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.

Carbondale Troop #8165 Gets To Know Monarch Butterflies at Their First Meeting

Brownie Troop #8165 from Carbondale had an uplifting and educational start to the new Girl Scout year.  Troop Leader Daisy Chervinko operates official Monarch Waystation #18229, where she raises, tags and releases Monarch butterflies, so it was a perfect fit for the troop to start working on their Bugs badge together. Daisy introduced girls to her Monarch rearing set-up and taught them the life cycle of the butterfly. Girls were able to hold butterflies at every level of the life cycle except chrysalis, which are very delicate - but they got to see chrysalises as well.

Girls also learned how to identify differences between male and female butterflies, as well as see several types of milkweed that the caterpillars feed on.

"They asked the most thoughtful questions and made some amazing observations," Daisy said.

After learning all about Monarchs, girls then helped sex, tag, catalog and release them. 

"Day made, for them and for myself," said Daisy.

What an awesome start to the year! 

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois: Around the Council May 2018

Check out the exciting things that Girl Scouts have been up to all around Southern Illinois!  See our photo album to catch Girl Scout troops in action!



Alton area Girl Scout Brownie Troop #55 had their first-ever camp out!  The girls went hiking, practiced first aid and put up tents!

Troop #792 from Madison County collected 192 lbs of tabs for the Ronald McDonald House of St. Louis - and received a trophy prize for their efforts! 

Cadette Troop #2141 from Charleston earned their Field Day patch where, among other games, they played a match of Quiddich! 

Girl Scouts from SU 202 ClinClair worked on their Outdoor Journeys, as well as Junior Aide and Leader-in-Action awards. 

Freeburg Troop #8349 learned a lot of OWL Flight School. 

Troop #8163 from Carbondale learning water safety

Troop #8163 from Carbondale has been busy - they learned water safety, earned their Pottery badges, went camping and explored the 3 Cheers for Animals Journey at Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge.

Marion Troop #8869 honored WSIL TV anchor Evie Allen with the Inspiring Woman award at their 2nd Annual The Empowerment Project and Empower You Career Fair.

Girl Scouts from SU 107 South Macoupin County marched in the Staunton Memorial Day Parade.

Girl Scouts from SU 101 Alton/Godfrey/Wood River/Roxana marched in the Alton Memorial Day Parade.

Girl Scouts placed flags on veterans' graves at the St. Peter and Paul Cemeteries in Waterloo to honor Memorial Day. 

Girl Scouts from Troop #238 held a Court of Awards and potluck. 

West Williamson County Girl Scouts marched in the Herrin Festa Parade. 

Girl Scouts at Scott Air Force Base learned more about firefighting. 

Troops #238 and #513 from Scott Air Force Base took a fire station tour and learned about the engines on the flight line. 

Girl Scouts from Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Troop #370 bridged to Ambassadors by serving as Pages in the Illinois House of Representatives. 

SU 202 ClinClair held an awards and bridging ceremony at St. John's United Church of Christ. 

Troop #130 from Wood River placed flags on veterans grave sites as part of their Memorial Day commemorations. 

Brownie Troop #744 and Daisy Troop #1044 volunteered to serve the monthly community meal in Gillespie. 

Troy Cadette Troop #717 completed their Breathe Journey Take Action project by placing plants in the classrooms at their middle school, thanks to a donation from Sunnyside Nurseries.  Each plant removes volatile compounds from the air.  

Girl Scout Troop #717 added plants to their middle school classrooms.

Josefina Pimentel from Carbondale Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

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

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Creative Writing: Express Your Dreams, Josefina held several creative writing clinics for 55 children at Unity Point School, the Carbondale Library and the Boys and Girls Club of Carbondale. Josefina said she wanted to pass on her love of writing to other youth living in the Carbondale area. 

“Through my Girl Scout Gold Award Project, I had the opportunity to work with children from many different circumstances: wealthy and low income, international and local, boys and girls, etc. Working with them and getting to see their faces light up when they were proud of their writing was an amazing experience. I also learned better time management skills and how to be a leader and role model for children,” Josefina said.

Josefina is the daughter of Susan Walch-Pimentel and Ed Pimentel. She will graduate from Carbondale Community High School in 2017 and has been a Girl Scout for 11 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.

