Fall 2023 The Golden Link

Link The Golden

The official publication of Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council. | Volume 49 Issue 3 | Fall 2023

Continue your ADVENTURE! Renew by Sept. 30.

President of the Council and Chair of the Board Betsy Kamin Chief Executive Officer Mary Vitek Chief External Affairs Officer Connie Chavez Marketing/Communications Director Heather Ganucheau

Troop 108001 celebrated Earth Day by making seed bombs, learning about native bees from Cadette Lily Reed, and cleaning up trash from local trails.

Visual Brand Manager Joanne Pastalaniec Mission Statement GSSJC: Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.

Contents Fall 2023

DEIB Statement Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council fosters belonging and respect for all girls. We empower all girls, volunteers and staff to fulfill their potential and make the world a better place. Our Girl Scout Promise drives us to provide diverse, equitable and inclusive experiences where all girls, volunteers and staff are confident they belong. We stand firm in these commitments and united by these ideals.

Circulation The Golden Link is published four times a year. It has a circulation of more than 25,000. The Golden Link is also available online at www.gssjc.org. The Golden Link reaches 26 Texas counties: Angelina, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler, Walker, Waller and Wharton. To report address changes or if you have problems receiving The Golden Link call Customer Service at 713-292-0300.

Deadlines Deadline for submitting items is the first of the month two months prior to publication. GSSJC does not accept responsibility for unsolicited materials. Send news and photographs and Scrapbook photos to communications@sjgs.org.

Advertisements Advertising rates are available by calling 713-292-0314. Advertisements are accepted in good faith that all the information is correct.

Acceptance of advertising does not reflect endorsement of services or goods by the Council.

The Golden Link is published by Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, 3110 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77098 The Golden Link is also available to read online at www.gssjc.org/publications Copyright ©2023. All rights reserved.

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From the Top Shop News

Special Feature 4

A Year In Girl Scouting

Features

Learn how to celebrate Day of the Girl. page 15

8 9 10 10 11 11 12 13

Fall Product Program Cookie Program Renew Your Membership Troop 28173 Promotes Dog Adoptions Troop 110052 Creates Road Safety Website Success to Significance Sisters Earn Gold Award Volunteers Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award for Years of Service to Council 14 Adult Recognition Event 15 Day of the Girl 16 Website for Foster Teens Earns GSSJC Gold Award Girl Scout a $10,000 Scholarship 2024 Cookie 17 Gold Award Girls Program

Activities 19 24 24 25 27 29 29 30 31 32

General Activities Backpacking Environmental Fine Arts High Awards History Horseback Riding Sailing STEM Travel

Columns 33 Adult Trainings 38 Philanthropy 39 Scrapbook

Sneak Peak

page 9

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Whether they spent time with their troop close to home, cooked with a campfire for the first time at resident camp, learned how geology and earth science impact our daily lives, or served others in their community, our Girl Scouts had plenty of Girl Scouting activities to keep them busy this summer. Through all of these experiences, girls gained new Betsy Kamin President of the Council friendships and memories that will and Chair of the Board last a lifetime. And to top it off, these experiences reinforced the Girl Scout mission to develop girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. What could be cooler?

Speaking of cooler, fall is just around the corner, and though we can only hope for cooler temperatures, we can expect new opportunities and adventures with Girl Scouts.

That is why I am so excited about the new membership year! We have an exceptional lineup of programming, events, and year-round camping options – offering something for every new and returning Girl Scout to enjoy.

Fall is when many of our dedicated volunteers focus on getting their troops back together or forming a new group. I understand that volunteers are also busy with their families, errands, and careers, but as you move forward with your plans, remember to consider all the possibilities the coming year can offer. Then, go for them!

Have you been dreaming of a super adventure for a while?

Are you stuck on things like “Where should we go?”, and “What will our budget look like?” This is the year to participate in the Fall Product Program and give your troop a financial boost to go boldly into the new year. Online training, digital ordering, and an extended online sale make it easy to get started and make the most of this fund-earning opportunity.

Participating in the Fall Product Program not only benefits troops but also comes back to you in other ways. For example, it helps keep fees for girl programs, volunteer training, and camp and facility use low. So, I'm sending a shout-out to you for making that possible!

Maybe it’s time to look at what’s new out there. Is this the year to work toward a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) badge? What about that trip to the birdhouse cabins at Camp Pryor or earning a troop camping badge?

As you embrace all that Girl Scouting offers, I challenge you to try something different this fall!

The Girl Scout experience is possible because of you. Thank you to all our volunteers and Girl Scout donors who will kick off the year by making Girl Scouting a reality for all girls in our community. Have no doubt that your time, talent, and treasure change girls' lives and help them succeed.

So, as we begin another membership year, I hope you all have new experiences, challenges, and opportunities. Please remember to share all of those cool summer experiences. It’s a terrific way not only to celebrate your current troop, but also to encourage new girls to join and participate in the fun. I encourage everyone to spread the word about how cool it is to be a Girl Scout. Let the adventures begin!

From the

TOP

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Shop Hours Program Place for Girls 3000 Southwest Freeway, Houston 713-292-0247 Tues. – Thurs. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Fri. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sat. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Imperial Valley 15800 Imperial Valley Dr., Houston 281- 447-8870 Tues. – Thurs. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Fri. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Lufkin 1202 College Drive, Lufkin 936-634-4688 Tues. and Thurs. 10 a..m. – 5 p.m.

Beaumont 700 North Street, Suite F, Beaumont 409-832-0556 Ext. 1500 Tues. to Thurs. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Westside Wednesday pickup only: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. No in-person shopping.

Provide min 24 hour notice on orders by contacting shop at shop@sjgs.org or 713-292-0247 531 FM 359 South, Brookshire

We're hiring!

If you are ready to embark on

a rewarding career and make a difference in our community, explore job openings at www.gssjc.org/careers.

Stafford 12300 Parc Crest, Ste 170, Stafford 281-670-5982 Tues. – Thurs. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Fri. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sat. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Bay Area 1300 A Bay Area Blvd., Ste. 106, Houston 281-282-6077 Tues. – Thurs. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Fri. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sat. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Cypress/Jersey Village 19708 Northwest Freeway, Suite 100, Jersey Village 346-818-3227 Tues. – Thurs. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Fri. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sat. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Clip these dates and save!

Important Dates For Fall Product • Sept. 14: Fall Product Program opens, online ordering begins and girls may take orders in-person • Oct. 15: Last day to take orders • Oct. 16: All in-person orders must be entered into the online system by parents • Oct. 30 – Nov. 4: Nut and chocolate items delivered to Community for pick up • Nov. 12: Last day for online orders for magazines and direct-ship nut and chocolate orders

A Year in Girl Scouting!

Great Ideas from Troop to Troop

“What do Girl Scouts do?” It might seem a bit silly, but it’s a question that people ask us when we’re out at events during the fall. Most people know Girl Scouts go camping, earn badges, and sell cookies once a year, but they are uncertain about what Girl Scouts do the rest of the time?

They do lots of things! And in this issue of The Golden Link, three troops give us a peek inside their Girl Scout year from September 2022-June 2023. Use their ideas as a blueprint for your own year and to get ideas for fun activities your girls can do. Find your level and read to see what a year of Girl Scouting looks like. Then, borrow their ideas and plan the best year ever with your girls.

Troop 4343

Leader: Alysha T. Grant Program Level: Senior and Ambassador Community: South Bridge Region 14 Meeting frequency: Twice monthly (2nd and 4th Saturdays) Number of members: 30 girls four leaders Year-at-a-glance: • September: Excited we were the first troop at the Galveston Bay House!

• October: S.T.R.I.D.E.R.S • November: Camp – Casa Mare (Mission Sisterhood Journey project) • December: Tis the Season to be Jolly festival event • January: Leader Appreciation Weekend • February: Camp – Misty Meadows (Mission Sisterhood final presentations – badge earning) • March: Youth Symposium held at George R Brown Convention • April: South Bridge Gold Award Ceremony (three Gold award recipients) • May: South Bridge Court of Awards • June: End of Year Trip – Atlanta June 26 – 29, 2023

What was your troop’s favorite activity and why?

The Children’s Museum. The girls got to dress up as their favorite character and hand out candy to the kids, and it’s like a scavenger hunt of clues that the museum has put together.

What activity encouraged the girls to grow and come out of their comfort zone?

The Sisterhood Journey. One of the assignments was a shoebox that contained six unique items that described who each girl is and they presented in front of their fellow sisters. The girls discovered how much they all have in common with each other as well as new interests.

What activity would your troop recommend to other girls at the same program level to try?

Team Building – You are My Sisters Keeper Buddy system. For two weeks make sure you check in on your mate and get to know one thing that you can come to the meeting and tell us that you learned about her.

What is your troop exciting about doing in the 2023-2024 membership year?

Meeting our new scouts who are bridging as well those who have joined the troop and BE BOLD, GO GOLD!

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Troop 145165

Troop Leaders: LaTosha Rhone and Crystal Valmont Program Level: Daisy and Brownie Community: South Bridge Meeting frequency: Twice a Month Number of members: 12 Girls Year-at-a-Glance • September: Troop meetings/Fall Product Sales • October: Troop meetings/bridging/investiture/ rededication ceremony, Community STRIDERS event • November: Troop meetings/Disney on Ice/ troop camping at Camp Casa Mare • December: Troop meetings/holiday party/fall service project • January: Troop meetings • February: Troop meetings/Community Me & My Guy Dance event • March: Troop meetings/Community Brownie-Daisy Day event • April: Troop meetings/badge work at Bellaire Nature Discovery Center • May: Troop meetings/Community Court of Awards event • June: Troop end-of-the-year part/spring service project What was your troop’s favorite activity and why?

I would say our girls would consider earning their Eco Learner and Eco Friend badges at the Nature Discovery Center as their favorite activity. The center’s program was very engaging for both the Daisies and Brownies. They took a nature hike and saw many animals that have found habitat there. They allowed us to use their pavilion where the girls worked on Earth Day seed bombs to take home!

What activity encouraged the girls to grow and come out of their comfort zone?

Participating in the Community STRIDERS event allowed our girls to not only come out of their shells but also SHINE! They competed in multiple events such as 50/100/400M races, obstacle course, volleyball, and hula hooping. They accepted each challenge with a fun spirit while learning it’s OK to not win every activity and how to be supportive of their fellow Girl Scouts.

What activity would your troop recommend to other girls at the same program level to try?

We took our first camping trip this past year! As a new/young troop, we were overwhelmed with the idea of camping. So, we were encouraged to join another more experienced troop on their camping weekend to get our feet wet. We had an amazing time and would definitely recommend other Daisy and Brownie troops to venture into camping. We have now completed all the required training and have booked our own camping weekend for this coming fall.

What is your troop exciting about doing in the 2023-2024 membership year?

Our troop is excited to complete our bridging to Brownies ceremony and experience our first solo camping trip at Misty Meadows Ranch this fall. We also have partnered with the Missouri City Recreational Center to revive their sensory garden and complete our plans to donate a butterfly garden to them. The girls are excited to set ambitious goals during our Product Sales this year after exceeding their goals in the past two years!

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Additional activities completed?

• They completed a total of four badges, one Journey, and a host of fun patches during this Girl Scout Year.

• Fall Service Project: Donation of blankets, headphones, and toys to the Girl Scout troop at the Star of Hope Shelter for Women and Children. The girls each shopped for a toy that they would like as a gift and chose to donate that toy to a Girl Scout their age living in the shelter.

• Holiday Party: Troop voted for their holiday party to be at BuildA-Bear workshop where they each received a Girl Scout-themed bear and Girl Scout vest, dress, and backpack carrying case.

• Spring Service Project: Learned about sensory and butterfly gardens and their impact on our community. They then determined what was needed and created plans to update the Sensory Garden at the Missouri City Recreational Center. The girls will begin to work in the garden with a volunteer this coming year.

Troop 157129

Troop Leaders: Eva Salcedo and Daniela Morales Program Level: Cadette Community: Colony Creek Meeting frequency: Twice a month Number of members: 9 Year-at-a-Glance • September: Woodworking badge completed at Rustic Brush Sugar Land. The girls had the opportunity to complete badge requirements and show their creative side.

• October: Celebrated Halloween and Juliette Gordon Low’s birthday at an escape room in Sugar Land. The girls dressed up in their Halloween costumes as is our troop tradition. We prepared treat bags that contain goodies symbolic of Juliette Gordon Low such as Rice Krispies Treats, Breast Cancer Awareness stickers, gold rings, animal crackers and pearl hair clips.

• November: We did our Amaze Journey to prepare the troop for their Silver Award.

• December: We had our Christmas holiday pajama pizza party. We used the pizza gift card won from our Community. We played minute-to-win-it games.

• January: We prepared for the Girl Scout cookie sales with our troop tradition of Cookie Sales bingo and prepared for our presentation about the Girl Guides of Egypt for our Community Festival of Nations.

• February: The troop participated at our Community’s Festival of Nations, where we represented the country of Egypt. They did a presentation about the Girl Guides of Egypt and taught the younger girls to write their names in hieroglyphics. They made crayon molds of Egyptian gods to give to the younger girls as souvenirs as they participated as tourists.

• March: Cookie booths almost every weekend! The girls were so excited to run cookie booths again since the pandemic lockdown.

• April: The troop earned the Screenwriter badge led by one of the girls. Each girl developed their ideas, characters and plots, and created their scripts which they read to each other.

• May: Ended our first Cadette year with an overnight stay at the Downtown Aquarium. The girls had fun while earning their Night Owl badge and learning about animal conservation.

• June: The girls interested in earning their Silver Award started their research on community issues they want to pursue and create solutions for them.

What was your troop’s favorite activity and why?

Downtown Aquarium overnight stay. The girls had lots of girl bonding and learning. This was our activity planned when COVID hit, and we had to postpone it for three years!

What activity encouraged the girls to grow and come out of their comfort zone?

Festival of Nations since each girl was assigned a topic to talk to younger girls about as they visited our booth.

What activity would your troop recommend to other girls at the same program level to try?

The Downtown Aquarium overnight stay is their favorite activity this year. Any overnight event is an opportunity for girls to get to know each other and work with each other.

What is your troop exciting about doing in the 2023-2024 membership year?

Teaching younger troops as our own troop prepared for their LIA award and working on their Engineering Journey is planned. The girls are also excited about having babysitting and cooking classes. They are also looking forward to community awareness and more service projects as they tackle their Silver Award projects.

And troop camping is on the horizon!

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It’s Fall Product Program Time!

Sept. 14 – Nov. 12 Our Fall Product Program is fast-approaching, starting on Sept. 14! Participating troops can earn 25% of nut/candy items sold and $2 per magazine, Tervis Tumbler or BarkBox sold to support troop activities like camping, trips, and more. After a troop has signed up to participate, parents/guardians can go to www.gsnutsandmags.com/gssjc to get started. They can also click on the link from the council website to get their girls signed up and access the Fall Product Family Guide for more details about the program.

Girl Scouts can create their Me2™ avatar (customized to resemble herself) and send emails through the M2 site to friends and family inviting them to shop online. In addition to online sales, girls can collect in-person orders. There are no booths or product reorders. It is a fantastic way to earn funds for troops. Troops typically earn on average about $420.

Your Girl Scout’s Me2™ avatar will be part of her troop’s online photo. By sending 18 or more emails, selling 3 or more magazines, Tervis Tumblers or BarkBox items, and 35 or more nut/candy items during the Fall Program, she will earn a personalized patch with her name and Me2 avatar on it. Girls may choose between two background options and two new outfits for her personalized patch. Plus, when she sells 250 or more packages in the 2024 Cookie Program, she will qualify for the special Cookie Crossover patch that coordinates with the Fall Product patch. We’ve also added a new reward level and girl experience to pack on the fun!

Don’t miss this opportunity! If you are a parent/guardian looking for ways to get involved, ask your troop leader about helping with the Fall Product Program. This program is an easy and wonderful way to support your Girl Scouts!

Questions?

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Look at what our girls accomplished last year!

First contact your troop leadership team to find out how your troop is participating.

Your Community also has a volunteer Community fall product manager who can help you throughout the program, or you can contact GSSJC at fallproduct@ sjgs.org.

For more information on how your Girl Scout can participate, go to the council website at gssjc.org/fallproduct.

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191,826 total items sold.

5,846 girls participated. $417,409 earned by troops.

32.81 average items sold per girl.

Why participate in the Fall Product Program?

