrounded by new friends and Girl Scout sisters, she hiked 4
www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/donate
through trails to participate in survivor camp. She learned how to build fires, navigate the areas using maps and compasses, and sharpened her communication and teamwork skills during a scavenger hunt. Thanks to the generous support from donors like you, GirlSpace brings Girl Scouting to 5,000 girls from underserved communities on Chicago’s South and West Side, in Proviso Township, in Joliet, and in Northwest Indiana. A free, year-round, out-of-school program, GirlSpace prioritizes the advancement of STEM, healthy living, and financial literacy through girl-led activities backed by social-emotional learning.
The school year may be winding down, but the need for an all-girl, girl-led safe space doesn’t take a summer break. Being outdoors in a safe and structured setting provides real benefits for girls. At camp, girls seek challenges, become resourceful problem-solvers, work cooperatively, and develop a strong sense of self. For GirlSpace Girl Scouts, summer camp provides crucial respite from the pressures and social anxieties they encounter in their daily life and environment. With camp season on the horizon, your generosity makes it possible for GirlSpace Girl Scouts to explore, learn, and have fun!
Inspired! Spring 2019
Newsletter
A newsletter for supporters of GCNWI who are inspired to build girls of courage, confidence, and character.
REACHING FOR THE STARS
Thanks to you, two Girl Scouts are leading GCNWI in exploring new frontiers It’s no secret that Girl Scouts reach for the stars. This summer, two Cadettes are pioneering a brand-new Girl Scout Astronomy Club for GCNWI. Mia Silvestri of Arlington Heights and Katherine Myerholtz of Winnetka were selected as the two founding members of GCNWI’s Astronomy Club, a three-year initiative to build a sustainable astronomy program for local Girl Scouts. GCNWI was one of several councils selected to pilot the astronomy program. Mia and Katherine will travel to the NASA Space Camp in Alabama for a week of training this June. They will work with other Girl Scouts who are starting Astronomy Clubs in their councils, as well as NASA scientists and Girl Scout leaders.
As founding members, the Cadettes will develop a plan and budget for the Club, which is slated to recruit members and meet at least three times each year. Working with Girl Scouts GCNWI Board Member Maureen Jamrock, and Adler Planetarium amateur astronomer Maria Weber, Mia and Katherine will develop and host two events for girls across the council to attend.
“I want to be a part of finding out what that 96 percent is. I want to see and experience what’s out there.”
“I have always been extremely interested in astronomy,” Mia said. “Space.com says that all the stars, planets, and galaxies that can be seen today make up just four percent of the universe. The other 96 percent is made of stuff astronomers can’t see, detect, or even comprehend.”
As for Katherine, she aspires to share her love of science with her Girl Scout peers.
“I want to be a part of finding out what that 96 percent is. I want to
see and experience what’s out there,” Mia added.
“I always love learning new things,” she shared. “I would love to share this information in a fun and engaging way. I am ecstatic at this opportunity to teach astronomy to girls who are passionate about science.”
@girlscoutsgcnwi
1
FROM SEED TO SHELTER
A DAY OF DISCOVERY, POWERED BY YOU! 450 Girl Scouts of all ages participated in STEMapalooza
40 STEM organizations led hands-on experiments and demonstrations
25
Older girls enjoyed a panel discussion with female STEM leaders
Leave Your
Legacy 2
www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/donate
Because of you, Girl Scouts are helping endangered pollinators find a home at Camp Greene Wood Fueled by your generosity, Girl Scouts embarked on a day of discovery during the 8th annual STEMapalooza at the Friendship Center in Country Club Hills, IL. From weather forecasting to local waterways, girls learned about science, technology, engineering, and math through hands-on experiments and demonstrations offered by 40 different STEM organizations. Later that evening, 25 older Girl Scouts attended the first-ever afterparty, which featured an intimate panel discussion with female tech leaders Katy Lynch of Codeverse, Sonali Lamba of Brideside, Jamila Parham of TECH Unicorn, and Sakina Fakhruddin of Codinu. Girls were thrilled to meet new mentors as they asked questions about STEM careers and shared their own dreams and aspirations for the future.
If you would like to supplement your income and support Girl Scouts GCNWI, consider a charitable gift annuity. By making a gift of cash or securities to Girl Scouts, you receive income payments for life. At the end of your lifetime, the remainder of your gift goes to Girl Scouts GCNWI. There are tax benefits to making this type of gift. Best of all, you have the satisfaction of supporting the Girl Scout Movement. To learn how a charitable gift annuity can benefit you and Girl Scouts, please contact Patricia Broughton at pbroughton@ girlscoutsgcnwi.org.
