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We always invite our local media to ask us about Girl Scouting- whether it has to do with a troop project, recognizing a dedicated volunteer or our Girl Scout history, we are delighted to assist media outlets with a story, sharing the impact our program has on the local community.

If you represent a media outlet, please call 800-239-6636 to set up an interview.

2022 Top Cookie Sellers
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The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the nation’s largest girl-led business and leading financial literacy program for girls. Designed for girls in grades K-12, it is a key element of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Lydia Plant, a fifth grader from Enterprise, was named Top Cookie Seller in southern Alabama for selling 11,300 boxes. Breaking our council record again for the number of boxes sold during one cookie season. Lydia paved the way for innovative cookie selling through her cookie vending machine. She says, “because of COVID-19, ​​we needed a safe way to sell cookies that was also eye-catching and transportable, so we created our cookie vending machine.” Lydia’s creative and contactless cookie delivery option was definitely a hit among her customers. Her advice to other Girl Scouts when selling cookies is to “try their best and work hard, be friendly to every customer, and focus on learning the five skills [Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills, and Business Ethics]. Don't worry about how many boxes you sell, just have fun!” 

When she is not selling cookies, Lydia enjoys making new friends and doing community service as a Girl Scout. She has also earned the Bronze Award, one of the three highest awards of Girl Scouting. Lydia’s troop plans on making new memories with their cookie earnings by participating in community service, embarking on new adventures, and staying at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. 

Other top sellers include:

2. Cassandra B. - Troop 7238 | 9,101 Boxes

3. Bailee C. - Troop 9418 | 7,074 Boxes

4. Jordan K. - Troop 7011 | 6,725 Boxes

5. Peyton A. - Troop 7725 | 6,341 Boxes 

6. Cayleigh H. - Troop 9815 | 5,481 Boxes 

7. Madison E. - Troop 8873 | 4,917 Boxes

8. Millicent R. - Troop 7238 | 4,777 Boxes 

9. Karli A. - Troop 8517 | 4,108 Boxes 

10. Rebekah R. - Troop 8873 | 3,808 Boxes 

The Girl Scout Cookie Program also supports girls in achieving the goals they set for program activities and community service projects.

Auburn Girl Scout Hut Celebrates 85 Years
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Girl Scouts offers the best leadership development experience for girls in the world. Girl Scouts isn’t just a moment in her life, it’s a movement dedicated to building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.

On Sunday, March 20, 2022, Auburn Girl Scouts will host an 85th birthday party for the Girl Scout Hut, located at 234 E. Drake Ave. The hut was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in December 2021, and has hosted meetings of local Girl Scout troops since the 1930s. The celebration will be held from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM. 

“We’re hoping to welcome veteran Girl Scouts who met at the hut back to celebrate the hut’s birthday,” explains troop leader and hut manager Melissa Blair. “We’ll have old scrapbooks and a fashion show of vintage uniforms, and also have a guest book for those veteran Girl Scouts who would like to do an oral history recording about their time as Girl Scouts in Auburn.” Blair, who is also a history professor at Auburn University, is hoping to build an archive of those recordings that can be saved by the university archives.

In addition to welcoming back former Girl Scouts, there will be treats, including Girl Scout cookies, face painting, crafts, and demonstrations of Girl Scout skills like building a campfire and pitching a tent. Girl Scout leaders hope that the birthday party will raise awareness of the hut, its historic importance to the community, and the need to preserve it.

“It’s a really special place,” says Blair. “The hut gives us a place to meet that is centrally located and also steeped in Girl Scout history.” Currently there are more than two hundred girls active in Girl Scouts in Auburn, and about half of the city’s troops meet at the hut at least once a month.

Simply Baked By Jen Thin Mint Truffles
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Jennifer Thorpe with Simply Baked by Jen has created a delicious Thin Mint Truffle recipe for Girl Scout Cookie Season! Check out her recipe below.

 

 

 

 

Thin Mint Truffles

Ingredients:

1 box of Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies (minus 1 cookie)

6 ounces of cream cheese

1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract

Pinch of salt

1 cup of dark or milk chocolate chips

1 tablespoon of coconut oil

1 Thin Mint cookie for topping

Instructions:

  1. In a food processor, pulse the Thin Mint cookies until they are fine.  Add in the cream cheese, peppermint extract, and salt and pulse until the mixture is blended.  Do not overman.
  2. Using a cookie scoop for the truffle mixture, scoop a rounded amount into your hand and roll into a ball.  Place on a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  3. Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl for 20 second increments until melted.  Stir in-between. 
  4. Using a toothpick, stick it half-way into the middle of the refrigerated truffle ball for easy handling. Dip the truffle into the melted chocolate mixture.  Hold the mixture over the bowl for a few second so that any chocolate can drip back into the bowl.
  5. Place each truffle back onto the parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
  6. Drizzle with any leftover chocolate and sprinkle a few crumbles of a Thin Mint cookie on top. Place back into the refrigerator until fully set, about 30 minutes or until ready to serve.  Keep cool.
From the Girl: Virginia M. Talks Girl Scout Cookie Program
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One question that people always ask me when they find out that I’m a Girl Scout is when we will start cookie season. Well, it’s finally here! We have a new cookie joining our lineup this year: Adventurefuls. They take your tastebuds on an adventure with a brownie-inspired cookie, a disk of sweet caramel crème on top, chocolate drizzle to add that extra yum, and a hint of sea salt to bring out all of that delicious goodness.  

A lot of people see the Girl Scout Cookie Program as just cookies. However, there are smart and capable girls working behind the scenes to provide America with Girl Scout Cookies. There are multiple badges that we can earn that teach us things that we will be able to use later on in life. We learn things like money management and business ethics that will help us learn how to run our own business one day. 

