Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois Around the Council: August 2018

Troop #1639 enjoyed a visit to Holiday World and Lincoln's Boyhood Home National Park

Clinton County Troop #688 leanred to tie a friendship knot

Cadettes from Staunton and Mount Olive ran a s'mores station and registration tent at the Staunton Balloon Glow.

Jefferson County Troop #8872 rededicated themselves to the Girl Scout Promise & Law.

Troop #74 from Belleville bridged to Cadettes and were honored by the Belleville Area Humane Society for their Girl Scout Bronze Award project.

Brownie Troop #8165 from Carbondale helped their leader Daisy C. with her official Monarch Waystation!

Highland Girl Scout Troop #342 held a bridging ceremony at Camp Torqua

Maddie D. addressed City Council about her Girl Scout Silver Award project.

Troop #191 from Belleville bridged from Brownies to Juniors.

Clinton County Girl Scouts held a fishing derby and raingutter boat race. 

Girl Scouts held a boat race family informational event at John A. Logan College.

New Girl Scouts have been signing up in Mt. Vernon.

GSSI's street team have been out thanking members of the community for their support of Girl Scouting. 

New Girl Scouts have been signing up in Mt. Vernon.

Girl Scouts bridged in Waterloo.

Caroline Stewart from Belleville Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Caroline Stewart from Belleville has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Washington Park Good Samaritan Center Playground, Caroline constructed an urban playground at the Good Samaritan Center in Washington Park. In the past, she assisted with Vacation Bible School and her and other volunteers noticed that the existing playground was unsafe. Through her efforts, a new playground was built from recycled materials that included a swing, a slide, a seesaw and a climbing structure. In addition, a basketball court was installed from grant money that had been received.

“I learned time management, better interpersonal communications skills, and how to ask for help when I needed it,” Caroline said of what she learned by completing her Girl Scout Gold Award project.

Caroline is the daughter of Doug and Christine Stewart. She graduated from Governor French Academy in 2017 and has been a Girl Scout for 12 years.

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 5 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.

Caroline Stewart from Belleville Awarded Outstanding Graduating Girl Scout Scholarship

Caroline Stewart from Belleville was awarded the Outstanding Graduating Girl Scout Scholarship from Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois during its All That Glitters awards ceremony. 

Caroline is a Girl Scout Ambassador who has been a Girl Scout for 11 years. She received her Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting, this year. She is also a GSSI Trifecta recipient, having earned the Girl Scout Silver Award and Girl Scout Bronze Award as well. She has also served as a Girl Scouts’ National Delegate, GSSI ex-officio Girl Board Member and a GSSI robotics team member and mentor. 

“Through Girl Scouting, I have had several amazing opportunities. However, the adventures I have had are not nearly as important as the skills and experience I have gained, and the way my identity has been shaped. I do not believe that I would be the person I am today had I not remained a Girl Scout,” said Caroline. 

GSSI CEO Sarah Durbin, Caroline Stewart, GSSI Board Chair Linda Manley

Caroline is currently a senior at Governor French Academy and also attends Southwestern Illinois College. She plans to study engineering at a top-ranked college in the fall. Caroline states that Girl Scouts has helped her develop an array of skills and knowledge, including public speaking, financial management and leadership, as well as helped her realize her potential to make a difference in the world. 

To receive a GSSI Outstanding Graduating Girl Scout Scholarship, girls must submit an application, essay and letters of recommendation. These applications are then reviewed by a committee of staff and volunteers. Applications wth the top three highest scores accumulated across a variety of criteria are awarded scholarships. Two of these scholarships are funded from proceeds from GSSI's annual Brownie Haunted Camp program, while one is funded by a GSSI staff campaign.

Sarah Eversman from Swansea Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Sarah Eversman from Swansea has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Plastic Caps, Sarah wanted to improve her school’s landscaping and show the importance of recycling to the environment. According to Sarah, she collected over 400 pounds of recycled plastic bottle caps and had a bench made for her school. She and her dad built an additional wood bench for extra seating. Finally, she created two new flower beds at her school to finish off the new and fresh look. 

This Girl Scout Gold Award project was a rewarding experience for Sarah. “Through my Girl Scout Gold Award project, I learned that anyone can make a difference in their community.”

Sarah is the daughter of Edward and Claire Eversman. She is currently a Senior at Belleville East Township High School. Sarah has been a Girl Scout for 7 years.

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 5 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.