What is new this year?

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Girls learn and develop goal setting, decision making, people, money management, and business ethics skills.

It’s an easy way to earn funds before the Cookie Program begins! The average troop proceeds are about $420!

It’s flexible! If girls can’t begin the sale on Sept. 14, they can continue to join the program at any time before Nov. 12.

Important Dates: • Sept. 14: Program opens, online ordering begins and girls may take orders in-person • Oct. 15: Last day to take orders • Oct. 16: All in-person orders must be entered into the online system by parents • Oct. 30 – Nov. 4: Nut and chocolate items delivered to Community for pick up • Nov. 12: Last day for online orders for magazines and directship nut and chocolate orders

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We’re adding the Peanut Butter Bears to girl-delivered orders.

Introducing Thai Chili Mix: Sweet Thai chili almonds, rice crackers, wasabi peas, sesame sticks, garlic bread sticks and Sriracha corn nuggets in a 6-oz. pop-top can.

Recognitions are expanding!

Girls may choose between plush and another item. We have also introduced a new reward level at 175 or more items.

Girls may enter a drawing to earn a giant plush ocelot!

GSUSA is expanding the Fall Product Program’s online offerings by adding two new product categories: BarkBox and Tervis Tumblers.

Important Cookie Program Dates

2024 Cookie Program Sneak Peak

Booth reservations open Initial order by troops Girls uploaded into Smart Cookies Cookie Program begins Cookie booths begin Cookie program ends

Jan. 4 –10 Jan. 15 Jan. 22 Feb. 10 Feb. 16 at 4 p.m.

March 24

Here is a sneak peak of our 2024 cookie lineup. Although we are not introducing a new cookie, all your delicious favorites will be returning Feb. 10.

Caramel Chocolate Chip Gluten Free cookies will be sold exclusively online.

Each package of cookies will be sold at $6 due to the increased costs.

Troop proceeds increase in the 2024 Cookie Program.

Proceed Plan

Proceeds

Last Year’s Proceeds

Standard Troop Plan (All levels)

$0.90 $0.75 Older Girl Plan (Optional for Cadette – Ambassador) $1.00 $0.83 Community Bonus $0.06 $0.05

Digital Cookie

Digital Cookie is coming to our 2024 Cookie Program. Girls and parents/caregivers will have fun navigating this user-friendly, colorful new site to help the Girl Scout boost their sales, sharpen their entrepreneurial skills, and power unique adventures with her troop year-round! From the dashboard, the Girl Scout can upload a video or photo, write a cookie story, check her progress to goal, track orders to deliver, monitor how much money is owed, track her troop’s progress to goal, and so much more.

See the Winter Golden Link issue for more cookie program information!

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Don't let Girl Scout memberships expire; encourage adults and girls to renew today!

The membership year ends Sept. 30, 2023. Girls must be registered to attend troop meetings, go on trips, and to participate in our Fall Product Program. After Sept. 30, non-renewed members will become lapsed members. Don’t wait another day to make sure all the girls and adults in your troop have renewed their membership. Please visit our website to renew her Girl Scout membership.

Forever friendship is a powerful thing. It’s what gives Girl Scouts the confidence to be themselves, unapologetically. It’s what makes them feel safe enough to try new things and cheer each other on in tough times. It’s the support that can get them up on tough mornings, help them raise their hand in class, and even climb to the top of a mountain.

When Girl Scouts come together to decide which of the thousands of activities to try, the sky’s the limit. Whether visiting an animal shelter, camping, hosting a dance-off, or filming a movie—they’re learning to take risks, trust their gut, and team up with others for good.

Think of all the adventures you’ve been on together, the stories you’ve shared, the challenges you’ve overcome and the successes you’ve accomplished. Your Girl Scout crew truly is something special and your troop won’t want to miss the adventure, friendship, and fun as we begin a new Girl Scout year! It only takes a few moments to make sure none of the girls in your troop miss a second of this incredible year.

Renew memberships today and keep the magic going! Renew today at www.gssjc.org/renew.

Troop 28173 does a “paw-some” job promoting older dog pet adoption Girl Scouts in Troop 28173 all love animals, so when they brainstormed ideas for their Bronze Award project, the girls agreed they should do something for dogs, specifically older abandoned dogs. The troop connected with Jenni’s Rescue Ranch in the Alvin area and set up a booth at a fundraiser/pet adoption event, where they introduced visitors to some older dogs needing a forever home.

“We thought about senior dogs and how many of them don't get adopted," said troop member Yarielle. “We thought we could raise awareness to help them get adopted.”

To earn a Bronze Award, Girls Scouts are required to work a minimum 20 hours on a community issue that’s important to them.

The girls develop a plan, carry it out, and then share it with others. The Bronze Award is the highest award a Junior Girl Scout can earn.

The girls met with a volunteer at the rescue to learn more about senior dogs and the traits that make them wonderful pets to adopt. They learned that some of the benefits of adopting older dogs include they require little training, they have a calmer disposition than puppies, they require less supervision than a puppy, and they have years of love ahead.

Each girl also interviewed a foster pet owner about their foster dog. They then wrote a short biography about the foster dog. The troop pasted the bios and photos of the dogs on a poster board and then displayed the poster at their booth.

Troop mate Scarlett wrote about Amelia, a Stauffer shire/ blue terrier/basset hound mix. “She’s really obedient and likes to play but is not extremely hyperactive,” Scarlett said. “She’s mostly a quiet dog and doesn’t bark a lot. She’s potty trained, unlike some puppies, and she has no special needs.”

Troop mate Kalli wrote about Frank the Husky, named after Frank Sinatra, because he has blue eyes. Kalli said she enjoyed asking Frank’s foster owner different questions about the dog. She learned that “he doesn’t scratch couches and is really well-behaved.” The girls engaged with about 200 visitors at the event, talking to them about the older dogs highlighted on the poster and handing out the flyers they made listing the reasons to adopt them. One of the flyer slogans read, “We’re paw-some!”

“I think we got one adoption and one foster,” Samantha said, referring to the adoption event. “It made me feel really happy and proud of myself for helping these dogs.”

In addition to the poster and flyers, the girls made pet toys from old T-shirts and gave them to visitors. All the girls said they had fun meeting the dogs and talking to people at the adoption event. They said they learned a lot of things about older dogs that they did not know.

“I learned that you have to really appreciate older dogs, and you have to give them a home, not because they are old but because they need a home, too," said troopmate Maleah. Members of Troop 28173 include Kalli, D., Scarlett L., Samantha L., Maleah P., and Yarielle T. 10 Fall 2023 l The Golden Link

Troop 110052 Creates Website to Help Drivers Stay Safe on the Road Inspired by the work of a University of Houston professor and his students, three Girl Scouts in Troop 110052 chose to replicate his study of the most dangerous intersections in Houston. They created a website that informs residents about dangerous intersections outside of Houston, specifically in Katy, to earn their Girl Scout Silver Award.

The girls saw Ashutosh Agrawal, an associate professor in the mechanical engineering department, on the local news explaining the study. They later contacted him and asked if he would help them with their project.

“We thought it would be cool to do the same thing in our city,” said troop member Sanni. “The main problem with accidents is that drivers don’t know where they need to be cautious. If they know where most accidents happen, they will be more careful in those areas.”

The Silver Award is the highest award that Cadettes can earn. Girls must work a minimum of 50 hours on their projects. Girls use this time to identify an issue they care about in their community or beyond, plan and implement their project, and then reflect on what they have accomplished.

The rising ninth graders met with the professor and college students through virtual meetings. The students taught the Girl Scouts how to create a website and use Python programming to display data on the map of the most dangerous intersections. Troop member Mahima said she and her troop mates ran into some challenges. They had trouble running the Python coding on their computers.

“With the professor and the students’ help, we overcame those obstacles,” Mahima said.

The girls finally managed to run the coding on Indie’s computer to create the map. Indie said it was difficult doing Python coding, plus HTML coding for displaying the map on their website. She received some help from her older brother, who is good at coding, she said.

The website has current information and will update automatically (thanks to Python coding) with data from the Texas Department of Transportation’s crash information query. The girls also created flyers and posted them on social media. They have received many messages from residents praising their work and thanking them for the information.

“It makes me feel really good that other people appreciate our work and that we’re making a difference in our community and making people aware,” Mahima said.

The girls want to share what they learned with other Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council troops so they can create similar websites in their communities. They said the project taught them new technical skills and how to work as a team, communicate clearly, and compromise. The girls butted heads on the flyer. “We each had different ideas, and we had to combine our ideas,” Sanni said.

With their Silver Award completed, the girls look forward to when they are eligible to work on a Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. “I think through these projects, we get to help a lot of people, so the more projects I do, the more people I help,” Indie said.

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Girl Scout Admires Sister’s Grit in Earning Gold Award, and Earns One Too Besides being sisters, Kennedy and Sinclaire Hoyt have several things in common. They both are interested in health and wellness; each will attend the same college in fall 2023; and both have earned the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award.

Kennedy earned her Gold Award in the spring of 2023, while Sinclaire earned hers during the height of COVID in 2020.

When Sinclaire learned her sister planned to pursue a Gold Award, she told her to “go for it!” She advised her younger sister to take each step one day at a time and not be afraid to ask for help. Kennedy took her advice and led a team of five volunteers who helped her with paperwork, getting supplies, and gaining access to classroom space for her Gold Award project workshops.

Kennedy’s project focused on making health and wellness resources more accessible to people with physical, intellectual, and mental health disabilities. While working as a special needs aide at Berry Miller Junior High School, Kennedy noticed a lack of information and resources that target the nutritional needs of students with disabilities. She decided her Gold Award project would be a perfect way to make a difference in her community.

In her research on nutrition and disabilities, she learned that people with disabilities face challenges with proper nutrition. Some may not have access to and the ability to understand nutritional information, or it may be difficult for them to access healthy foods because of their financial situation or mobility limitations, say health experts.

While others may have sensory impairments that make them have specific food preferences or aversions, or they may not have knowledge or skills for food preparation, cooking, or making Sinclaire Hoyt proper food choices, they say.

Kennedy hosted two in-person workshops at the middle school and one virtual workshop to address some of these issues. She also shared the importance of eating whole foods to fuel the body, eating in moderation, and incorporating exercise into your daily routine. In addition, she created some fun games about nutrition and grocery budgeting to help students retain the information they learned.

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Her project helped about 20 students and influenced an even broader audience through the website she created. Kennedy wanted to pursue the Gold Award to help people make positive life changes and follow her passion for health and wellness. Her sister’s Gold Award experience also had an influence.

"She is one of the hardest working people Kennedy Hoyt I know. I knew if she could do it, I could do it, and she did it during the pandemic," Kennedy said. “I admire her.”

Kennedy said she remembers how Sinclaire had to do everything virtually. No matter how frustrated she became, Sinclaire always maintained a positive attitude and got things done," she said.

Sinclaire, a rising senior at Spellman College, where Kennedy will join her as a first-year student in the fall, vividly remembers her Gold Award project days. Her project focused on educating teens on how to have a heart-healthy life and diet to prevent health problems as an adult.

“I had to learn how to educate over Zoom to host small seminars,” Sinclaire recalled. “It was very difficult. I had to learn to think outside of the box. It was challenging getting people on Zoom, but I did persevere.”

Sinclaire says completing a Gold Award project teaches you many things about yourself and college. But more importantly, it teaches you how to make a space for yourself, and that is what she is doing at Spellman.

The computer science major is working on a capstone project, which involves creating the first e-sports team at the college. She describes e-sports as an emerging career field with many opportunities. The project is part of the community service hours she must complete for the four-year Bonner Scholarship she received. Her Gold Award project helped her earn the scholarship, she said.

Kennedy also received several scholarships thanks to her Gold Award experience. She plans to major in political science and business administration and wants to practice corporate law.

Volunteers Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award for Years of Service to Council Four longtime GSSJC volunteers were honored recently with the Lifetime Achievement Award. This honor is awarded for continued high level service over an extended period of years by a Thanks Badge II recipient. Congratulations and thank you for your service!

Portia Cook In Portia’s 27 years as a volunteer, she has served as troop leader for her daughter Sydney’s troop, troop product sales manager, day camp unit leader, various positions in her community including assistant service unit manager, delivery coordinator and recognitions coordinator on the Council Cookie Committee, as a Reserve Ranger, council meeting coordinator, on numerous board committees, as an assistant coordinator in the Program Department, Council History Committee, a museum docent and a ropes course facilitator.

Patti Stefek Patti began her passionate role as a council facilitator in 1990.

Since then, she has been a part of multiple ETC event committees, multiple Crazy Quilt committees, the Outdoor Magic Committee, and the Fall Volunteer Conference Committee. Each of these events is designed to provide programs and enrichments for troop leaders to take back to their girls for a wellrounded Girl Scout experience. In addition, Patti demonstrates her devotion to adult volunteers by serving as a member of the team training new facilitators to train other adults, and by helping to update the Facilitator Essentials Training.

Learn more about how to recognize volunteers by searching Volunteer Recognitions at www.gssjc.org.

Barbara Story For 44 years, Barbara Story has been an active member of our council serving girls in her troop, and at the service unit, community, area, district, and council level. Barbara started out as the crafts coordinator for her daughter’s troop before taking on the leadership role, Brownies through Seniors.

Barbara served, then chaired the committee that put on the Council Recognitions Event for several years. She volunteered at the National Convention when it was in Houston in 2011. As a true Girl Scout, Barbara goes where she is needed. Whether it is cooking for a weekend event, planning a community campout, mentoring leaders, attending Rallies to recruit girls, being a delegate at Council meetings or teaching crafts at a community weekend, she shares her time and talent with Girl Scouts.

Debra Morrow A volunteer since 1995, Debra “Debbie” Morrow has served in roles of troop leader, service unit secretary, recognitions chair, delegate and recruitment volunteer just to name a few. Debbie spends much time onboarding and mentoring new leaders, organizing Community campouts and so much more. As a council-wide volunteer, she devotes countless hours to volunteer training as a facilitator and curriculum writer. Most recently, she redeveloped trainings previously delivered in-person to be delivered via online training during the COVID-19 pandemic. Debbie truly cares about Girl Scouts and the volunteers that participate in this Council.

She regularly gives her time and effort to the volunteers because she truly believes in the Girl Scout mission and that the girls that emerge from this program are girls of courage, confidence and character. She goes above and beyond in what is asked of her, and when she sees a problem, she knows how to fix them.

Deadline for recognitions is March 1, 2024

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Volunteers Thanked For Service at Annual Recognition Event GSSJC thanked volunteers for their service to the council with national and council award pins, plaques and certificates for outstanding service and accomplishments that go above and beyond the expectations for that role. These include awards to individuals, families and community partners.

President’s Award Lone Star Treasurers Community met all ten criteria points within a geographic area or program delivery team in moving toward achievement of Council goals during a membership year.

Ervan Chew Award Congratulations to Kamari Brewer for being awarded the Ervan Chew Award.

This is for those candidates in the Girl Scout or general community who have made a significant contribution to supporting pluralism and to making Girl Scouts a more diverse and inclusive movement.

Thanks Badge II Awarded to volunteers who has already received the Thanks Badge and has continued to perform at the same high level for an extended period, increased their sphere of influence or used their skills to move into another field of endeavor benefiting the council or entire Girl Scout movement.

Jo Blackburn Nancy Lee Peterson Dolores Richards Genevieve Walls Family Award For adult family members who have contributed above and beyond the expectations of the positions they hold.

The Boone Family – Nancy Boone and Shannon Boone The Pacheco Family – Brenda, Mark, Meredith and Patrick Continuing Service For continued service beyond the position held by a Thanks Badge recipient.

Linda Cacciotti Debra Ann Lewis Elena McCreery

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Thanks Badge For outstanding service that benefits the total council or entire Girl Scout movement beyond expectations for the position.

Melanie Sutton Elizabeth Turner Darlene Wafer Katherine Warren Doris Willcox

Gena Drawhorn Patricia Duhon Mary Gedelian Bonnie Homier Gail Tompkins Marguerite Woung-Chapman

Volunteer of Excellence For outstanding service while partnering directly with girls in any pathway to implement the GSLE through use of National Program Portfolio or service in support of the council’s mission delivery to girl and adult members beyond the expectations for the position.

Honor Pin For outstanding service in two or more geographic areas or program delivery audiences that furthers the Council’s goals beyond expectations for the position.