Now, you are probably wondering where your money goes when you buy Girl Scout Cookies. We use our cookie earnings for many different things throughout the year like going to camp and participating in programs. Girl Scouts also use this money to fund community projects that everyone benefits from. So not only do you get delicious cookies, but you’re also helping your local community!

Good news for those who are Gluten-Free! We offer a gluten-free cookie, Caramel Chocolate Chip, and it is $5.00, which is only a dollar extra. It has rich caramel, semisweet chocolate chips, and a hint of sea salt all in a deliciously chewy cookie. We also offer vegan options with our Lemonades, Thin Mints, Toast-Yay!, and Peanut Butter Patties so everyone can join in on the Girl Scout cookie fun!  

Our Girl Scout cookie season will be ending this year on March 6 so make sure you stock up on all your favorites!  

Gold Award Girl Scout Grace Hosemann Revamps Storage Room Into New Library For The Learning Tree Students
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Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the pinnacle of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it's available exclusively to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (9-12 grade). Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) would like to recognize McGill Toolen Catholic High School junior, Grace Hosemann, for receiving the Gold Award. 

Through the Gold Award, girls engage in a rigorous leadership process, as they tackle issues they're passionate about to create long-term, sustainable change. To earn the Gold Award, girls typically spend one to two years exploring the root cause of a local or global issue and partner with the community to create lasting solutions.

For her project, Grace created a library out of an unused storage room for The Learning Tree, a local nonprofit that provides educational support services for children with developmental disabilities. Grace received donations of supplies and materials as well as over a thousand books from the Catholic schools in her area. Because of her project, the Catholic schools have pledged to have an annual book drive for student service opportunities. 

Grace says, “One part of the project that was extremely touching was when the library was finished, and a couple of the students were able to finally see it. The excitement and eagerness they had to read made me realize my project truly made a difference in the student’s lives. I have already seen students improve their decision making, listening, and public speaking skills with this new library in place.” All the students at The Learning Tree now have access to a variety of books and a designated place to read them because of Grace’s new library.

Grace has been in Girl Scouts since she was in kindergarten. She has also received both her Bronze Award and Silver Award during her Girl Scout career. Grace says that because of her Gold Award project, she is thinking of becoming a social worker when she graduates from high school in 2023. 

Thank You Judy Prior, GSSA Volunteer!

The heart of Girl Scouting starts with our Girl Scout volunteers. Our volunteers lead with their hearts and help girls unlock their potential to make a lasting difference in the world. Judy Prior has been a volunteer with Girl Scouts for 32 years. 

During her time as a Girl Scout volunteer, Judy has served as a Troop Leader, Troop Cookie Chair, Service Unit Cookie Chair, Service Unit Manager, and Council Trainer. Judy wholeheartedly believes and embodies the Girl Scout mission through the troop activities and community service projects she leads. She says that “Girl Scouts allows girls to thrive in girls-only settings to develop their leadership skills and help them welcome new challenges.” While Judy has been a volunteer for over three decades now, she remembers when she first started and how it can be a challenge to develop troop camaraderie and activities at first. Some advice she would like to give to new volunteers is to “Start slow, ask for help, delegate and communicate tasks with parents. Let the girls plan troop activities. As hard as this is for troop leaders, this prepares girls for future challenges in their lifetime.” 

Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama would like to formally thank Judy Prior and her years of service with our council. Judy, we appreciate all that you have done for our girls as well as for our council staff during your time with us and wish you well in your next chapter of life. 

Gold Award Girl Scout Ellie Stevens Designs Self-Defense Patch Program
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Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the pinnacle of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it's available exclusively to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (9-12 grade). Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) would like to recognize Ellie Stevens for receiving the Gold Award.

Through the Gold Award, girls engage in a rigorous leadership process, as they tackle issues they're passionate about to create long-term, sustainable change. To earn the Gold Award, girls typically spend one to two years exploring the root cause of a local or global issue and partner with the community to create lasting solutions.

For Ellie’s project, she created a self-defense patch to help every girl learn how to protect themselves against attackers through three basic steps. In this program, Ellie challenges girls to research, learn, and develop self-defense skills through a series of classes and videos that she designed. In these videos, Ellie teaches girls tactical ways on how to defend themselves if they get attacked. Ellie has a black belt in taekwondo and believes that “every girl should learn how to protect herself against an assault.” She says that “knowing how to defend yourself can boost your confidence, and more importantly, save your life.” Once girls have completed this patch, they will feel confident in their self-defense skills and be educated on protecting themselves in case of an attack.

Ellie has earned all of the Girl Scout Highest Awards- the Silver, Bronze, and Gold Awards throughout her Girl Scout career. She says that earning the Gold Award has made her feel “more confident in [herself] and when speaking to other people.” Ellie will graduate from Montgomery Academy in 2022.

GSSA Community Programs Change the World
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Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) Community Programs are providing the Girl Scouting experience to more than 1,500 girls in southern Alabama through our Community Program in two ways; Camp Sunshine and Girl Scout In-School Programming throughout the school day or after school programs.

Our Community Program reaches girls, mostly from rural areas of our cities and towns. Activities are only supported by council resources, and generous donors and volunteers.

The reality is that the population of girls, for whom this leadership experience is essential, is growing. Without the support of grant funding, public and private donations, and our dedicated community volunteers, we would not have the resources necessary to provide Girl Scouts to the girls who need us most.

“The Girl Scouts Community Program encourages empowerment, character building, and unity”, says Tracie Brown, Executive Director of Ruff Wilson Youth Organization Incorporated. Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama began working with Ruff Wilson in September 2021 and has already built a strong, family-like connection with girls, faculty, and staff. Tracie says, “We look forward to when GSSA comes every month. This is like a family, it is a huge blessing for us.” 

The girls get to experience things that otherwise they might not have with our Community Programs. Savannah from Ruff Wilson says that “My favorite part of being a Girl Scout is being outside. I love camping and making s’mores with my new friends at camp.” Girls also get to experience STEM activities in their programs. Nia from Ruff Wilson says, “We learn a lot. We just learned how to use science and math to make jump ropes and now I get to tell my teachers at school.” 

