Listening Post Spring 2016

SPRING 2016

THE LISTENING POST

the

SUMMER CAMP issue

GIRL SCOUTS–ARIZONA CACTUS-PINE COUNCIL

FROM THE CEO AND BOARD CHAIR

Margaret Serrano-Foster, Board Chair and Tamara Woodbury, CEO

Dear Friends, Summer is just around the corner. We’re getting ready to welcome girls for another fun summer at our three camps – Willow Springs, Camp Maripai, and Shadow Rim – nestled in the cool woods of Prescott and Payson. We’re delighted to welcome Annie Warner as our new Camp Director at Maripai. There’s also a brand new covered horse arena at Camp Maripai giving us more riding space than before. Camp sessions are filling up fast, so don’t delay in signing up for a camp session or two.

We had another impressive cookie sale this year with over 3 million packages of cookies sold. Even more impressive is that girls sold an average of 217 packages of cookies, a big jump from last year’s average of 203. We also had more top sellers this year, with 239 girls selling 1000 or more packages, up from 199 last year. A huge thank you goes to our parents, troop cookie parents, troop leaders, cookie cupboard managers, and service unit cookie managers for all your efforts.

It’s the 100th anniversary of the Gold Award. Thirty-two girls earned their Gold Award, the most prestigious award girls can earn in Girl Scouts. They were honored at the Awards ceremony in March for their hard work and dedication in successfully completing a “Take Action” project on an issue of their choice and making a meaningful and sustainable change in their community. These girls are community leaders in the truest sense – reflecting outstanding leadership and civic engagement. In addition, 162 girls earned their Silver Award and 430 girls earned their Bronze Award.

Next year at this time, we hope the transformation of Camp Sombrero is complete and we are offering programs and camping opportunities at the new Camp South Mountain. We’ll keep you posted!

With love,

Tamara Woodbury, CEO

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THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

GIRL SCOUTS–ARIZONA CACTUS-PINE COUNCIL

THE LISTENING POST SPRING 2016

EDITORIAL Susan de Queljoe Leandra Huffer, Jeanie Pham guest writers Makenzie Collie, Rowan Collie, Kaitlyn Janssen, Caitlyn Pallas managing & copy editor writers

ART DEPARTMENT art direction/layout Nicole Andersen

CONTACT US info@girlscoutsaz.org stories@girlscoutsaz.org council@girlscoutsaz.org 119 E Coronado Road Phoenix, AZ 85004 P | 602.452.7000 or 800.352.6133 F | 602.452.7100 girlscoutsaz.org

FOLLOW US GSACPC

GSACPC

@GSACPC

GSACPC

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Si desea esta información en español, por favor llama a 602-452-7072 o vreyes@girlscoutsaz.org.

Margaret Serrano-Foster, Board Chair

FEATURED

05 09

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FROM THE CEO AND BOARD CHAIR

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SUMMER CAMP

07

HELICOPTER PARENTING

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SUMMER CAMP OPEN HOUSES

why it’s best thing you can do for your child realizing it and letting go

WHAT’S GOOD?

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10

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SEASON

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SWEET TREATS

14

IGNITE: FIND YOUR LIGHT

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LEAVING A LEGACY

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SEEN & HEARD

Dessert Challenge creates cookie buzz 2016 Annual Meeting

DONOR SPOTLIGHT ON DEBORAH ZANOT

JUST FOR YOU

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35

FOUR TIPS

22

SISTER 2 SISTER

for making bridging memorable with Kaitlyn Janssen

EVERYTHING ELSE

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14 11

21

GOING FOR GOLD

31

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

34

RECOGNITIONS LUNCHEON

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Silver, Bronze, Religious, Tributes

ATTA GIRL!

a shout out to Theresa Zaun

LOOKING FORWARD

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AN UPDATE

CAMPAIGN FOR GIRLS

WHY SUMMER CAMP IS THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR CHILD You help her with homework. She’s in Girl Scouts, soccer, and plays the violin. You’re sure she’s headed for the Ivy League. You do all this because you love her. You want her to have confidence, selfesteem, independence, and leadership and social skills.

The only problem? You can’t actually “give” these qualities to your daughter. No matter what you do, she has to learn them herself; through experience, risks, failure and successes. Luckily for parents, there is a tried and true way to foster these skills—summer camp.

Yes, it’s that simple! There’s a reason we pack our child’s bags and send her off to camp every summer – and it’s not because of our need for a respite from the day-to-day of parenting.

In 2005, the American Camp Association (ACA) did an extensive study* of the benefits from summer camp and some of the results might surprise you. Parents and campers reported significant growth in four key areas: Positive Identity, Social Skills, Physical & Thinking Skills and Positive Values & Spirituality. Let’s dive a little deeper.

POSITIVE IDENTITY Self-esteem doesn’t come from empty praise. It comes from trying new things, taking risks, and learning you are competent. Camp presents girls a safe place to do all these things, with the guidance of caring adults. And when girls meet challenges in a supportive environment, they can become more self-sufficient. According to the ACA study, 70% of parents report that their children were “different” after camp, mostly because they had gained more selfconfidence or self-esteem through their camp experience.

SOCIAL SKILLS

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THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

FEATURED

Girls learn leadership and friendship skills while at camp. Residential camp fosters leadership by giving campers responsibilities unavailable in other settings. For example, campers keep their cabins, mess hall, and washrooms neat. They often guide younger campers in activities, and are responsible for their possessions and behavior. Taking the initiative and gaining the trust and respect of others are important aspects of leadership that girls experience at camp. And campers are likely to continue these behaviors once they are home.

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PHYSICAL & THINKING SKILLS Camps have a tradition of challenging girls to try new activities and learn new skills while enjoying being outdoors. In the ACA study, campers and parents report the largest gains in adventure and exploration. Just think of what a valuable skill this is when applying for colleges, jobs or making life decisions!

POSITIVE VALUES & SPIRITUALITY The social environment of camp allows girls to test their decision-making skills and see the consequences of their choices. Girls are exposed to collaborative decision-making and action, treating others with respect and following rules. And being in a beautiful natural setting, gives girls the opportunity to connect to the earth, to each other and perhaps to a higher power. In the study, parents reported seeing an increase in positive values and spirituality in their daughters.

So while you can’t ‘give’ your daughter the qualities you’d like her to have, you can ‘give’ her a camp experience to help her build these qualities through her own experiences. Check out the Summer Camp brochure at girlscoutsaz.org/camp. *The research report Directions: Youth Development Outcomes of the Camp Experience, a national research project initiated by the American Camp Association (ACA) in 2005 can be found here: http://www.acacamps.org/resource-library/research/directions-youthdevelopment-outcomes-camp-experience

NEW CAMP SESSIONS – JUST ADDED SPOTLIGHTS ON YOU @ WILLOW

GRADES 4-5 | JULY 10-15 TIER I

TIER II

TIER III

TIER I

TIER II

TIER III

$330

$415

$540

$240

$300

$390

Do you dream of being on stage? Do you enjoy making costumes or backgrounds to tell a story?

Whether it's dancing or drama, this is the place for you! In addition to archery, hiking, outdoor cooking, and ceramics you’ll spend your time creating your own costume, and putting on a group performance at the end of camp!

Sleep in a tent in and out of camp! Join our overnight backpacking adventure towards the Mogollon Rim. Spend time in camp climbing and canoeing before hitting the trail to seek out nature, wildlife, and all the wonderful sights you can encounter in Rim Country. *Must be able to hike with backpacking pack.