Kirsten Davenport David Doll Thea Fabio James "Jay" Lewis Judy Moses Maribeth Negri Tracy Simmons Angela Williams Appreciation Pin For outstanding service to a geographic area or program delivery audience in a way that furthers the council’s goals beyond expectations for the position.

Cerissa Abbott Sheri Arceneaux Ashley Bennett-Sigmund Safiyyah Bilal Hilda Billups Stephanie Cassey Sandi Caulkins Ellen Chin Maria Isabella Correa Abra Leah Cross January Duck Kelsey Hurych Shannon Keyes Susan Knight June Morgan Carolyn Payton Emily Shulz Samantha Smyth Kelly Soos-Fell

Cindy Costales Jana Curry Monica Guistwite Katherine Lake Diane Neudorf Key Award For distinguished service to the girls and adults in GSSJC beyond the expectations for the position in one membership year.

Council History Committee – Portia Cook, Cindy Costales, Theresa DevineKroll, Ida Pearl McDonald, Dolores Zamora Richards, Donna Sizak, Gay Smither, Nicole Talbot, Nancy Walker, Joanne Williams Celebration of the Century Committee – Dee Hinkle, Jean Janssen, Alice Bohlae, Dejah Covick, Kirsten Davenport, Callie Day, Julie Deeter, Jason Eiermann, Kathy Elliott, Stephanie Engolio, James Forde, Heather Ganucheau, Mary Gedelian, Debbie Gonzales, Melissa Hardy, Judy Harris, Corrie Jenkins, Tanya Justice, Julie Mayer, Elena McCreery, Stephanie Moore, Nancy Lee Peterson, Michelle Raab, Kathy Tamer, Jennifer Tuttle, Jared Underwood, Genevieve Walls, Katherine Warren, Noreen Wasserman, Jamie Williams

Celebrate International Day of the Girl With GSSJC! October 7 – 14, 2023 International Day of the Girl – October 11, 2023 Join GSSJC for a weeklong celebration of International Day of the Girl by giving back to our community. The Girl Scout motto “do a good turn daily” will have even more meaning as our council works to make a difference in our communities by participating in community service projects. From preparing boxes at the Houston Food Bank to volunteering with other service agencies, our girls and adults will strive to make a HUGE impact in the Greater Houston area and surrounding counties.

International Day of the Girl is an annual and internationally recognized observance on October 11 that celebrates girls and amplifies their voices. As the largest girl‐led organization, Girl Scouts supports girls on their path to making a difference in the community and beyond.

While girls can participate in scheduled council-sponsored community service activities, Girl Scout communities and troops can host individual service projects to impact their surrounding community so girls can continue to make meaningful change in their neighborhoods, faith communities, and schools.

Join us in celebrating this day by taking part in one or more of the activities below.

Do a Good Turn Daily!

Sign up for one of the council-sponsored community service activities or work within your troop or community to give back to the community. If you need some help in deciding what your troop can do, here are some ideas: • Birthday Box for an area women’s shelter or foster group home • Decorating lunch bags for Kid’s Meals • Host a children’s book drive • Clean a community garden or start a garden for an area school • And much more!

Day of the Girl Patch Participate in a community service activity during International Day of the Girl Week and the first 2,000 girls who let us know how they have given back to their community will receive a FREE Day of the Girl patch.

Spirit Days Celebrate Day of the Girl with Girl Scout Spirit Week. Stickers and signs available through your VEM or CEM. • Girls wear Girl Scout uniforms to schools.

• Organize a group to serve as the “sticker squad” for their school. Get permission from the school to station greeters in uniform with stickers at the school’s entrance doors (don’t forget the bus entrance) in the morning. The sticker squad should greet the students and offer them a sticker. Pass out our Day of the Girl Stickers to promote the Community’s upcoming recruitment events!

• Wear your uniform while doing your Girl Scout community service activity. Take lots of pictures. Place a Girl Scout community service yard sign at the site promoting the community event.

• Post your pictures on social media using #GSSJCdayofthegirl23!

• For more information and to sign up for the council-sponsored community service activities, go to www.gssjc.org/dayofthegirl.

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Website for Foster Teens Earns GSSJC Gold Award Girl Scout a $10,000 Scholarship Congratulations to Adison Smith, this year's GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship recipient for the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council! The Gold Award Girl Scout received $10,000 to help her pursue a college degree.

Adison received the scholarship based on the impact and sustainability of her Gold Award project, Myvoiceincourt, a website she created to assist teenagers aging out of the foster care system. Many foster children get lost in a bureaucratic maze when it is time to exit the state system. Adison’s website provides these children, turned young adults, with a host of valuable resources to navigate the system and life beyond – and gives them hope for a brighter future.

Girl Scouts of the United States of America awards a GSSJC President Betsy Kamin, Adison Smith, and GSSJC CEO Mary Vitek scholarship every year to one Gold Award Girl Scout in each council across the country for their outstanding work on their Gold Award project. GSUSA increased the scholarship amount from $1,000 to $10,000 this year and announced this year’s recipients in July.

The Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. Only Ambassadors and Senior Girl Scouts are eligible to earn this award. Girls choose a community issue dear to them and develop a sustainable solution. They then must spend up to 80 hours planning, implementing, and sharing their project with others.

Receiving the Gold Award scholarship “is an incredible feeling and a moment I’m very proud of,” Adison said. “I went through the hills and valleys with motivation, but I’m so happy for pushing myself to complete my project. Being recognized by GSUSA; that’s national! I feel propelled to do more because of it, and it shows me anything I put my mind to can be as successful as this.”

What influenced Adison’s interest in creating the website for her Gold Award project goes back to when she was a little girl. She spent a lot of time in the Harris County family courts with her mother, a family lawyer, watching court proceedings that determined the fate of foster care children. She also went on home visits with her mother, where she got a glimpse at life in foster care.“When the time came to do a Gold Award project, I knew I had to do something with this,” Adison said. “I have seen kids removed from a home at 6 or 7 years old, stay in the system, and move from foster home to foster home with no stable foundation. At age 14, they lose hope and interest in the future. It makes me sad. Kids don't understand the system. I want to empower them. I knew with the website I wanted to make the system less daunting and frustrating for teens,” she said.

Adison had a lengthy conversation with her mother, who gave her information that helped the Girl Scout put the pieces together for her project. She capitalized on her connections within the family court system she developed over the years to bring her project to fruition.

Those connections allowed her to interview family court judges, lawyers, and state Child Protective Services and Department of Family Services officials to glean additional information about the foster care system.

After viewing all sides of the system, Adison realized why foster teens have challenges navigating the system – information is scattered and disjointed. That is when she began laying out the framework for her website – a comprehensive, easy-to-understand, one-stop source for foster care teenagers.The website includes valuable contacts, legal definitions, and information on how and where to get legal help. Also, it lists resources for post-care assistance, schooling, employment, and medical care.In addition to the website, Adison created flyers with facts about the foster care system, which she posted at her school, St. Agnes Academy in Houston.

Adison said she could not have completed the project without help from her team of judges and lawyers, who provided information and spread the word about the website, and students from her school who helped her create the website. Her biggest supporters, she says, were family attorney Josette LeDoux and local retired Judge Mike Schneider. LeDoux served as her project mentor. Schneider has agreed to keep the website updated while she attends school. So far, her website has garnered more than 4,000 views.

“I’m very humble about it. I never thought my project would be this much of a success,” she said. “I’m extremely moved by the thought of it spreading throughout Harris County and beyond, impacting the lives of so many young people.”

Adison, who has also earned Girl Scout Bronze and Silver awards, will attend Emory University in the fall to study biology and premedicine.

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Gold Award Girl Scouts The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting. The award recognizes girls in grades 9-12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable Take Action projects. Since 1916, girls have successfully pursued the highest award, an act that indelibly marks them as accomplished members of their communities and the world.

Anusha Adusumilli focused on raising awareness on how to interact with special needs students and decrease the stigma surrounding them. She accomplished this by creating a mural in the special education hallway at her school and a website to share her project with others. She also hosted an educational workshop for the public.

Danielle Burke used her project to inspire young women to pursue careers in STEM. She started an after-school mentorship program for students to combat the gender disparity in professional STEM industries.

Along with her high school volunteers, she recruited a team of women in STEM careers to contribute to curriculum, lesson materials, and mentoring during the six workshops. Her “Inspiring STEM-inism” booklets will be available at her school.

Allison Alderman started a recycling program at her school for her Gold Award project. Her concern for the environment led her to focus on educating young students at her school, which includes preschool through 12th grades. The school’s new recycling club learned the importance and impact they could have on their world while collecting more than 300 pounds of paper. The school’s National Honor Society will keep the recycling going.

Charlotte Charlton focused on providing books for underprivileged children. She built, stocked, and placed Story Swap Libraries at seven Title I elementary schools and at a health clinic. She hosted red ribbon cutting ceremonies, gave away goodies to the children, and then saw about 740 children pick out books to take home. Her book collection focused on culturally diverse stories which the elementary schools will continue to re-stock.

Jessica Barnett addressed bullying and discrimination in elementary schools.

Jessica authored a book, “The Duck and the Bullfrog,” to teach children about being kind. She used the book to do presentations at five local schools, including one with a group of Spanish speaking children. All the schools have copies of her book to continue to inspire youngsters to be kind.

Annabelle Euker wanted to help special needs students be a part of school activities at her school. She created a curriculum for her dance team to use to turn dance sessions into learning opportunities. She designed 28 lesson plans and used four of them with her dance team and special needs teens. The leadership of her dance team, along with the dance team leaders at another high school, and has committed to continuing to use her curriculum.

Cortlyn Burke chose to educate teenagers on the benefits of reading for her project. With U.S. literacy rates dropping during COVID, Cortlyn wanted her peers know why reading is important. She provided them with reading resources and held reading workshops at black-owned bookstores, a culture club, and for a Girl Scout troop.

She also created a website to reach out to other teens around the world.

Sofia Forcella addressed the lack of networking opportunities for female entrepreneurs for her project.

Since statistics show that 48% of businesswomen lack competent advisors, she and her team created a toolkit of resources to build networking skills. They also created an Instagram page and hosted two virtual networking calls with female entrepreneurs, which resulted in positive survey responses.

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Audrey Hanan focused her project on collaborating with her high school’s National Art Honor Society to create a mural that highlighted the diverse students and activities there. She held workshops to lead her volunteers to create art that included STEM, music, sports, and arts that were not represented in other murals.

The project was publicized with an infographic in the school’s weekly digital newsletter and posts on social media.

Patrice Nguyen addressed the misconceptions of recycling for her project by educating elementary school children on how this contributes to pollution in our ecosystem and introducing them to a fun solution called upcycling. She partnered with the CyHope After School Center to host two arts and crafts workshops, create and donate an upcycled picnic table, and videotape two DIY upcycled crafts for YouTube.

Kennedy Hoyt noticed there were not ample resources on nutrition explicitly created for disabled individuals.She hosted three workshops covering the importance of moderation, eating whole foods to fuel your body correctly, and how to incorporate exercises that are easy and fun. She also created a website that explains how others can spread awareness in their communities.

Lilly Poe focused on protecting Monarch butterflies. She installed five planter beds and enclosed 135 square feet of pollinator garden at a local church. This qualified the garden to be an officially registered Waystation–dedicated to protecting pollinators–by Monarch Watch. The garden is marked on their online map and has an official sign with a QR code so visitors can add monarch sightings.

Kushi Kolli, an aspiring physician, designed her project to support and raise awareness for the Ballard House where patients can stay free while receiving medical treatment. She partnered with the National Honor Society at her school to plan a consumables drive, which the NHS members will continue to hold annually.

Amanda Sobrinho created a free library for the Mamie George Community Center, a website, and parent presentations on the topic. She also held three book drives, which brought in a little over a thousand books for the free library. The aim of her project was to stop the “summer slide,” which is when children’s reading skills decline when they are not reading during the summer months and raise awareness of this issue.

Reagan Litts focused on helping homeless first-time mothers eat healthy.

LifeHouse is a Christ-centered ministry that provides housing, help, and hope for women during their pregnancies, and beyond. Reagan surveyed the mothers there, then created healthy recipes with common ingredients, which were recorded as they were made and posted on a Meals for Mothers website. LifeHouse will continue to share her website.

Vivenne Roselius realized that women’s sports were underrepresented at her school. She authored an article about her project in her school’s magazine then created a female sports calendar on a wall by the gym with their schedules along with QR codes to encourage attendance. Her school is promoting the games on social media and adding them to morning announcements, plus girls’ sports are getting more workout time and cheerleaders are attending girls’ games.

Lauren Spencer noticed a need for affordable hearing healthcare. Hearing loss can cause cognitive decline, social isolation, depression, and much more.

For her project, she partnered with a nonprofit organization, Hearing the Call, and a local clinic, Fort Bend Hearing, to make this possible. So far, her clinics have given seven people hearing devices and care they needed.

Sabrina Nader discovered that many seniors who need assistance from Meals on Wheels also needed help getting dog food for their pets. For her project, she spent every Saturday over a threemonth period at her local PetsMart to raise awareness and collect dog food.

The store now has a relationship with Meals on Wheels and continues to host a donation box while her school’s PAWS club will continue to hold annual targeted food drives.

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Girl and Troop Activities

Register for events under the My Events tab in My Account. Go to gssjc.org and select MyGS, log in at the top right corner, next click My Events in the left-hand menu. If you have a question about your activity, contact 713-292-0370 or 1-800-392-4340. If you have a problem with your login, contact Customer Service at 713-292-0300 or registration@sjgs.org. For all events, bring Permission Slip F-204 and Medical Form F-185 for each girl and the Adult Emergency Form F-22 for each adult.

Attention Daisy leaders! Look for the Daisy in this section for activities that Daisies can attend.

General Activities Wild About Camp – Spark Weekend

Are you looking for adventure? Come out to Camp Pryor for a safari weekend! You will canoe across the lake looking for hippos, make elephant toothpaste, create your own animal mask, and more!

Wrap up the night with some songs and s’mores at the campfire!

Camping is included, and lunch and dinner are included on Saturday. Troops should plan to bring breakfast as needed. A safari wardrobe is optional. Troops are welcome to stay Saturday night at no extra charge but there will be solo troop camping after the closing campfire on Saturday night. Camp site assignments will be assigned two weeks before the event. If your troop has a specific medical need related to units, please let us know at least two weeks before the event.

Who: When: Where: Cost:

Contact:

ⓙ adults Dec. 9 – 10 Camp Pryor, Nada $70/girl, $30/adult (includes two meals and overnight accommodations) No tagalongs are allowed.

Natalie Jares at njares@sjgs.org

Senior and Ambassador Weekend

Save the date for a Slumber Party at camp! It’s time to treat our Seniors and Ambassadors to a girls’ night at camp with karaoke, boardgames, midnight snacks, and more. More details to come.

If you are interested in joining the Girl Planning Board for this event, please email Natalie Jares at njares@sjgs.org.

Who: When: Where: Cost: Contact:

ⓢ ⓐ adults

Feb. 3 – 4 Camp Casa Mare $60 Natalie Jares, njares@sjgs.org

Look for this symbol to indicate a virtual program offering.

Wait! Look Here First!

How to Register for an Event

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Go to www.gssjc.org and click on MyGS. Login with your Girl Scout credentials when prompted.

Click on My Events and then Register for Another Event.

To search, put in the ZIP code where the event is taking place. Move the search radius to 90 miles. Put the partial or whole title of the event in Keyword, using quotes. Click Search.

Click on the event you want. Add the appropriate number of girls and adults. Click Add Events.

Choose your registrants and check the credit card box.

Follow check out instructions.

Tip: If you are a troop leader registering your group, be sure to toggle over to the Troop radio button FIRST when choosing registrants. This will guarantee you continue to see your troop drop-down list when registering a group.

Camping Under the Stars

If you love hiking and stargazing, then this weekend is perfect for you! The Astronomy Special Interest Group (SIG) and Backpacking SIG are collaborating to bring you this wonderful weekend of learning camping skills and getting familiar with astronomical basics. Campers will have the opportunity to choose to either set up their own tent for the night or stay in a cabin. This weekend event is a great opportunity for interested girls to check out these SIGs to see if they’re a good fit for them! Girl Scouts and adults who decide to camp overnight in a tent can count this event as their Backpacking SIG orientation. Completing this orientation allows girls and adults to attend weekend and extended backpacking trips.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

ⓙ ⓒ ⓢⓐ

Camp Robinwood Sept. 30 – Oct. 1 $35/girl; $20/adult Natalie Jares at njares@sjgs.org

Carousel Host Troops Needed!