We are making sure that girls across southern Alabama thrive today and in the future,” says Karlyn Edmonds, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama. “Our community programming is some of the most impactful work that Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama provides. We believe that every girl should have the opportunity to participate in the life-changing experiences our Girl Scout leadership program provides, and this is how we make that happen for girls in underserved communities.” Our Community Program has the power to change not only the lives of the girls we serve, but also change the future of our world. 

For more information on our Community Programs, please visit our website www.girlscoutssa.org or email aschneider@girlscoutssa.org.

From the Girl: Virginia M. Talks Munchies and Mags
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This year, as usual, the Girl Scouts are selling Munchies and Mags, a.k.a. Fall Product. We don’t just sell the goods and then go about our normal Girl Scout business, though. There’s a lot going on behind the magazines and goodies that you might not know about. Let’s investigate!

We always try to sell as many Munchies and Mags as possible each year so we can get prizes. The prizes give us good motivation to sell more. We always like to see how many prizes we can get, and we can even choose between two prizes sometimes! My favorite prize is the stuffed animals. I have a fox, deer, cat, dog, and two sloths. I’m going to try to get a penguin this year. We choose a different animal each year as our mascot. My favorite was the fox. I also love getting badges. There are two types of badges. Prize badges are the ones you earn by selling a certain number of goods. There are also financial literacy badges, which you earn by learning new financial literacy skills.

The five financial literacy skill badges are Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills, and Business Ethics. The Goal Setting badge teaches Girl Scouts to set a goal, make a plan to reach it, and be okay with it if you don’t meet it perfectly all the time. The Decision-Making badge teaches girls to make decisions that benefit themselves and others. The People Skills badge teaches us how to help their customers and how to work out any problems they might encounter along the way. The Money Management bade helps Girl Scouts figure out how to budget and manage their money wisely. Finally, the Business Ethics badge educates Girl Scouts about different qualities that they need to run a successful business, and later, lead a successful life.

Now for the products! During Munchies and Mags, we sell snacks and magazine subscriptions. I personally think that the snacks are the best part. We have a variety of delicious chocolates, such as the Dulce Daisies, or our Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels. We also sell nuts and trail mixes as well. We have something for everyone. Allergic to nuts or dairy? Try our Fruit Gummies. Want to go on a hike? Pack our Cranberry Trail Mix. Need a gift for someone? Check out our Milk Chocolate Mint Trefoils and Peppermint Bark Rounds, both of which come in a cool tin. You can even support local nonprofits by making a $6 donation. This year we the donations will go to Ronald McDonald House, Dothan Rescue Foundation, and East Alabama Foodbank. As for the magazines, you and your family can order or renew any magazine subscriptions, using our online program. We offer many popular magazine subscriptions for all ages and lifestyles like Southern Living, National Geographic Kids, The Economist, and so much more!

So, what are you waiting for? Now that you understand what goes on during the Munchies and Mags program, why don’t you go get some goodies? Sales have already started, so get your order in soon! In-person orders are due October 20 and online orders are due November 7. However, if you don’t manage to get everything you wanted, don’t worry; we’ll be back next year! In the meantime, stay safe, happy, and most importantly, healthy!

Gold Award Girl Scout Jordan Sampson Receives Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award Scholarship
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The Girl Scout Gold Award is the pinnacle of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it's available exclusively to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (9-12 grade). Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) would like to recognize Daphne High School graduate Jordan Sampson for receiving the Gold Award and the Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award Scholarship.

Through the Gold Award, girls engage in a rigorous leadership process, as they tackle issues they're passionate about to create long-term, sustainable change. To earn the Gold Award, girls typically spend one to two years exploring the root cause of a local or global issue and partner with the community to create lasting solutions.

The Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award Scholarship recognizes one outstanding Gold Award Girl Scout per council whose project exemplifies the core components of the Gold Award. Jordan’s outstanding Gold Award project demonstrated measurable and sustainable impact and addressed an issue of national and global significance, proving that Girl Scouts of courage, confidence, and character truly do make the world a better place. As a scholarship recipient, Jordan will receive special recognition during our 2021 Girl Scouts Change the World celebration on October 9, 2021, a promotion that will help her reach a broad audience while highlighting the impact of her Gold Award, and a total of $2,000 in academic scholarships.

For Jordan’s project, she educated high school students on the legal documents they agree to when clicking “I Agree” when signing up for a social media platform. Most teens fail to read the legal documents they are agreeing to, so she created a 6-minute educational video regarding those documents and their contents. She also included a pre and post-quiz within the video. Jordan’s video is now a part of the Baldwin County Public School System’s Internet Safety curriculum and has been widely spread across the county to inform high school students of the danger of not knowing social media laws.

Jordan is a social media curator and designer and noticed that many people did not quite understand or even know what they were agreeing to when signing up for social media accounts. Since Jordan started her social media career at a young age, she wanted to be able to educate people of all ages on the legal aspects of social media. Jordan is now a sophomore at Savannah State University where she is majoring in Global Logistics and International Business while also obtaining a minor in Spanish.

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day.

Georgia Whiteside Receives Girl Scouts’ Highest Honor For Creating A Global Communication Organization
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Gold Award Girl Scouts are challenged to change the world, and Georgia Whiteside is doing just that. The Gold Award represents the highest achievement Girl Scouts can achieve. It recognizes girls in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable Take Action projects.

For Georgia's project, she created the Global Citizen Club at Fairhope High School. To create the club, Georgia had to find sponsors, gain school and county approval, and contact high school students from other countries. The club meets every two weeks to discuss contemporary world issues and addresses modern disparities around the globe, like World Hunger and Microaggressions. The club consists of both local members and international members.