CASTING CALL @ MARIPAI

HOOFBEATS @ MARIPAI

FEATURED

GRADES 4-5 | JUNE 26-29

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QUEST FOR MOGIE @ SHADOW

GRADES 4-5 | JUNE 5-8

GRADES 6-8 | JULY 10-22

TIER I

TIER II

TIER III

TIER I

TIER II

TIER III

$320

$400

$520

$725

$910

$1,175

You’re a girl, a student, a Girl Scout, maybe even a singer, but there’s much more to your story! Try everything camp has to offer – canoeing, archery, and a riding lesson. Learn how to tell a story through acting, create your own costumes and put on a production for camp! All the world’s a stage and it’s time for YOU to take a leading roll!

THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

For intermediate riders, during this 13-day session you’ll experience what it takes to own a horse. Riders must be able to mount, dismount, control a horse and walk and trot. Improve your riding skills and participate in seven riding lessons and one bareback lesson. There’s also canoeing and archery in your free time!

WHY I LOVE CAMP

by Rowan Collie

HOW I REALIZED AND LET GO OF BEING A HELICOPTER PARENT

by Makenzie Collie I never realized I was a helicopter parent until I decided to send my 7-yearold daughter to camp.

her you’ll come and pick her up.

Focus on what a great time she is going to have and what great friends she’ll make.”

Being a Girl Scout staff member and lifetime member, I always thought I was cool with camp.

These parents who refuse to let their daughters go to camp – I just don’t get it, I would think to myself smugly.

“Don’t worry, honey. You will have a great time and you are going to make lots of great friends,” I started amending, with a seed of panic in my heart.

We signed our daughter up for her first week in June. “Don’t worry, honey,” I told her. “If you are homesick, they will call me and I can just come and pick you up.”

In May, we received our “parent handbook” and packing list. One tip was, “If your daughter is worried about being homesick, don’t tell

The day came to drop Rowan off at camp, and as usual, we were the last family to arrive. After the appropriate checks, it came time to leave Rowan at the cabin, who suddenly looked much tinier and more vulnerable than she had in the car 15 minutes earlier.

“Time for mom to say goodbye,” the counselor said cheerfully. She must have seen the look of panic

I love camp because it’s fun. I have been to camp three times. You get to sleep outside. You get to be away from your mom and dad.

They are not as fun as camp counselors.

I got to do magic with baking soda and vinegar, even though it was meant to be elf stuff. I get to see my best friend, Juniper.

When I’m older I want to be a PA, then a CIT, then a camp counselor and someday a camp director.

This summer I’m going to do hammock camp, when you get to go to camp and you get to take home a hammock.

AND YUMMY SMORES!

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on my face and the tears welling up in my 7-year-old’s eyes. “Rowan, I really need a helper and you look like you could be a big help! Bye mom!” she cooed, taking Rowan’s hand and marching into the cabin.

I sprinted to the car. I knew if I looked back, all would be lost.

I’m not a helicopter parent but that week I arranged to work in Prescott where the camp was, just to be nearby in case, you know, my little baby missed me and needed me to fly to her rescue.

The following day I discovered camp posted pictures during the week. The first picture I saw was the opening night’s campfire, and I found my daughter’s face looking emotionlessly into the campfire. “Oh man, that’s it,” I said to myself and braced myself for the phone calls.

No phone calls came the entire week. She is probably in Juniper’s office every morning, I thought. Wow, they are doing a good job at keeping her going.

Although I scoured the website for pictures, I didn’t see her in any for the rest of the week – it was almost as though the counselors were actively engaging in camp activities with the girls instead of taking 500 photos of each girl for their non-helicopter parents to examine nervously on their website.

Friday morning came and I was the first one at the camp to pick up my daughter. I arrived about 45 minutes early. At the appointed time I jogged over to the cabin, ready to see my little baby who had doubtlessly been crying and missing me all week long.

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THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

As I crested the small hill, arms practically outstretched for our reunion hug, I paused when I saw her sitting and laughing at a table with her new friends. She caught sight of me – “Ugh mom, you’re here already,” she said impatiently. “But I want to hang out a little while longer!”

Rowan regaled me with stories, songs, and happy tales all the way home from camp. She mapped out her career in the car – as a PA, then a CIT, then a CIT II, camp counselor and finally someday she would be a Camp Director like her best friend, Juniper. “Mom, if Juniper needs help running things this summer, I guess I wouldn’t mind helping out,” she informed me.

The report sent home talked about Rowan’s leadership skills, her willingness to pitch in and help clean up without being asked, and how she counselled friends who were feeling homesick. “I felt a little homesick too, sometimes, but I know that the week isn’t very long and there were so many fun things I got to do, so I was fine,” she said wisely.

This year we’re sending Rowan back for a couple of sessions at camp. I know I will miss her, but hopefully, I have learned from my helicoptering ways and this year I will only scour the photo pages six times a day, instead of six times an hour. Baby steps!

In all seriousness though, I know that camp gave Rowan an opportunity to grow in her leadership skills, and create lasting memories. I hope she always remembers the magic of summer camp.

MEET THE NEW CAMP DIRECTOR “DOC” Annie Warner

Camp Directors lead the charge at camp, plan programs, manage the day-to-day details, communicate with parents and much more. So who is the new Camp Director at our beloved Maripai? Born and raised in Alaska, Annie Warner has 15 years of camp experience—four years as a camper, and 11 years in leadership roles. We’re excited to have her here!

FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE OUTDOORS? Sunrise. I love the sights and sounds as the world begins to wake up.

FAVORITE CAMP SONG? Old Lady Leary FAVORITE CAMP ACTIVITY? Campfires MOST UNIQUE SWAP YOU’VE SEEN? Camper Nights – it’s a small bag filled with glitter and stars. So when you’re missing your nights of camping, you can look down and remember a camper’s starfilled sky.

BEST CAMP MEMORY? One of my favorite memories is leading a group of first-time campers on an overnight canoe trip. It was such an amazing experience. We spent the first day canoeing, then cooked out and camped on a sandbar that night under the stars. The next morning we got up and canoed the rest of the trip. I loved seeing the girls so excited about this adventure and their feelings of accomplishment when the trip was done.

BEST PART OF THE S’MORE? The toasted marshmallow!

BEST ADVICE FOR FIRST TIME CAMPERS? Help pack your stuff for camp. You’ll feel more prepared and you’ll know where everything is when you get to camp because you put it there.

BEST ADVICE FOR LONG-TIME CAMPERS? Come to camp ready to learn or try something new.

Camp is one of the few places in the world where it’s not only encouraged, but expected, that you will have new experiences.

BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB? Witnessing the transformation that occurs when young women are able to genuinely connect with others in a positive and meaningful way.

OUTER SPACE OR UNDERGROUND? Outer space! The possibilities are endless.

INVISIBILITY OR ABILITY TO FLY? Definitely the ability to fly! I think having the ability to see the world from a totally different perspective would be amazing.

FUN FACT I’ve traveled to 49 of the 50 states and to 13 foreign countries.

YOUR GO-TO CAMP FOOD? Chicken Fingers

GET TO KNOW ALL THE CAMP DIRECTORS AT AN OPEN HOUSE! Meet the staff and check out camp. No registration is required, just show up and have fun!

CAMP MARIPAI

Payson, Arizona MAY 29, 10am – 2pm

SHADOW RIM RANCH

WILLOW SPRINGS

Nestled in the pines and surrounded by peaks, the camp facilities include cabin units, firepits, covered ramadas and arena, horses, an archery field and several scenic hiking trails.