Calling all Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador troops and groups! Are you interested in earning leadership and service hours and raising funds for your troop by planning and hosting an AWESOME event for younger girls? Carousel weekends are an introductory camp weekend experience for many troops held at Camps Pryor, Robinwood, or Whispering Pines. Each Carousel Weekend has a unique theme planned and executed by the host troop. Past themes have included Westward Ho, Holiday Candyland, Princesses Around the World, Hawaiian Adventure, Wizard of Oz, Lost Leprechauns, Willy Wonka’s Chocolaty Carousel, Haunted Forest, Fall Harvest, Scooby Doo Mystery Camp, and more!

We are looking for host troops for the following weekends: Oct. 14 – 15, Nov. 4 – 5, Feb. 24 – 25, If you are interested in hosting a Carousel Weekend, but these dates don't work for your troop or group, please let us know! For more information or to sign up as a host troop, contact Natalie Jares at njares@sjgs.org ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

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On Demand: Financial Literacy Badge Event

Prep for Fall Product season! Girl Scouts from all grade levels are invited to complete VicTreeFi's on-demand financial literacy badge courses! Courses complete all badge steps and include fun projects and interesting games. Courses are created by experts! Badge options include Daisy Money Explorer, Brownie Budget Builder, Junior Budget Maker, Cadette Budget Manager, Senior Savvy Saver, and Ambassador Financial Planner.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

All Levels Virtual via Zoom Sept. 15 – 17 $10/girl Jasmine Green, customerservice@sjgs.org

On Demand: Entrepreneurship Badge Event

Girl Scouts, it is time to start thinking like an entrepreneur!

Explore what it would feel like to start your own business that would help improve your quality of life! Learn how to bring a business concept to reality. Girl Scouts will complete all required badge steps while developing unique business concepts in this on-demand course! Badge options include Daisy Toy Business Designer, Brownie Budding Entrepreneur, Junior Business Jumpstart, Cadette Business Creator, Senior Business Startup, and Ambassador Entrepreneur Accelerator.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

All Levels Virtual via Zoom Oct. 6 – 8 $10/girl Jasmine Green, customerservice@sjgs.org

Live: Virtual Moneyville Town Council

Juniors and Cadettes, run your own girl-led city! In this threeweek course, girls will learn how to run their own girl-led city, Moneyville. Girl Scouts will serve on the town council and learn how to use the city’s money to ensure that the town continues to run successfully. This course will be to allow Girl Scouts to understand the importance of fiscal responsibility and the role that money plays in the broader world. Juniors will earn the Democracy, Digital Leadership, and the My Money Plan badges. Cadette Girl Scouts will earn the Democracy, Digital Leadership, and My Money Habits badges. All Girl Scouts will earn the Moneyville patch. The council will meet virtually on October 15, 22, and 29. Digital Leadership, and the My Money Plan badges. Cadettes will earn the Democracy, Digital Leadership, and My Money Habits badges. All girls will earn the Moneyville patch. Juniors will earn the Democracy babge.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

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Virtual via Zoom Starting Every Sunday on Oct. 15 – Oct. 29 $50/girl Jasmine Green, customerservice@sjgs.org

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Animal Observer

Daisies and their furry friends come join us on Zoom for this badge event! Girl Scouts and their pets will explore the connection between humans and animals. The group will learn about animal habits and how animals help people! Girl Scouts will also be asked to show off their best pet tricks! Girl Scout animal lovers without pets are also welcome to join the fun! Daisy Girl Scouts will earn the Animal Observer badge.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

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Virtual via Zoom Oct. 22 $20 Jasmine Green, customerservice@sjgs.org

On Demand: Financial Literacy Badge Event

Prep for Fall Product season! Girl Scouts from all grade levels are invited to complete VicTreeFi's on-demand financial literacy badge courses! Courses complete all badge steps and include fun projects and interesting games. Courses are created by experts! Badge options include Daisy Money Explorer, Brownie Budget Builder, Junior Budget Maker, Cadette Budget Manager, Senior Savvy Saver, and Ambassador Financial Planner.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

All Levels Virtual via Zoom Jan. 12 – 14 $10/girl Jasmine Green, customerservice@sjgs.org

On Demand: Democracy Badge Event

Girl Scouts, discover what government is all about! During this self-paced, digital course, learn about local, state, and national government. Girls complete art projects related to the branches of government, state capitals, and local government issues. Girls will craft letters to a local representative highlighting an issue within their community. Democracy badges can be earned for every grade level. All grade levels will have the opportunity to earn a democracy badge.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

All Levels Virtual via Zoom Nov. 3 – 5 $10/girl Jasmine Green, customerservice@sjgs.org

First Aid/CPR Training Event Be certified in First Aid and CPR by real nurses!

Who: ⓒ ⓢⓐ Where: Houston Methodist West, Houston, Texas 77094 When: Sept 30, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Cost: $45/girl Bring: Sack lunch, water bottle Contact: Jasmine Green, customerservice@sjgs.org Note: This is an American Heart Association (AHA) First Aid/ CPR Certification. Your certification card will be mailed to you upon completion of this course. ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

Live Event: Design Your Own Patch Learn the basics of graphic design and then practice what you learn! Girl Scouts will learn how to develop design concepts and use designs to create their own patch!

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

ⓙⓒⓢ

Virtual via Zoom Nov 5, 4 p.m. $50/girl Jasmine Green, customerservice@sjgs.org

Region 4 Presents: Girl Scout Ways Badge and Bowling Have fun with Region 4 while making new friends and completing a step or two towards the Girl Scout Ways badge for your level.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact: Note:

ⓒ ⓢⓐ

Copperfield Bowl, 15615 Glen Chase Dr., 77095 Oct. 1, 2 – 4 p.m. $15/girl or adult Jasmine Green, customerservice@sjgs.org This is a drop off event. Paying adults will be able to bowl. No tagalongs

Babysitting Certification Training

This training covers everything from the business of babysitting (advertising, interviewing, charging, budgeting), to proper activities while on the job (developmental stages for kids of all ages, activities to do with the kids, etc). It also covers how to handle behavioral problems and what to do in an emergency. This is not a first aid/CPR/AED course though some basic information on what to do will be included. Red Cross certification cards will be emailed to the participants following the class.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Bring: Contact:

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GSSJC Program Place Sept. 16 or Nov. 4; 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. $45/ girl Sack lunch, water bottle Jasmine Green, customerservice@sjgs.org

Cookie College

Calling all registered Daisies and Brownies! It’s time to get excited about cookies! Use your entrepreneurial skills to set yourself up for success during the upcoming cookie season.

Attend this in person event where girls will get to put their cookie selling skills to the test while completing all the steps to earn the newly released Cookie Business Badges. Also this year we are introducing Cookie University for older girls. Stay tuned for more information.

Who: Where: When:

Cost: Contact:

ⓓⓑ

GSSJC Program Place Jan 27, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

(A morning and afternoon session will be available) $14/girl; $3/adult Jasmine Green, customerservice@sjgs.org

ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

Program Aide Training

Program Aide is a teen mentoring award for Cadettes, and Program Aides are in high demand. Program Aides work with younger girls in a variety of settings from day camps to Community or council events. If you are interested in a leadership experience specifically designed for working with younger Girls Scouts, this is for you! The training covers leadership skills and shares a variety of techniques for working with younger girls including program, craft and game ideas. All Cadettes who have finished a Leader-In-Action (LiA) award are eligible to register for this training. Note: Girls MUST have completed a LiA in order to complete this training. Certification cards will be given to girls after completion of the training.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Bring: Contact:

ⓒ

GSSJC Program Place Oct 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $25/girl Sack lunch, water bottle Jasmine Green, customerservice@sjgs.org

HMNS Holiday Ornaments

Troops and girls can create an ornament that will hang on the GSSJC Christmas tree at the Houston Museum of Natural Science! How creative can you be? The theme for the tree is “Spirit of Girl Scouts.” Leaders can make ornaments that show the programs that Girl Scouts have available and the badge work that they do, or anything that inspires the girls to be capable and confident and independent. All ornaments should have an attached hanger, be no larger than 8 inches, and not contain food products.

Ornaments are not returned. If creating as a troop, make sure each girl can make their own! It is free to view the trees, so girls can visit the tree in December and try to spot their ornament. The earlier the better!

Who: When:

Where:

Contact:

All levels Start creating now! Drop off ornaments between Oct. 1 and Nov. 28 Drop off ornaments at the Girl Scout Center, Central Houston Rachel Archer, rarcher@sjgs.org, 713-292-0233

Daisy Day “New Friends, New Adventures”

Calling all Daisies! This NEW event is a terrific opportunity for our registered Daises to make friends, explore a Girl Scout camp, and discover what Girl Scout traditions are all about!

This day, hosted by the Council History Committee, will include exciting outdoor activities, crafts, games, a tour of Misty Meadows Ranch, and more! It has even been rumored that Juliette Low herself will join the Daises for the event. A Daisy Day fun patch and gift will be included for all registered girls. Troops must follow the girl/adult ratio. No tagalongs.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

Bring:

ⓓ

Misty Meadows Ranch Saturday, Nov. 4, 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. $20/girl; $10/adult Shannon Crider for general information; Registrars at 713-292-0370 or regstration@sjgs.org Sack lunch/drink for lunch.

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Girl + 1: Healthy Living

Learning helpful health information, strategies, and tools to improve our health and wellness doesn’t have to be boring!

The Women’s Fund, in partnership with Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, provides an interactive space where girls and their female caregivers can learn together to be better advocates for their health. Get empowered through collaborative sessions about trending mental and physical wellness topics.

Breakfast, lunch, and a fun patch are included. Be sure to dress comfortably in clothes that allow for movement.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

ⓒ and adults Program Place for Girls, Houston Saturday, Nov. 18, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $15/girl; $10/adults Shannon Crider for general information; Registrars at 713-292-0370 or regstration@sjgs.org

Hispanic Heritage Celebration

Join GSSJC for a fun-filled celebration of the histories and cultures of all people in the U.S. whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America!

At this celebration, Daisies through Juniors will explore dance, music, and art activities inspired by the contributions of Hispanic Americans, past and present. Attendees will receive an event fun patch and a Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration “¡Yo soy una Girl Scout!” Fun Patch. Older Girls (Cadettes and up) are invited to volunteer and receive service hours.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

ⓓⓑⓙ

Program Place for Girls Saturday, Oct. 14, 10 a.m. – noon $10 girls/ $5 adults Shannon Crider, customerservice@sjgs.org

Brownie Magic

Calling all Brownie troops! Have you ever been to a Girl Scout camp? If not, we have a magical experience you won't want to miss. Does learning new songs, dances, and games sound fun? How about exploring the great outdoors and creating new experiences while meeting new friends? How about all these things… but make it unicorns!? Well then, bring your leaders and your troop and join us for Brownie Magic!

Camp Robinwood No. 1, Willis Camp Casa Mare, Seabrook Camp Robinwood No. 2, Willis Camp Pryor, Nada

Nov. 4 Nov. 18 Dec. 2 Dec. 2.

ⓑ and adult chaperones Who: Time: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Cost: $20/girl $10/adults Registration Opens: Sept. 15 at 9 a.m.

Contact: Julia Noble, browniemagic@sjgs.org

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New LGBTQIA+ Group

Want to meet friends who get you? Want to start a brandnew club? Want to have a say in what it looks like? After an awesome Pride event this summer, we’re so excited for what’s next!

Our Mission: This new group will serve to provide a space and community to empower and educate Girl Scouts surrounding LGBTQIA+ issues. We will lead inclusive, engaging, and educational programming to help create queer and allied leaders within Girl Scouts. This could include a History of Pride workshop, troop leader training, and teaching Girl Scouts how to confront homophobia.

Who is it for? Anyone! An alliance is a group of people who have joined together for a common purpose. LGBTQIA+ rights are human rights! Whether you identify as LGBTQIA or whether someone you care about does, this is a place for you.

This group can also provide a space for anyone who just feels like they don’t fit in – you (yes, YOU) are welcome here!

Sounds cool, but so what do you actually do? Whatever you want! We want YOUR input and YOUR leadership. We want YOUR ideas for what this group should look like (starting with the name!) Do you want to meet at a coffee shop and discuss what you’re reading or listening to? Do you want to mail postcards to legislators? Do you want to put together an art exhibit? Do you want to host a Pride Prom? Do you want to get together on Zoom and just shoot the breeze? You tell us!

We’re just here to support your ideas and make them happen!

Want to check it out? Join our first meeting!

Who: ⓒ ⓢⓐ When: Oct. 1, noon Where: GSSJC Offices Contact: Julia Noble at jnoble@sjgs.org or Natalie Jares at njares@sjgs.org

Green Starlettes Registration 2023-2024

If you love to dance, then the Green Starlettes is for you!

Registration is now open for the Green Starlettes Dance Team for the 2023-2024 membership year. No previous dance experience is required and there are no tryouts to join the team. Any girl in grades four-12 can register now! The purpose of the Green Starlettes is for girls to build confidence through a fun and exciting dance experience. Green Starlettes Dance Team gives girls the opportunity to participate in a non-competitive, team atmosphere. Teams meet once a week to practice routines and prepare for upcoming parades, shows, and appearances. We have nine divisions to choose from, so find one near you! Adult volunteers must register as well.

Who: When: Cost: Contact:

ⓙ ⓒ ⓢⓐ

Registration is open now through Oct. 1 $40/girl; $5/adult Julia Noble, GreenStarlettes@sjgs.org

Use QR Code to go directly to events page. ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

Save the Date for Cadette Weekend!

Calling all Cadettes! Cadette Weekend comes back in Spring 2024! Get ready to have fun, get messy, and participate in a weekend of fun events planned by girls like you! Registration will go live at 9 a.m. on Monday, January 8.

Who: Where: When:

Cadettes and adults Camp Agnes Arnold, Conroe April 26 – 28, 2024

Cadette Weekend Adult Volunteers Needed Cadette Weekend needs a group of great volunteers to help this large event run smoothly! If you are interested in helping in any way, please contact us! We need your help! All volunteers must be members and have a current background check. If interested, email cadetteweekend@sjgs.org. The event is April 26-28, 2024

GSSJC’s First Science Fair

Start thinking up your projects! In Spring 2024, GSSJC will host its first Science Fair! Girl Scouts will be encouraged, but not required, to focus their projects on the Global Action Award Theme. Once you settle on your idea, submit your interest form to us online starting in the fall!

Who: Apply: Contact:

ⓙ ⓒ ⓢⓐ

Find the interest form on the GSSJC Events Page!

Rachel Archer, 713-292-0300, customerservice@sjgs.org

Cadette Weekend Girl Planning Board Would you like to help plan GSSJC’s biannual Cadette Weekend event? Girls will have an opportunity to plan this popular event for their peers. They will be able to create a theme and decide what activities this event will have throughout the whole weekend. The sky is the limit! Girls will need to attend planning/work meetings as well as be present the for the event.

Who: Where:

When: Apply:

Contact:

ⓒ ⓢⓐ

Meetings will be virtual and at Girl Scout Center; Event at Camp Agnes Arnold Meetings Oct. – March; Event April 26-28, 2024 Fill out the online GPB application gssjc.org/ forms; due Friday, Oct. 13 Jasmine Green and Natalie Jares at cadetteweekend@sjgs.org

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Region 4 Presents: Cyber- Security and Special Agent Badge Workshop Complete your Cyber-Security 1-3 badges and the Special Agent badge. Ambassadors will also get the College Knowledge badge.

Girls will receive the badges.

Who: Where:

When: Cost: Contact:

ⓒ ⓢⓐ

Lone Star College-Cy Fair, 9191 Barker Cypress Rd 77429 Sept. 23, 9 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. $25/girl, no cost for adults Jasmine Green, customerservice@sjgs.org

Weekend Camp Activities

See information and register in gsEvents for your specific date and time. Hurry, slots are filling up fast!