Pop quiz: how many stages comprise a monarch butterfly’s metamorphosis? The answer is four, and it’s one of many butterfly facts Girl Scouts learned through the Let It Grow program at Camp Greene Wood. Let It Grow, which debuted last summer, teaches girls the concepts of wildlife stewardship through the creation of pollinator habitats in the camp’s brandnew butterfly garden. “Monarch butterflies are becoming endangered and their populations are rapidly declining,” Girl Scouts GCNWI Outdoor Conservation and Stewardship Specialist Lauren Somogyi said. “Our Girl Scouts really enjoy butterflies, and they want to help protect them.” “Butterflies serve as an indicator species that help us know is something is wrong in the environment. Cultivating a habitat for them helps us to better understand their signals.” Last summer, five sessions offered Daisies through Juniors a day full of art and science activities. Girls created artistic representations of butterflies using recycled materials such as coffee filters and clothespins, which helped them learn about the insect’s life cycle.
Several sessions also featured volunteers who incubated butterflies for the garden. Through this process, girls interacted with butterflies up close, often witnessing them emerge from their chrysalis. After learning about the life cycle indoors, the real work began outside! Girl Scouts dug in to plant seeds for six varieties of flora that are critical to the butterflies and other pollinators. Each girl was given a section to plant milkweed for caterpillars and nectar plants for monarch butterflies. As the butterfly garden grows, the space inches closer to the ultimate goal of becoming an official waystation for pollinators. The fun and lessons didn’t stop at Camp Greene Wood, as girls were given seed kits to take home and start butterfly gardens in their very own backyard. “We’ve gotten feedback from parents that their girls are still talking about the program, and are exploring ways to make changes at home together,” Lauren said. “They love that it’s a hands-on way to learn about topics that are big and new to them, and get girls outdoors.”
@girlscoutsgcnwi
3
FROM SEED TO SHELTER
A DAY OF DISCOVERY, POWERED BY YOU! 450 Girl Scouts of all ages participated in STEMapalooza
40 STEM organizations led hands-on experiments and demonstrations
25
Older girls enjoyed a panel discussion with female STEM leaders
Leave Your
Legacy 2
www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/donate
Because of you, Girl Scouts are helping endangered pollinators find a home at Camp Greene Wood Fueled by your generosity, Girl Scouts embarked on a day of discovery during the 8th annual STEMapalooza at the Friendship Center in Country Club Hills, IL. From weather forecasting to local waterways, girls learned about science, technology, engineering, and math through hands-on experiments and demonstrations offered by 40 different STEM organizations. Later that evening, 25 older Girl Scouts attended the first-ever afterparty, which featured an intimate panel discussion with female tech leaders Katy Lynch of Codeverse, Sonali Lamba of Brideside, Jamila Parham of TECH Unicorn, and Sakina Fakhruddin of Codinu. Girls were thrilled to meet new mentors as they asked questions about STEM careers and shared their own dreams and aspirations for the future.
If you would like to supplement your income and support Girl Scouts GCNWI, consider a charitable gift annuity. By making a gift of cash or securities to Girl Scouts, you receive income payments for life. At the end of your lifetime, the remainder of your gift goes to Girl Scouts GCNWI. There are tax benefits to making this type of gift. Best of all, you have the satisfaction of supporting the Girl Scout Movement. To learn how a charitable gift annuity can benefit you and Girl Scouts, please contact Patricia Broughton at pbroughton@ girlscoutsgcnwi.org.
Pop quiz: how many stages comprise a monarch butterfly’s metamorphosis? The answer is four, and it’s one of many butterfly facts Girl Scouts learned through the Let It Grow program at Camp Greene Wood. Let It Grow, which debuted last summer, teaches girls the concepts of wildlife stewardship through the creation of pollinator habitats in the camp’s brandnew butterfly garden. “Monarch butterflies are becoming endangered and their populations are rapidly declining,” Girl Scouts GCNWI Outdoor Conservation and Stewardship Specialist Lauren Somogyi said. “Our Girl Scouts really enjoy butterflies, and they want to help protect them.” “Butterflies serve as an indicator species that help us know is something is wrong in the environment. Cultivating a habitat for them helps us to better understand their signals.” Last summer, five sessions offered Daisies through Juniors a day full of art and science activities. Girls created artistic representations of butterflies using recycled materials such as coffee filters and clothespins, which helped them learn about the insect’s life cycle.