Georgia was afraid that when school let out due to COVID-19, the club would be over for the year. After months of compiling research to make presentations on world issues, along with video commentary by international members, she was sad to see the year end so quickly. Then, she got a notification from the organization's international members. It was a video of the students discussing how COVID-19 had affected their countries. Georgia said, "It was interesting

to hear so many people from different backgrounds all have similar experiences, and know that we were not alone." The organization has students from the U.S., Germany, Spain, Uganda, and South Korea.

"I believe as societies become more interconnected through the Internet, we have a duty to learn about the issues affecting our world. We have revolutionized global communication and transportation, so why not revolutionize global understanding, said Georgia. “I think all schools would benefit from having this club or even an equivalent class offered. Students need a safe space to think and ask important questions in their education systems to be able to learn and grow.”

“Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama’s (GSSA) mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character to make the world a better place,” said GSSA CEO Karlyn Edmonds. “Georgia’s accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.”

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts.

Megan Stewart Receives Girl Scouts Highest Honor for Creating a Space For Troops to Gather at GSSA’s Camp Sid Edmonds
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Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) is honored to present Megan Stewart with the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest recognition for achievement in Girl Scouting for girls in grades 9 through 12.

Less than 6 percent of eligible Girl Scouts nationwide earn the Gold Award. By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, Megan has become a community leader. Her accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart.

Megan first came up with the idea for her Girl Scout Gold Award project after camping at Camp Sid several times with her troop. While camping, she noticed that there wasn’t an area large enough for troops to sit together while holding camping events or working on projects. To fix the issue, Megan decided to build picnic tables, benches, and a water equipment storage shed for Camp Sid. She also filmed her project, for Cadette’s to use as step-by-step video instructions to earn their Wood Worker badge.

“I’m excited for multiple troops to be able to sit together in one area while holding camping events or working on projects,” says Megan. “It’s satisfying and rewarding knowing other troops will benefit from my work.”

“GSSA’s mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character to make the world a better place,” said GSSA CEO Karlyn Edmonds. “Megan saw a need and took action. Her extraordinary dedication, perseverance, and leadership are making the world a better place.”

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts.

Grace Breshears Incorporates Leave No Trace Principles at Scoutshire Woods to Promote Outdoor Education and Preservation
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Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the pinnacle of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it's available exclusively to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (9-12 grade). Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) would like to recognize Loveless Academic Magnet Program (LAMP) graduate Grace Breshears for receiving the Gold Award. 

Through the Gold Award, girls engage in a rigorous leadership process, as they tackle issues they're passionate about to create long-term, sustainable change. To earn the Gold Award, girls typically spend one to two years exploring the root cause of a local or global issue and partner with the community to create lasting solutions.

For Grace's project, she wanted to raise awareness of the Leave No Trace (LNT) principles that center around leaving less of a footprint when in the outdoors. She built a total of fourteen benches that are placed along the Hickory Trail at Kiwanis and the Green Trail, the longest trail, at Scoutshire Woods. Beside each bench is one of seven signs that gives information about the LNT principle for that bench as well as discussion questions and a game or song to go along with that principle. Trash bags boxes were placed at the first bench on both trails for hikers to pick up trash as they walk along the trail. 

Grace also created a video of herself walking through the trail at Kiwanis while giving a brief overview and the correct hand sign for each principle. She presented her project materials during the second week of virtual summer camp and now the materials will be incorporated into every summer camp program from now on. All of the materials can be found on the Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama website and can be completed anywhere with no need for any outside materials. An LNT patch that she picked out is available for girls to have once they have completed the materials.

“Don’t give up. If your project idea gets turned down, keep thinking because you will find one that you will feel much more confident in”, Grace says when asked what her advice is for girls who want to earn their Gold Award. Grace is currently majoring in Studio Art with a concentration in Graphic Design as well as minoring in Marketing at the University of South Alabama in pursuit of becoming a professional graphic designer. 

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts.

Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama Partners With Ed Farm
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Girl Scouts offers the best leadership development experience in the world for girls. The Girl Scout Leadership Experience engages and challenges girls to be the best versions of themselves. Through our girl-led and research-driven programs, girls can prepare for a lifetime of leadership and success.

Over the summer, the Nehemiah Center, which serves at-risk children and families in the Chisholm community, formed a new Girl Scout troop. Troop 9778 met weekly and worked exclusively with Ed Farm, a nonprofit organization that partners with Apple to increase technology education in the youth. During this significant program, Troop 9778 learned all about the Girl Scout Leadership program and used iPads to discover the basics of coding and creating through Apple’s Everyone Can Code and Everyone Can Create curricula.

“They have gotten a world of experience in coding and STEM. There are lots of educational and fun opportunities that they generally would not have”, says Karlyn Edmonds, CEO of Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama.

To wrap up the program, Ed Farm and Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama hosted a Celebration of Learning to recognize the hard work of Troop 9778. During this celebration of learning, the girls received a certificate along with their first badge, Basics of Coding, and their first patch, Ed Farm Cultivate Change.

Beth Sanders, Director of Learning at Ed Farm says, “They have learned a lot of skills such as basics of coding which can be applied to math and science. They have also learned to be creative in using photo and video software to make content and share their work.”

Erica Luckie Organizes Hygiene Supply Drive for Foster Teen Girls
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Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the pinnacle of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it's available exclusively to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (9-12 grade). Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) would like to recognize Booker T. Washington graduate Erica Luckie for receiving the Gold Award.

Through the Gold Award, girls engage in a rigorous leadership process, as they tackle issues they're passionate about to create long-term, sustainable change. To earn the Gold Award, girls typically spend one to two years exploring the root cause of a local or global issue and partner with the community to create lasting solutions.