Adventure Park - Cost: $35/ girl Who: ⓒ ⓢ ⓐ Archery- Cost: $10/girl Who: ⓑ ⓙ ⓒ ⓢ ⓐ Taste of CanoeingCost: $12/girl Who: All levels Taste of KayakingCost: $12/girl Who: ⓑ ⓙ ⓒ ⓢ ⓐ Taste of Stand-up Paddle Board (SUP) Cost: $12/girl Who: ⓙ ⓒ ⓢ ⓐ Swimming- Cost: $4/girl Who: All levels Horseback RidingCost: $35/girl Who: ⓙ ⓒ ⓢ ⓐ Love Hug and GroomCost: $10/girl Who: All levels, Pony Rides- Cost: $35/girl Who: ⓑ ⓙ ⓒ ⓢ ⓐ Vaulting- Cost: $35/girl Who: ⓒ ⓢ ⓐ Junior Horseback Riding Badge Workshop Cost: $40/girl Who: ⓙ Just Horsin’Around Workshop- Cost: $40/girl Who: ⓑ Things to Know Before you go: Please show up at least 15 minutes before your scheduled time with the exception of Horseback riding which requires a 30-minute show time prior. This allows us time to go over the rules, equipment fitting, and other requirements needed to safely do the activity. If you notice a time slot that you are interested in does not have the number of slots available for your troop, this means that time slot has reached capacity. As much as we would like to accommodate our girls, we must consider safety first. To ensure you get the time you want, register all your girls as soon as you can. See you at camp!

ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

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Tree Planting at Camp Robinwood with Texas A&M Forestry

Backpacking Backpacking Orientation

If you love hiking or are ready to take it to the next level with backpacking, join the Backpacking Special Interest Group for a fun weekend learning how to pack a backpack, care for a tent, and cook on your own personal stove. You will hike two miles to the campsite with your gear and set up your tent, where you will spend the evening on a mini backpacking adventure! The Backpacking SIG is offering an orientation in October and another one in December. Girls and adults interested in backpacking are welcome to attend these events.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Bring:

Contact:

ⓒ ⓢ ⓐadults

Camp Agnes Arnold Oct. 21 – 22 or Dec. 9 – 10 $25/Girl Scout or adult Packing list and instructions will be included in the event confirmation.

Natalie Jares, 713-292-0386, njares@sjgs.org

Environmental Houston Arboretum Badge Workshops

Girl Scouts can work towards a variety of badges or journeys while they investigate the fascinating ecosystems at the Houston Arboretum. Badge workshops are conducted by staff naturalists and use their nature sanctuary as a field laboratory for hands-on experience.

ⓑⓙⓒ Who: Where: Houston Arboretum Cost: (2 hour workshops) $23 per girl

(3 hour workshops) $28 per girl Contact: Rachel Archer, 713-292-0300, customerservice@sjgs.org Workshop Date Time Brownie Bugs Sept. 30 9:30 – 11:30am Junior Flowers Sept. 30 1 – 4 p.m.

Junior Outdoor Art Explorer Oct. 7 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Brownie Hiker Oct. 7 2 – 4 p.m.

Brownie Bugs Oct. 21 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Junior Geocacher Oct. 21 1 – 4 p.m.

Brownie Outdoor Adventurer Nov. 4 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Brownie WOW Journey Nov. 4 1 – 3:30 p.m.

Brownie Hiker Nov. 18 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Cadette Trees Nov. 18 1 – 4 p.m.

Cadette Night Owls Dec. 2 4 – 7 p.m.

Brownie Outdoor Adventurer Dec. 9 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Junior Geocacher Dec. 9 1 – 4 p.m.

24 Fall 2023 l The Golden Link

Come earn your Girl Scout Tree Promise Patch at Camp Robinwood! Girl Scouts will get to plant trees, participate in activities from the Texas A&M Forestry Project Learning Tree and Texas Parks and Wildlife Angler Education Program, and maybe even fish in the lake! Includes Girl Scout Tree Promise Patch.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

ⓓ ⓑ ⓙ ⓒ ⓢⓐ

Camp Robinwood, Willis October 7, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. $5 Rachel Archer, 713-292-0300, customerservice@sjgs.org

Girl Scout Climate Challenge at Rice

Did you know that you can save polar bears, protect trees, and help your neighborhood fight climate change? Join the Rice University Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences department to get outdoors to learn about climate science, connect with your communities to understand how they’re affected by climate change, and spread awareness of the issue to create sustainable change. Crafts, lab tours and games define this special one time event! Girl Scout Climate Challenge Patch included.

Who: When: Where: Cost: Contact:

ⓑ ⓙ ⓒ ⓢⓐ

November 4, noon – 4 p.m.

Rice University $7 Rachel Archer, 713-292-0300, customerservice@sjgs.org

Junior Gardener Badge Workshop Join the Fort Bend Master Gardeners for this fun and interactive workshop. Girls will learn more about how to help plants and flowers grow. They will explore gardens, garden design, how to choose plants, seeds, and more! Juniors will receive a Junior Gardener badge. A snack is included for this event.

Who: When: Where: Cost: Contact:

ⓙ

Nov. 4, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Bud O’Shieles Community Center $18 Rachel Archer, 713-292-0300, customerservice@sjgs.org

ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

Fine Arts For more information, contact Julia Noble, 713-292-0300, customerservice@sjgs.org

Nutcracker Workshop & Show Houston Ballet

The Houston Ballet invites you to witness the magic of the Nutcracker, an enchanting holiday tradition for all Girl Scouts.

Girls will participate in a workshop, learn about the story, its history, the creators, the performing art of ballet, and earn their Nutcracker Program patch. Please Note: In order to attend the show, ALL girls must have an adult chaperone and must purchase tickets in the same section as their Girl Scout.

Who:

When:

Where: Cost:

ⓓ ⓑ ⓙ (Workshop);

All levels, adults (Show) Dec. 17, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

(Registration opens Sept. 15 at 9 a.m.)

Houston Ballet Varies ($30-$55)

Secret Santa SWAPS Party!

Izzie’s Jewels

SWAPS (or “Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere”) are small tokens of friendship that Girl Scouts exchange with one another. Each SWAP uniquely reflects a fellow Girl Scout. Come take part in this holiday-themed Girl Scout tradition! At this craft workshop, girls will get to know each other over milk and cookies, draw names for Secret Santa, and then make a SWAP for their person that incorporates the things they learned about her. At the end of the workshop, the Secret Santas are revealed as they swap!

Who: When: Where: Cost:

All Levels Dec. 9, 10 a.m.– noon Program Place for Girls $25

Brownie Snacks Izzie’s Jewels

Calling all Brownie chefs! Earn your badges in this fun, handson workshop. Girls will learn how to make yummy snacks for themselves, their family, and friends! Badge is included!

Who: When: Where: Cost:

ⓑ

Sept. 9; 10 a.m. – noon Program Place for Girls $25

Use QR Code to go directly to events page. ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

Camp Obscura GSSJC Camps Photography Contest

GSSJC is home to some of the most excellent camps in the country, with 10 different properties, each having their own unique landscape and offerings. The opportunities to capture the beauty of nature and the magic of camp are endless! Now, we want to see our camps through your lens! Whether you've only ever snapped selfies on your phone or whether you know your way around a darkroom, every girl has an inner artist and a perspective worth sharing!

Photo Requirements • We challenge you to keep photography subjects limited to landscapes, buildings/structures, objects, and wildlife. A person or persons can be included in the photograph but should not be the main subject of the image.

• All photos must be taken by a girl member at a GSSJC camp.

Entry Information • The contest is open to Daisies through Ambassadors.

• Submissions open Aug. 30, 2023 through Aug. 30, 2024.

• To enter the contest, submit your most captivating camp photo to the Camp Obscura page on the GSSJC website and in the description box, let us know what struck you most about the image you captured.

• Only one entry per girl!

• Must agree to GSSJC Photo Release Policy.

Contest Results • The contest consists of two rounds: One winning photograph per level will be chosen by a team of judges. These photos will then be featured on our Facebook page and eligible for online voting for the final round, where one overall winner will be chosen.

• All level winners of the Camp Obscura contest will have their photos framed and displayed and published in The Golden Link magazine. The overall winner will also receive free admission to a photography workshop with a local vendor.

• All participants will receive a fun patch for their submission!

Who: When: Where: Contact:

All levels Aug. 30, 2023 through Aug. 30, 2024 GSSJC Camps Julia Noble, JNoble@sjgs.org

Cadette Woodworker Badge Workshop Izzie’s Jewels Have fun making stylish, useful things for yourself or friends! In this workshop, you’ll add to your talents with a skill Girl Scouts have been refining for 100 years—the ability to do it yourself!

You’ll develop or refine your skills by creating a fantastic and unique wooden piece of your own design. Badge is included!

Who: When: Where: Cost:

ⓒ

Nov. 18; 10 a.m.-noon Program Place for Girls $25

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Cinderella Workshop & Show Houston Ballet

Make no mistake, this is not your childhood Cinderella! More tomboy than princess, Stanton Welch’s title character is a striking woman of substance, determination, and spunk. Not waiting on a prince to rescue her, Cinderella is in control, fighting the will of her evil stepmother with wit and vigor. And when she finds true love, she grabs it – and holds on with both hands. Set to Prokofiev’s classic score with spectacular set and costume design by Kristian Frederickson, Welch’s unique spin on the storied classic brings the work into modern times, with a twist to suit the 21st century. Join Houston Ballet for a special workshop beforehand!

Please Note: In order to attend the show, ALL girls must have an adult chaperone and must purchase tickets in the same section as their Girl Scout.

Who:

When: Where: Cost:

ⓙ ⓒ(Workshop);

All levels, adults (Show) March 3, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Houston Ballet Varies ($30 - $55)

Girl Planning Board and Adult Volunteers needed!

Heart to Art

An artist’s retreat for self-expression, self-exploration, inspiration, growth, mindfulness, and gratitude as a way to higher creativity.

Unplug and step away from your busy day-to-day life by retreating into nature and immersing yourself in artistic experiences to nourish and reinvigorate your creative spark. We all have artists within us; come uncover yours! This day-only event could include activities like outdoor yoga, name drumming, a giant sculpture garden, art journaling, music lyric collages, scream boxes, graffiti tags, a photography scavenger hunt, food art challenge, meditative beading, an ongoing group mural, an open mic session and more!

Who: When: Where:

ⓒ ⓢⓐ

April / May 2024 GSSJC Camp TBD

Girls - Want to be part of the planning process in creating a brand new GSSJC event for Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors? This is a super exciting opportunity to leave your mark by shaping an event in its first year! For more information, please contact our GSLE manager, Julia Noble, jnoble@sjgs.org!

Adults - Interested in being on the committee or just volunteering for the day? We’ll need both! Please reach out to GE volunteer coordinator, Corrie Jenkins, or GSLE manager, Julia Noble, jnoble@sjgs.org!

Use QR Code to go directly to events page.

26 Fall 2023 l The Golden Link

Photography Workshops

Planning to participate in the Camp Obscura contest this year? Check out these awesome workshops and classes to help get prepared!

Self-Paced Photography Vine Images, INC. (Virtual) Learn how to capture your vision of the world in photographs.

This hands-on photography course includes video instruction that is fun and engaging. Students will watch a short video introducing a new photography technique or skill, watch a demonstration, and then complete a photo challenge using the new skill learned. Be prepared to learn a lifelong skill you will cherish forever! You never know where this one click will take you. Once the course starts, you will be given access to learning modules and challenges designed by real photographers! You will have 30 days to complete the modules at your own pace. Juniors and Ambassadors will earn their Photographer badges.

Who: When: Where: Cost:

ⓙ ⓒ ⓢⓐ

Every month, on your own time.

Virtual $18/girl

Principles of Photography University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Art School for Children In this workshop, photography principles and image editing techniques are used to assist students in capturing their vision of the world in photographs! Learn the basics of photography through focusing on composition, light, motion, and telling a story. Learn the basics of digital camera use by speaking with an expert, taking tons of photos, learning how to edit, and putting together a project. Workshops available for every level! Juniors and Ambassadors will earn their Photographer badges.

Who: When:

Where: Cost:

All Levels 9 a.m.–2 p.m. (with a break for lunch) ⓓⓑ Nov. 11, June 8 ⓙⓒ Sept. 23, Jan. 20, April 20, Aug. 17 ⓢⓐ Feb. 17, July 13 University of Houston-Clear Lake $47

Brownie Art and Design (Maker) Badge, UHCL’s Art School for Children

Art is made to share a message or express emotion. It can inspire people. It can make them think and feel. A painting, sculpture, or photograph can change the way you see the world. Design is making something to solve a problem. Do you have a favorite graphic tee?

Can you remember a great movie poster or book cover? Designers made them! In this workshop, you will examine and explore different styles and elements of art and design, discover art and design around you, make art about a subject, experiment with the elements, explore composition, and design an art display. When you've earned this badge, you'll know how to turn ideas into art and design projects.

Who: When: Where: Cost:

ⓙ

Oct. 21, noon – 3 p.m.

University of Houston-Clear Lake $32

ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

Junior Art and Design (Maker) Badge, Izzie’s Jewels

Do you paint or make cartoons? Do you take photos or create games? You might be a maker! Makers are people who turn ideas into art. Art can share a message or express a feeling. Artists might paint, draw, or sculpt. Makers also create designs. Design is making something to solve a problem. Designers might build a birdhouse or sew costumes. They might even create a new toy.

In this workshop, you will find out how to be a maker, to turn ideas into art and to solve problems with design, discover art and design, experiment with your medium, and be inspired by a subject. When you've earned this badge, you'll know how makers create art and designs.

Who: When: Where: Cost:

ⓙ

October 7; 10 a.m. – noon Program Place for Girls $25

Gratitude Art Journaling My Artsy Coach

The Art of Gratitude is a hands-on workshop that will teach you how to combine art journaling with gratitude journaling. You will learn a variety of art techniques to use with art journaling prompts that will allow you to channel stress and anxiety into a creative flow, while learning ways to incorporate mindfulness and gratitude into art journaling practice.

Who: When:

Where: Cost:

All levels Oct. 14 (C, S, A) March 30 (D, B, J) 10 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

Program Place for Girls $25

Cake Decorating Izzie’s Jewels

Have your cake and eat it too! Come brush up on your pastry art skills in this sweet, fun, and creative workshop! Girls will learn how to design and decorate beautiful works of delicious art!

Who: When:

Where: Cost:

All levels Sept. 30; (D, B, J) 10 a.m. – noon; (C, S, A) 1 – 3 p.m.

Program Place for Girls $25

Junior Simple Meals Izzie’s Jewels

Calling all Junior chefs! Earn your badges in this fun, hands-on workshop. Girls will learn how to create delicious, healthy meals for themselves, their family, and friends! Badge is included!

Who: When: Where: Cost:

ⓙ

Sept. 9; 1 – 3 p.m.

Program Place for Girls $25

ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

Highest Awards Highest Awards 101 and Q&A

Are you curious about the Highest Awards, just starting a Highest Awards adventure with your girls, or feel stuck along the way? Join us for this virtual Highest Awards Q&A session to learn more about the Highest Awards program at all levels— Bronze, Silver, and Gold—and get your questions answered.

This session is for adults.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

Adults Virtual Oct. 6 or Dec. 4, 7 – 8 p.m. $3/person Alix Reilman, areilman@sjgs.org

Juniors Take-Action Workshop

Curious about how to start a Bronze Award project or complete a Girl Scout Journey? Join us for a take-action workshop where we’ll cover the differences between community service and take-action and how to best plan a take-action project. We’ll also learn from each other by sharing examples and ideas! Come ready to brainstorm!

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

ⓙ Adults Virtual Sept. 24; 2 – 3:30 p.m. $5/person Alix Reilman, areilman@sjgs.org

Silver Award Training for Adults

This virtual webinar training is designed for troop leaders, advisors, and parents who are looking to support Cadettes through the Silver Award process. Topics to be covered include project guidelines, submission deadlines, coaching tips, and how to navigate pursuing the Silver Award despite the impacts of COVID-19. The webinar will include a presentation, service vs. take action activity and Q&A. Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

Adults Virtual Sept. 9, Oct. 14; 10 – 11:30 a.m. $5/person Max.: 50 silveraward@sjgs.org

Older Girl Take-Action Workshop

Curious about how to start a Silver or Gold Award project or complete a Girl Scout Journey? Join us for a take-action workshop where we’ll cover the differences between community service and take-action and how to best plan a take-action project. We’ll also learn from each other by sharing examples and ideas! Come ready to brainstorm!

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

ⓒ ⓢ ⓐ Adults

Virtual Sept. 17, 3:30 – 5 p.m. $5/person Alix Reilman at areilman@sjgs.org Fall 2023 l The Golden Link

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President’s Volunteer Service Award-New Year!