GSSI Delivers STEM Programming at Carbondale Middle School

(see more photos)

On Oct. 20, Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois partnered with Southern Illinois College Carbondale and Carbondale Middle School to bring some fun STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs to about 20 girls. 

Special thanks to Associate Professor Lizette Chevalier and Leah D. Hooper, Carbondale Middle School Counselor, as well as our generous financial supporters for helping us provide this experience. 

Dara Weaver-Holmes: Girl Scout National Young Woman of Distinction

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.

Dara Weaver-Holmes

Dara Weaver-Holmes of Carbondale, IL was always active in Girl Scouts. As a teen, she didn’t just stick with Girl Scouting – she excelled – earning the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award her senior year. For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Dara organized a highly successful career fair and virtual career website. “I kept hearing how young Americans were not trained to enter the work world,” she said. “I have never liked to be at the bottom. It’s just not me. I got tired of hearing how we were not preparing American youth and decided to startt preparing us,” added Dara.

Dara’s initiative and successful Gold Award project paid off. Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois chose to nominate her for the highly honored award of National Young Woman of Distinction. Each year, ten exceptionally inspiring Girl Scout Gold Award recipients from throughout the country are chosen by Girl Scouts of the USA as National Young Women of Distinction. Dara was selected by GSUSA as a 2012 Young Woman of Distinction which also came with a $3,000 scholarship, an all-expense paid trip to GSUSA’s national convention and exclusive leadership opportunities with the organization.

Dara contributes a lot of who she is today to Girl Scouting and earning the Girl Scout Gold Award. “Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award gave me the opportunity to give speeches around the country, allowed for networking opportunities and provided a strong sense of family. Several of us Gold Award recipients remain in touch today,” she said. And, she encourages other Girl Scouts to set goals and achieve the Gold Award. “Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it. I heard that a lot throughout my life, but Girl Scouts pushed me forward and allowed me to fulfill my dreams,” Dara added.

Dara’s success continues today. She currently attends Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. In 2012, Dara co-founded their local chapter of the Association of Black Psychologists with Jasmine Jackson. Dara was President of the chapter until the fall of 2015. This spring, she will graduate from Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in American Sign Language. Upon graduation, Dara will be applying to attend law school.

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.

Carterville High School Senior Claire Rankin Earns the Girl Scout Gold Award

 

 

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

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called "High School and Homeless", Claire wanted to address the needs of homeless families and children in southern Illinois. She partnered with the Family Crisis Center in Herrin to increase awareness about homelessness. In addition, she developed and held a health and hygiene goods drive with the Interact Club at her high school. She also created a list of various shelters and food banks where people can go for help.

“Completing my Girl Scout Gold Award project helped me to learn to take nothing for granted,” Claire said. She added that people often take for granted the necessities for living and that there are many people who are not fortunate enough to have these necessities. “I would like to thank the Family Crisis Center for helping me complete my Girl Scout Gold Award project.” 

Claire is the daughter of Christine and Alan Rankin from Carbondale. She is currently a senior at Carterville High School. She has been a Girl Scout of 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 6 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.

Girl Scouts Honored For Community Service By Comptroller Topinka

Illinois State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka honored several GSSI Girl Scouts for their dedication to community service during the Illinois State Fair this summer. 

Those honored include:

Troop #440 from Granite City - Kaitlin Koenig, Kristen Koenig & Dakota Smallie

Troop #899 from Granite City - Katie Reagan

Troop #8174 from Carbondale - Josie Pimental & Athena Wrenn

2014 Graduates Cheyenne Chalkus from Salem & Kathryn Dragovich from Mt. Olive

We're so proud of the amazing things that Girl Scouts do in their communities!  Way to go, girls!

Samantha Mitchell from Carbondale Earns the Girl Scout Gold Award

 

 

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Samantha Mitchell from Carbondale has received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive

 For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Samantha organized a community project to make and send children’s clothing and school bags to Haiti. After learning more about the poverty in Haiti following the massive 2010 earthquake, she was wanted to connect her hometown to global service and fellowship.