For Erica Luckie’s project, “Foster Self-Esteem in Foster Teens”, she focused on supplying foster teen girls with the hygiene items they need to inspire a higher self-confidence and positive body image. Erica wanted to address the foster care system in Montgomery, so she reached out to CJ Brown, the founder of Heart to Heart, a foster closet. Brown explained to Erica that the basic needs of foster children, such as hygiene, are not always met and that for them, receiving something as simple as a tube of lipgloss could make them feel special. After speaking with Brown, Erica began brainstorming on how she could make hygiene kits for foster teen girls.

During her research, Erica found a direct link between good hygiene and a positive body image. Erica also talked with people working in the foster care system to find out what the girls both needed and wanted. She then began a word-of-mouth and digital marketing campaign on Facebook to increase donations for her kits. After just a few months, Erica was able to pack over 170 kits that went directly to girls in the foster care system. She was also able to give some to foster care closets and group homes in Dothan, Cullman, Huntsville, and more. Erica says that, “I took for granted the items I have easy and direct access to before the project. This project has helped me gain more knowledge and ignite a larger passion for the foster care community.” The impact Erica has had on the foster care system is so great that the Kappa Delta sorority is continuing the project so that even more girls will be able to benefit from this.

Erica has been a Girl Scout for the past 13 years. Erica says, “Girl Scouts provided me with the opportunity to grow and develop alongside other girls. We learned valuable skills and knowledge through badgework and took many trips together, giving me opportunities I would not have otherwise.” Erica plans to go to Mississippi College to study Mathematics Education with the goal of becoming a middle school or high school math teacher.

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts.

Alison Ammeter Designs C.H.I.L.L Babysitting Basics Course
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Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the pinnacle of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it's available exclusively to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (9-12 grade). Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) would like to recognize Booker T. Washington graduate Alison Ammeter for receiving the Gold Award.

Through the Gold Award, girls engage in a rigorous leadership process, as they tackle issues they're passionate about to create long-term, sustainable change. To earn the Gold Award, girls typically spend one to two years exploring the root cause of a local or global issue and partner with the community to create lasting solutions.

For Alison’s project, she created a babysitting course for low-income caretakers. During this course, Alison taught basic infant care such as safe sleeping, age-appropriate activities, disciplining, as well as infant and toddler first aid and safety basics. Alison wanted to address the issue of wrongful infant deaths by educating young babysitters on how to properly take care of a child, specifically, a crying infant.

To do this, Alison came up with the acronym C.H.I.L.L. to help young caretakers remember what to do with a crying child. C.H.I.L.L covers the different areas that the babysitter needs to check to see why a baby is crying. The letters stand for Change, Hungry Injured or Ill, Location, and Lay the baby in a safe space and walk away. By remembering this acronym, caretakers of babies can know step-by-step what to do when a child is crying.

When deciding on what she wanted to do for her Gold Award, Alison said, “I wanted to find what I was passionate about and that I could use to help make an impact on my community.”  Alison has been a Girl Scout for over 10 years and has also earned her Bronze Award and Silver Award. Alison plans to use the skills she has learned through Girl Scouting as she attends Troy University to become a nurse.

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts. 

Abigail Luster Creates High School Band Mentorship Program
Abigail Luster Headshot

Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the pinnacle of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it's available exclusively to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (9-12 grade). Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) would like to recognize Elmore County High School graduate Abigail Luster for receiving the Gold Award.

Through the Gold Award, girls engage in a rigorous leadership process, as they tackle issues they're passionate about to create long-term, sustainable change. To earn the Gold Award, girls typically spend one to two years exploring the root cause of a local or global issue and partner with the community to create lasting solutions.

When Abigail began brainstorming ideas for her Gold Award program, she immediately knew she wanted to do a mentorship program for beginner band students. After weeks of organizing, she was able to finally start her program called The Cogs Project. The Cogs Project is a mentorship program focused on preparing beginner band students for high school band. The students were paired with high school-age mentors who taught them music and marching skills.

Abigail tells us that “The people involved in my project were able to grow their skills, whether it be the students who learned more about their instruments, or the mentors who learned how to teach and be leaders. They were also able to grow confidence in their skills, which will help them throughout life.” Abigail’s favorite memory from her Gold Award project was the pizza party they had at the very end of the program. Abigail says it was during this party that she saw how prepared and excited the students were for high school band.

Abigail has been a Girl Scout since first grade and has also earned the Bronze Award and Silver Award. Abigail was also a camp counselor and worked at Camp Scoutshire and Kamp Kiwanis for two years and even led part of the virtual camp experience in 2020. Recently, Abigail bridged to adulthood and became a lifetime member of Girl Scouts. Abigail plans to attend Auburn University to earn her degree in Animal Science in hopes of being a veterinarian.

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts. 

Starkey Sisters Develop Programs To Help Create Positive Impact On Girls In The Community
Starkey Sisters

Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the pinnacle of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it's available exclusively to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (9-12 grade). Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) would like to recognize West Mobile Christian School graduates Cailey and Hailey Starkey for receiving their Gold Awards.

Through the Gold Award, girls engage in a rigorous leadership process, as they tackle issues they're passionate about to create long-term, sustainable change. To earn the Gold Award, girls typically spend one to two years exploring the root cause of a local or global issue and partner with the community to create lasting solutions.

For Cailey’s project, she planned a girls weekend retreat called In-Depth and mentor groups called My Big Sister. The retreat focused on building self-confidence in girls as well as developing their faith through their self-image. The My Big Sister mentor groups were a chance for girls to mentor each other through their faith journey. Cailey wanted to help the girls in her student ministry group develop a positive self-image and inner strength through her programs.

For Hailey’s program, she created a retreat for girls and moms to help learn how to cope with the mental health effects of COVID-19. Hailey led activities and taught skills that helped teach the attendants different coping methods when dealing with mental health. After seeing the need for mental health awareness, Hailey wanted to give the girls and moms in her community the opportunity to decompress and learn new ways to help handle mental health during the pandemic.