It’s a new year for the President’s Volunteer Service Award! Girls and adults are eligible to earn this prestigious national community service award for any service hours completed in service of the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council between Sept. 1, 2023, and Aug. 31, 2024. Check out the following information and FAQ about the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

What is the President’s Volunteer Service Award?

The President’s Volunteer Service Award is a community service award conferred by the U.S. government through granting organizations. As a granting organization, GSSJC can authorize hours completed in service of GSSJC only. Example hours might include: • Girls: Working with girls at the troop level as a VIT, serving on a Girl Planning board, volunteering at a day/twilight camp or at overnight camp as a CIT, helping with Special Interest Group events, etc.

• Adults: Troop leadership service, planning events at the Community, Region or council level, serving on a Community, Region or council team or committee, running or volunteering at day/twilight camp, etc.

Many girls and adult volunteers are meeting the requirements for this award without realizing it!

Please note that hours completed in service of another organization, even if those hours were completed with other Girl Scouts or as part of a Girl Scout event, do not qualify for this award.

What are the award levels and how many hours do I need?

Can you only earn the award once?

No, you can earn the President’s Volunteer Service Award every year! There is even a lifetime achievement award that can be earned over the years.

Gold Award Orientation

The self-directed online Gold Award Orientation provides girls and adults with a comprehensive overview of the Gold Award steps and forms, tools for identifying and developing Gold Award projects that fall within the national guidelines, and GSSJC’s process for Gold Award applicants. Orientation is required for all girls who plan to earn their Gold Award and must be completed prior to submitting their Gold Award Project Proposal. The online orientation is broken into sections, takes approximately 90 minutes to complete but does not need to be finished in one sitting. Girls may also refer to it after it’s been completed.

Who: ⓢⓐ adults Where/When: Online Contact: Alix Reilman, goldaward@sjgs.org

Leadership, Mentoring and Community Service, and Other Awards

Have you heard about all the awards that Girl Scouts are eligible to earn? There are leadership, mentoring, community service, and other awards available. Please check the chart below to see which awards you and your girls are eligible for. Learn more about the details and requirements of each of these awards by checking out the Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting, the GSSJC website, and the GSSJC Online Community.

How can I apply for the President’s Volunteer Service Award?

Apply by submitting your completed F-123B President’s Volunteer Service Application with all necessary signatures to the appropriate email address, by Oct. 31, 2024. (Please note this deadline will be earlier in the fall than in years past.)

• Girls: gscommserv@sjgs.org • Adults: adultrecognition@sjgs.org TIP: Complete your application throughout the year so you do not have to seek out signatures all at once right before the deadline.

Where can I learn more? Learn more by reading the following guidelines and application documents.

• F-123A President’s Volunteer Service Award Guidelines • F-123B President’s Volunteer Service Application Questions? Reach out to gscommserv@sjgs.org (girls) or adultrecognition@sjgs.org (adults).

Silver Award Celebration – Save the Date!

Did you earn your Silver Award during Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023? If so, join us at GSSJC’s very first Silver Award Celebration at Agnes Arnold Lodge in honor of your extraordinary achievement!

Join the 2023 Silver Award Class photo, receive the 2023 Silver Award Girl Scout gift, meet and take pictures with Council VIPs, and, most importantly, start your journey to Go Gold!

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact: 28 Fall 2023 l The Golden Link

Silver Award Recipients, Adults Agnes Arnold Lodge January TBD $10/girl Alix Reilman, silveraward@sjgs.org

ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

History Juliette Low Tea Party

A touch of history in your teacup. The girls will learn how to brew the perfect cup of tea, table manners, tea sandwich tips, and a favorite of Juliette Low’s — fan etiquette. You may wear your favorite tea party dress or hat and join this unforgettable afternoon hosted by the Council History Committee Program team in partnership with the Kappa Delta Sorority.

A fun patch and special token are included. This is a girl only event.

Where: Program Place for Girls, Houston Price: $20/girl Contact: Shannon Crider, customerservice@sjgs.org Who Date Time ⓓ ⓑ Sept. 16 1:30 – 3 p.m. ⓓⓑⓙ Sept. 21 4:30 – 6 p.m. ⓓⓑⓙ Oct. 19 4:30 – 6 p.m. ⓓⓑ Nov. 4 1:30 – 3 p.m.

DIY Tea Party!

It is teatime for Daisies and Brownies! If you want to plan a troop tea party, the Council History Committee is here to assist. Make it extra special and host your tea party in GSSJC’s Goody Koontz Girl Scout Museum/Program Place for girls.

The Council History Committee will provide the following items to get you started: • Set up provided in room #104, Program Place for Girls.

• Five child-size round tables with four chairs per table.

(Total 20 child-sized chairs.)

• Small floral centerpieces per table. (Total five and not to be taken home.)

• Decorative doily for tables.

• One large size adult table.

Who: Where: When:

Limit: Cost: Contact:

ⓓⓑ

Program Place for Girls, Houston Three DIY Tea Party slots: Saturday, Oct. 28, 1 – 4 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 11, 1 – 4 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 9, 1 – 4 p.m.

20 girls $20 for room reservation Shannon Crider, customerservice@sjgs.orgg

Please go to the event listing on our events page to schedule your DIY Tea Party and for more details.

Use QR Code to go directly to events page. ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

Happy Birthday Juliette Gordon Low

Join the Council History Committee Program and celebrate Juliette Gordon Low’s birthday. Girls will learn Girl Scout songs which have been sung through the years, make some crafts, play games, and more! We may even have a special visit from the birthday girl herself. A fun patch will be included. This is a girl only celebration.

Who: Where: When: Cost: Contact:

ⓑⓙ

Program Place for Girls, Houston Oct. 21, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. $18 Shannon Crider, customerservice@sjgs.org

Horseback Riding STARS at Camp Pryor

This is a progressive program for girls interested in learning about horseback riding. Level I (Saddlehorns) includes grooming, leading, equine nutrition, horse colors, basic horse safety, and riding at a walk. Level II (Rustlers) includes learning to saddle a horse, clean and maintain tack, and horse anatomy. Riding skills and horse safety will also be reviewed and performed at a walk and a trot. Level III (Wranglers) includes learning how to bridle, exploring equine health and conformation, horse safety, and riding skills performed at a walk and a trot. Level IV (STARS) includes Program Aide training and learning to teach equitation skills to younger girls, as well as an option to join the Equitation Special Interest Group (SIG).

Who: Where: Cost: Contact: When:

ⓙ (5th grade) ⓒ ⓢ ⓐRatio of adults

Camp Pryor $75/girl Mariah Balmer, 713-292-0332, mbalmer@sjgs.org Oct. 6 – 8 Level 2 Rustlers (6th Grade and up) Oct. 13 – 15 Level 2 Rustlers (6th Grade and up) Oct. 20 – 22 Level 1 Saddlehorns (5th Grade and up)

SPURS Training

Learn the theories and hands-on skills needed to join the SPURS (Super People Using Riding Skills) special interest group at Misty Meadows Ranch. Girls will receive their level one SPURS scarf and be ready to work with the weekend riding program during the school year. Adults will receive training as an Assistant Riding Instructor. Registration will open about two months prior to event start date.

Who: Where: Cost: Contact: When:

ⓒ ⓢ ⓐand Adults

Misty Meadows Ranch $30/girl and adult Mariah Balmer, 731-292-0332, mbalmer@sjgs.org Nov. 3 – 5 or Feb. 2 – 4

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Sailing For all sailing activities, please contact Stephanie Moore at smoore@sjgs.org for more information.

Intro to Sailing

Are you curious about sailing? Do you want to feel the wind on your face and hear the water splashing around you? You will work alongside our Mariners Special Interest Group as they ready the boats to take you on a sailing adventure on the open seas! Sign up to be a “sailor” for the weekend. You must attend the entire weekend. Introduction to Sailing is a general sailing activity and is not a prerequisite to the Mariner program.

Must pass the GSSJC Proficient Swimmer and Advanced Swimmer Test. Requirements are available on gssjc.org. Please see section on swim test requirements. Cards can be submitted to sailing.coordinator@gmail.com. Girls without cards will not be allowed to remain at camp.

Who: When: Where: Cost:

Girls 11 and older Sept. 8 – 10 and Oct. 6 –8 (Two separate weekends) Casa Mare, Seabrook $60

How Do I Obtain my GSSJC Proficient and Advanced Swimmer Card?

We have made it really simple! All you will need to do is go to our website, www.gssjc.org. Once on the site, you will find the form needed under the “Volunteer Hub” tab. When you click on “Forms and Documents,” you can search “Swim test” and the form will appear. Print that form out and take it to your local community pool, recreation center, or swimming pool for the required professionals to administer the test. Please note that girls will still be re-tested at the time of the activity and could be requested to leave if they do not pass the test. If your Girl Scout has participated in American Red Cross swim lessons in the past and has obtained a Level 4 swim card, she can still use that as the requirement.

We need Dorm Moms!

To help our program to be fun and safe, we need your help! Dorm Moms are an awesome group of women that assist with meals, serve as watchers during sailing, and ensure the girls are having fun during their weekend stay. Because the Mariners are girl-led, most of the activities will be led by our older girls. Consider this a small weekend getaway with some supervision! Enjoy a stressand worry-free stay for the weekend by the bay helping girls have their best time sailing! All dorm moms are required to complete Youth Protection Training Level 1 and Level 2, found in gsLearn.

Please contact sailing.coordinator@gmail.com or Stephanie Moore at smoore@sjgs.org for additional details!

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Instruction and Mariner Weekends

Some courses are held over two weekends. Girls must attend both. Due to the commitment and nature of the courses, we cannot make special schedule adjustments or accommodations. If a girl is unable to attend both weekends in their entirety, she will be encouraged to enroll at another time. Please note that the success of sailing is based on the weather. Although we will do our best to ensure girls get as much sailing time as they can, sometimes weather simply will not allow it. Because of this, girls may not meet the requirements of completion and will be asked to repeat the course. There are opportunities to enroll in sailing during summer overnight camp or to try again in the upcoming season.

Basic Sailing Want to learn how to sail the open seas? Are you interested in being a Mariner? This is the activity for you! Learn how to rig and sail a Sunfish sailboat. You will learn boat safety, injury prevention, knot tying, and more. This is a physically and mentally demanding activity.

Be prepared to be challenged and have fun. Basic Sailing is a twoweekend course, and you must attend both weekends, no exceptions.

Girl Scouts must be at least 11 years old. Also, they need to successfully pass the GSSJC Proficient Swimmer and Advanced Swimmer Test.

Please see section on previous page on swim test requirements.

When:

Cost: Where:

Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 and Oct. 13 – 15 *Both weekends are required attendance* $120 Casa Mare, Seabrook

Mariner and Mariner Weekends If you have completed Basic Sailing and you want more sailing with like-minded girls, then the Mariners Special Interest Group is for you! What is the benefit of being a Mariner? You will learn leadership through instructing others, gain the experience to advance your sailing skills, and acquire service hours that can go towards school and troop requirements. Not to mention, it is a wonderful opportunity to meet new friends and tell them all about how awesome it is to go sailing. Register as a Mariner today! Adult volunteers must register as well.

Mariner Special Interest Group Fee: $10 Where: Casa Mare, Seabrook Prerequisite: Must have successfully completed and passed Basic Sailing Mariner Weekends You have completed Basic Sailing, registered as a Mariner, and now you are officially a Mariner! Part of being in this awesome special interest group is you will have the opportunity to hang out with other girls on weekends just for Mariners. You will have the chance to practice your sailing skills in a relaxed and fun environment. These weekends are typically themed, which adds to the fun! Mariners head to Casa Mare where they eat, sleep, and sail. You must already be a registered Mariner to attend and have successfully completed and passed Basic Sailing. Please reach out to our Mariner coordinator at mariner.coordinators@gmail.com for additional information. Adult volunteers must register as well.

When:

Cost: Where:

Sept. 22 – 24, Oct. 20 – 22 *separate weekends* $50 (meals included) Casa Mare, Seabrook

ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

STEM For all STEM events, contact Rachel Archer, rarcher@sjgs.org, 713-292-0233 for more information.

Technology Badge Workshops at BakerRipley’s New Learning and Innovation Centers

BakerRipley is excited to share its state-of-the-art Learning and Innovation Centers with Girl Scouts for an action-packed morning of fun and learning! All workshops include the badge.

When: Nov. 4, 10 a.m. – noon Cost: $10/girl Contact: Rachel Archer, 713-292-0300, customerservice@sjgs.org Programming Robots Juniors Gulfton Learning Center, Bellaire

Think Like an Engineer for Juniors Camp Weekend Registration

Learn to think like an engineer during this weekend at camp! Join other Juniors and learn how to utilize your construction skills as you work as a team to solve engineering challenges like building shelter and structures are to withstand the elements.

Who: Where: Event: Cost: Contact:

ⓙ

Camp Agnes Arnold, Conroe Dec. 1 – 3 Check online for event price Rachel Archer, 713-292-0300, customerservice@sjgs.org

Save the Date – Forensics Camp Weekend

Cadettes will use clues to try and solve a mystery at this exciting annual event! Girls will discover forensic techniques such as DNA analysis, chemical identification, fingerprint analysis, and more. Get ready to put on your sleuthing shoes and work as a team to unravel whodunit.

ⓒ

Woodworker Cadettes FabLab Houston, Aldine

Who: When:

Where: Cost: Contact:

Digital Photography Juniors BakerRipley Pasadena

Space Out! Telescope Night at Camp

Programming Robots Brownies East End Learning Center, Central Houston

Junior STEM Badge Adventure at Prairie View A&M University

Rev up your future with the Prairie View A&M STEM Badge Adventure: Driving Girl’s Dreams in Automotive Engineering and Code Your Way to Success in Computer Science! Girls will earn the Automotive 2: Engineering and Coding for Good 1: Coding Basics badges. Badges will be provided.

Who: Where: When: Cost:

ⓙ Adults Prairie View A&M University Oct. 21, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. $30/girl, $15/adult

Jan. 26 – 28 Registration Opens: Oct. 1 Camp Casa Mare, Seabrook $65/girl, $10/adult Rachel Archer, 713-292-0300, customerservice@sjgs.org

Join our Astronomy Special Interest Group and learn about space, telescopes, and all the adventures that await beyond the atmosphere through fun, girl-led activities. Whether you’ve searched for shooting stars or found shapes in the clouds, you’ve probably already spent some time looking at the sky. Now’s your chance to see the sky in a new way - like a space scientist does by participating in hands-on activities and through GSSJC’s telescopes.

Patch/badge included.

Who: When: Where: Cost: Contact:

ⓑⓙ

Nov. 11, 4:45 – 9 p.m.

Misty Meadows Ranch, Conroe $22/girl Rachel Archer, 713-292-0300, customerservice@sjgs.org

Boom! Use Your Crane-ium!

Use QR Code to go directly to events page. ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

Earn the Crane Design Challenge Badge (+ step 3 of your Think Like an Engineer Journey) at this one time only, limited space workshop! Lunch, your badge and a hard hat will be provided by Schlumberger.

Who: When: Where: Cost: Contact:

ⓙ

Oct. 28, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Schlumberger Research Facility $10 Rachel Archer, rarcher@sjgs.org, 713-292-0233 Fall 2023 l The Golden Link

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Travel For more information about council trips, contact travel@sjgs.org.

Council Trip to Los Angeles Council Trip to Puerto Rico

Picture yourself under the sunny Caribbean sky, walking past historic stone buildings on your way to dip your toes in the crystalline blue sea. Imagine kayaking at night through waters that light up with bioluminescent algae after a day of ziplining through the rain forest. Would you choose to spend an afternoon snorkeling with friends or taking a quick siesta on the beach? Join our council trip to beautiful Puerto Rico to turn those daydreams into reality! This program to a U.S. territory is open for girls 7th grade and up (adults are welcome as well, vacancies permitting), and will take place from July 15–19, 2024. Check the council website for upcoming information sessions, or learn more at our Explorica page (http://www.explorica.com/Elliott-6170). Pricing will vary based on booking date (increasing over time), so join soon for the best value!