A 40-acre camp situated along the beautiful Mogollon Rim featuring cabin units, covered ramadas, a “pake” (too big to be a pond, too small to be a lake), rock climbing tower and zipline.

A 190-acre camp almost completely surrounded by Prescott National Forest featuring modern cabins, fire-pits, covered ramadas, ceramic studio, zipline and miles of scenic hiking trails.

Prescott, Arizona JUNE 4, 10am – 2pm

FEATURED

Prescott, Arizona MAY 7, 12-3pm | JUNE 4, 2-6pm

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ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SEASON CONGRATULATIONS GIRL SCOUTS!

Congratulations, Girl Scouts – the 2016 cookie sale was one for the books! Together, 14,800 girls sold more than 3 million cookies. Wow! It sure took a lot of courage, confidence and character to navigate this year’s cookie program with the introduction of Digital Cookie 2.0. This new tool allowed girls to earn valuable ecommerce skills, and helped girls sell more than 30,000 packages of cookies!

We truly appreciate our supportive business community in Arizona. A BIG thank you goes to our friends at Basha’s, Fry’s, Safeway, and Wal-Mart, plus the many more self-scheduled booth locations for allowing our girls to gain important skills that boothing provides!

A GREAT COOKIE SEASON START More than 1,000 amazing Girl Scouts, families and volunteers gathered at Grand Canyon University for a basketball game to celebrate and kick off the 2016 Cookie Season in style. Go Lopes!

3,070,321 PACKAGES of cookies sold

15,636 packages

Council Gift of Caring

72,864 packages

Troop Gift of Caring

3,353 Troop selfscheduled booths

MEDIA AMBASSADORS

More than 50 girls and their parents generously volunteered their time to share their Girl Scout enthusiasm with TV reporters and viewers. This often meant waking up before dawn, then spending lots of time waiting for just a few minutes of camera time.

Thank you for representing the Council, girls!

14,102 GIRLS

participated in the 2016 Cookie Program

16,707 packages

4,650 packages

WHAT’S GOOD

approved Digital Cookie websites placed 3,979 orders selling 30,338 packages.

11,525 Council approved booths claimed

THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

Emily Inserra

Cadette Troop 3049, Desert Sunset

Maddie Dunlap

3,400

Rosalyn Kellogg

3,207

Shyanne Harrison

packages

packages

3,175 packages

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Top Selling Troop

3,451 packages

2,993

Troop 436, South Mountain

Brownie Troop 3175, Lake Havasu City

Brownie Troop 1347, La Promesa

Cadette Troop 85, Cactus Bloom

Trinity Flatt

Senior Troop 561, La Promesa

BLING YOUR BOOTH When it comes to Girl Scout cookie booths, plain is BORING! Girls customized their booths to showcase their creativity and troop spirit. The winners are Troop 1417, Troop 292 and Troop 1213. Great job girls!

COOKIES ON THE GO Girls decked out their wagons, scooters, strollers, or just about anything without a motor! The winners are Katie and Ella of Troop 2595, Vanessa of Troop 343 and IGMs Sophie and Charlotte. Way to roll!

FLAT STACIE Girls had lots of fun with Flat Stacie – and she showed up in lots of places! The winners are Allyson and Hailey of Troop 664, Mackenzie of Troop 783, Savannah of Troop 1084, and Jessica of Troop 2176.

TOP PRIZE WINNERS »» »» »» »» »»

1,229 GIRLS SOLD 525+ packages for a day at Sunsplash Water Park 239 GIRLS SOLD 1,000+ packages to enjoy the Hootenanny at Rawhide Western Town 83 GIRLS SOLD 1,500+ packages for a $300 voucher to 2016 Summer Camp 33 GIRLS SOLD 2,000+ packages for a one-night Staycation at a Valley resort 9 GIRLS SOLD 3,000+ packages for a one-night campout at Out of Africa Wildlife Park / Xbox One

SELENA GOMEZ CONTEST WINNER

Olivia Zangerle, Brownie Troop 999, Meadowlark – sold 732 packages of Toffee-tastic!!

2,941 girls entered the contest with 11,882 entries.

THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

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SWEET TREATS!

DESSERT CHALLENGE CREATES COOKIE BUZZ! For the 3rd year in a row, chefs from around the Valley and Flagstaff reimagined Girl Scout cookies into a delicious new dessert. The challenge is a unique way for local entrepreneurs to support our budding entrepreneurs—our Girl Scouts!

Churn

Olive + Ivy

Copper Leaf Gastrolounge Thin Mint Pizza Cookie

Tagalong Dulce de Leches Cake

Paul Martin’s American Grill

Kelly’s @ SouthBridge

Tagalong Donuts

THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

Tom’s Thumb

Do-Si-Decadent

BlueFire Grille

Crumble Crust Prickly Pear Cheese Cake

TREFOILS

THIN MINTS

WHAT’S GOOD

32 Shea

The Henry

Thin Mint Cheesecake

Caramel Delight

Samoa Cookie Pecan Shortbread Coconut Caramel Trifle

5th & Wine

SAVANNAH SMILES

SAMOAS Rusconi’s American Kitchen Banana Cream Samoa Jar

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DO-SI-DOS

Thin Mint Gelato

TAGALONGS

Trefoil Butter Swirl Ice Cream

most money raised

most desserts served

The desserts were featured on their menus throughout February, and the restaurants donated a portion of the proceeds to support Girl Scouting in our community. This year, 14 restaurants participated. Find the recipes at pinterest.com/gsacpc.

Lumberyard Brewing Co.

Chocolate Mint Ice Cream Sandwich

The MARKET

Twixted Trefoil Bar

Rhythm & Wine

Savannah Chambord Raspberry Mousse

BEHIND THE SCENES

WITH THE ANNUAL MEETING GIRL PLANNING TEAM Being a part of this year’s Annual Meeting Design Team was really a breakthrough experience for me. Leading up to the event, our team of 11 girls met many times a month, deliberating over details like the theme, music playlist, speeches, and, of course, our outfits! The team was amazing to work with, and all of our hard work definitely paid off.

I don’t have one favorite part of Annual Meeting; I have multiple. Even arriving onsite to see the gorgeous chandeliers and large stage for the first time was incredible, but it was settling backstage and hearing our opening song come through the speakers that gave me a sense of, “Wow. This is really happening!” In that instant, I breathed in the adrenaline, pictured the butterflies fluttering in my stomach, and smiled with ecstasy.

As the meeting progressed, I watched my fellow team members on the huge projection screen backstage, waiting for my turn. The time for me to speak neared. I was cued to the stage, and within 60 seconds, found myself relaying the opening sentence to my speech. The rest of my words were a graceful blur, but I returned backstage surrounded by a hug of applause. It was a perfect moment.

I discovered my love for writing and overcame my previous phobia of public speaking. Overall, the meeting was a huge success, and it was over way too quickly, but the time and effort was absolutely worth it, especially our tutus!

By Caitlyn Pallas

ATTA GIRL!

THERESA EVERYTHING ELSE

Shout out to super-star troop leader, THERESA ZAUN, of the Sedona neighborhood. With Theresa’s guidance and mentorship, her troop has experienced many exciting adventures including traveling on the Verde Canyon Railroad, attending an innovative science workshop and even surfing the waters at Camp Surf. She also led her troop in earning their Bronze and Silver Awards. Theresa always wears a smile and has a positive attitude even when the unexpected happens! Thank you, Theresa, for helping create friendships and memories girls will have for a lifetime.

THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

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IGNITE: FIND YOUR LIGHT 2016 ANNUAL MEETING

The eleven girl design team spent many, many hours together beginning in December to create the fun and inspiring morning session around the theme IGNITE: Find Your Light. They envisioned a morning that inspired girls to discover their “light”—their strengths and passions and inspire others to do the same.

Katherine Hann captured the essence of the morning when she said, “We want you to discover what makes you happy, what makes you become a better person, and what makes you who you are…

Look at those around you and the things that go on in your world and consider who you are. Be open to anything because you may find that you love something you never thought you would… Each one of you has your life ahead of you and if you keep your mind open, you have plenty of time to find your light.”

After playing the Constellation Game, Caitlyn Palas offered these insights, “A constellation wouldn't be the same if a star was missing; each of us is important as a single bright star, and we become even brighter when we connect into a constellation. Isn't that what teamwork is? Girl Scouts use teamwork to achieve larger goals than one person can complete on their own – like selling three million boxes of cookies!”

During the rich dialogue session, girls and adults shared what ‘ignite’ meant to them, how we can

‘ignite’ others, and what some of their dreams were.

Then it was time for some fun and girls wrote down what made them shine, crumpled their papers and used them to start a fierce ‘meteor shower’ in the room.

Emma Prejs reflected on her involvement with theater, saying, “You may be expecting me to tell you that theater has made me ‘break out of my shell’ and turned me into a social butterfly. But theater has had a much subtler, more important effect on me. I am still an introvert. I still struggle to interact with other individuals in my regular classes. But theater has given me the opportunity to embrace my strengths and still be comfortable with my weaknesses. Theater is a great way to help myself ignite, as they force me to step up, interact with other people, figure out how to solve problems quickly, and find out where I work best in a group situation.”

Girls were asked to write down how Girl Scouts make them shine on star-shaped paper, which were then posted around the room.

Both Kaylin Smith and Martha Ryan told the audience how Girl Scouts impacted their lives. Kaylin said, “Through Girl Scouts, I have learned how to accept new people, solve problems on the spot, and how to handle myself in an unexpected situation.”

Martha, who is interested in STEM added, “Girl

o R: Brittanee, Chelsea, Ellie, Sophie, Caitlyn, Martha, Juliette, Kaitlyn, Kaylin, Katherine, Emma – the design team members.

The morning session ended with a photo montage of Girl Scout leaders and volunteers in action. Caitlyn Palas reminded the audience to recognize and be thankful for all those who help us along the way. “Our teachers and troop leaders, our coaches, our parents, best friends, and even older siblings all have a special interest in our lives. They are willing to help us shine in more ways than we think.”

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEMBERS-AT-LARGE ELECTED These members will serve a three-year term 2016-2019.

Scouts has helped me to find something I love that challenges me, and allows me to make the world a better place. Girl Scouts has taught me to work for, strive for, and fight for what I have come to love, and accept that I will be pushed to my breaking point and still have to continue on… Girl Scouts has helped me shatter the word ‘no’ in my mind.”

Brittanee Hustad added her inspiration by calling girls to “follow your dreams every single day and never give up on them. Always follow them, and let those dreams ignite you from within yourself, let them guide you, let them lead your life.”

Liz Archuleta Yesenia Barraza Tim Castro Melody Charlton

Tomás Guerra Deb Gullett Raquel Gutierrez Mark House

Kathleen Schnier Tanya Wheeless

GIRL ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS These girls will serve a one year term 2016-2017.

Kaitlyn Charlton Natalia Ramos

Martha Ryan Kaylin Smith

SOCIAL MEDIA TAKEOVER The design team took over Instagram for the day! Here’s a peek at what the girls shared and what Annual Meeting guests shared on the “Tweet Wall!”

WHAT’S GOOD THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

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LEAVING A LEGACY Donor spotlight on Deborah Zanot

D

ebbie Zanot credits our council with being an anchor for her growing up and giving her so many opportunities and real world experiences.

Debbie joined Girl Scouts in 4th grade, after a friend encouraged her. Then in 6th grade, she found a Cadette troop closer to her home in Flagstaff, with girls from her school. When Debbie‘s father died a few years later, her troop really became an extended family and a strong anchor for her.

WHAT’S GOOD

She had an adventurous troop leader, Mrs. Rosemary Gray, who led the troop through high school.

Debbie’s first airplane ride was with her troop when they traveled to Our Cabana in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

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My daughter Nora and I. THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

Some of Debbie’s favorite memories are from summer camp at Shadow Rim Ranch, where she met some of her lifelong friends. She still remembers riding up the Beeline Highway to Payson and everyone on the bus screaming with excitement when they spotted the sign for Girl Scout camp.

Every year she went to camp on a campership. Grateful for this, over the intervening years, she has donated to campership funds so other girls could attend.

Debbie joined the Navy after college and continued to maintain her annual Girl Scout membership until the option to become a lifetime member became available. At the time, a lifetime membership was a significant amount of money, but she felt it was important.

When her daughter was old enough, Debbie jumped back into Girl Scouts as a troop leader. Later she took on several active roles in her Service Unit before returning to be her daughter’s troop leader again as she was finishing high school. Debbie gave her daughter a lifetime membership upon her graduation from high school.

Debbie is still active as a council trainer and service unit product sales manager with the Heart of the South Council in Tennessee and was recently asked to serve on the Memphis Metro Area Advisory Board. She also remains in contact with her troop leader, Mrs. Gray, and several of the friends she made at summer camp so many years ago.

Grateful for her many blessings in life, she feels strongly about passing those blessings on.

After hearing a speaker talk about planned giving at a council luncheon, she decided she needed to give back to the council who got her started in life and gave her so much. Debbie continues to make the world a better place! Thank you, Debbie.

Consider making your own planned gift to Girl ScoutsArizona Cactus-Pine Council to ensure more Arizona Girl Scouts can create special memories of their own. For more information, contact Christina Spicer at cspicer@girlscoutsaz.org or (602) 452-7075.

SEEN & HEARD

TROOP ACTIVITIES

Girl Scouts in the news! TROOP 2791 was featured on Fox 10 for helping families wrap Christmas presents at Desert Sky Mall.

Tough girls save lives! Twenty-seven Girl Scouts geared up with the valley’s bravest women at ASPIRE ACADEMY. In this intense three-day camp, girls got the opportunity to rappel down buildings, climbed fire ladders and got exposed to mock crime scene investigations. Way to go, girls!

TROOP 1593 celebrated Girl Scout Sunday

volunteering at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church.

They were also awarded their My Promise My Faith pin. Congrats, girls!

Girl Scouts lead the flag ceremony at the 25th anniversary of the DUDE FIRE in Payson.

Girl Scouts + STEM = Awesome! Volunteers from the Arizona Pipe Trades Training Center gave 40 girls the opportunity to learn about plumbing and material engineering during the PLAYING WITH FIRE program.

THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

WHAT’S GOOD

Shout out to the DIVA DROIDS for winning the Judge’s Award at the Fountain Hills robotics competition! This award recognizes a team’s exemplary effort and achievement throughout the season. Great Job, Diva Droids!

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SEEN & HEARD

TROOP ACTIVITIES AND COOKIES

JUNIOR TROOP 2009 in the Navajo Nation

is doing a world of good by exercising their green thumbs! The girls completed their Bronze Award by planting a beautiful vegetable garden and donating their harvest to the public.

