Recent GSSI Alumna Earns Give Back Scholars Award From Murray State

Casey Blankenship (right) and her mother and former troop leader, Martha

Recent Girl Scout alumna Casey Blankenship recently received a Give Back scholars award from Murray State University, where she is currently a freshman.  The award recognizes students for their community service and Casey was selected, in part, for giving back to the community while she completed her Girl Scout Gold Award.
 

Casey was a 2013 graduate of Carterville High School and has been a Girl Scout for 14 years.  For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, she generated awareness about MRSA, or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, which took the life of her grandmother.

To educate the public, Casey first gave presentations around the community educating people on the facts of MRSA and methods to prevent it.  She also handed out informational packets to summer lunch programs, preschools, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, day cares, nursing homes, area schools, as well as area shops.  To extend her message to a worldwide audience, she created a video demonstrating hand washing techniques that can prevent the spread of the infection and shared it on YouTube.

“It was all such a learning experience,” she said about earning her Girl Scout Gold Award. “I learned that no task is too big or too hard for me to accomplish.”
 

Casey is currently studying Nursing at Murray State.  She plans to continue to volunteer through Girl Scouts.

Give the Gift of Girl Scouting

As we near the end of the year we wanted to take a moment to share with you some of the ways contributions to GSSI have made a difference in the lives of nearly 14,000 girls in Southern Illinois. 

In the past year, gifts to GSSI have provided over $150,000 in financial assistance.  This included:

• Nearly $52,000 to pay for more than 4,300 girls' membership dues
• Over $30,000 in camp scholarships allowing 166 girls to attend resident camp at Camp Cedar Point
• More than $1,900 in financial assistance to 65 girls allowing them to attend one of our summer day camps

Support to GSSI has also allowed us to grow our Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programming.  Specifically we have:

• Increased from one robotics team in 2010 to supporting 25 First Lego League, Junior First Lego League, and Botball teams
• Offered a STEM Explosion camp at Camp Torqua which was attended by 51 girls
• Held our first science badge series for Girl Scout Brownies

Please consider making a gift to help us continue building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.  With your support we can make sure all girls have a chance to learn leadership skills, experience camp and participate in STEM programming like robotics.

With your gift you can make a difference for someone like Akayla, who wants to major in law and has an interest in engineering who said, "Robotics has changed my whole life.  Now I know how to work as a team.  I learned to be patient when working together to achieve something."  She added that the robotics program has convinced her that she can help other people and change the world.

Thank you for your continued support of Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois. 

Donate now!

Four GSSI Robotics Teams Headed to State Competition

The Lego Divas from Effingham 

Four GSSI Robotics Teams are headed to the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) state tournament on Jan. 18 at University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.

FLL is a robotics program for 9 to 14 year olds which is designed to get children excited about science and technology, as well as teach them valuable life skills.   Teams use a LEGO MINDSTORMS set to build and program an autonomous robot to score points on a themed playing surface.  The theme for this year’s tournament was “Nature’s Fury” and concerned natural disasters and how science can help aid prevention and recovery efforts.  Along with programming robots, teams were also evaluated on an elaborate research project, as well as how well they demonstrate FLL Core Values, which include teamwork, collective learning, active participation and gracious professionalism.  After practicing and preparing for months, teams meet at regional qualifying tournaments to be graded on the three elements, with the top teams advancing to state competition.

On Dec. 7, the Lego Divas from Effingham advanced to the state tournament after competing at the O'Fallon regional qualifier at Carriel Jr. High.  They also took home the Project Award for their outstanding research project, the "Heat Buddy" a battery operated heated blanket designed to help stranded motorists.  

At the O'Fallon tournament, The Twisters from Troy/Marine completed the tournament with the fourth highest table score, while the Robotic Gems from Washington Park and The Unknowns from Belleville also had good showings during the competition.