Amelia Schmitz from Belleville Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Amelia Schmitz from Belleville has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Signal Hill School: Strong Minds. Strong Bodies. Strong Character, Amelia wanted to give back to the school that had an incredible impact on her Girl Scout experience. She shared that she earned her Girl Scout Bronze Award and Girl Scout Silver Award through projects completed at Signal Hill School. “I was familiar with the school’s character education curriculum and felt there were ways to improve upon it through students’ participation in monthly character building activities,” Amelia said.

Through her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Amelia expanded the SHS character education curriculum. She did this through character trait assemblies, morning announcements, monthly character reflection cards, and character trait bulletin boards. “I believe all of these activities made a positive difference for the students and the SHS character education curriculum,” Amelia added.

This Girl Scout Gold Award helped Amelia improve many of her organizational and leadership skills. “I learned that a project can have many different detours along the way and that success is dependent upon how these detours are addressed. I also learned to not sweat the small stuff and to keep focused on the goal,” she said.

Amelia is the daughter of Mark and Kit Schmitz. She is currently a Senior at Belleville West High School. Amelia has been a Girl Scout for 13 years.

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 5 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.

Nicole Laflen Nominated for Girl Scouts' National Young Women of Distinction Award

Every year, ten exceptionally inspiring Girl Scout Gold Award recipients are selected as Girl Scouts' National Young Women of Distinction (NYWOD). This honor is given to Girl Scouts whose Gold Award projects demonstrated extraordinary leadership, had a measurable and sustainable impact, and addressed a local challenge that ties into to a national and/or global issue. These young women are making a positive difference on the world! 

Girl Scouts named as National Young Women of Distinction are models of the movement's mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. The program provides these young stars with the opportunity to be an inspiration to girls around the world. 

Each council can nominate three Girl Scouts for the opportunity to be selected to be a National Young Woman of Distinction.  This year, one of GSSI's nominations was Nicole Laflen from Belleville

Watch Nicole's Nomination Video

 

Nicole’s Girl Scout Gold Award Project, called Strides for Strays – Racing to Rescue – Service for Smiles was to address the lack of community awareness surrounding service animals and the overpopulation of animal shelters.  She wanted more shelter animals to be trained to be service animals, especially as companion animals to those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  She held a dog-friendly 5K and informational fair in the community to help spread the message that, rather than being euthanized,, many animals in shelters could be trained to be helpful service animals. Eighteen vendors and 225 participants took part in the event.  Last, she donated pet beds and blankets to local animal shelters.  

Rosemary Gruber from Belleville Receives Thanks Badge II, Girl Scouts' Highest Adult Volunteer Award

Rosemary Gruber from Belleville has received the Thanks Badge II for her exceptional volunteer service to Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois. The Thanks Badge II is the highest adult volunteer award and honors a previous Thanks Badge recipient who has continued to provide exemplary service in a leadership role, resulting in a measurable impact that benefits the total council or entire Girl Scout movement.

“Rosemary has been in Girl Scouts for 50+ years. She has had so much experience in teaching adults and girls how to be a true Girl Scout. She is the reason I became a leader," said fellow volunteer Jodie Herbstritt. 

Alyssa Heimerman: Girl Scout Gold Award recipient to Air Force Officer

Since 1916, Girl Scouts have been making meaningful, sustainable change in their communities and around the world through their Girl Scout Gold Award projects. The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout can earn, acknowledges the power behind each recipient’s dedication to not only empowering herself, but also to making the world a better place for others. As the Girl Scout Gold Award celebrates 100 years of girls changing the world, Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) will highlight some of our shining stars who exemplify the greatness of this award.

Alyssa Heimerman

Alyssa Heimerman, originally from Belleville, earned her Girl Scout Gold Award in 2009. Alyssa believed more environmental-based learning opportunities should be provided to youth in grades K-12. For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, she teamed up with the YMCA. The organization provided Alyssa with a trailer on their grounds for her to renovate into an Environmental Education Center. Alyssa worked to renovate the interior of the trailer, build a deck outside, create nature trails around the area and develop a K-12 curriculum.

Alyssa Heimerman, originally from Belleville, earned her Girl Scout Gold Award in 2009. Alyssa believed more environmental-based learning opportunities should be provided to youth in grades K-12. For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, she teamed up with the YMCA. The organization provided Alyssa with a trailer on their grounds for her to renovate into an Environmental Education Center. Alyssa worked to renovate the interior of the trailer, build a deck outside, create nature trails around the area and develop a K-12 curriculum.

The Girl Scout Gold Award 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 5 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award. “Find something you are passionate about, something that you want to make better, something that motivates you…and don’t give up,” are words of encouragement Alyssa offers to Girl Scouts who want earn the highest award in Girl Scouting.