Several sessions also featured volunteers who incubated butterflies for the garden. Through this process, girls interacted with butterflies up close, often witnessing them emerge from their chrysalis. After learning about the life cycle indoors, the real work began outside! Girl Scouts dug in to plant seeds for six varieties of flora that are critical to the butterflies and other pollinators. Each girl was given a section to plant milkweed for caterpillars and nectar plants for monarch butterflies. As the butterfly garden grows, the space inches closer to the ultimate goal of becoming an official waystation for pollinators. The fun and lessons didn’t stop at Camp Greene Wood, as girls were given seed kits to take home and start butterfly gardens in their very own backyard. “We’ve gotten feedback from parents that their girls are still talking about the program, and are exploring ways to make changes at home together,” Lauren said. “They love that it’s a hands-on way to learn about topics that are big and new to them, and get girls outdoors.”
@girlscoutsgcnwi
3
“It’s so nice to be out in nature...we don’t get this privilege in Chicago.”
FINDING PEACE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS Janae never imagined she would find herself here. Where the ground was muddy from melted snow. Where the air was chilly, and quiet—confusingly quiet. Where she was surrounded by tall, skinny trees, just starting to bloom. Still, she liked it. “It’s so nice to be out in nature,” she shared. “We don’t get this privilege in Chicago.” Janae was among the 140 GirlSpace Girl Scouts who camped out at Butternut Springs during the Chicago Public Schools’ spring break. Surrounded by new friends and Girl Scout sisters, she hiked 4
www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/donate
through trails to participate in survivor camp. She learned how to build fires, navigate the areas using maps and compasses, and sharpened her communication and teamwork skills during a scavenger hunt. Thanks to the generous support from donors like you, GirlSpace brings Girl Scouting to 5,000 girls from underserved communities on Chicago’s South and West Side, in Proviso Township, in Joliet, and in Northwest Indiana. A free, year-round, out-of-school program, GirlSpace prioritizes the advancement of STEM, healthy living, and financial literacy through girl-led activities backed by social-emotional learning.
The school year may be winding down, but the need for an all-girl, girl-led safe space doesn’t take a summer break. Being outdoors in a safe and structured setting provides real benefits for girls. At camp, girls seek challenges, become resourceful problem-solvers, work cooperatively, and develop a strong sense of self. For GirlSpace Girl Scouts, summer camp provides crucial respite from the pressures and social anxieties they encounter in their daily life and environment. With camp season on the horizon, your generosity makes it possible for GirlSpace Girl Scouts to explore, learn, and have fun!
Inspired! Spring 2019
Newsletter
A newsletter for supporters of GCNWI who are inspired to build girls of courage, confidence, and character.
REACHING FOR THE STARS
Thanks to you, two Girl Scouts are leading GCNWI in exploring new frontiers It’s no secret that Girl Scouts reach for the stars. This summer, two Cadettes are pioneering a brand-new Girl Scout Astronomy Club for GCNWI. Mia Silvestri of Arlington Heights and Katherine Myerholtz of Winnetka were selected as the two founding members of GCNWI’s Astronomy Club, a three-year initiative to build a sustainable astronomy program for local Girl Scouts. GCNWI was one of several councils selected to pilot the astronomy program. Mia and Katherine will travel to the NASA Space Camp in Alabama for a week of training this June. They will work with other Girl Scouts who are starting Astronomy Clubs in their councils, as well as NASA scientists and Girl Scout leaders.
As founding members, the Cadettes will develop a plan and budget for the Club, which is slated to recruit members and meet at least three times each year. Working with Girl Scouts GCNWI Board Member Maureen Jamrock, and Adler Planetarium amateur astronomer Maria Weber, Mia and Katherine will develop and host two events for girls across the council to attend.
“I want to be a part of finding out what that 96 percent is. I want to see and experience what’s out there.”
“I have always been extremely interested in astronomy,” Mia said. “Space.com says that all the stars, planets, and galaxies that can be seen today make up just four percent of the universe. The other 96 percent is made of stuff astronomers can’t see, detect, or even comprehend.”
As for Katherine, she aspires to share her love of science with her Girl Scout peers.
“I want to be a part of finding out what that 96 percent is. I want to
see and experience what’s out there,” Mia added.
“I always love learning new things,” she shared. “I would love to share this information in a fun and engaging way. I am ecstatic at this opportunity to teach astronomy to girls who are passionate about science.”
@girlscoutsgcnwi
1