On Dec. 14, eleven GSSI Robotics Teams had been scheduled to compete in the McKendree University Regional Qualifier.  However, a winter storm and icy road conditions caused the event to be cancelled.   As no makeup date could be arranged, eight teams were selected to advance to the state tournament through a lottery system.  GSSI teams made up nearly half of the total numbers of teams that were registered for the double tournament and three teams drawn ended up being from GSSI.   

The qualifying teams are:  TBot907 from Roxana, Lightning Storm from Belleville and G4S4 from Ozark. 

Other GSSI teams who were scheduled for the McKendree regional are: The Tornado Twisters from Albers, Tornado Tech Girls from Pinckneyville, Robo Fury from Godfrey, GIR! Girls Investigating Robots from Staunton, Catastrophic Cadettes from Staunton, The Fireworks from Glen Carbon, The Purple Robot Penguins from O’Fallon and The Shiloh Robo Bears from Shiloh.

"We are so proud of all of our GSSI Robotics Teams and excited that we have four teams competing in the FIRST LEGO League state tournament, " said GSSI's STEM Program Manager Mary Buchanan.  "Coaches and girls put countless hours of work into programming their robot, completing their research and practicing their presentation to get ready for FLL tournaments.  The girls are learning a lot -- not just about programming and research, but also about persistence, working together and dedication to achieving a goal." 

About GSSI's Robotic Program: 

In 2009, GSSI began its robotics journey with one robotic team.  This year, GSSI is sponsoring 25 Girl Scout robotics teams in three different leagues.  Robotics teams are a key component to GSSI’s initiative to get more girls in southern Illinois interested and involved in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).  Other STEM programming ranges from doing basic chemistry experiments with younger girls to teaching financial literacy during the Girl Scout Cookie Program to introducing older girls to career mentors in engineering and medicine.

“Engaging girls in STEM in exciting, relevant ways is vital,” said GSSI STEM Program Manager Mary Buchanan. “Research shows that many students, especially girls, drift away from STEM around middle school.  GSSI provides diverse opportunities to build and reinforce interest in these important fields.  As shown by our growth in the number of robotics teams, many girls are searching for ways to stay involved in STEM and we strive to provide them with unique and constructive experiences.”

Girl Scouts has a long history of encouraging girls to participate in STEM.  The first STEM badges – the electrician badge and the flyer badge – were introduced in 1913!

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois serves 14,000 girls and 4,800 adult volunteers in more than 40 counties in southern Illinois. Girl Scouting has inspired more than 50 million girls and women since its founding in 1912. Girl Scouting is focused on providing a premier Girl Scout Leadership Experience for girls in the 21st century, while ensuring the traditions and values that have been core to Girl Scouting since its beginning remain strong and relevant. 

GSSI Robotics Teams Compete in FIRST LEGO LEAGUE Regional Tournament

Members of the Lego Divas during FLL table competition. 

Four GSSI Robotics Teams competed in the FIRST Lego League (FLL) qualifier at Carriel Jr. High on Saturday, Dec. 7:  

The Lego Divas from Effingham,  coached by Dawn Quicksall and Matthew Blacker

The Robotic Gems from Washington Park, coached by Karmilia Prude

The Twisters from Troy/Marine, coached by Amy Beard and Sara Tipton

The Unknowns from Belleville, coached by Julie Herr

FLL is a robotics program for 9 to 14 year olds which is designed to get children excited about science and technology, as well as teach them valuable life skills.   Teams use a LEGO MINDSTORMS Lego set to build and program an autonomous robot to score points on a themed playing surface.  The theme for this year’s tournament was “Nature’s Fury” and concerned natural disasters and how science can help aid prevention and recovery efforts.  Along with programming robots, teams were also evaluated on an elaborate research project, as well as how well they demonstrate FLL Core Values, which include teamwork, collective learning, active participation and gracious professionalism.  After practicing and preparing for months, teams meet at regional qualifying tournaments to be graded on the three elements, with the top teams advancing to state competition. 

