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.

South Macoupin County Troop #1075 Visits Chicago

South Macoupin County Troop #1075 took the train for a weekend getaway to Chicago.  They stayed at the Hosteling International Hostel and visited local attractions like the Museum of Science and Industry, Art Institute of Chicago and Shedd Aquarium.  Of course, they sampled some deep dish pizza as well.

See Pics:

Troop #1075

Visiting the Museum of Science and Industry

Hello Chicago!

Posing with "The Bean"

Did your troop take a trip this summer?  Let us know at customercare@gsofsi.org! We'd love to share your story! 

Girl Scout Troop #107 from South Macoupin County Visits Savannah, Georgia

Girl Scouts from South Macoupin County Troop #106 visited Savannah, Georgia - birthplace of Girl Scouts' founder Juliette Gordon Low and the location the organization was founded on March 12, 1912.

While in Savannah, girls visited local attractions including the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, Girl Scout First Headquarters,Juliette Gordon Low burial site in Laurel Grove Cemetery and nearby Tybee Island. 

While traveling, the troop also stopped at the Superman Statue in Metropolis and Ruby Falls in Tennessee. 

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.

Girl Scout Troop #106 from Staunton Creates PSA Promoting Positive Social Media Activity

Spring cleaning, anyone? Girl Scout Troop #106 from Staunton learned more about positive & productive digital activity while working on their Amaze Journey. Check out their "Delete Day" PSA to start discussions about cleaning up social feeds!

Watch Now!

Staunton Girl Scout Troop Visits Chicago

Staunton Junior Girl Scout Troop 145 visited Chicago to explore the city from April 27 to 29, 2018.

The Girl Scouts and their leaders traveled via Amtrak from the Carlinville station to Union Station in Chicago -- a first train ride for many of the girls. 

During the course of the weekend, the Girl Scouts walked nearly 22 miles while visiting:

• Willis Tower to gaze at the city 103 stories below 
• the Shedd Aquarium to learn about the animals and see a dolphin show
• the Field Museum to learn about mummies, dinosaurs, the microscopic world of soil, and natural history
• the Adler Planetarium to take a look at one of the Mars Rovers
• the Museum of Science and Industry to learn about coal mining and the science of storms and take a ride in a flight simulator.
• Millennium Park and the Bean (cloud gate sculpture)
• Pizano's to try Chicago deep dish pizza

Girl Scout Troop 145 earned the money for their trip through numerous cookie booths throughout the last year. Next year they are excited to plan to visit Savannah, GA -- the birthplace of Girl Scouts -- and see the ocean!!!

Staunton Girl Scouts Earn Presidential Volunteer Service Awards

Every girl in Troop #106 from Staunton earned a Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her community service this year! 

The President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) is the premier volunteer awards program, encouraging citizens to live a life of service through presidential gratitude and national recognition.

Jason Dothager from Staunton is GSSI's October Pearl of the Month

 

 

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Jason Dothager from Staunton have been named GSSI’s October Pearl of the Month. GSSI’s 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.     

Jason is the father of four Girl Scouts.  He takes an active Girl Scout role, serving as co-leader of a troop and has also stepped up to help with other activities for the Service Unit.  He initiated the “He & Me” campout last year which attracted over 20 girls and their “He’s” for a day of fun outdoor activities.  Following the success of this event, he recruited other dads to help plan for this year.  Jason has also become the leader of a STEM group which resulted in the recruitment of three new Girl Scouts!  The Staunton area day camp also benefitted from Jason’s certifications in archery and canoeing, which allows girls the opportunity to enjoy these activities while at camp.  He is known as an example to other who always says “What can I do to help?”

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. 

Poonam Jain from Staunton Named July Pearl of the Month

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Poonam Jain from Staunton has been named the July 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.

Poonam is Service Unit Director for SU 107 in South Macoupin County, organizing many events, including a science fair and a 5K run/walk.  She also mentors a very busy Girl Scout Junior troop, leads a GSSI Robotics team, coordinates STEM activities in her area and serves as a council trainer.  This summer, she also organized SU 107’s first GSSI day camp.   Poonam is commended for the incredibly high level of energy and dedication she brings to her many roles. She has given girls in the communities she serves the opportunities to explore science, develop outdoor skills and value  healthy living in fun and innovative ways.

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.

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.