Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois Delivers NASA Created STEM Program

Girl Scouts test a solar powered water pump during the
"Powered and Pumped Up" program in Glen Carbon

This summer, Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) hosted a traveling STEM program that explored the idea that humans could live on Mars, provided a sustainable water system could be engineered.  More than 100 girls between the ages of 11-16 participated in the "Powered and Pumped Up!" challenge that was created by NASA's Glenn Research Center.  During the program, which was delivered during GSSI's STEM Day Camp, as well as through stand alone programs in Effingham, Carterville, Glen Carbon and Godfrey, girls planned, built, tested and improved a solar powered water pump. While developing a prototype water pump, girls learned about light intensity, lenses and manipulation of light, and how mirrors can be used to focus energy, along with other scientific concepts. 

Girl Scouts use mirrors to manipulate light during the
"Powered and Pumped Up" program in Carterville

GSSI was one of 13 youth-serving agencies in the Midwest to receive a grant to incorporate the NASA program into their summer curriculum. By the end of the summer, “Powered and Pumped Up!” will also be delivered in Effingham, Carterville and Glen Carbon. STEM is one of four areas that form the foundation of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, along with Outdoors, Life Skills and Entrepreneurship. 

Girl Scouts build a solar powered water pump during the
"Powered and Pumped Up" program in Godfrey

This fall, Girl Scouts of the USA pledged to bring 2.5 Million girls into the STEM Pipeline by 2025. The organization recently launched 30 new badges and Journeys to power girl leadership in key 21st century issues including environmental stewardship, robotics, cybersecurity and engineering. 

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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.

Laura Estes of Carterville Named January 2015 Pearl of the Month

 

 

Laura Estes of Carterville has been named GSSI’s January 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.

In addition to her regular duties as a troop leader, Laura is an advocate for hunger and homelessness and has managed the adoption of The Promise Food Pantry in Marion for her Service Unit. She has motivated each troop to donate canned goods, coats, gloves, hats and money. She has organized this initiative into monthly projects for the entire Girl Scout year. Her troop is very active and Laura is an inspiration to all who work with her.

 

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.

Casey Blankenship from Carterville Receives the Girl Scout Gold Award

Casey Blankenship from Carterville has received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. Casey completed her Girl Scout Gold Award project during her senior year at Carterville High School in 2013. For her project, Casey raised awareness about Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, a powerful strain of staph bacteria, 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. 

“This project is very dear to my heart,” said Casey. “First, I love Girl Scouts and earning the Girl Scout Gold Award has been my ultimate goal. Secondly, I dedicated this project to my Grandma Suzann who died of MRSA. I feel that sharing my story and then discussing what MRSA is and how it is contracted is so very important.” 

Casey added that the project helped her develop valuable skills, such as time management, scriptwriting, editing, presenting  and teaching. She also felt that earning the Girl Scout Gold Award increased her confidence. “It was all such a learning experience,” she said. “I learned that no task is too big or too hard for me to accomplish.” 

Casey is the daughter Scott and Martha Blankenship. She currently attends Murray State University where is she majoring in Nursing. Casey has been a Girl Scout for 14 years and received the Girl Scout Bronze Award and Girl Scout Silver Award prior to earning the Girl Scout Gold Award.


Watch Casey's PSA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at6BKhFXJes&feature=youtu.be

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 Girl Scout Gold Award.

Today, Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. is the largest voluntary organization for girls in the world. Its sole focus is to meet the needs of all girls (ages 5-17) from diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. 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. 

Have You Read GSSI's Girl Scout Stories?

Read personal experiences of GSSI Girl Scouts, volunteers and alumnae through GSSI's Girl Scout Stories!   Visit our website, www.gsofsi.org, or click the links below to read unique and interesting first-hand experiences from Girl Scouts throughout southern Illinois.

Girl Stories:

Troop #370 from Edwardsville: We Campaigned Against Bullying
TBot 907 from Roxana: From Rookie Robotics to Global Innovators
Katie Bowen from Staunton: Wild Times in Costa Rica
Samantha Lucy from Mason: One Summer, Two Trips
Claire Rankin from Carterville: Touring Europe with My Sister
Jordan Rankin from Carterville: From London to Lucerne
Shelby Wratchford from Fults: I Took My Dream Trip to Paris

Volunteer Stories:

Helen Holbert from Edwardsville: A Girl Scout Bond That Lasts
Paula Sherdian: Girl Scouts Going Strong in Oblong


Do you have a unique Girl Scout story?  Contact Erin Johnson at 800.345.6858 or ejohnson@gsofsi.org.