16 The Wildcat
Centerspread
March 8, 2013
The Wildcat bohswildcat.com
ON MY HONOR
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scouting over over the the years years scouting
Juniors achieve title of Ambassador Scout, work towards Gold Award by Selina Che, Design Manager and Feature Editor
F
rom their vests and sashes adorned with badges to their armfuls of colorful cookie boxes, Girl Scouts are symbols of the American childhood. During cookie season, young Girl Scouts can be seen across the country hauling and selling tons of boxes of cookies around their neighborhoods. Almost all Americans have experienced the nostalgic taste of a Thin Mint or a Peanut Butter Pattie, and for some, have even sold the beloved cookies themselves. While many girls withdraw from their troops as they continue on to middle school, some continue their title as Girl Scouts well into high school. Juniors Uche Ewenike, Amanda Garcia, and Megan Ortiz, members of Troop 2270, are a few of the students on campus who continue to remain Girls Scouts. “I joined Girl Scouts back in kindergarten,” said Ewenike. “My motivation joining back then was probably something along the lines of doing crafts with my friends and getting to wear the fashionable blue smock with the daisy petals on it. Currently, I am an Ambassador, which is the highest level of Girl Scouts and is achieved when you’re an upperclassman in high school.” Motivated by each other and the goal of achieving the Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, the girls meet with their troop each month to plan and discuss service projects and events. While scouting activities once consisted of building friendships and participating in troop excursions to Build-a-Bear, today, the girls must coordinate independent projects and bear much more responsibility. “As us girls got older in our troop, our dynamics changed,” said Ortiz. “Now that we’re older, we’re more outgoing in our activities and projects, which include the Bronze Award, the Silver Award, and then the highest award, the Gold Award.” All three girls have received the Bronze and Silver Awards. “For the Silver Award, I collected donations of food, blankets, and treats for the Orange County Animal Shelter,” said Garcia. According to girlscouts.org, in order for a Girl Scout to achieve her Gold Award, she must present a long-term solution to an issue in her community. Ortiz, who is in the process of receiving her Gold Award, chose to renovate an animal shelter. “I went to the [Orange County] Animal Shelter, and I am remodeling two cat rooms, which are very important rooms,” said Ortiz. “[The rooms] are where people who are thinking about adopting a cat meet the cat and socialize with them...I am also
1910 1912: Girl Scouts is founded by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, Ga.
On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.” The Girl Scout Promise
organizing a cat fair to raise awareness about euthanasia, which is the problem I am addressing.” In addition to their individual work, the girls have also completed numerous community service projects as a troop. Troop 2270 has already participated in a monthly program called Creek Clean-up, in which the Girl Scouts cleaned and planted around a creek for a year. The Scouts also have participated in numerous tree planting projects. While participating in these projects has slightly interfered with school, due to the Girl Scouts’ demanding schedule, all of the girls agree that it has allowed them to grow as people. “I feel like every year we kind of grow as we do more, especially for me with the Bronze Award,” said Ortiz. “I had to organize something, and I had never done that before so I learned how to [organize events], and that [experience] prepared me to do everything else more easily.” After receiving their gold awards, the girls plan to continue as Girl Scouts until their senior year. Nevertheless, their time as Girl Scouts has given them skills in leadership, communication, and cooperation that they will carry with them throughout their lifetime.
1920: The American Girl, a monthly magazine for girls, is published. 1930: The first sale of commercially baked Girl Scout cookies takes place.
1956: The Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace is opened as a museum and national Girl Scout center. 1980: The Daisy Girl Scout age-level is introduced.
1990: Nearly four million Girl Scouts, girls and adult leaders, tackle illiteracy alongside in the Right to Read service project.
history history of of Girl Girl Scouts Scouts We are scouts: Juniors Megan Ortiz and Amanda Garcia and senior Trianna Eichenger have been Scouts for more than a decade. (left to right) Juliette Gordon-Low, founder of GIrl Scouts, with her Girl Scout troop, the first Girl Scout troop in America. Gordon-Low awarding an Ambassador Scout her Gold Award. Illustration by JESSICA YIM / the wildcat AMORETTE VALERO / the wildcat
Photos from girlscouts.org
On March 12, 1912, Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low assembled 18 girls in Savannah, Ga. for a local Girl Scout meeting with the goal of bringing girls out of the isolated home environment and to community service. Within a few years, Low’s dream for a girlcentered organization was realized. Today, Girl Scouts has a membership of 3.2 million girls and adults.
bronze award
silver award
gold award
The highest award a Junior Scout can receive
The highest award a Cadette can receive
The highest award an Ambassador can receive
Junior scouts must plan a project that will improve their communities.
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Cadettes must plan a project Ambassadors must that will improve their local plan a project that will communities (beyond the Girl permanently improve their Scout communities). communities and the world.
today Facts from girlscouts.org