Completing a Girl Scout Gold Award project benefits the community by filling a need, but the project also benefits the girl by helping her gain skills she can take into adulthood. Alyssa, now a 1st Lieutenant with the United States Air Force, says her Girl Scout Gold Award project helped prepare her to enter the military. "My Gold Award project prepared me to become a military officer and leader by teaching and reinforcing so many characteristics – communication, responsibility, short-term and long-term planning and time management," said Alyssa.

"I attribute a lot of who I am today to the Girl Scout organization," said Alyssa. "Girl Scouts teaches so many characteristics to help young ladies become women with confidence and open-mindedness to take on all the world has to offer. Organizations and corporations today need not only leaders, but also team players, and Girl Scouts is the ideal organization for girls to perfect those skills," Alyssa added.

Alyssa Heimerman is an Aircraft Maintenance Officer stationed at Travis Air Force Base in California. She is currently serving as the Operations and Training Flight Commander, 821 Contingency Response Support Squadron.

GSSI's FIRST TECH Challenge Team Starting Competition

 

 

 

GSSI’s flagship FIRST TECH Challenge team is ready to launch. OOPS! Robotics coached by Kristi Smith of O’Fallon consists of middle and high school girls from O’Fallon, Granite City and Belleville. They will compete in several qualifier tournaments this winter. Stop by and cheer them on at their competitions at Meramac Community College in St. Louis on Jan. 10, SIU Carbondale’s Transportation Education Center on Jan. 31 and Decatur Hope Academy on Feb. 7.

FTC is designed for students in grades 7-12 to compete head to head, using a sports model. Teams are responsible for designing, building, and programming their robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. The robot kit is reusable from year-to-year and is programmed using a variety of languages. Teams, including coaches, mentors and volunteers, are required to develop strategy and build robots based on sound engineering principles. Awards are given for the competition as well as for community outreach, design, and other real-world accomplishments.

Follow Oops! Robotics on their blog: http://oopsrobotics.wordpress.com/

Girl Scouts Invited to Catholic Renewal Day in Belleville on Nov. 8

Did you know the local Girl Scout Catholic Committee annually hosts a renewal for each age level of Girl Scouts. During the renewal day the Brownies complete some of the requirements for their “Family of God” religious recognitions while the Juniors work on their “I Live My Faith” and Cadettes “Mary, The First Disciple” formerly the Marian Medal. All of the requirements for any one of these recognitions cannot be completely finished in this one day. Additional work outside of this renewal day will be necessary.

 

 

 

While a Girl Scout does not have to be Catholic to attend this day of religious reflection, most discussions and the prayer service include a Catholic perspective and a Catholic theme. In fact sometimes a reconciliation service and Mass are a part of the day’s activities.

 

This year the renewal date is Saturday, November 8th and it will be held at St Peter’s Cathedral Grade School, Belleville. Enter the school at the middle doors off the parking lot.

Brownie renewal costs $6 per girl; $8 if registering after October 27. Leaders are free. Your registration fee includes hall rental, snack and program supplies. Each girl is required to purchase a book which costs extra. Consult the registration form for book prices.

The older girls’ (Junior, Cadette, and Senior) program costs $15 per girl/adult; $20 if registering after October 2. One adult is free for every registering troop. Your registration fee includes hall rental, a light lunch, am and pm snacks, and program supplies. The program concludes after Mass and clean up Saturday (about 6 p.m.) Each girl is required to purchase a book and they do cost extra. Consult the registration form for book prices.

Please complete the appropriate form for your age level. Registration deadline is October 27, 2014.

If you would like more information or have questions about the event or other Catholic religious recognitions for girls or adults, please contact Chris Lay at 618.345.3937, Rita Schaefer at 618.979.5270 or Gary Landoll, at the Office of Youth Ministry, 618.235.9601.

 

Girl Scouts of all Councils and all Dioceses are welcome to attend this event.

 
 Registration Form

Sarah Gruenewald from Millstadt Earns the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Sarah Gruenewald from Millstadt has received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Sarah renovated the Millstadt Area Food Pantry, which had not had any updates for almost 30 years and was in dire need of new storage and an updated working space.  To help the volunteer-based organization, Sarah was able to reorganize, rebuild and replace worn out fixtures by engaging Millstadt community members and her classmates at Belleville West to share donations, time and skills.  She also worked hard to finance the project by raising funds through participating in babysitting nights, car washes and the Girl Scout Cookie Program with her troop.