The Lego Divas qualified for state competition during the FIRST Lego League (FLL) regional qualifier at Carriel Jr. High in O’Fallon on Saturday, Dec. 7.    They also took home the Project Award for their outstanding research project, the "Heat Buddy" a battery operated heated blanket designed to help stranded motorists.  

The Twisters from Troy/Marine completed the tournament with the fourth highest table score, while the Robotic Gems from Washington Park and The Unknowns from Belleville also had good showings during the competition. 

"We are so proud of all of our GSSI Robotics Teams and excited to see the Lego Divas advance to the next level of competition, " said GSSI's STEM Program Manager Mary Buchanan.  "Coaches and girls put countless hours of work into programming their robot, completing their research and practicing their presentation to get ready for FLL tournaments.  The girls are learning a lot -- not just about programming and research, but also about persistence, working together and dedication to achieving a goal." 

Eleven GSSI Robotics Teams will compete in the McKendree University Regional Qualifier on Saturday, Dec. 14.  The are:  G4SF from Ozark, The Tornado Twisters from Albers, Tornado Tech Girls from Pinckneyville, TBot 907 from Roxana, Robo Fury from Godfrey, GIR! Girls Investigating Robots from Staunton, Catastrophic Cadettes from Staunton, The Fireworks from Glen Carbon, The Purple Robot Penguins from O’Fallon, The Shiloh Robo Bears from Shiloh, Lightning Storm from Belleville.  Qualifying teams from both regionals will compete at the FLL State Tournament - Illinois Central on Jan. 18 at University of Illinois in Urbana. 

About GSSI's Robotic Program: 

In 2009, GSSI began its robotics journey with one robotic team.  This year, GSSI is sponsoring 25 Girl Scout robotics teams in three different leagues.  Robotics teams are a key component to GSSI’s initiative to get more girls in southern Illinois interested and involved in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).  Other STEM programming ranges from doing basic chemistry experiments with younger girls to teaching financial literacy during the Girl Scout Cookie Program to introducing older girls to career mentors in engineering and medicine.

“Engaging girls in STEM in exciting, relevant ways is vital,” said GSSI STEM Program Manager Mary Buchanan. “Research shows that many students, especially girls, drift away from STEM around middle school.  GSSI provides diverse opportunities to build and reinforce interest in these important fields.  As shown by our growth in the number of robotics teams, many girls are searching for ways to stay involved in STEM. and we strive to provide them with unique and constructive experiences.”

Girl Scouts has a long history of encouraging girls to participate in STEM.  The first STEM badges – the electrician badge and the flyer badge – were introduced in 1913!

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois serves 14,000 girls and 4,800 adult volunteers in more than 40 counties in southern Illinois. Girl Scouting has inspired more than 50 million girls and women since its founding in 1912. Girl Scouting is focused on providing a premier Girl Scout Leadership Experience for girls in the 21st century, while ensuring the traditions and values that have been core to Girl Scouting since its beginning remain strong and relevant. 

Four Generations of Girl Scouting at Camp Cedar Point

"My grandmother, Daphna Robinson, was the West Frankfort Service Unit director in the 1960's. She was also my mothers Girl Scout leader.  

I have a photo of my grandmother and other leaders attending Camp Cedar Point, standing in front of Bruce Lodge in 1965. Exactly 30 years later, my mother, Susan Elliott, who was my Girl Scout leader, took our troop to Camp Cedar Point and we had our picture made in front of Bruce Lodge.  Now, 18 years from then, I am my daughter's Girl Scout leader and took my daughter to Camp Cedar Point for the first time this year and had our picture taken standing in front of Bruce Lodge. 

Four generations of Girl Scouts and three generations of Girl Scout leaders standing in the same spot at Camp Cedar Point! 

My grandmother and my mother were both AWESOME Girl Scout leaders! I still have old classmates that were in my mother's troop who tell me stories about her and the times we had being in her troop. She made it so much fun, but we always learned a lot as well! She was more like a second mother to the girls in my troop, rather than just a leader. Now she is my co-leader of my daughters troop. It allows us to spend so much quality time together. I wish my grandmother was still with us to be able to help in my daughters troop as well. But through pictures I can still share the stories with my daughter!