Cailey will continue her passion for Girl Scouting as a camp counselor this summer and Hailey plans to become an elementary school teacher. Cailey and Hailey have been Girl Scouts for the past 12 years and look forward to continuing their lifetime memberships.

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts.

Emma Claire Johnson Cultivates Strong Minds Through Reading Mentoring Program
Emma Claire J

Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the pinnacle of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it's available exclusively to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (9-12 grade). Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) would like to recognize Baldwin County High School student Emma Claire Johnson for receiving the Gold Award.

Through the Gold Award, girls engage in a rigorous leadership process, as they tackle issues they're passionate about to create long-term, sustainable change. To earn the Gold Award, girls typically spend one to two years exploring the root cause of a local or global issue and partner with the community to create lasting solutions.

For Emma Claire’s project, she created a reading mentor program for students. In her program, she paired advanced students with the students in the Reading Studies programs or with students who are identified in other classes as needing assistance. The goal of her project was to help students improve their reading skills as well as their study habits. Emma Claire met with advisors and other adults at her school for guidance on her project. She also created a timeline for herself to ensure a successful and organized program. 

Emma Claire tells us, “When thinking about my Gold project, I figured my best and most natural choice would be to get others to read more. Reading has helped me in so many ways, especially at school. My reading comprehension has increased as well as my vocabulary. Reading has also given me things to talk to others about and has helped me find things I have in common with people that I may not have been connected with.” 

Because of her Gold Award Project, Emma Claire believes she has been able to step-up and become a leader for others. She says, “I have been able to step out of my comfort zone and became involved in other community organizations.” Emma Claire has learned courage and strength through this project and will continue to carry these values with her as she goes to college to pursue a degree in nursing to later apply to become a Physician’s Assistant. 

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts.

Camp: Where Memories Are Made And Traditions Are Upheld

Your time in Girl Scouts goes far beyond cookies and badges. Not only is this something that we work to instill in every girl that joins our troops, but it has been proven time and time again by those that come back to visit us after they have grown up.

We had the pleasure of welcoming back one of our Girl Scout alums to Scoutshire Woods in Citronelle as she took us down memory lane, sharing with us everything that she loved about her time here. 88-year-old Dell Stone spent many summers at Scoutshire both as a camper and a counselor since she was only 10-years-old.

Dell describes her time at Scoutshire Woods as “the joy of (her) life.” From setting the table in the dining hall to cleaning up after meals to crying around the campfire because no one is ready to leave, each of these traditions brings back memories of fun and excitement spent on the same campgrounds that her great-granddaughter is now attending.

Some traditions remain the same despite a few name changes. She remembers watching tea light candles float across the lake, each girl making a wish as they set their own adrift and soaking up the joy of being surrounded by friends. This candlelight ceremony holds a special place in her heart, and now her great-granddaughter will get to feel the same emotional connection as she floats a candle across the same lake that Dell did.

After growing up and starting a family of her own, Dell can remember how excited she was for her daughter Laurie to follow in her footsteps. “I could not wait to pack that trunk.” Now she is sending off her great-granddaughter Olivia, even taking her shopping for everything she needs before embarking on this adventure.

“I can just close my eyes and remember,” she said, “all of us came every summer together.” She can remember her Honor Troop and all of the fun they had together, some of them still in contact after 40 years of friendship, strengthened by their time together at Scoutshire.

Once her time at camp was over, the Girl Scouts never truly left Dell’s heart. She was able to make connections with other Girl Scouts overseas and brought the values of Girl Scouting into her teaching career. Honesty, respect, and all of the other Girl Scout laws found a place in her lessons, and Dell said, “I was able to impart the values of the Girl Scouts onto my students wherever I was.” 

Generation by generation, time spent at camp brings love, joy, friendship, integrity, and priceless memories that last a lifetime, and we are so excited to watch Olivia flourish as Dell did so many years ago.

“I have a thousand memories, and that’s what made me the person I am today.”

Local Girl Scouts Learn, Explore, and Discover New Interests at Dauphin Island Sea Lab

Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) partnered with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) this past weekend for DISL Adventure Day. During the event, Girl Scouts spent the morning in the lab where they learned facts and anecdotes as they examined and touched a large variety of preserved specimens from the Gulf waters. The girls also had the opportunity to visit the Estuarium, participate in a squid dissection, and go on a two-hour vessel ride on the 65-ft research vessel Discovery. While on the Discovery, they trawled Mobile Bay to collect and identify creatures that inhibit our coastal waters.

According to GSSA, girls are natural-born scientists. They look at the world around them with inquisitive eyes, experiment and push boundaries, and learn as they go. By participating in programs like DISL Adventure Day, Girl Scouts are given an avenue to pursue a potential passion or even career.

Since not many girls are exposed to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at an early age, girls are unaware of their potential interest in those fields. That’s why at GSSA focuses on doing programs that expose girls to STEM.

“At Girl Scouts, our mission is to help bring up the next generation of fearless leaders,” said Karlyn Edmonds, GSSA CEO. “That’s why we offer as many opportunities as possible for our girls to learn and grow confident in the STEM field.”

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning patches is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts. To join Girl Scouts or learn more about volunteering, please visit www.girlscoutssa.org.

2020-21 Top Cookie Sellers
Lydia P

 

Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama Names Top Cookie Sellers

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the nation’s largest girl-led business and leading financial literacy program for girls. Designed for girls in grades K-12, it is a key element of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Lydia Plant, a fourth grader from Enterprise, was named Top Cookie Seller in southern Alabama for selling 10,300 boxes. Breaking the state record for the number of boxes sold during one cookie season.

At the beginning of the Cookie Program, Lydia set a goal of 5,001 boxes, which she reached early on through her innovative cookie booth display. To keep a safe distance and protect her and her customers, Lydia came up with the idea to create a cookie vending machine, giving customers a fun and interactive way to purchase cookies. The display even featured a card reader, making it easy for customers to use contactless payment options.

