JUNE 2021
GirlFriends is a publication of Girl Scouts of Nassau County
Tomorrow’s Changemakers In March, GSNC hosted a virtual program to celebrate Women’s History Month. During our program, we used the phrase “Well-behaved women seldom make history,” which was coined by Harvard professor Laurel Thatcher Ulrich in the 1970s, to kick off the program and to get our girls to start thinking about challenges and stereotypes women face and then to think of an extraordinary woman who made history. Their responses were phenomenal and included women in every profession (on and off the field). Their list, which included Juliette Gordon Low and many “my mom’s”, was extraordinary. The 100th year of women’s suffrage was in 2020 and also the year when an unprecedented number of women were elected into office. For our girls, it is hard to imagine a world where women can’t vote, own property, play sports, or win an election. Learning about women’s suffrage and the work the movement did 101 years ago helped our girls start to think about their own passions and commitment to create change in the world. The Girl Scout highest awards (Bronze Award, Silver Award, and Gold Award) are the perfect tools for girls to take action and demonstrate the Girl Scout commitment to make the world a better place. During Women’s History Month, girls also had the opportunity to meet board member and 2020 Gold Award Girl Scout, Madison Spanodemos, and 2021 Gold Award Girl Scout, Leanna Pignataro. They were perfect examples of how the Girl Scout highest awards are a reflection of the “change you want to see.” While Madison shared her passion for civic engagement, Leanne shared her passion for a healthy environment. Both of them were passionate about the issues they tackled and made sustainable impact in the community.
p Me at my college graduation with Doctor Davies
Women’s History Month is over but women making history is what Girl Scouts is all about. We can all think of the moment we “made history” and when we made a difference. I can remember moments as a young Girl Scout Brownie, feeling like a helper and a changemaker. I loved how it made me feel—so much that I continued to make a difference all through high school, college, and in my career. I can also remember everyone in my community who supported and inspired me along the way. Not only my parents, but teachers, professors, friends, and colleagues. Because of these people in my life, I have made the commitment to continue to be a changemaker and inspire those around me. —Rande
Attached is my final poster from the Girl Scout Celebrating Women’s History Month event yesterday! Thanks for hosting the event, it was a great experience! —Angela
TROOP Click
The Girl Scout National Service Project – Honoring our Everyday Changemakers gives girls an opportunity to think about the people who support and inspire them. The service project allows girls to discuss what it means to be part of a community who supports and inspires them, and why it’s important for them to recognize and honor these individuals. It is another great way Girl Scouts continues its commitment to make the world a better place. https://www.girlscouts.org/content/dam/ girlscouts-gsusa/forms-and-documents/at_ home/national-service-project/GSUSA_GSAH_ Becoming-Me-Honoring-Changemakers_NSP_ Troop-Leader-Instructions.pdf