Girl Scouts in Roxana have been working on a community garden for their Challenge and Change project. Challenge and Change is a program funded United States Department of Agriculture to strengthen rural communities. Girls become change-makers through such programs as they envision and start long-term community service projects in their very own communities.
Girls begin with an initial day long training where they learn leadership, problem solving and entrepreneurial skills through a comprehensive curriculum. Led by trained facilitators, the girls discover what effective leadership looks like, connect with local experts and take action by digging into issues affecting their communities. After the training, girls recruit a community action team, including an adult who serves as their community champion, to turn their good idea into a sustainable, long-term project.
In Roxana, Girl Scouts from Service Unit 101 have created a Heritage Garden to highlight different plans and natural features of Southern Illinois. They are partnering with the Roxana Parks and Recreation Department, The Nature Institute and Tom the Plant Guy to offer engaging learning and service experiences for students and local community members.
