Sarah's Girl Scout Gold Award Blog: A Productive Week

Greetings!  How is everybody?  This week has been very productive, if I do say so myself.  Lots of progress has been made on my project so far.  Someof the work took whole days to complete, but it was definitely worth it.

My first goal of this week was to dig through the rest of my donations in order to decipher which books could and could not be used.  On Tuesday, I recruited my best friend to come over and help me sort the books.  He was more than happy to help.  We tackled each box together, looking for damage or graffiti.  It was obvious that some of the books had been in the hands of a mischievous toddler because there were Barbie stickers plastered on every page! 

 Not only did we have to worry about the stickers inside the book, but we also needed to tear off the price stickers that were stuck to the back.  Many of those pesky stickers refused to come off!  Even if they did, they left a sticky residue.  Several de-stickered books became stuck together!  Besides ripping stickers, we had to wipe away the crusty scum that covered the fronts and backs of most of the books.  After several dirty Wet Wipes, our books were smooth and sparkling.  It took nearly five hours to clean and remove stickers from every book.  I think it’s safe to say that I never want to peel another sticker off of anything ever again.  We were tired, but we finally finished the job!  My friend and I celebrated our victory with a grilled cheese break.  After lunch, we packed the books back up in their boxes and set them aside for further use.

Later in the week, on Friday, I decided to take another crack at those books.  I grabbed a laptop and parked myself in a comfy chair.  I pulled up an Excel spreadsheet and began documenting each book.  Book by book, box by box, I recorded the title, author, and ISBN number of each usable book.  It took me two days to catalog 193 books.  With the push of a button, the list was alphabetized from A to Z by author names.  The good news is, over half of my books are organized and documented on the computer.  There are still one or two boxes left to inventory, but I plan to finish them all by Tuesday of next week.  After that, I plan to use my spreadsheet as a system of how to organize the books on the shelves and as a check-out roster for the students. 

 

Remember to use your project resources whenever to can in order to be efficient.  Some things you create such as lists can come in handy later on.  Also, not every task you complete will be easy.  It will take a lot of determination and motivation.  I learned that some aspects of this project will definitely test my patience, but if I focus on the outcome, the effort will pay off.      

 

Sarah's Girl Scout Gold Award Blog: Getting Support

Hi guys, it’s Sarah again!  This week has been very productive, and I’m so appreciative of all the support from the community.  I have received over 113 old and new books and two boxes full of toys and games as donations.  All week, I was busy going through donations and finding outside resources to help make my project a success.

Early this week, I sifted through my first round of donations.  I was looking for any damaged or vandalized books.  These books were older and definitely used.  It’s really important to examine any donations you might receive for your project to make sure they are even usable. 

 

On Wednesday, my troop leader, Karlene, dropped off another round of donations.  I was very excited because these were shiny and brand new.  Now that I have the books, I need to consider options for bookshelves.  I’ve decided that I want to build my own bookshelves in order to get some handywoman experience.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have anyone in my immediate family that could teach me.  Then, I remembered that my best friend’s dad was in the process of building a deck for their house.  I had found my handyman!

 

 I asked my friend if his dad would be willing to show me how to build a bookshelf or if he was willing to give me any building tips.  He told me his dad would be more than happy to help.  The next time I was at his house, all three of us sat down to discuss dimensions for the shelves and floor plans for the library.  His dad even said he would donate the wood I would need to build the shelves!  He also agreed to show me how to build them.  Once the blueprints are all drawn up, we’ll be able to start construction!  After those are done, I can focus on other fun furniture like beanbag chairs and a fish tank. There is still a lot to do, but the project definitely has a promising start.          

Rebecca Boehning: Girl Scouts Empowered Me

As a young kindergartner, I can recall sitting in a circle and singing songs with many of my close friends during Girl Scout Daisy meetings.  My mom and I worked on earning try-its over the weekends when I was a Brownie.  Being a Junior Girl Scout allowed me to lead weekend Girl Scout camps with younger troops.  One of my favorite Girl Scout memories is when my troop and I walked across the Eads Bridge to bridge from Juniors to Cadettes.  I assisted building a “Square Foot” Garden in Madison, Illinois for the Sow What? journey as a Girl Scout Senior.  Finally, I completed my Girl Scout gold Award  project as an Ambassador, the highest award given in Girl Scouts.  Overall, my journey through all of the stages of Girl Scouts has empowered me to be the strong and independent woman I am today.

One important value Girl Scouts taught me in the value of friendship.  When I was a Daisy, there were about 25 girls in my troop.  Now there are only six girls remaining.  Though our numbers shrank, the remaining girls are some of my closest friends today.  Without Girl Scouts, I may not have encountered the women I call my best friends.  Also, I learned how enjoyable it is to make new friends.  I made many new friends at Girl Scout camps when my troop worked alongside members of another group. My favorite Girl Scout song says “Make new friends, but keep the old.”  I’ve learned to live by that rule because of Girl Scouts.