TROOP 1141 celebrated the life of Martin Luther

Game on! Girls Scouts had a blast exploring game technology and creating their own video game and APP at the GAME DESIGN WORKSHOP.

DAISY TROOP 1019 earned their Global Action patch by collecting 150 food items and donating them to Mountain View Church and United Food Bank. Great job, girls!

Thanks to TROOP 436 for their donations to the food pantry at Tanner Chapel AME Church! The girls donated 534 packs of ramen noodles, 100 bottles of lotion and shampoo, 153 cans of food and 108 bottles of water. Way to go, girls!

WHAT’S GOOD

King Jr. by marching and performing in the annual community parade in downtown Phoenix.

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Girl Scouts hiked and explored the beautiful trails in the canyon of the Agua Fria River and of course, enjoyed bonding with their sister Girl Scouts during the RIVER WALKERS HIKE!

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SEEN & HEARD

TROOP ACTIVITIES AND COOKIES

More than 275 Girl Scouts spent the day exploring at the PHOENIX ZOO. Girls enjoyed animal-themed yoga, zookeeper talks, animal presentations and earned Journeys and badges along the way!

Shout out to these awesome Cookie Dads! Way to prove you’re “MAN ENOUGH TO BE A GIRL SCOUT!”

SHARE YOUR STORY! Email troop notes to stories@girlscoutsaz.org to be featured in the next issue! ■

KAISA, a Brownie in Troop 121, poses with Phoenix

Suns player, Devin Booker, at the Phoenix Suns Jump Ball event. Kaisa introduced the Phoenix Suns players on stage throughout the ceremony.

What an amazing opportunity!

TROOP 951 is spreading kindness in the community!

The girls donated 150 boxes of cookies as part of the Kindness Revolution Campaign, encouraging the community to recognize and promote kindness.

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WHAT’S GOOD

DAISY TROOP 376 delivered 47 Gift of Caring packages to the Avondale Police Department.

These officers plan to donate these cookies to those in need. Thanks, girls!

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SEEN & HEARD COOKIES

Ten Brownie Troops from Lake Havasu donated boxes of cookies to LAKE HAVASU MILITARY MOMS where they will be packed into care packages sent to U.S. military troops serving overseas. Good work, girls!

Tyrann Mathieu of the Arizona Cardinals made a special visit to TROOP 1041’s cookie booth and left with some sweet treats!

“May the Cookie Force be with you!” TROOP 65 sold cookies in style at their annual cookie drive-thru.

TROOP 2711 celebrated Girl Scouts’ 104th

WHAT’S GOOD

Birthday by making greeting cards and donating Gift of Caring packages for troops serving overseas.

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Even the TRANSFORMERS love Girl Scout Cookies!

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CAMPAIGN FOR GIRLS

AN UPDATE

FUNDRAISING: We have raised $14.3 million towards our original $15 million goal for the Campaign for Girls in Arizona.

Our fundraising efforts have far outpaced the efforts of all other councils across the country, including receiving a gift of $5 million, the largest gift ever in Girl Scout history. Although we are not quite done, we are close to the finish line.

CONSTRUCTION: Progress on the Leadership Center for Girls and Women at Camp South Mountain is clearly visible. The underground utilities for the Leadership Center are complete, the slab poured and now the steel beams for the center are going up.

The pool building is also taking shape. Masonry walls have been built creating a space for the “breezeway� activity area in the middle of the building, with the locker and restrooms on the south side and the storage and office space on the north side of the building. Work on the underground utilities was finalized and the concrete floor slab poured to allow for framing of interior walls.

Significant work has been completed on the cabins. Some cabins received metal stud roofs and interior wall framing, others had mechanical, plumbing and electrical installed, and a few others had the exterior fascia installed. This fascia is a 100% recycled material called Intrepid and will line the exterior of all fifteen cabins and the Leadership Center. View the latest construction video at youtube.com/gsacpc.

NAMING CABINS: Our girls agreed to support the Campaign for Girls by donating a portion of 2014 and 2015 cookie sale revenues. They raised $1.1 million to build three cabins at Camp South Mountain. Earlier this year, we asked for your cabin name suggestions. Then a team of girls narrowed the list to nine names and girls were asked to vote. The winning names were announced at the Annual Meeting. They are: Chuckwalla (the lizard that roams South Mountain), Monsoon (the rainstorms on the desert), and Sonoran (the desert on which Camp South Mountain sits).

LOOKING FORWARD THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

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sister 2

with SISTER KAITLYN JANSSEN

DEAR FELLOW SISTERS, Have you ever noticed an issue in your community that you knew needed fixing, or maybe you just want to show the world what a girl can do?

JUST FOR YOU

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award a girl can earn in Girl Scouts. While this award is only open to girls in high school, that doesn’t mean you can’t think about it now.

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This prestigious award will challenge you to make a change in the world, region, state, or your community. You may ask yourself “why is it worth earning?” Girls who earn this award distinguish themselves in college applications and many earn scholarships. Girls also learn life skills such as leadership, teamwork, time management and patience that they will take with them forever. Lastly of course, you will be changing the community to your own vision, tackling new or old issues. You can create your own legacy with your sustainable solution.

My name is Kaitlyn Janssen from Gilbert, Arizona in Troop 1606. I am in tenth grade and plan to tackle

THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

the Gold Award. My project is called “Be Kind and Recycle Your Line.” I plan to address the issue that the community is unintentionally destroying wildlife and habitats with monofilament fishing line. I know the Gold Award may seem too much to handle at first, but you won’t be approaching it alone. You are just the leader and you will have your own team to back you all the way. The Girl Scout Council will help you by assigning an insightful Gold Award mentor.

This mentor will be there the whole way if you are ever confused, need help with ideas, or guidance.

The Council also has an extraordinary workshop to help you get started.

I highly encourage everyone to go for the GOLD. Make sure that when you decide to do the Gold Award project, you choose an area you are passionate about and then you will enjoy the project to the fullest extent.

Your Friend,

Kaitlyn Kaitlyn Janssen

world THINKING DAY

More than 1,300 people gathered at Margaret T. Hance Park to celebrate international friendships on World Thinking Day! Thank you to the Girl Scouts and volunteers who shared their time with festival attendees, teaching them about countries, cultures and religions from around the world.

This year’s festival was extra special because of the launch of two new patches. The All About Healthy Living patch, a collaboration with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, teaches the girls about several important aspects of wellness, including fitness, community, friendship, career and general health.

Girls were also able to begin working on their Driving My Financial Future badge. This badge is the result of a partnership with Toyota Financial Services, and encourages girls to think about financial empowerment as a means to pursuing their dreams.

For more information about the All About Healthy Living patch or the Driving My Financial Future Badge, visit girlscoutsaz.org.

EVERYTHING ELSE

GOING FOR GOLD!

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The Gold Award is the highest, most demanding award a Girl Scout can obtain. This year, 32 girls earned the prestigious Gold Award. To earn the Gold Award, a girl must stretch her skills and step forward as a leader to meet a local or global need, and create sustainable change through a timeintensive service project of her choosing. Through this process the girl develops and enhances her own leadership, determination, creativity and confidence.

The year 2016 marks 100 years of girls using their leadership skills to earn the highest award in Girl Scouts! While this award has been called by many names—starting as the Golden Eaglet of Merit in 1916 and becoming the Gold Award in 1980—it’s always recognized girls who take action to make our world a better place. These young women are courageous leaders and visionary change makers.

