Focus on Badgerland Girl Scouts

FOCUS Summer 2016 | Girl Scouts of Wisconsin - Badgerland

PAGE 1@ | FOCUS ONCapitol BADGERLAND SCOUTS Brownie Girl Scouts Brownie Day inGIRL Madison

FIRST WORDS If you haven’t attended an outing with a group of Girl Scouts lately, I encourage you to do so. I know you’ll be amazed by the excitement and energy you see.

The achievements of our Girl Scouts are truly humbling.

Someone recently said to me, “Wherever there is giving, there’s a Girl Scout involved.” That is a powerful statement; and so very true. Because in every zip code in Badgerland—indeed, in every zip code in America—you will find Girl Scouts doing amazing good deeds and projects.

Everything from small acts of kindness for her neighbors to projects that make an impact on a global scale like the one created by Badgerland Girl Scout, Claire Evensen. You can read more about her on page 5.

I believe that Girl Scouts continues to be the best place for girls to explore, learn and take action to make the world a better place. I hope you agree with me that the value of Girl Scouting is indeed priceless. And I encourage you to visit our website today at gsbadgerland.org and renew her membership for the upcoming year ahead. I can’t wait to see what our girls will achieve next!

Marci Henderson is the CEO of Girl Scouts of Wisconsin - Badgerland.

Platteville Troop 5001

These Girl Scout Brownies were active all year including a favorite STEM outing featuring giant legos. The girls bridged to Juniors in May. PAGE 2 | FOCUS ON BADGERLAND GIRL SCOUTS

GROWING UP GIRL SCOUT Badgerland Girl Scouts Class of 2016 Bridge to Adult

It’s a fact. Girls who grow up in Girl Scouts get a head start in life. The Girl Scouting Works impact study found that Girl Scout alumnae are more likely to graduate from college, earn more money, vote more regularly and volunteer in their communities compared to adults who were never a Girl Scout. Pretty impressive!

Knowing that, consider how much of an edge the girls pictured above have on their peers.

According to the research, the future is surely bright for the 61 Girl Scouts who graduated from high schools around Badgerland this spring. The girls were celebrated during the annual Awards Ceremony in March where three of the graduates were presented Girl Scout Scholarships. Each graduate shared her favorite Girl Scout memories and lessons learned before bridging one final time as a Girl Scout...this time to Adulthood. Good luck grads...we can’t wait to see what you’ll do next!

“The most important lesson I learned from growing up in Girl Scouts is how important it is to get out of my comfort zone and try new things. I learned that when I take a risk, amazing things happen to me!”

— Evalise Yang Troop 2879 Fort Atkinson 2016 Graduate, Girl Scout Scholarship Awardee and Gold Award Honoree PAGE 3 | FOCUS ON BADGERLAND GIRL SCOUTS

What Girl Scouts TRY NEW THINGS even when it’s a little scary

At Girl Scouts, we aim to bolster each girl’s courage and confidence. And that means we build in plenty of opportunities for girls to experience new things even though they may be a little scared of them. Just like the Girl Scouts pictured above who learned critical outdoor survival skills at Badgerland’s Arctic Explorers program in January, including how to build and sleep in an emergency ice shelter.

MAKE NEW FRIENDS with girls and grown-ups

Wow! At Girl Scouts you get to meet tons of new people, including girls from other schools and cities. Around Badgerland, troops are grouped geographically in what we call Membership Areas (MAs) and many MAs hold big, all-troop gatherings a few times a year. MA 1 is a perfect example. In June, they hosted a weekend of fun for girls in troops around Walworth County. The party’s theme was Together We Can. Over 80 girls worked and played together and had a blast being Girl Scout while building new friendships!

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DO Every Day! ACCOMPLISH AMAZING GOALS

and learn to persist through challenges What’s the first tool a teenager reaches for? Her phone, of course. That’s why Claire Evensen, Verona Troop 2967, was determined to mobilize that technology and build resources for teenagers confronting mental illness. Claire’s Gold Award project is personal. It was inspired by a sister battling an eating disorder. During those frightening early days after diagnosis, Claire felt limited to provide support because so few resources were available. While plenty of information is targeted at parents of teenagers experiencing mental illness, siblings and friends are left on the sidelines. Claire said she literally didn’t know what to say or how to best help shepherd her sister through recovery. Teen2Teen, Claire’s Gold Award project, fills the gap. Her mobile app was born from that need to help the siblings and friends of teenagers suffering from anxiety, depression and eating disorders.

It’s notable that Claire tackled this project with zero how-to-do-it technical knowledge! Along the journey, she taught herself Java to code the app.

The end result gives teens access to information on disorders and advice on how to interact with a loved one about their illness.

Mental illness has no geographical boundaries but, thanks to Claire’s app, teenagers in 141 countries can download the app and reach across borders to help each other. Teen2Teen is a powerful reminder of how Girl Scouts make this world a better place.

Claire’s remarkable app caught the attention of movers and shakers in Washington, D.C., too. On June 14, Claire was invited to share her project with federal lawmakers at the Girl Scouts USA Gold Award Centennial celebration on Capitol Hill. Claire was among just eight Girl Scouts nationwide selected for this top honor!

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Being a Girl Scout Troop 3098 BELOIT

means community service, too.

Every Girl Scout, young and old and in between, knows that one of our guiding principles is to make the world a better place. That’s why Girl Scouts around Badgerland donated thousands of hours of volunteer service to help their communities in all kinds of ways in 2015-16, including Troop 3098 of Beloit. The Cadettes spent countless hours creating a pantry at a homeless shelter for teenagers in Rock County.

Troop 4525 NEW LISBON Library Donation

Syverson Park in Westby has come back to life all because of Troop 4234.