Upon meeting her goal Lydia kept going, so she could finish out the cookie season and help her troop raise money.

“You can reach an impossible goal if you work hard," said Lydia of Troop 9114.

When asked what she learned from this year’s Cookie Program she said, "I learned about online payments, how to process credit cards, and that good customer service is very important! Also, I learned that money does not grow on trees. It takes a lot of hard work to earn it!”

With her go-getter attitude, Plant proved the Girl Scout Cookie Program teaches girls to strive for excellence and become entrepreneurs.

Other top sellers include:

2.     Lauren V. (Pike Road) – Troop 9074 | 6,189 Boxes

3.     Bailee C. (Montgomery) – Troop 9418 | 5,859 Boxes

4.     Jordan K. (Eufaula) – Troop 7011 | 5,626 Boxes

5.     Ja’mya N. (Montgomery) – Troop 9418 | 4,754 Boxes

6.     Madison E. (Saraland) – Troop 8873 | 4,304 Boxes

7.     Rebekha R. (Saraland) – Troop 8873 | 4,027 Boxes

8.     Emma E. (Prattville) – Troop 9029 | 4,016 Boxes

9.     Makenzi K. (Saraland) – Troop 8309 | 3,976 Boxes

10.  Makenna O. (Repton) – Troop 8733 | 3,622 Boxes

“This is my favorite time of year. There is nothing I enjoy more than honoring girls like Lydia for all their hard work throughout the Cookie Program,” Karlyn Edmonds, CEO of Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama, said. “This program is more than cookies; it’s teaching our young leaders the importance of goal setting, decision making, people skills, business ethics, and money management.”

The Girl Scout Cookie Program also supports girls in achieving the goals they set for program activities and community service projects.

For more than 100 years, the Girl Scout Cookie Program has provided life-changing leadership opportunities for every Girl Scout. For more information, visit girlscoutssa.org.

Booker T. Washington Student Earns Girl Scouts’ Highest Award
Allyson Merriweather Earns Gold Award

Allyson Merriweather Receives Girl Scouts’ Highest Honor For Addressing Teen Stress

Gold Award Girl Scouts are challenged to change the world—or at least their corner of it, and Montgomery Girl Scout Allyson Merriweather did just that. The Gold Award represents the highest achievement Girl Scouts can achieve. It recognizes girls in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable Take Action projects.

For Allyson's project, she addressed stress in teenagers at her school. Allyson is a student at Booker T. Washington Magnet High School, which caught fire in 2018. Not only did the school lose many classrooms but they also lost their outdoor eating area. After the school moved to a smaller location, Allyson realized her peers were stressed in the new environment and missed being able to eat outside. To help her peers, Allyson decided to address both issues by recreating the school's outdoor eating area and providing stress relief tips. She built an outside seating area and four picnic tables for students to relax. Each table features a centerpiece with motivational quotes and is painted in the school’s colors.

For her stress relief tips, Allyson did extensive research and presented information that defined stress and ways to relieve it. During her research, she found that being outside is a natural stress reliever, and teens are more willing to talk to peers than adults when discussing issues related to stress. To distribute this information, she was able to give a presentation at Booker T. Washington, place brochures in the guidance office, and post the information on the school's social media. Allyson also provided brochures for Baldwin Middle Magnet School and LAMP High School. With the distribution of this information, Allyson has been able to reach 1,442 students.

"My project made me more aware of the issues that teens are dealing with today. I now see stress in teens is an issue that many people sadly overlook, but shouldn't because it can lead to serious mental health issues, said Allyson. "From this experience, I will take away all of the important conversations that I had with people and will continue to provide stress relief tips to those in need."

Having started as a Daisy, Allyson is now going on her 12th year as a Girl Scout. Throughout her time as a Girl Scout, she has completed her Bronze, Silver, and now Gold Award. After graduating, she plans on earning a degree in Biomedical Sciences and attend medical school to become an anesthesiologist.

“Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama’s (GSSA) mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character to make the world a better place,” said GSSA CEO Karlyn Edmonds. “Allyson’s accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.”

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts. To join Girl Scouts or learn more about volunteering, please visit www.girlscoutssa.org.

Daleya Scaife Finds A Way To Empower Young Girls And Go Gold
Daleya Scaife Earns Gold Award

Girl Scout Daleya Scaife Uses Her Gold Award Platform to Help Spread Positive Self-Esteem!

Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) is honored to present Daleya Scaife with the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest recognition for achievement in Girl Scouting for girls in grades 9 through 12.

Daleya designed a program that promotes positive changes to hygiene. To do this, she partnered with the Auburn High School Junior Civitan Club for a toiletry drive. Her motivation behind this was to help teens have positive self-esteem. After distributing the products, she taught lessons on how to improve your view of yourself and feel empowered.

"It's scientifically proven that taking care of your hygiene impacts your mental, physical, and emotional health," said Daleya. "We’re all created with a purpose, and are beautiful in our own way. I want these young girls to love themselves, and to realize your situation doesn't define you."

By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, Daleya has become a community leader. Her accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart.

“Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama’s mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character to make the world a better place,” GSSA CEO Karlyn Edmonds said. “Daleya has made her corner of the world a better place, and I am beyond proud to say she is a Girl Scout from southern Alabama. We can’t wait to see the amazing things she accomplishes in the future.”

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues, all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. To join or volunteer, visit www.girlscoutssa.org.

Mobile Girl Scout Earns Gold Award
Mikayla Cain Earns Gold Award

Girl Scout Mikayla Cain Earns The Highest Award for Making Hand Sewn Dresses for Girls in Honduras

Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) would like to recognize Mikayla Cain for receiving the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve, the Gold Award – putting her into an elite group of Girl Scouts.

Last year, there were only five girls to earn this prestigious honor from southern Alabama. Less than 6 percent of eligible Girl Scouts nationwide earn the Gold Award. It recognizes girls in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable Take Action projects.