Thinking of going for the Gold? Get project ideas at www.pinterest.com/gsacpc!

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KAYLEE BAKER

REETI BANERJEE

Oral Health Education

Kaylee’s project reduced stress on student drivers by creating awareness among other drivers that students were behind the wheel. She created large, reusable magnets for cars that clearly state “Student Driver.” To promote their availability, she pitched a story to In & Out magazine, which ran a feature called “Driver Dilemma.”

With hopes of one day becoming a dentist, Reeti’s mission was to educate young children about the damaging effects of poor dental hygiene. Reeti researched the topic, and with a team of volunteers gave eight presentations, resulting in approximately 300 children receiving information and training on dental care.

RUCHI BANERJEE

Socioeconomic Consequences of Teen Pregnancy Ruchi’s Gold Award focused on educating fellow students about the socio-economic consequences of teen pregnancy, including health challenges, lower income and limited career opportunities. Through the use of informational posters and announcements, Ruchi was able to reach more than 11,000 students.

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EVERYTHING ELSE

Student Driver Magnets

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KATE BARTON

Gay-Straight Alliance When Kate’s bisexual friend attempted suicide, she made it her mission to create support for, and understanding of, the LGBT community. Kate launched the Gay Straight Alliance Club. Today, the club has eight members, runs a website, hosts informational sessions for fellow students, and plans to host a Pride celebration.

EMMA BROWN

EVERYTHING ELSE

Cross Country Program

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With a passion for cross-country running, Emma’s project created a running program that increases physical activity among students at her school. The 40 children who participated were each matched with a high school-aged mentor, giving the children one-on-one time with a caring teenager who taught them practical exercise skills.

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DORTHEA BOATWRIGHT Students Cook

Interested in food-related issues, Dorthea focused her Gold Award on promoting healthy eating habits to college students. She created a blog and YouTube channel that features healthy recipes, cooking tips, and popular discussion topics. All the recipes require less than 15 minutes prep time, use inexpensive ingredients, and only need a microwave oven.

CARMELA CHANEY Science in a Shoebox

Carmela discovered that disinterest in science is often attributed to lack of early childhood exposure. To address this problem, she created 40 science experiments. Each science experiment covers a different topic and is selfcontained in a shoebox. The kits have since been integrated into the curriculum at Khalsa Montessori School.

KATELYN BOISVERT

Addressing the Plight of Monarch Butterflies Katelyn’s Gold Award addresses the conservation of Monarchs and pollinators of all kinds, while also preserving biodiversity, promoting community awareness, and encouraging citizen involvement.

With the help of 50 volunteers, she constructed a Monarch butterfly waystation and pollinator garden at Chandler Preparatory Academy.

ANA COKER

Patio of Coexistence to Live the Difference Ana aimed to unite Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish by restoring their garden and giving them an enjoyable space for fellowship.

To accomplish this, she planned three working days where volunteers planted hibiscus, trumpet bushes and bougainvillea, installed an irrigation system and repaired and repainted two benches in the garden.

RACHEL DESTIGTER

CHELSEA DIVINS

ELLIE FESSLER

Rachel’s Gold Award aims to remove cultural barriers through education. Through working with AFS, a high school study abroad program, she created curriculum to help fellow students learn about and understand cultural differences. Overall, Rachel has shared her curriculum with more than 200 people online and during in-person presentations.

Making Hannah’s House a Home

Terminating Toddler Topple Overs

After volunteering for Maggie’s Place, an organization that helps pregnant women or new mothers by giving them a place to stay, Chelsea was inspired to do more.

For her Gold Award, she collected donations and furnished a bedroom and bathroom in a home recently purchased by Maggie’s Place.

In 2007, Ellie experienced the tragic loss of her 2-year-old cousin after a large piece of furniture fell over. To increase awareness about the dangers of furniture falling over, Ellie developed a video tutorial about how to install furniture safety straps. Her project was featured in the Arizona Republic and on local news channels 3, 5 and 12.

KYRA FRIEND

REYNA GARIEPY

AMANDA GOMEZ

Kyra’s goal was to increase access to musical education for the children at Little Ropers Childhood Development Center. She did this through the creation of a “musical garden,” a space where various instruments made from household items are available to children to experiment, play and make music with.

In fifth grade, Reyna’s older brother was diagnosed with epilepsy.

Because the disorder affected her in a profound way, she focused her Gold Award on teaching others how to perform first aid when someone is experiencing an epileptic seizure. In all, Reyna was able to educate more than 900 people about epilepsy.

Amanda’s mission was to increase awareness of ALS. To do this, she created a video of the annual ALS walk that encouraged fellowship and participation. As of February, 400 people have viewed the video and it has been shared on Facebook multiple times.

Teens Go Global

The Musical Method

Epilepsy Awareness

Arizona Beats ALS

EVERYTHING ELSE

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TESS GROSSMAN Hear & Now

Tess was born deaf and later fitted with cochlear implants and taught to communicate orally.

As a freshman, she founded a support organization called Hear & Now. Tess focuses on educating members about deaf culture, the struggles of being disabled, services offered by experts, and creating an environment for deaf/hard-of-hearing people in a hearing world.

EVERYTHING ELSE

BRITTANEE HUSTAD

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REBA JOYCE HAGEN Be Your Own Hero

Reba developed a presentation to raise awareness about bullying, suicide prevention and substance abuse. She shared the presentation with the principals and vice principals at 24 Arizona schools. She also hung informational posters at her school, hosted a booth during lunch hour where students could share their stories or find resources.

EMILY HARTZLER BE FREE

After learning about the horrors of sex trafficking, Emily developed the idea for Quillow Care Kits --small kits containing a blanket, hygiene items, snacks, a sweater and information about resources for victims. She partnered with law enforcement agencies, who helped her distribute 355 kits to people in need.

Stifle the Silence

Cromer Courtyard Garden

HOLLY JAMERSON

REBECCA JERNIGAN

After losing her friend to suicide, Brittanee turned her grief into positive change by raising awareness about teen suicide.

Through her efforts, September 10 is now Suicide Awareness Day in Arizona, the Teen Lifeline telephone number is now printed on all high school ID badges in her school district, and school staff can take online suicide awareness training.

Holly focused her Gold Award on increasing interest and accessibility to science by building a garden at Cromer Elementary.

With the help of volunteers, Holly installed a pond, planted native vegetation and vegetables, and installed an irrigation system.

Currently, the garden is used at least once a day by the teachers and students.

Rebecca’s mission was to strengthen the connection between humans and dogs. She held training sessions for junior dog trainers and made the training information widely available by creating a website. There have been more than 70,000 hits on her website! To connect junior trainers with trainers worldwide, she created a Facebook group, which has grown to 115 members.

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Dogs Helping People

JOELLE JOHNSON National English Honor Society

When Joelle realized Mountain Pointe High School did not have a National English Honor Society, she decided to create the club herself! The club has 54 members and continues to thrive. Club members receive benefits like national recognition, networking and scholarship opportunities, and through the club they take on projects to help the community.

CLAIRE O’BRIEN

SOPHIA KIRKLAND-LOPEZ

Operation Wallflower

SAMANTHA MITCHELL Got Guts?

Sophia’s goal was to increase knowledge of gardening and sustainability by transforming the wall at St. Joan of Arc church into a raised garden. After immense planning, she built the garden with the help of volunteers. The children at the church now have a beautiful garden where then can learn and play.