The Brownie troop first went to City Council when they were Girl Scout Daisies to get permission to upgrade the park. In the past few years they’ve planted trees and installed playground equipment there. Coming up, this summer they’re adding benches and have plans to make a pavilion as part of their Bronze Award project when they Juniors!

Troop 4234 WESTBY

Troop 3662 STOUGHTON Yarn Bomb PAGE 6 | FOCUS ON BADGERLAND GIRL SCOUTS

Capitol Opportunities!

How many girls have a chance to debate a bill on the floor of the State Capitol? Girl Scouts do.

In May, over 300 Badgerland Girl Scouts attended our brand new program held at the State Capitol. Girls got an inside look at how state government works with agefocused sessions led by female Wisconsin legislators, including State Representative Dianne Hesselbein, who is also a Cadette Troop Leader. All Girl Scouts had the opportunity to learn how laws are made and older girls enjoyed a spirited debate on the floor - just like actual lawmakers.

All Girl Scouts who participated earned government and citizenship badges. This was the first year we offered Capitol programs and...since they all sold out we’re already planning ahead to expand the opportunities to make sure more Girl Scouts get to experience this special event in 2017.

Out & About Any time of year is the right time for Girl Scouts to be outside exploring! Girl Scouts are encouraged to visit Badgerland camps...just like these troops.

Did you know troops can rent camps Brandenburg, Ehawee, Oakwood Knoll and Stetler? Let’s get girls unplugged and outdoors!

And...did you know about the brand NEW Art in the Outdoors badges chosen by Girl Scouts! Girls can start earning these awesome badges this summer.

Evansville Community Girl Scout Overnighter at Camp Stetler

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Entrepreneurship Starts Here Space Camp & Beyond It’s been her dream for a long time: taking a simulated shuttle mission into outer space. And that dream comes true this summer for Victoria Lenius at Space Camp! The Madison Cadette is paying her own way to the Girl Scouts USA Space Academy Destination trip through her cookie sales. Victoria sold 5,379 boxes of cookies. That makes her the tip top seller throughout the 24 county Badgerland Council. And more than that - Victoria sold more cookies than any other Wisconsin Girl Scout in 2016!

Victoria, from Troop 2082, said she has gained confidence because of her Cookie business. “I’ve learned it matters how you talk to people. You have to speak up and have eye contact to be successful,” said Victoria. And Victoria knows a lot about success. She set a high cookie goal, in part, to earn funds to pay her way to Space Academy held in Huntsville, Alabama. Through her cookie business, she also earned a laptop computer that she plans to use for homework and three kayaks for her family to enjoy together! Victoria said her advice to other Girl Scouts working to achieve a big goal is to “stay positive and never give up.”

Cookies Count We asked Badgerland Girl Scouts what they learned from the Cookie Program.

Here are the most popular responses:

78% How to Talk to People 52% How to Set a Goal 50% How to Make Change!

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“I made some new friends and learned how to make better decisions.

I learned manners, too!” ~ Badgerland Girl Scout when asked what she learned from this year’s Cookie Program

GIRL SCOUT

DNA

Girl Scouts are more likely than non-Girl Scouts to . . .

YOU ALREADY KNOW how important Girl Scouts is for your girl. Now explore this fun map illustrating just how special Girl Scouts truly are. Turns out... it’s in our DNA!

HELLO

My name is

Leader

(Places)

(Professions)

(People)

(Programs)

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What does she want to do?

Bet she can find a Girl Scout program for it!

Trinity Nichols, Troop 4377, built a cookie “swing set” comprised of Girl Scout cookies and other goodies at our Girls in Construction program held in La Crosse in May. This STEM program is one of many offered year round to Badgerland girls.

All Badgerland Girl Scouts can sign up and attend programs led by the professional Badgerland Program Team. These ‘extra’ programs enrich her Girl Scouting experience outside the activities she enjoys with her troop. Frequently, troops sign up to attend programs together. And, just as often, girls come with their grown-up to these outings. In addition to the programs led by the Badgerland Team, we partner with businesses in hundreds of communities to bring Girl Scout programming to girls everywhere. So whatever her interests...she can find it at a Girl Scout program! Look for all the programs listed in your PathFinder that will be mailed to your household in August.

We Need Your Help Love Girl Scouts? Tell the world!

Tell your social network and your professional network. We need your help to make sure every girl in every community has the opportunity to experience the joys and long-term outcomes of being a Girl Scout. Girl Scouts can also earn the I Can’t Wait To patch by telling their friends about Girl Scouts. We’re also looking for helpers at Girl Scout sign-up nights in schools and libraries in your community. For details on how to help and earn the patch email us: info@gsbadgerland.org.

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Girl Scout Traditions: BRIDGING

Troop 3431 MONROE

One of our most cherished traditions occurs each spring when millions of Girl Scouts around the world “bridge.” Bridging is when a girl transitions from one Girl Scouting level to the next. For example, when a girl finishes first grade she bridges from Daisies to Brownies. During a traditional bridging ceremony, each Girl Scout will literally and symbolically cross a bridge to her future. In 2016, 249 Badgerland Girl Scout troops bridged to the next level. What an exciting time!

Troop 1048 COTTAGE GROVE PAGE 11 | FOCUS ON BADGERLAND GIRL SCOUTS

Nonprofit Organization US Postage PAID Madison, WI Permit No. 2127 2710 Ski Lane Madison, WI 53713

gsbadgerland.org | 800.236.2710 Girl Scouts of all ages revel in the special joy that comes from sharing the traditional Friendship Circle during the closing moments of Badgerland Camporee held at Camp Ehawee near La Crosse.

Moments like these shared with your Girl Scout...

PRICELESS.