“The problem is still there and there are so many people living without basic necessities,” she explained. “We see these disasters that happen far away on the news and say ‘that’s too bad’ and then go on with our lives because it didn’t affect us. In a few weeks it disappears from the news and we think the problem is gone.”

Samantha first got connected to Midwest Mission Distribution Center, a Christian disaster relief organization, which was collecting clothing items for Haiti. She then mobilized the community by giving presentations and distributing pamphlets about the Haitian earthquake and the lasting devastation. She then taught her Girl Scout troop how to sew, so they could make bags and clothing together. She hoped to inspire others to perform hands-on service to increase the connection they felt to those in need.

“I wanted the people who helped to feel good about what they did and that it was meaningful, and that they would want to work on projects like this again.”

Samantha’s troop, along with First United Methodist Church’s “Sewing for Missions” group and the Carbondale Middle School Sewing Club, made 102 outfits and school bags that will be filled with supplies to send to Haiti. Her church group decided to continue with the project in the future.

Along with fulfilling her goal to unite her community to global needs, Samantha also developed self-assurance and improved vital skills such as public speaking, people skills and project management.

“I learned how to be a better leader,” she said. “I can say I did this project and be proud of myself and I am confident that I can do it again.”

Samantha is the daughter of Nancy Mitchell and Keven Mitchell. She is graduating from Carbondale Community High School and plans to enter the Air Force, where her Girl Scout Gold Award has given her the opportunity to enter with a higher rank.

Kiwanis Club of Carbondale Donates to Support Financial Assistance for Area Girl Scouts

Thank you to the Kiwanis International of Carbondale for contributing to GSSI in support of financial assistance for area Girl Scouts. GSSI Board Member and Kiwanis Club member Candis Isberner (center left) accepted the donation on June 9.  We are so grateful for our generous supporters for helping us build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

Girl Scouts Josie Pimentel and Athena Wrenn from Carbondale Earn the Presidential Volunteer Service Award

Athena Wrenn (left) and Josie Pimentel receiving their
Presidential Volunteer Service Awards

Josie Pimentel and Athena Wrenn of Carbondale have each earned the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, which recognizes individuals, families and groups that have, by their commitment and example, inspire others to engage in voluntary service. 

Josie volunteered 102 hours with organizations including Carbondale Park District, Carbondale Public Library, Carbondale Soccer Inc. and Unity Point Beta Club.  She has been a Girl Scout for seven years and is the daughter of Ed and Susan Pimentel of Carbondale.

Athena volunteered 100 hours with organizations including Carbondale Public Library, Unity Point School, Crab Orchard Wildlife Preserve and Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois.  She has been a Girl Scout for nine years and is the daughter of Kim King-Wrenn and Russell Wrenn of Carbondale. 

 

Both girls are freshmen at Carbondale Community High School and members of Girl Scout Cadette Troop #8174.   
 

The President’s Volunteer Service Award was established in 2003 by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.  It recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a prescribed standard that is either measured by the number of hours served over a 12-month period or by cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime. 

 

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.

 

About the President’s Volunteer Service Award

In 2003, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation created the President’s Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service.

 

The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard – measured by the number of hours served over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime.

 

Award recipients receive:

• An official President’s Volunteer Service Award pin.

• A personalized certificate of achievement

 

Award Criteria

The following are the eligibility requirements for each age group:

 

Bronze Level

Girl Scouts 6-14 years of age: 50 to 74 hours
Girl Scouts 15-18 years of age: 100 to 174 hours

 

Silver Level

Girl Scouts 6-14 years of age: 75 to 99 hours
Girl Scouts 15-18 years of age: 175 to 249 hours

 

Gold Level

Girl Scouts 6-14 years of age: 100 hours or more
Girl Scouts 15-18 years of age: 250 hours or more

 

To learn more about the President's Volunteer Service Award, please contact Program Manager Laurie Foster at 800.345.6858, ext. 2119 or e-mail lfoster@gsofsi.org.   To apply for a President's Volunteer Service Award, please fill out the required form (one per girl) found on GSSI's website and submit the form with $5 per award to GSSI, Attn: Awards, #4 Ginger Creek Pkwy, Glen Carbon, IL, 62034.