Samantha’s goal was to increase awareness and understanding of gastrointestinal issues. To do this she created a video that outlined the issues, their side effects, treatments, and how others can be supportive. She gave presentations on the topic and developed a brochure containing this information that she distributed to 500 people.

Family Shelter Library

Animal Care and Awareness

ERIN O’KRAY-MURPHY

ADRIANNA POLYAK

For her Gold Award, Claire wanted to share her love of reading with children who may not have the same access to books as she had growing up. She set up a children’s library at La Mesita Family Homeless Shelter in Mesa. She collected 3,000 children’s books, set up a reading program for the children, and hosted an opening day celebration.

Through volunteering at animal shelters, Erin learned that animals are often mistreated or abused in their homes. So she designed a curriculum to teach youth about the proper way to care for animals, launched an animal rescue club, and held a donation drive at her church, where she collected approximately $2,000 worth of supplies.

Adrianna wanted to do something to give back to her high school.

During lunch, students had to sit outside on the grass and rocks or on hallway floors due to lack of seating. So Adrianna built and installed 12 eight-foot long benches on the school campus, providing additional lunchtime seating for 72 students.

Seats for Souls

EVERYTHING ELSE

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ARIANA SCHEIN

HANNAH STEVENSON

Prom Closet

PHS Girls Volleyball Website

Ariana partnered with Hacienda Healthcare to create a prom closet for special needs children.

The closet allows patients to borrow prom dresses, makeup and accessories so they can attend the prom hosted by Hacienda Healthcare. Overall, she collected almost 100 dresses for the closet.

Despite the success of Hannah’s high school volleyball team, there was a lack of support from fellow classmates. Hannah focused on increasing support of the women’s volleyball team by improving communication. To do this, she created a website for her team, developed its format and works year-round to keep the content updated.

KAYLYNN VAVRICK Urban Dance

Teaching children to dance brings Kaylynn immense joy. She made it her mission to provide the opportunity for children who could not afford classes, to learn to dance. To recruit students, she passed out fliers and held an informational night for parents.

Over the course of seven weeks, Kaylynn taught 18 children the fundamentals of dance.

WHY I WENT FOR THE GOLD “It’s a rewarding experience and it has given me numerous opportunities to make an impact in the community.”

–Reeti Banerjee “It’s an important and special opportunity to do something that I’m passionate about.”

–Ruchi Banerjee “I wanted to teach younger kids how to build healthy habits by increasing their endurance spiritually and emotionally.”

–Emma Brown “I wanted to make a change in the community.”

–Kyra Friend “I wanted to connect with the community on a passionate level.”

–Reyna Gariepy

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REBEKAH WAGEN

RENAE WILSON

NDSC Survival Skills

Mock Interview Clinic

At the National Down Syndrome Congress Convention, people with Down syndrome would often get lost, confused, or accidentally violate the safety rules at the hotel. Rebekah tackled this issue by creating a video PSA to remind attendees of the rules. The convention organizers reported the PSA worked so well, they plan to continue using it.

When Renae began the college application process she and fellow students found themselves unprepared for college admissions interviews. To address the issue, she planned, organized and executed a mock interview clinic.

Every student who attended participated in a practice interview and received immediate feedback and tips for improvement.

RECOGNITIONS girl scout

BRONZE award

The Girl Scout Bronze Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout Junior can achieve. A girl and her troop find and research a problem in their community. They plan a Take Action Project that addresses the root cause of the problem, and ultimately make a positive difference in the community. In the process, girls develop confidence, meet new people and build relationships with their Girl Scout sisters.

October 1 – December 31, 2015 there were 14 different Bronze Award Take Action project reports submitted for the following 78 Bronze Award recipients.

Troop 2

Aracely Berrios Troop 490

Brianna Adams

Marley Armenta Anastasia Galindo Dominique Galindo Josie Parsons Angelina Peters Audrey Suttles Troop 825

Artemis Diaz

Alyssa Ratti

Troop 934

Rebeka Clark

Olivia Cody Kylie Davey Alexia Ewing Kaela Gerken Isabella Jones Kaylea Laughton Ravyn Sanders Alexa Shiner Morgan Short Lacey Stokes

Troop 1617

Paige Beatty

Marissa Bielecki Kadenz Cathers Issabella Dynes Maddy Gutowski Hannah Janecek Kadence Pitts Marlee Todd

Rylee Gardner Amber Minton Olivia Scalmato Aislyn Schwartz Jolie Wyatt Lola Wyatt

Esperanza Leal Acosta Nelba Jareicy Noris Katherine Stithem Janessa Zurita

Troop 2300

Troop 1814

Molly Bissa

Mary Mayfield Madison McRoberts Ashley Preston Ava Vandersee

Madeline Mitchell Troop 1979

Nicole Beltran Kailee Frey Amber Gamez Madeleine Griefer Ivy Hansen Michelle Owen

Troop 2149

Crystal Walton

Anna Kacer Shelby King Rozetta Locksa Kaylee Martinez Ella Pedersen Kynsie Powell Troop 2294

Piper Bailey

Amber Briggs

Grace Cypert Kaylee Garrigan Amelia Gualtiere Alyssa Hill Claire Moeser Sarah Ryan Ava Small

Troop 3030

Ruby Butcher

Troop 2309

Aveza Ahrens

Evelyn Atkins Joslyn Freeman Katie Jones Angelina Morga Quinn Prowse-Apodaca Zariya Shams Ashley Utton

Troop 2711

Samantha Arguello Amarissa Frias

NEW PROCESS FOR BRONZE AWARD PURCHASE

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EVERYTHING ELSE

In order to purchase the Bronze Award pin or patch, a Bronze Award Take Action report must be submitted online. This report is available on the Bronze Award page of the council website. When you complete the form and press the submit button, two things happen. First, you’ll be taken to a page that shows what happens next, which you should print for your reference. Second, an email will be sent to the leader showing what was submitted. This email confirmation must be presented to the shop staff. If the pin or patch is ordered by email, the report confirmation email must be forwarded to the shop. For in-person purchases at the shop, print the email and bring it with you or it needs to be displayed on the purchaser’s electronic device, such as their phone or tablet. The number of pins purchased cannot be for more that the number of girls listed in the report.

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RECOGNITIONS girl scout

SILVER

award

The highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn, the Silver Award, gives a girl the chance to show that she is a leader who is organized, determined, and dedicated to improving her community. Girls work together in small groups, and each girl is responsible for a part of the project.

October 1, 2015 – January 2016 the following 23 Silver Award recipients addressed 9 different problems in their communities.

Sianna O’Brien Trinity Pringle

Troop 404

Sarah Wright Troop 557

Samantha Janssen

Troop 746

Troop 1225

Nicole Dawson

RELIGIOUS recognitions

Natalie Augustyn

Samantha Barrientos Rayne Caley

Katie Breed

Allyson Edelberg Georgina Horne Emma Vincent

girl scout

TRIBUTES & memorials

Troop 1979

Isabella Griefer

Religious recognitions are created by national religious organizations/committees to encourage the spiritual growth of their youth members and reinforce many of the values integral to Girl Scouting. Each faith organization develops and administers its own program. Learn more at www.girlscoutsaz.org/faith.