Also, Girl Scouts has allowed me to develop valuable leadership skills.  During my high school career, I directed overnight camps and assisted leading Troop #329.  For my Girl Scout Gold Award project, I mapped the trees and benches in the parks around O’Fallon and designed a website that allows community members to view the project.  I worked with the men from the Public Works office in O’Fallon by leading them through my website design vision.  These leadership opportunities not only allowed me to give back to my community, but also taught me how to work with both children and adults. 

Most importantly, Girl Scouts showed me the joy of helping others.  Girl Scouts allowed me to help around my community with projects such as building a Square Foot Garden for underprivileged families, mapping dedication trees around the city of O’Fallon, and assisting at local animal shelters.  These valuable experiences have shaped my life goals.  In the future, I want to help others like I did in Girl Scouts.  I hope to obtain a job working towards perfecting alternative sources of fuel.  With the price of petroleum continuing to rise, energy sources like nuclear, wind, and solar become more viable options.  My innovative ideas can improve these alternative fuel choices to fulfill their maximum potential.  I want to be responsible for major improvements in the world around me.  Girl Scouts, because it empowered me to help others so much already, has inspired me to work hard to achieve this dream.   

Looking back on the thirteen years I have been a Girl Scout, I am so thankful to have been a part of it.  The experiences I gained through this activity have ultimately shaped who I am today and my goals for the future.  I recommend Girl Scouting to all girls, young and old, because the friends and skills you gain while participating in this group are immense and deeply satisfying.  I plan to become the leader of my future daughter’s troop so she can experience the great things Girl Scouts has to offer.




Rebecca bridging from Daisies to Brownies.

 

Rebecca excelled in many areas during her high school career -- including honors academics, a variety of school clubs, volleyball, marching band and teaching Sunday School. Even with her busy schedule, Rebecca participated in many community service projects during her thirteen years as a Girl Scout.  This commitment to helping others guided her to earn the Trifecta Award, which is a new GSSI award presented to Girl Scouts who earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award, Girl Scout Silver Award and Girl Scout Gold Award.  In Fall 2013, Rebecca plans to attend University of Illinois to major in chemical engineering. With her dedication to exploring alternative energy, Rebecca joins the Girl Scouts legacy of alumnae who go on to thrive in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math careers, including virtually every female U.S. astronaut.

Cati Cronin: Born to Be a Girl Scout!

Cati Cronin, Girl Scout Ambassador

My name is Cati Cronin, and I am with Ambassador Troop 541 from O'Fallon.  I was born to be a Girl Scout!  My grandma, my mom, my sister, and even my dad, have always been part of the Girl Scout family. 

Girl Scouts gives me a great feeling that I am part of something bigger than just an average organization.  It gives me a chance to express myself through programs and activities.  As I entered into middle school and high school, my friends started saying how being a Girl Scout isn’t cool, but it is my passion!  I strive to be a part of every opportunity that comes my way.  Without Girl Scouts, I’m not sure I would be the person I am today.  My thirteen years have helped shape my character and have provided me with a set of morals and principles.  Girl Scouting has given me the ability to become a leader, learn from positive role models, and become a truly caring part of society. 

Girl Scouts is an amazing organization that allows girls to discover who they are, create long lasting friendships, explore new things, and to become strong and independent people.  I tell everyone about the great experiences I have had.  Such as the time I got to talk to astronaut Sandy Magnus while she was in space, or all the times that I helped with programs and all the younger girls gave me hugs because they appreciated the hard work we put into the events.  I would tell them about our council’s Century Celebration, and how cool it was to be the only girl that was part of the committee that planned it.  .  I also cherish the trip I took to Savannah with my mom and my sister, my co-leaders, and two of my best friends!  It was awesome to see where it all began, and to walk in Juliette’s footsteps.  Girl Scouts is a chance to feel like you fit in and be yourself

Throughout my thirteen years as a Girl Scout, I have encountered many truly inspirational people, and all of these amazing once in a life time opportunities are thanks to them.  I know so many wonderful volunteers who donate their time and resources to make sure girls have a great time during programs and events.  Most of the volunteers I know have families, full time jobs, and also volunteer in their communities.  Volunteers are the heart of Girl Scouts! They have helped guide me into the person I am, and always wanted to be.  I admire all of them, and I am truly thankful for having them in my life. 

I thank them for giving me the courage, confidence and character to find success in Girl Scouting, in school, and in every aspect of my life.  I am forever appreciative of all that my Girl Scouting experience has given and taught me, and I look forward to having a troop of my own!

During her thirteen years in Girl Scouting, Cati has served GSSI in many capacities, including as a GSSI Apprentice and a Girl Scout ex-officio Girl Board Member.  She was named a 2013 Outstanding Graduating Girl Scout .  She plans to study Elementary Education in college, to pursue a career as a teacher.

Displaying vintage uniforms with Troop #541 during
GSSI's celebration of the 100th Annversary of Girl Scouts.