Mingle with famous stars at the Hollywood Wax Museum, stroll down the Walk of Fame and see the Hollywood sign perched high on the hills, go on a VIP tour of the Dolby Theater & Warner Bros studio, see a live theater performance, visit Santa Monica & Venice Beach, and go sightseeing on the celebrity home-dotted Beverly Hills. Top off the trip with a visit to Disneyland before flying home. This program is open for girls 6th grade and up (adults are welcome as well, vacancies permitting), and will take place from June 17–20, 2024. Check the council website for upcoming information sessions, or learn more at our Explorica page (http:// www.explorica.com/Elliott-6150). Pricing will vary based on booking date (increasing over time), so join soon for the best value!

Council Trip to Germany & Switzerland Council Trip to New Orleans

Delve into Creole and Cajun culture in the diverse and vibrant New Orleans. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of Mardi Gras World, tap your feet to some cool jazz on a riverboat dinner cruise, visit the Whitney Plantation, and look for alligators and other wildlife on a swamp tour. Round out the trip with breakfast at the famous Café du Monde and museum visits before boarding the plane for the trip home. This program is open for girls 4th grade and up (adults are welcome as well, vacancies permitting), and will take place from June 10–13, 2024. Check the council website for upcoming information sessions, or learn more at our Explorica page (http://www.explorica.com/Elliott-9769). Pricing will vary based on booking date (increasing over time), so join soon for the best value!

Explore across Europe from Germany to Switzerland. Begin in Munich, with a bike tour and a Bavarian dancing lesson, then head to Neuschwanstein Castle, Montreux, and Lucerne. Stop in at Our Chalet in Adelboden (one of the four WAGGGS World Centers) for a pinning ceremony. Next it’s to Engstligen Falls, then off to visit a chocolate factory, a cheese factory, and take a summer toboggan ride. Scale snow-capped Mount Pilatus via the world’s steepest cable car, then learn about some of Switzerland’s greatest legends before departing from Zurich. This program is open for girls 8th grade and up (adults are welcome as well, vacancies permitting), and will take place from June 6–14, 2024. Check the council website for upcoming information sessions, or learn more at our Explorica page (https://www.explorica.com/GSSJC-4855).

Pricing will vary based on booking date (increasing over time), so join soon for the best value!

Have you heard of Girl Scout Destinations? They are the ultimate adventure for individual Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors. Push past your comfort zone by applying for a trip on your own, and make friends from all over the country as you travel with new Girl Scout friends. There’s a unique, life-changing experience for everyone. Ever wanted to hike the Swiss Alps?

Kayak through the Greek islands? Practice photography in picturesque California or ride a horse in the wide-open Georgia countryside? With more than 30 trips to choose from, you’re sure to find one that sparks your interests and launches you into an unforgettable experience. Check out all the available opportunities! Early applications are due by Nov. 15! Search Destinations on girlscouts.org.

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ⓓ-Daisy ⓑ-Brownie ⓙ-Juniors ⓒ-Cadettes ⓢ-Seniors ⓐ-Ambassadors

Training Troop Volunteer Training

We value our volunteers and know that providing great learning opportunities is key to their success in Girl Scouts. Below is a schedule of upcoming in-person and virtual training opportunities and descriptions of self-paced training available to volunteers in gsLearn. For inperson and virtual training, registration end dates are final. Registration for most in-person training closes two weeks prior to the start date.

Registration for most virtual training closes one week prior to the start date. For questions about troop volunteer training, please contact Dejah Covick at dcovick@sjgs.org or 713-292-0254.

Schedule at-a-Glance: Date Course Register By Prerequisite Self-paced Volunteer Basics Self-paced GSUSA’s New Leader Onboarding Series Self-paced Youth Protection Training Level 1 Self-paced Youth Protection Training Level 2 Youth Protection 1 Self-paced Camping and Overnight Basics (COB) Volunteer Basics Opens Aug. 30 Troop Fall Product Manager Sept. 23 Partnering w/Cadettes/Seniors/ Ambassadors Sept. 16 Sept. 23 First Aid CPR/AED Blended Sept. 9 Online coursework Sept. 24 New Leader Sundaes: Cafés 1-3 Sept. 17 Volunteer Basics Sept. 30 Project WILD Sept. 16 VCC Oct. 7 Volunteer Camper Certification Sept. 23 COB Oct. 7 First Aid CPR/AED Blended Sept. 23 Online coursework Oct. 15 Partnering with Girl Scout Juniors Oct. 8 Volunteer Basics Oct. 15 Partnering with Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors Oct. 8 Volunteer Basics Oct. 22 New Leader Sundaes: Cafés 1-3 Oct. 15 Volunteer Basics Oct. 22 Daisy Brownie Program Leadership Oct. 15 Volunteer Basics Nov. 10 Volunteer Camper Certification at Fall Volunteer Conference Oct. 27 COB Nov. 10 First Aid CPR/AED Blended at Fall Volunteer Conference Oct. 27 Online Coursework Nov. 10-12 Fall Volunteer Conference Nov. 12 First Aid CPR/AED Blended at Fall Volunteer Conference Oct. 29 Online Coursework November Troop Cookie Manager Dec. 2 Volunteer Camper Certification Nov. 18 COB Dec. 5 First Aid CPR/AED Blended Nov. 21 Online coursework

Location gsLearn gsLearn gsLearn gsLearn gsLearn gsLearn Virtual GSC Virtual ATC WP GSC Virtual Virtual Virtual Virtual ATC AA AA AA gsLearn ATC GSC

AA- Agnes Arnold ATC-Adult Training Center GSC-Girl Scout Center WP- Whispering Pines Camping and Overnight Basics (COB) Camping and Overnight Basics is an online course that certifies registered background-checked adults to lead camping and overnight trips for their troop. After taking this course you’ll be qualified to rent units at camp, lead overnight trips with the troop, and help your girls make the most out of their camp experience. Available online in gsLearn.

Fall Volunteer Conference Program level training, enrichment courses, and the mobile shop all-in-one weekend! Registration is $50 (discounted) through Sept. 15. Registration includes overnight accommodation, meals, and enrichment sessions. First Aid, Adventure Park, VCC, and T-shirts have additional fees. See page _____ for more details.

Registration available in gsEvents.

Daisy Brownie Program Leadership This course is for leaders who are new to the troop leadership role working or new to working with girls in grades K-3 (in the Daisy or Brownie program levels). Participants can see the progression in the characteristics of each age group and learn about earned awards, troop governance, field trips, service project readiness, ceremonies, the girl/adult partnership, tips on girl planning, and more with the use of available badge and journey resources. Registration available in gsEvents.

First Aid CPR/AED Blended Blended Learning First Aid/AED/CPR training comprises online study and in-person skills demonstration. This Red Cross training certifies for infant through adult. Participants must complete both parts to receive their certification. You must complete the online portion, approximately 5-7 hours of training, prior to attending the in-person skills demonstration. There are videos to complete and an online manual. Registration available in gsEvents.

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GSUSA’s New Leader Onboarding Series In this series of self-paced trainings, learn what Girl Scouts do, how to engage families in troop activities, and how to walk through your first troop meeting. Available online in gsLearn.

In this in-person training, our certified facilitators will help you get comfortable leading STEM and conservation activities with girls, providing sample activity plans, and more. Registration available in gsEvents.

New Leader Sundaes: Café’s 1-3 Get a jump start on your next learning level as a new leader with these three training courses, all in one afternoon: Welcome to Our Community, Troop Finances 101 and Recruiting a Troop Committee.

You’ll be ready for your first meeting with Girl Scout families after this virtual meeting with other leaders who are just getting started and our experienced facilitators, who are there to answer your questions.

Registration available in gsEvents.

Volunteer Basics The four modules of this training cover Safety Basics, Troop/Group Basics, Financial Basics and DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging). This training is required for all new leaders and recommended for any volunteer. Available online in gsLearn.

Partnering with Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors This training is highly recommended for NEW leaders working with Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador program levels or leaders moving to Cadette leadership. Gain insight on how girls this age think, guide them in girl planning, and when to step back so girls can develop leadership skills. Discover ways to become teen savvy, how to talk to girls about the 3T’s (Touchy Teen Topics), and the importance of maintaining confidentiality with troop members. Registration available in gsEvents.

Partnering with Girl Scout Juniors Adults new to the Junior leadership role are encouraged to attend this course. This course is designated to provide specifics on working with girls in in the fourth and fifth grades. It includes various forms of troop government, characteristics of the girls, the girl/adult partnership, tips on girl planning, and more. Registration available in gsEvents.

Volunteer Camper Certification (VCC) After this hands-on learning experience, you’ll be ready to take your girls outdoors and able to support their camp planning activities safely and confidently. Participate in four different outdoor cooking methods, outdoor ceremonies, campfire basics, and more. It also prepares you for cooking in a safe, efficient way and helps you develop other basic outdoor skills. Most importantly, you will leave ready to apply what you have learned in both courses (this and the prerequisite) to help the girls plan camping activities. Prerequisite: Camping and Overnight Basics (COB). Registration available in gsEvents.

Youth Protection Level 1 Learn how to recognize the different signs of abuse and neglect, and how to be proactive to prevent child abuse. This course is required for ALL volunteers working with girls. Available online in gsLearn.

Project WILD The goal of Project WILD is to develop awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment resulting in informed decisions, responsible behavior, and constructive actions concerning wildlife and the environment.

Youth Protection Level 2 Overnight activities bring a new set of circumstances for youth protection. This course is a deeper dive into the definitions, signs, and symptoms of abuse as well as reporting and protecting yourself while volunteering with youth. This course is required for all volunteers attending overnights and/or camping with girls. Available online in gsLearn.

Troop Dos and Don’ts – Fall 2023

Volunteer Basics – Updated!

Check out this handy list of Fall dos and don’ts for troop team members!

DO: q Check in with troop member girls and adults and confirm membership renewal by Sept. 30. q Obtain updated F-185 Girl Medical Form and F-204 Permission slips for your new meeting year. q Obtain adult emergency slips and updated certifications from volunteers, as needed. q Engage girls in planning their Girl Scout year! Leave some room in the calendar for new interests and activities. q Check your myGS roster for any expiring volunteer background checks. q Start a new F-31A Troop Finance Report tracking sheet for income and expenses. q Collect new or updated F-122 Volunteer Service Records from all troop volunteers – turn in copies to Community leadership.

DON’T: q Plan the whole year without the girls’ input. q Wait until the last minute to renew troop memberships.

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Check out the updated 591 Volunteer Basics training in gsLearn! The “basics” of being a volunteer in Girl Scouts of San Jacinto. The four modules of this training cover Safety Basics, Troop/Group Basics, Financial Basics and DEIB. All volunteers are encouraged to refresh this training to obtain updates to troop leadership resources and requirements.

Your Year of Fulfillment

Think back to when you were a kid. Remember the people who really listened to you, who inspired you, and who helped support you through it all? When you volunteer with Girl Scouts, you are one of those people.

Together, you and your troop will try new things, help your community, build each other up, and make unforgettable memories. Through fun, laughter, and connection, you’ll create a safe space where girls are celebrated for being themselves.

This year, be a role model and mentor just by being yourself! Thank you for volunteering!

We’re Bringing the Heat!

Fall Volunteer Conference is bringing the heat in 2023!

Important Information: Dates: Nov. 10-12, 2023 Location: Camp Agnes Arnold Price: $50 Early bird registration, $60 for on-time registration

(Some courses may have an additional charge.)

What’s Included: Meals while at camp, classes on Saturday, two nights of camping Additional Costs: First Aid Certification ($55), Volunteer Camper Certification ($30),

See online for costs: Taste of Adventure Park, Archery Certification,

and Adventure Park Aide New this Year: • Enrichment classes like Finding Our Founder, Rhythm Sticks, Birding in Texas, and more!

• Archery Certification • Adventure Park Aide Certification • Collaborations with outside organizations like Project WILD

Returning this Year: • Two Nights of camping (Friday and Saturday) included in your price!

• Early bird discount for registering early (Aug. 1- Sept.15) • Taste of Adventure Park sessions • Multiple shopping opportunities at the Girl Scout Shop • Campfire and flag ceremonies

Join us for all your favorite classes and a few new options. We’re stoked to have you join us! This year, we will continue offering an all-inone training weekend for new and experienced leaders! Come to FVC and get first aid certified, take your Volunteer Camper Certification (VCC), take a program-level training and become archery certified all in one weekend! While here you can also visit the Girl Scout Shop, exchange S.W.A.P.S., see the new goats and chickens at Misty Meadows, meet fellow Girl Scout leaders, and so much more! For more information, please contact Cassie Robinson at crobinson@sjgs.org. Please note registration for VCC, archery, Adventure Park aide, and first aid classes will be offered separately on gsEvents. You must register for these events separately if you wish to participate in them.

e

Rhythm

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Advanced Outdoors (primitive camping) – Learn more about primitive camping and advance outdoor tricks and tips. This class is meant for those who are experienced campers or are hoping to learn more to become experienced campers.

A Taste of Adventure Park - Experience our new Adventure course.

For an additional fee, Adventure course facilitators from GSSJC will guide you through elements that are now available for our Cadette and older Girl Scouts.

A Taste of Archery - Ever wonder why your girls cannot hit the Bullseye? It’s a lot harder than you think! Take part in the same learning opportunity your troop has at a Bull’s Eye for Girls event. Learn what archery opportunities are available to your troop: Bull's Eye, JOAD, Community, and troop. Participants will learn how to hold a bow; nock an arrow properly; use safety equipment properly; fire an arrow; and learn more about the GSSJC Archery Program A Taste of Canoeing - Get a taste of what it is like to take your troop canoeing and explore other available water activities, such as kayaks and coracles. These activities are great for team building and an enjoyable and relaxing way to experience the outdoors. Before you let your imagination go wild as you canoe around Snake Island and Shadow Lake, learn about prerequisites, waterfront safety, basic canoe strokes, gear, and canoeing jargon. In addition, learn about how a girl may become a canoe aide or a canoe instructor. \\ A Taste of Fishing - What is the difference between spin casting and baitcasting? When should you use an Arbor knot and a Palmor knot?

What type of bait should you use and how do you properly catch and release? Join us for a taste of fishing and find out the answers to all these questions and more. During the last 20 minutes of the class, you will have the chance to fish at Shadow Lake. This class is brought to you by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Angler Education Program.

Birding - Explore how to identify the most common birds in our area with biology professor and ornithologist, Dr. Diane Neudorf. We will learn about different habitats to look for birds, when and where they nest, bird fun facts to share with your troop, and how your troop can get involved in bird conservation. We will discuss the best birding techniques for different age groups and take a birding walk to practice identification skills.

Bullet Journaling – Dive into the popular world of bullet journaling!

Take your calendar, to-do list, and self-improvement goals to the next level. Be inspired by specialized spreads that apply to both troop leaders and girls in their personal and scouting pursuits. Bringing dry badges to life is a snap with engaging spreads tailored to each topic.

Campfire Songs – Sit around the campfire, sing songs, and plan a successful campfire. Celebrate the joys, the laughter, and traditions of Girl Scouting through music. If you wish, you may bring an electronic recording device to preserve the memories. Songs books will be included with this class.

Camp Shuttle Tour – Experience a guided tour of two of our favorite camps in GSSJC: Camp Agnes Arnold and Misty Meadows Ranch. This tour will allow those who are newer to camp to have a brief exploration of some of the most popular sights like the Peace Pole trail, the chicken and goat pen, and more while being driven around in a people mover.

We will share fun stories and camp history and you take them back to your troop on your next troop adventure!

Conflict Resolution – Bickering between parents in your troop? Just can't get along with your co-leader? Walk through GSSJC’s Volunteer Relations Conflict Management Roadmap and learn techniques to kick your drama to the curb in this session. You will leave with information about resources to deal with conflict between adults and the confidence to manage any situation thrown your way with grace!

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Coptic Book Binding – Join us in exploring the Book Artist Cadette badge! Learn about the different bookbinding methods and tools in practice today, then try your hand at Coptic bookbinding fulfilling step five of the badge. You will go home with a Coptic bound book and stepby-step instructions to share with your troop.

Creeks Alive – Bring water ecology alive for your girls! The workshop includes an introduction to basic science and firsthand field experience.

Wear your boots and identify the conditions of a healthy water system and the critters that live there.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) - GSSJC fosters belonging and respect for all girls. We empower all girls, volunteers, and staff to fulfill their potential and make the world a better place. Our Girl Scout Promise drives us to provide diverse, equitable, and inclusive experiences where all girls, volunteers, and staff are confident they belong. We stand firm in these commitments and united by these ideals.

Join us as we explore this topic more in depth.