For Mikayla’s project, Sew for Honduras, she sewed dresses by hand out of pillowcases to send to girls in impoverished Honduran villages. Every dress has been blessed and prayed over. Each dress represents so much more than just a dress. It provides a basic need for a family, allowing them to spend their money on other things like food and hygiene.

 “The main thing that I love about my project is that the dresses don’t just affect the girls that receive them,” said Mikayla. “Every person that encounters these dresses all have a special touch in this project, from the first cut to packing them in the boxes to delivering them.”

“Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award is truly a remarkable achievement, and this exemplifies leadership in all its forms,” said GSSA CEO Karlyn Edmonds. “Mikayla saw a need and took action. Her extraordinary dedication, perseverance, and leadership are making the world a better place.”

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts. To join Girl Scouts or learn more about volunteering, please visit www.girlscoutssa.org.

Girl Scout Taylor Harwell Earns Highest Award
Taylor H.

Taylor Harwell Helps Shape Young Minds By Making STEM Experiments Fun For All!

Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the pinnacle of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it's available exclusively to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (9-12 grade). Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) would like to recognize Auburn High School student Taylor Harwell for receiving the Gold Award.

Through the Gold Award, girls engage in a rigorous leadership process, as they tackle issues they're passionate about to create long-term, sustainable change. To earn the Gold Award, girls typically spend one to two years exploring the root cause of a local or global issue and partner with the community to create lasting solutions.

For Taylor's project, she set up a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) after school program for second graders in Auburn City Schools. Every month, a group of volunteers visit Cary Woods, Dean Road, Auburn Early Education Center and Creekside Elementary. Taylor began by meeting with the after school directors at each school and tested fun labs for the students. She also recruited fellow high school students to help run the labs by giving them community service hours for assisting her project.

“Although I find STEM interesting, I discovered most students find themselves discouraged by it at an early age. My mission is to help inspire young students to follow the path of STEM so they can have bright futures,” says Gold Award Girl Scout Taylor Harwell.

Taylor quickly realized the impact her project was making when she saw the kids excitement for the labs. The STEM field is continuously expanding and offers many opportunities for future generations. Upon finishing her Gold Award project, Taylor plans on attending college to pursue a career in biology.

“At GSSA we strive for every young woman to represent a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader),” says GSSA CEO Karlyn Edmonds. “Taylor is a prime example of this acronym, and I can’t wait to watch her achieve great things."

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts. To join Girl Scouts or learn more about volunteering, please visit www.girlscoutssa.org.

Dothan Senior Earns Girl Scouts' Highest Award
Jasmine Ard Goes Gold

Jasmine Ard Earns Her Gold Award for Helping Raise Awareness for Childhood Cancer and Donating Care Packages to Camp Smile-A-Mile.

Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the pinnacle of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it's available exclusively to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (9-12 grade). Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) would like to recognize Dothan High School student Jasmine Ard for receiving the Gold Award.

Through the Gold Award, girls engage in a rigorous leadership process, as they tackle issues they're passionate about to create long-term, sustainable change. To earn the Gold Award, girls typically spend one to two years exploring the root cause of a local or global issue and partner with the community to create lasting solutions.

For Jasmine's project, she raised awareness about childhood cancer and collected items for care packages for Camp Smile-A-Mile campers. She did this by speaking at community engagements and holding forums to discuss the statistics about childhood cancer. She also crocheted hats to put in the care packages, as well as delivered the packages to Camp Smile-A-Mile personally.

“I saw that most people think childhood cancer is rare, and I wanted to change that. I am a survivor of childhood cancer, so this project was very personal to me,” says Gold Award Girl Scout Jasmine Ard.

Upon finishing her Gold Award project, Jasmine plans to take steps toward becoming a child life specialist.

“At GSSA we strive for every young woman to represent a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader),” says GSSA CEO Karlyn Edmonds. “Jasmine is a prime example of this acronym, and I can’t wait to watch her achieve great things."

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts. To join Girl Scouts or learn more about volunteering, please visit www.girlscoutssa.org.

Claire Harden Goes Gold
Claire H.

Claire Harden Works With Aid to Inmate Mothers (AIM) to Help Bridge The Separation Between Mother and Child Through The Use of Storybooks.

Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) would like to recognize Booker T. Washington student Claire Harden for receiving the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve, the Gold Award – putting her into an elite group of Girl Scouts.

Last year, there were only five girls to earn this prestigious honor from southern Alabama. Less than 6 percent of eligible Girl Scouts nationwide earn the Gold Award. It recognizes girls in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable Take Action projects. GSSA is excited to announce Claire as the first Gold Award Girl Scout from their council for the new membership year.

For Claire's project, she worked with the Aid to Inmate Mothers (AIM) Storybook program, which allows incarcerated moms to read a story to their children on a recording. The program works to give children storybooks and recordings of their mother reading to them. AIM volunteers also bring children from all over the state of Alabama to see their mother every couple of weekends. Claire's project assisted with both of these programs. Claire organized a storybook collection, built shelves at AIM to store books, and developed a craft curriculum to provide a fun activity for the moms and children to do together.

"Seeing pictures of the kids with big smiles on their faces while they made crafts with their moms, that I had designed made me very happy," said Claire H. "I hope that my project will help the kids of moms who are incarcerated to feel closer, and help them get through the separation until their moms are able to join the family again."

“Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award is truly a remarkable achievement, and this exemplifies leadership in all its forms, “said GSSA CEO Karlyn Edmonds. “Claire saw a need in the community and took action. Her extraordinary dedication, perseverance, and leadership are making the world a better place.”

Through Girl Scouting, girls learn to face challenges head-on, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and find solutions to social issues all while building the skills and courage they need to take the lead every day. Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts. To join Girl Scouts or learn more about volunteering, please visit www.girlscoutssa.org.

What GSSA Stands For

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Because of you, they shine. More
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