 

Under Sarah’s management, the food pantry received new flooring and counters, sturdier shelves and storage that was streamlined to meet volunteer needs and to open up working space.   Belleville West’s Art Club also painted the walls with an upbeat theme to provide an overall more welcoming, positive environment for volunteers and patrons. 

 

“I hope the Food Pantry will be able to serve more hungry people and that those people will receive a bit of encouragement when they step inside,” said Sarah. “I feel that the Food Pantry is now at its full potential.  I wish I had started this sooner.”

 

Along with fulfilling her goal to make a positive impact in her community, Sarah was also grateful for the opportunity to develop valuable leadership skills.  “This project really made me jumpstart skills I didn’t know I have, like speaking in front of a large group and budgeting,” she said.  “Most importantly, I learned that the key to good work is having the right intentions.  The key to success is caring where the work is going and how it will benefit others.  All of these traits will be engrained in me for the rest of my life and affect everything I do. ”

 

Sarah is the daughter of Sharon Gruenewald and David Gruenewald.  She is currently a senior at Belleville Township High School West and a member of Girl Scout Troop #463.

 

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.

GSSI Robotics Team TBot 907 Wins Core Values Inspiration Award at State Tournament

 

TBot 907 displays the Core Values Inspiration Award

 

Four GSSI Robotics Teams participated in the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) state tournament on Jan. 18 at University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana: TBot 907 from Roxana, Lightning Storm from Belleville, The Lego Divas from Effingham and G4S4 from Ozark.

At the State Tournament, TBot 907 won the "Core Values Inspiration" award, which is awarded to the team, "that is empowered by their FLL experience and displays extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit." This is the second award that TBot 907 has won this season -- they also took home the ‘Champions Award" from the Jan. 11 FLL exhibition at Carriel Jr. High.

Girl Scout Robotics teams are part of GSSI’s initiative to engage more girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Studies show that girls tend to drift away from involvement in STEM activities around middle school, despite a continuing interest in STEM subject matter. Other STEM programming at GSSI 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.  

"We are so proud that four GSSI Robotics Teams represented Girl Scouts at the FLL State Tournament," said STEM Program Manager Mary Buchanan. "These girls are ambassadors in their communities to show that not only can girls do STEM activities, but they can do them well."

 

 

See more photos

In 2013-2014, GSSI's Metro East Robotics Teams, including TBot 907 and Lightning Storm, were sponsored by The Monsanto Fund. The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work. Visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsantofund.org.

 

 

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 GSSI Robotics Teams to Compete in FIRST Lego League State Tournament

Four Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois' Robotics Teams will be competing in the FIRST Lego League State Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 18 at University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.

The Lego Divas from Effingham qualified for state during the Dec. 7 FLL Regional at Carriel Jr. High in O'Fallon.   At the tournament, they also won the Project Award for their research project, the "Heat Buddy," a battery operated heated blanket designed to aid stranded motorists.   Read more...

See photos from the Dec. 7 FLL Regional

On Dec. 14, eleven GSSI Robotics Teams had been scheduled to compete in the McKendree University Regional.  However, a winter storm and icy road conditions caused the event to be cancelled.*  As no makeup date could be arranged in time to meet deadlines for the FLL State Tournament, teams were selected to advance to state competition by a lottery system.  GSSI teams made up nearly half of the total number of teams that were registered for the double tournament and three teams drawn ended up being from GSSI: TBot 907 from Roxana, Lightning Storm from Belleville and G4S4 from Ozark.

“We’re very excited to send four Girl Scout Robotics teams to the FLL State Tournament,” said GSSI Stem Program Manager Mary Buchanan. “Teams work very hard for months to design and program robots, as well as complete their research project and perfect their presentation skills.  Competing among the best teams in the Illinois is a wonderful experience for the girls.”   

*An exhibition tournament was held Jan. 11 at Carriel Jr. High in O'Fallon for the teams originally scheduled to compete in the McKendree Regional.  Four GSSI Robotics Teams received awards!  Read more...

Four GSSI Robotics Teams Take Home Awards at FIRST LEGO League Tournament

GSSI Teams mingle while waiting to compete on game table.

Four GSSI Robotics Teams took home awards at the FIRST LEGO League Robotics Tournament at Carriel Jr. High in O'Fallon on Jan. 11, 2014.The tournament was an exhibition that made up for the McKendree University Regional that was cancelled due to weather in December.  Because of the large number of teams participating, squads were split into two groups that competed in identical tournaments, "Class A" and "Class B."