Many of my aunts and cousins have also been leaders, so Girl Scouting runs deep in our family. Hopefully my daughter will continue the tradition with her children as well some day! "

Jacqueline Watkins, West Frankfort

Does your family have a Girl Scout story to tell?  Contact Communications & Marketing Manager Erin Johnson at ejohnson@gsofsi.org to share! 

Girl Scout Cookies Are Coming to Southern Illinois in January!

We all know the Girl Scout Cookie Program, the biggest girl-led business in the world, is about so much more than exchanging a box of tasty treats for money. When a Girl Scout sells you a package of cookies, she’s doing much more. She’s creating a plan, interacting with customers and working as part of a team. And, she’s also building a lifetime of skills and confidence linked to leadership and financial literacy.

2014 Girl Scout of Southern Illinois Cookie Program Girl Scout Cookies cost $4 per box Important Dates: December 14, 2013 – Cookie College January 10, 2014 – Cookie Rally January 10-12, 2014 – Council Wide Booth Sales January 11-25, 2014 – Order Taking February 28-March 2, 2014; March 7-9, 2014 and March 14-16, 2014 – Council Wide Booth Sales

What can a cookie buy? The experience of a lifetime.  Much more than a way to raise money, the Girl Scout Cookie Program is a hands-on leadership and entrepreneurial program unlike any other in the world.  Girls gain a wealth of essential skills, not from a book, but from real life experiences that build a strong foundation for success.  Many successful businesswomen and community leaders say they got their start selling Girl Scout Cookies.  Watch: The Business of Cookies

Learning Life Skills Through Girl Scouting, girls become leaders in their daily lives and prepare for their bright futures! The Girl Scout Cookie Program provides an important ingredient for leadership by helping girls develop five key skills: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills and Business Ethics.   Along the way, girls deepen relationships and create memories that will last a lifetime. She won’t want to miss the fun. And, you won’t want her to miss the learning! There’s no substitute for giving your Girl Scout the exciting, enriching experience of the Girl Scout Cookie Program.   Watch: What Grown Ups Need to Know About Selling Girl Scout Cookies How the Cookie CrumblesEvery penny of the Girl Scout Product Programs remains in our council.  Check out this chart to see how the proceeds from Girl Scout Product Programs are used here at Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois.  See photos of last year's Girl Scout Cookie Program

Marissa Schatz from Scott Air Force Base Receives the Girl Scout Gold Award

For her project, Art for the Heart, Marissa raised awareness of the value of art in society by organizing professionally taught art classes for SAFB youth and creating a gallery area in the Youth Center for them to share their artwork with family and friends. In addition, she coordinated an art show during SAFB’s annual Youth Fair, which hundreds of families attended.

“The arts are often overlooked in our society,” said Marissa. “I made an impact by demonstrating to children how entertaining art is in hopes that they will spread its joy throughout their lifetime.”  

While the children at SAFB learned more about art, Marissa developed crucial leadership skills for her future, including decision making, time management, effective communication and organizational skills. “The amount of knowledge I obtained through the course of this project is astounding,” she said. “It gave me confidence that I can achieve what I set my mind to if I have enough passion to pursue it.”

Marissa has been a Girl Scout for 13 years and received the Girl Scout Trifecta Award for earning her Girl Scout Bronze Award, Girl Scout Silver Award and Girl Scout Gold Award. Marissa is currently a senior as Mascoutah High School and plans to attend college to major in Biology next year. She is the daughter Kim and Wayne Schatz.

The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, recognizes a Girl Scout's commitment to excellence as she develops skills and values to meet present and future challenges in her life. To earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, a Girl Scout Senior or Girl Scout Ambassador must design and carry out a project that fulfills a need within a girl’s community, creates change, and is sustainable. The project must be completed with a suggested minimum of 80 hours of work. Only about 6 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.