Samantha Carlson Natalie Franklin Jessica Hudson Isabella Kranovich

girl scout

Olivia Morey Gianna Abdallah Mikayla Sedgwick Stephanie Howarth Abigail Sackett

Troop 1561

Hanna Hissa

Sophia Reitano Mackenzie Milczarek Jenna Moeckly

Troop 2734

Abigail Mason Abbi Harb

Troop 967

Kimberly Hartle

God and Me

Troop 1419

Reegan Files

Jayden Noel Kayla O’Brien Madison O’Brien Emma Smith

God and Family

Crystal Green

Ashley Holt Kaitlyn Stewart

God and Church

Macie Chrisman

Want to honor a friend or family member for a birthday or other special occasion, or make a gift in memory of a loved one? Your gift to Girl Scouts may be designated as a tribute or memory of someone special.

Tributes and Memorials are from October 26, 2015 to March 10, 2016.

In Honor of Rachel Mushahwar

Intel Corporation

Peggy George Racheal Wilson

In Memory of Leslie & Bella Seager

In Honor of Cathy McKee Olesen

In Memory of Mr. & Mrs. Chalmer

In Memory of Mildred (Mid) Wolfswinkle

In Memory of Ruth Catalano

In Memory of Kathryn Cromley

Marilyn Harrer JoAnn Patterson

EVERYTHING ELSE

Rowland Carmichael Advisors, Inc. Renee Catalano

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Barbara Baum Denise M. Babirak Laura Sheehy Gayle Smythe

Arizona Community Foundation

JP Morgan Chase & Co

Employee Giving Campaign

In Memory of Pat Pfister

Salt River Project

Frederick & Genevieve Witteborg Trust

Steven Hanson

SPRING REGISTRATION TIME TO REGISTER YOUR TROOP FOR THE 2017 MEMBERSHIP YEAR! Register by June 30 and each girl will receive a one-of-a-kind Spring Registration Patch designed by one of our Council’s girls. Plus, each troop will get one early cookie booth selection at the start of next year’s cookie sale.

Have your girls submitted a design for the patch? Download the form at http://bit.ly/early-bird-patch.

If you need additional assistance, please contact the Help Desk at 602-452-7030 or reghelp@girlscoutsaz.org.

PATIENTS “TREATED” WITH TOFFEE-TASTICS Troop 999 donated 50 cases of Toffee-tastic, our gluten-free cookie, to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for an educational seminar on Celiac Disease sponsored through PCH's Gastroenterology Division as well as for the parent and child support group for Celiac patients.

One of the patients was almost tearful when she met the Girl Scouts, saying she is almost always excluded from snacks at school and in social activities because of her illness. All the children were thrilled to have these treats.

L to R: Emma and her mother, Lisa Winiarski, members of the patient support group, Dr. Gary Silber, chief of Gastroenterology at PCH, Olivia and Elena from Troop 999.

GIRL SCOUT SILVER AWARD REMINDERS »» Complete one Cadette Journey and its Take Action Project before moving on to the Silver Award. Don’t do »» »» »» »»

them at the same time.

The suggested minimum time for earning your Silver Award is 50 hours. This includes identifying the issue, building your team, exploring your community, researching and picking your project, developing, planning and putting your project into motion and then reflecting, sharing and celebrating.

The Silver Award Take Action Project must address a problem or issue outside of Girl Scouts. Projects that benefit the council, a service unit or troops are not allowed.

To purchase the Silver Award pin and to have a girl’s name included in this list, the Silver Award Take Action Report form must be submitted online at www.girlscoutsaz.org/awards.

Watch for changes to the Silver Award approval process at www.girlscoutsaz.org/awards.

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VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION LUNCHEON Volunteers are the heartbeat of Girl Scouts, and their dedication and commitment is critical in providing the Girl Scout experience to every girl who wants it. Their efforts were honored April 16 at the Volunteer Recognition Luncheon.

APPRECIATION PIN

THANKS BADGE

Nine very talented and dedicated women received an Appreciation Pin for their contributions above and beyond the expectations of their volunteer positions. They have demonstrated their commitment to Girl Scout by excelling in a variety of roles – IGM Coordinator, New Leader Coach, Event Coordinator, Troop Leader, Encampment Coordinator, Outdoor Trainer, Recognitions Coordinator, and Service Unit Cookie Manager. not pictured: Susi Tomerlin

Sherry Reyes received this prestigious award for her years of exceptional service to Girl Scouts. A lifetime Girl Scout member, she became a troop leader for her daughter and over the last eight years has taken on Sherry Reyes many other roles both in her Service Unit and on Council committees. Her efforts to recruit and retain older girls helped her neighborhood surpass their 2015-16 membership goal. She also has volunteered her technical knowledge to help design the network infrastructure for the Parsons Leadership Center.

Nikki Coburn

Cathy Erdody

HONOR PIN Service Unit Manager, Council Trainer, and Getting Started Coach are just a few of the roles Donna Harper has held over the years. Her efforts center on the girls and she initiated a Girl Advisory Board in her service team to lead events and meetings.

Her strong leadership and mentoring skills are appreciated by all.

Donna Harper

2015-2016 MEMBER NUMERALS

Cara Friday

Shannon Kellogg

The service year recognition is given to adults, acknowledging the number of years spent as a member of Girl Scouts. This includes membership as a girl. not pictured: Karen Allen, Sallie Loman (40 years), June Marvel (45 years), Nancy Hushek (50 years)

40 YEARS

EVERYTHING ELSE

Pamela Meade

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Karen Meinerz Elizabeth Anderson

Susanne Wells

50 YEARS

Jeannie Oiler

Patricia Fowler

60 YEARS

Jennifer Roman

Laree Castorena THE LISTENING POST // SPRING 2016

45 YEARS

Bonnie McCulley

Marie Edwards

FOUR TIPS TO MAKING BRIDGING MEMORABLE Bridging marks an important milestone in a Girl Scout’s life. It’s a defining moment when a girl becomes aware of her achievements and is ready for new adventures and responsibilities. Here are four useful tips to help make bridging fun, personalized and memorable!

PLAN IN ADVANCE

INVOLVE THE GIRLS

It’s less stressful and will save you time and money. By doing this, you can reduce last minute mishaps and problems.

Ask them what they’d like to include—what song to sing, what decorations to use, what kind of invitations, etc. This makes the ceremony more meaningful and special to your troop.

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

ENJOY THE MOMENT

Have girls dress up in vintage Girl Scout uniforms or include a Juliette Gordon Low photo stand-in for fun pictures! There are many items available for borrowing at www.bit.ly/gsacpc-history.

This is a great opportunity for girls to celebrate becoming leaders and preparing for bright futures.

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5/7

OPEN HOUSE @ MARIPAI

5/21

GS DAY @ WET ‘N’ WILD

5/14-15 5/29

OPEN HOUSE @ SHADOW RIM

6/4

OPEN HOUSE @ WILLOW SPRINGS

Grab your BFF and come learn the science behind amusement park rides.

6/5 – 8/1 6/10

SUMMER CAMP

6/18

GS NIGHT @ DIAMONDBACKS

Watch the Dbacks take on the Marlins and get a special patch!

10/4-8/2017

CAMP-IN @ AZ SCIENCE CENTER

ME AND MY GAL DAY @ WILLOW 7/16

PHOENIX MERCURY LOCK-IN

Watch the WNBA champs on the court and then sleepover!

NATIONAL GIRL SCOUT CONVENTION

Girl Scouts will gather in Columbus, Ohio for the National Convention to celebrate accomplishments and chart our future.

SHOP HOURS 9:00AM – 5:00PM 9:00AM – 5:00PM 9:00AM – 5:00PM 9:00AM – 5:00PM 9:00AM – 5:00PM

Stock up on the best summer camp gear and patches at the online Council Shop!

Buy Girl Scout goodies galore from home!