Teams from the McKendree University Regional were selected to advance to the state tournament by lottery after the cancellation.  While the tournament at Carriel Jr. High did not determine which teams qualified for state competition, awards were given for remarkable performance. 

GSSI teams receiving awards were:

Class A Tournament:

TBot 907 from Roxana earned the "Champions Award" for the team that displayed the best overall performance.

Gir! - Girls Investigating Robots from Staunton earned the "Core Values Award" for best exemplifying the cornerstones of the FLL program, which include active participation, teamwork and gracious professionalism.

The Tornado Twist*rs from Albers earned the "Rookie Award" for the best first-year team.

Class B Tournament:

Lightning Storm of Belleville earned the "Judges Award" for the team that the FLL Judges found to be remarkable.

Additional teams to compete in the Jan. 11 tournament were The Purple Robot Penguins from O'Fallon, The Fireworks from Glen Carbon, The Catastrophic Cadettes from Staunton and Robo Fury from Alton.  In addition, two GSSI teams, Shiloh Robo Bears and The Tornado Tech Girls from Pinckneyville were unable to attend the rescheduled tournament. GSSI also had four Girl Scout Robotics teams participate in a Regional Qualifying tournament on Dec. 7: The Lego Divas from Effingham, The Twisters from Troy/Marine, The Robotic Gems from Washington Park and The Unknowns from Belleville.

See more photos

Four GSSI Robotics Teams will compete at the FLL State Tournament on Jan. 18 at University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.  These teams are TBot 907, Lightning Storm, The Lego Divas and G4S4 from Ozark. 

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. 

Paige Schwoebel from Belleville Earns the Girl Scout Gold Award

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called A True Lifesaver, Paige increased the awareness and the importance of CPR and AED equipment for 3,000 students and faculty at Belleville East High School. Since she is trained as a CPR/AED instructor she knows the importance of these life-saving skills and wanted to make sure others at her school campus could save a life by knowing these skills as well. She met with the high school principal and nurse and presented a plan to have the locations of the AEDs put on the large map outside of the high school. She also included CPR/AED information in the school agenda that each student gets at the beginning of the year. Paige created a CPR/AED powerpoint presentation and shared it with the entire high school faculty. Finally, she assisted with conducting CPR classes at the high school and held CPR classes at her church. 

“I learned that I can do anything I put my mind to, even if it takes a lot of time and effort, as long as it is something I strongly believe in,” Paige said. “I will always be thankful that I completed my Girl Scout Gold Award because it taught me how to better manage my time, how to be professional and how to give back to the community.” 

Paige has been a Girl Scout for 12 years. She plans to attend either Drake University or Creighton University to major in Pharmacy after she graduates from Belleville East High School next summer. She is the daughter of Michael and Karen Schwoebel. Her Girl Scout Gold Award Project Advisor was Cheryl Heimerman. 

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.

Susan Heide-Wexell from Belleville Named April Pearl of the Month

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Susan Heide-Wexell from Belleville has been named the April Pearl of the Month. The Pearl of the Month Award recognizes a Girl Scout volunteer who has delivered service beyond expectations and helped to ensure that the approximately 14,000 Girl Scouts in southern Illinois benefit from a premier Girl Scout Leadership Experience.  Nominees must meet several criteria, including completion of all required training for his or her volunteer position as well as providing outstanding service to his or her Service Unit or the Council.

Susan’s love for Girl Scouting started at a young age – she joined as a Girl Scout Daisy at age six and now recruits Girl Scout leaders in the O’Fallon/Shiloh area.  Since 2008, she has personally signed on 25 new Girl Scout Leaders and helped start six new troops!  Susan is also a school liaison, helping continue a great relationship between local schools and Girl Scouts.  She coordinates service unit events, volunteers at day camps and is a GSSI delegate. On top of all of these positions, she is a leader of Girl Scout Junior Troop #234. 

The mission of Girl Scouting states:  Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.   Girl Scouts is the world's pre-eminent organization dedicated solely to girls - all girls - where, in an accepting and nurturing environment, girls build character and skills for success in the real world.  In partnership with committed adults, girls develop qualities that will serve them all their lives - like strong values, social conscience, and conviction about their own potential and self-worth.

Today’s Girl Scouts not only enjoy camping and crafts, but they also explore math and science and learn about diversity, good citizenship, leadership and teamwork.  Girl Scouting is the place where girls experience the fun, friendship and power of girls together. Girl Scouting has inspired more than 50 million girls and women since its founding in 1912. 

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is a not-for-profit organization supported by various United Ways throughout the region.  Girl Scouts is a Proud Partner of United Way.