Volunteer at STEM Series

Through community collaborations, GSSI provides an extensive STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program that allows girls to participate in robotics competitions, build bridges, discover science & technology and explore opportunities in nontraditional fields to uncover their full potential.  We are currently seeking volunteers to share skills and mentor girls through a STEM Series.  Girl Scout Series offer short term programming opportunities for girls as well as short term volunteer opportunities for adults.  These 4-6 week programs are offered in various locations throughout the council.

Other Volunteer Opportunities:

BFF (Be a Friend First) Series Volunteers

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois offers Series programs to girls over a 4-6 week session. We are looking for volunteers to lead the sessions. These take place during the school day, at after-school programs, and in other formats. Experience working with middle school aged kids is helpful, but not necessary. All curriculum and training is provided. The BFF (Be a Friend First) Series is focused on bullying, self-esteem and healthy communication. Opportunities are available in many communities throughout southern Illinois.

Office / Administrative Volunteers

We are seeking volunteers available to work at GSSI Service Centers in Glen Carbon or Mt. Vernon during the office hours of 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.  Assist with the behind the scenes work that helps to bring the valuable Girl Scout program to girls in our community.   Hours are flexible based on your schedule. Duties may include data entry, preparing mailings, answering phones, etc.

Retail $hop Volunteers

GSSI's Council Shop is looking for volunteers to assist with operations during the regular hours of 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, as well as the occasional Saturday morning. Duties would include stocking inventory, creating and maintaining displays, managing inventory, contacting customers and researching vendors.

Does your workplace offer an Employee Volunteer Program?

GSSI is looking to build partnerships with companies and organizations that offer an Employee Volunteer Program. If you work for or know of a workplace that offers a program like this, please contact Amanda at akaemmerer@gsofsi.org and we will take care of the rest!


To volunteer with GSSI, please contact Volunteer Services Manager Amanda Kaemmerer at 800.345.6858 or by e-mail at akammerer@gsofsi.org. 

Links:

GSSI Volunteer Opportunities

GSSI Event Calendar

VolunteerMatch.org

GSSI Council Shop Update: December 2013

The Perfect Gifts Say GIRL SCOUTS!!!
Shop our holiday gift collection in store or online for great gift ideas, holiday ornaments, winter apparel and more! See Holiday & Winter Items Now!

MYSTERY MONDAYS!
Don’t miss out on the Mystery Monday deals through December 16! Mystery Mondays are offered in-store as well as online. In-store and online shop offers may vary.

What’s New:

GirlScout Bandana Jigzaw 

GirlScout French Terry Hoodie  

Girl Scout Profiles 3-D Ornament 

GSSI Council Shops Extended Hours:
GSSI Council Shops will be open from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on the following Saturdays:
Dec. 7, 2013
Jan. 11, 2014
Feb. 8, 2014
April 12, 2014
May 3, 2014

Visit GSSI’s Mobile Shops at these upcoming Council Events:
December 14 – Cookie College – Centralia, IL

Upcoming GSSI Council Shop Sales:
December 16-23 – 10% off all in-stock gift items including all in-stock apparel (excludes GSUSA uniforms, uniform components and GSUSA insignia).
January 6-11 – 10% off all in-stock Cookie Program Merchandise.
Semi-Annual Clearance Event – 50% off clearance items.
December 26 – January 20 (online)
January 2-16 (in-store)


December Journey of the Month
Girl Scout Brownie: Brownie Quest
Receive $1 off of the featured Journey book and $1 off of the accompanying award when both are purchased.

GSSI Council Shop Contact Information:
Corporate Service Center: Beth Ross: 618.692.0692, ext. 1129 • e-mail: bross@gsofsi.org
Regional Service Center: Marilyn Border: 618.242.5079, ext. 2103 • e-mail: mborder@gsofsi.org

Go to GSSI’s Online Shop