Fairy Garden 2.0 - Fairy houses make such a cute decoration for your garden. Learn how to use natural and recycled materials to make a fairy house that you can share with your girls.

Finding Our Founder – Did you ever want to know more about the founder of Girl Scouts? Come experience and learn more about Juliette Low and how Girl Scouts began. You'll learn different activities about Juliette Low that you can share with your troop on Juliette’s birthday or any other time.

First Look at The New Digital Cookie Platform - Join us for a first look in next year's Digital Cookie site, the storefront for Girl Scouts during the Cookie Program. We will give you a peek into Digital Cookie features such as girl dashboards, order taking, searching orders, financial tracking, and more. Brought to you by the Product Sales Operation team.

Games and Skits – If your girls are struggling with too much downtime, take this class to get many easy-to-implement ideas for helping your girls entertain themselves including skit ideas, silly songs and games, and other fun activities that would be great for any age girl.

Girl Progression in Finances - As girls progress in the program levels, finances are no exception. Discover ways to guide girls in the everyday workings of their troop finances, and how to budget for activities and their annual goals. Learn strategies for stepping back and letting the girls take the lead.

Guitar 201 - Calling all experienced guitar players. In this class you will learn to play a song AND perform with the group at Saturday night’s campfire program. Reading music is not required and you will learn how to utilize chord charts to learn chord progressions to play songs. Feel free to bring your own instrument or you can borrow one for this session.

Highest Awards – Come and learn all about the higher awards available for your girls on their Girl Scout journey! Led by Higher Awards advisors and staff, this is a great class for troop leaders about to embark on higher award projects for the first time. There will also be a brief question and answer period for leaders to ask questions.

How to Teach Leave No Trace – Brought to you by Texas A&M Forestry. Leave No Trace covers topics and skills in minimizing our impacts on the environments where we learn and recreate. Human activity can affect the health and sustainability of wild spaces and, while our environmental impacts can never be fully eliminated, Leave No Trace teaches responsible ethics that can help us reduce negative impacts and promote the sustainable use of natural spaces.

How to Run and Complete a Journey - Girl Scout Journeys are an important part of how girls learn to make a difference in the world – and have fun while doing it! Learn how to run a journey efficiently, such as combining sessions, creating a journey sleepover weekend, how to take your Journey outdoors, and how to keep girls engaged and excited throughout the Journey activities. We will also spend time on the main emphasis of any Journey – Take Action Project and how to guide and mentor girls through this process.

HUD How to work with neurodivergent youth – The HUB Houston is a relationship-centered educational program serving neurodiverse teenagers and young adults as they navigate their personal journey through academics, employability, community involvement, and care.

We bring belonging to life in a community where members are Heard, Understood and Believed in. Our program faculty believes belonging to a community is at the heart of learning. Our conviction is that a community will thrive best when every member is Heard, Understood and Believed in. Our Vision: The HUB aspires to be a welcoming, joyful center where interactive relationship practice is central, and where each member is accepted and cherished just as they are.

I’m New Here – Lingo, Learning, and Laughs - New to Girl Scouts and feeling a little lost between the lingo and traditions? What are all these acronyms – VTK, WAGGGS, CST, CLT, VEM, CEM, GSSJC, and why are my girls in a circle with their hands tied in a knot? Pearls? Silver and Gold? Wait, I thought you said your name is Erin…why did she just call you Maverick? Learn and laugh with us as we explain the wonderful world of Girl Scouting and what you need to know to feel more confident to delve into this fabulous journey with your troop, your troop families, and, most importantly, the girls!

Introduction to Project Learning Tree & Project WILD – Brought to you by Texas A&M Forestry. Project Learning Tree and Project WILD make it so easy and fun to learn and teach about natural resources and wildlife, you don’t have to be an expert to be successful. This workshop covers an introduction into a nature-based curriculum that encourages leaders to explore teaching youth how to think, not what to think about complex environmental issues.

Keys to Leadership – This class is a foundational exploration of leadership for every adult volunteer who works with girls of all ages.

Recognizing leadership in yourself and others can be a challenge, so we are here to help you unlock the mystery. Discover three common types of leadership styles and use them to unlock girl potential. Connect to leadership as it applies to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Take action by participating in activities that will help you recognize the inner leader of every girl you know. Start your leadership journey today!

Knife Skills 101 – Learn the basics of knife skills at camp and progressing the girls from safely handling a knife to creative uses.

Knots & Lashings - Want to teach the troop some useful camp skills they will think are cool? A few knots, twigs, and twine, then you and the girls are on your way to having fun making tables and some gadgets from camping.

Legends, Graves, and Magic Elves…and a lot of hiking – What do a purple hippo, a magic elf, snake island, and Indian Joe's grave have in common? Camp Agnes Arnold! Make these legends come alive for your girls when you visit this longtime favorite camp. Be able to tell great stories and impress your girls. The class includes a walking tour to a few of these secret locations.

Look Wider Still: Troop Travel, Destinations, & Global Action – Learn about the amazing experiences and resources available to all Girl Scouts who have a hankering for adventure and an interest in learning about others. The Global Action Team will share all the latest information about the patch program, Global Girl Scout, which was designed to help prepare your girls to live successfully within our global society. The team will talk about troop travel, The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), getaways and destinations, Global Action Days, and more.

Nature Walk Plant & Tree ID - Have you ever been on a nature hike and wanted to be able to identify trees and plants for your troop? If your answer is yes, then this is the class for you! Come prepared to hike around camp with Texas Parks & Wildlife District wildlife biologist Trestan Bryant and learn from an expert!

Outdoor Cooking (Box Oven) – Push your outdoor cooking skills to the next level in this session! Learn how to make a box oven and then make some yummy dishes in it! You'll leave with lots of tasty new ideas for you and your girls.

Outdoor Cooking (Dutch Oven) – Dutch ovens are the camp cook’s best friend! You can cook, sauté, and bake in your Dutch oven. A Dutch oven is standard equipment in most GSSJC kitchen units, and they are large enough to feed everyone at the same time! Learn the ins and outs of how to use and care for Dutch ovens. So, bring your mess kit, a drink, and healthy appetite, and let's cook the Dutch oven Way! Outdoor Cooking (One Pot Meal) – This class is geared toward troops who want to provide hot, nutritious, tasty, and quick meals for their busy troops. The meals from this class allow for girl participation and will get the leader out of the kitchen and into the fun.

Recognizing Your Limits Avoiding Burn Out – High stress and feelings of frustration are signs of trouble for you and the girls you work with. Do you know what burnout looks and sounds like? Too many tasks and not enough time on the clock? Are you one straw away from back-breaking chaos? Taking care of yourself is an important skill for all volunteers. Join us for reflection, assessment, and conversation as we take back control of our lives. Learn how to decompress and say, “no,” without feeling guilty. Learn how to apply your new skills to your troop, family, and work. The work you begin in this class will be with you for a lifetime!

Service Versus Take Action – How can service become more than parents picking up canned goods to donate? Help girls discover the root cause of an issue and, when appropriate, how to elevate simple service to a Take Action project. Come to this workshop and walk away with a better understanding of the difference between a service project and a Take Action project and ideas for service for all Girl Scout levels. Learn how to keep this process girl-lead.

Special Interest Groups (SIGs) – Learn all about the Special Interest Groups your girls can join depending on their program level and interests! There will be time for a Q& A session, information on starting your own SIG, and how to sign up for the SIGs that exist!

STEM Crafts for Younger & Older Girl – Crafting with a STEM focus. Gain some hands-on experience creating exciting projects that will spark girls' interest and give you some ideas for completing new badge steps.

Tinickling & Rhythm Sticks – You and your troop can have fun using broom sticks and poles to create rhythmic sounds and movements.

Troop Budgeting and Money Management – Are troop finances and budgeting a mystery to you? Do you understand what all the paperwork is for? This course will provide basic information to help you and the girls manage the troop account and budget for planned activities. You will also get information on when and how you can apply for moneyearning activities, solicit troop donations, supply documentation related to a volunteer grant from an employer, and how to stay in good standing with the council as a leader/advisor.

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Philanthropy Do you remember the first time you attended camp?

For many girls, Girl Scout camp is a life-changing experience A mother whose daughter participates that helps them grow in courage, confidence, and character. In in Girl Scouts through our outreach addition, there’s the excitement of making new friends, the joy of program shared this: learning new skills, and the wonder of exploring nature.

“My daughter and I are on our own.

In today’s world, it’s easy to become glued to our phones. Girl I’m a single mother. For her to have Scout camps offer an opportunity for girls to unplug from the Girl Scouts in school has been great. constant barrage of technology. The screen time break is vital And now she gets to go to camp with a for mental health as girls struggle with anxiety and stress more scholarship. I would never be able to and more each day. In fact, a recent study by the American Camp do all this for her on my own.”

Association recognizes summer camp as a therapeutic tool for - A grateful mom reducing anxiety in youth!

At camp girls can participate in archery, swimming, horseback riding, hiking, art, cooking over a fire, a challenge course, and more. And while each of these activities is exciting, Girl Scout camp is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s a special place where girls can experience countless transformative moments that build friendships, leadership skills, and self-confidence.

It’s a special place where girls can experience countless transformative moments that build friendships, leadership skills, and a positive well-being. But not every girl has the opportunity to attend camp.

GSSJC offers camp scholarships for girls whose families need financial assistance to attend camp.

These scholarships are awarded based on need, and donors like you help fund them. By giving to our camp scholarship fund, you can make a difference in the lives of girls who otherwise would miss the fun and adventure of camp.

Your generosity will enable girls to learn about themselves and others as they interact with new friends, experience the outdoors, and build self-esteem. A gift of any amount can help a girl attend camp, but a $720 gift will give a girl access to an entire week of overnight camp, and a $350 gift will provide a girl a week of day camp.

Donate now to give a girl the gift of camp and help her grow in courage, confidence, and character. Donate at www.gssjc.org/donate or scan the QR code. For information, contact Ruth Delaunay at rdelaunay@sjgs.org.

Thank You, GSSJC Donors! $500,000+ - Gold United Way of Greater Houston $25,000-$49,999 – Ambassador Kay K. Craig United Way of Mid & South Jefferson County $10,000-$24,999 – Senior Bank of America Melinda Reeves Texas Parks and Wildlife $5,000-$9,999 – Cadette Harriet and Joe Foster Foundation Valero Energy Corporation Whalley Foundation $1,000-$4,999 – Junior Albemarle Foundation Anne V. Blount Chevron Phillips Chemical Company 38 Fall 2023 l The Golden Link

Janet Clark ConocoPhillips Company EOG Resources, Inc. Mary and Brian Gedelian Rhonda Hart Candice E. Koederitz Angela MartinWorthington Natalie Meador Moody National Bank Anika Muslawski Shauna G. Noonan Anne Reed Shell Oil Company Nancy and Bud Simpson Amanda van Adrichem $250-$999 – Brownie Accenture Amazon Smile Foundation Vincent Berend Kelly Brock Andrea Cavalier Celanese Americas Foundation Christi Gimenez

For any questions about the donor list, contact Suzanne Carmona at 713-292-0334 or scarmona@sjgs.org. Honorariums listed are $250 and above.

Gayle T. Green Claudia W. Hayslip Corrie B. Jenkins The Kroger Company Beth M. Merfish McKesson Foundation Margaret C. Montana Tricia Moody Linda Peterson Sally Anne Schmidt Dianna Singh United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey United Way of Midland County Danielle Ward Freddy Warner Woodland Trails Community

Memorials

In Memory of Dee Hinkle Adrian Acevedo Rebecca Altemus Jo Blackburn

Dorothy F. Blefeld Alice Bohlae Dawn Golden Brule Joanna Bustamante Janet Clark Stephen Duncan Mary L. Gedelian Gayle & Charles Green Helen Hatfield Thomas I. Jackson Corrie B. Jenkins Jerry Keen Madhav M. M Kulkarni Bette B. Lehmberg Anita Lewis Barbara Lewis Ethel M. Lewis John Lewis Miner Alumni Association Richard Minks Margaret C. Montana Rebecca Morgan Evelyn Rightmire Douglass Robison Mary K. Ryder Janie A. Sample

Paula Stevens Mary M. Vitek Freddy Warner Dan Wexler Dorothy Wheatley Tommy Williams Marcelyn Woods Miranda Young In Memory of John F. Kelly Fred Phelleps Amy Thibodeaux

Honorariums

In Honor of Kalissi Cerda Jessica Cerda In Honor of Darcie Durham Beth M. Merfish In Honor of Peggy Rios Cherie Chaney

Scrapbook Send your photos to communications@sjgs.org. Put your troop number in the subject line.

South Bridge Community host a Silver Tea for all Silver Award recipients. There were girls from Troop 145001 and Troop 21220.

Along with the Silver Award Pin the girls received a pearl bracelet with a special daisy charm in recognition of our founder Juliette Gordon Low.

Troop 143133 vistied a wolf sanctuary. They also had fun exploring the county of Zimbabwe for World Thinking Day.

As part of World Thinking Day, Troop 114182 collected items to make 28 Italian dinners for the families of the Klein United Methodist Church Food Pantry. They studied Italy as part of World Thinking Day celebrations.

Troop 126196 volunteered at Kid's Meals, an organization in Houston that aims to end childhood hunger by delivering healthy meals to pre-school aged children year-round.

Troop 149058 used their cookie earnings to attend the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo where they mixed Girl Scout business at the livestock and horticulture exhibits with pleasure, enjoying rides, games, and Texas carnival cuisine.

Troop 130337 in Port Neches recycled cookie cases with Lamar University Recycling. They were able to fill an entire tote with cookie case cardboard from cookie sales and booths!

Hi troops! We are looking for pictures of your troop meetings.

You might see them on this page or in other council materials.

Please include your troop number and community name. Send them to communications@sjgs.org Fall 2023 l The Golden Link

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Troops 20138, 20145, and 20223 had the opportunity to listen to health professionals talk about education opportunities. The Daisies and Brownies earned the Courage and Strong badge, while the older girls earned their First Aider badge. For some of the new Girl Scouts, this was their first chance to participate in a Girl Scout event. New adult caregivers learned about resources and health topics from Bee Busy Wellness Center.

Dahlia from Troop 152025 had a busy cookie season.

They delivered Cookies4Heroes to many people including the staff at Grand Mission Dentistry.

Troop 114185 went to camp at Silver Springs unit at Camp Agnes Arnold.

Troop 111139 worked on their Coding Basics badge at the Apple Store in Willowbrook Mall with Ms. Perla. The girls learned java coding with basics and functions through Swift Playground.

Troop 118108 participated in a Spartan Race where they earned the Trail Adventure badges.

Daisies ran a half mile, Brownies ran one mile, and Juniors ran two miles!

Obstacles included a spear throw, rope climb, tunnel crawl, mud pit, and wall jump!

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Southbridge celebrates Girl Scout legacy with Troop 145001 at the Girl Scout Annual Meeting. Mother - Kaphne H. and daughter- Renelle H. (right) and mother -Patrina C. and daughter - Kiyrah C. The girls were also delegates.

JonniSue, Mackenzie, Destyn, Teryn, and Haruka from Troop 130337 were visited by Port Arthur police officers at their last booth of the season!

Troop 108031 went to Camp Silver Springs and completed their Junior Art Creator badge by finding the tractor to spray paint at Camp Agnes Arnold!

Troop 106224 had Olivia and Emma sell 30 cookie shares.

They, along with other girls from the troop, delivered cookies to the newest fire station in South Montgomery County

Troop 126141 recently completed a Take Action project to complete their Breathe Journey by planting and offering Home Air Purifying plants to families in the Nottingham Community. In total, 90 plants were prepared and claimed by local families.

South Bridge celebrated and honored fellow girls during their Court of Awardz held in May.

Troop 152119 went camping at Camp Wind-A-mere to celebrate the end of the cookie season. Their two CEOs also got to pie their leader’s faces as a result of earning bingo cards at cookie booths.

Troop 108031 used a portion of their cookie money to support children in foster care by purchasing, decorating, and assembling Sweet Case duffle bags to help support children in the community through a great non-profit organization called Together We Rise.

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Troop 4343 attending a Fitness workshop sharing the importance in better health choices and staying active, Troop 122019 recently represented their middle schools in HISD’s Name That Book competition. Emily’s (right) team came in first. All three Girl Scouts cheered on their Girl Scout sisters during the competition.

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42 Fall 2023 l The Golden Link

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