Girl Scout Shaela recognized with the National Gold Award Scholarship

Girl Scout Shaela recognized with the National Gold Award Scholarship

What does success look like? A confident shade of Girl Scout gold. And when a Gold Award Girl Scout shares the real-world skills gained from earning the Gold Award—team building, managing a complex project from start to finish, or public speaking, to name a few—their resume sets them apart from their peers.

A Gold Award Girl Scout, no matter their background or ability, learns to tap into the world-changing power within her. She takes the lead in designing and enacting a plan for change and makes a positive impact in her community and beyond.

We are thrilled to announce that Girl Scout Shaela is the Gold Award Girl Scout from Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GCNWI) to be awarded a national scholarship from Girl Scouts of the USA for extraordinary action in addressing the issue of food insecurity. Shaela’s work in building a relationship with Help for Hope, a local food and supply pantry in Coal City, Illinois, has earned her national recognition, and we are so proud.

Read on to hear about Shaela’s initiative, in her own words.

Coal City Community Care Project

Written by National Gold Award Scholarship Recipient Shaela

From the very beginning all the way to my current role in Girl Scouts, it has truly been one of forming lifetime friendships and acquiring priceless life and survival skills. I enrolled in Girl Scouts as a Daisy, the very first step of a beautiful journey I will never regret taking. My mother, aunt, and grandmother were all Girl Scouts before me, so it was important to me to continue the chain of strong, independent women in my family. Together with my cousin, I began the Girl Scout journey and the climb up the ladder of learning, exploring, leading, and providing service to others.

To earn my Gold Award, I partnered with the Help for Hope Food Pantry, a local food and supply pantry in Coal City, to assist my community physically and emotionally. I implemented a Letters of Love box for others to receive supportive and heartfelt letters which provide encouragement for the Help for Hope frequenters. In addition, I also constructed a Blessing Box/Micro-pantry, Drop-Off Donation Box, and provided numerous collection bins throughout town to collect needed food, supplies, cleaning products, personal products, and other items for the Help for Hope community. Finally, I planned and started an annual Drive-Thru Donation Drive in which community members can bring in donated items and supplies safely from the trunk of their car. All structures and events implemented went to the betterment of my community and to increase products offered at Help for Hope.

The number of people in need in my community was really what pushed me to work hard and continue with my Gold Award project. After volunteering at Help for Hope for a couple years prior to my project, I was able to see the large number of families and individuals frequenting the facility. In seeing the variety of items they offered at the pantry, I was deeply motivated to help them move forward as much as possible.

After the pandemic began, my passion to help others through difficult times only grew stronger as people began to lose their jobs and fall into financial struggles. With COVID-19 came a wave of unity among people, and I wanted nothing more than to partake in that very mission. So many are suffering right now because of this virus’s effects, and the mission of Help for Hope deeply inspired me to assist others, especially at such a crucial time. Thus, it was the heartbreaking suffering of those around me and those greatly impacted by the pandemic that pushed me to encourage members of my community and reach out as much as I could.

As someone who has been active in volunteer service for many years, my drive to continue to make a difference is something that is housed deep inside my empathy and compassion toward others. I have always had a very strong connection with people, and I have been able to form incredible connections with others by being able to lend a listening ear or a helping hand to those who I know are facing struggles. Knowing how these people feel, what they fight for, or what they are going through pushes me to continue to help and make a difference in the world.

I wish more than anything to provide aid that can assist in making that shadow leave my community and the world to establish peace and understanding for all. Getting rid of these negative emotions and actions that exist in today’s society is how humanity can achieve true unity. That goal of having acceptance, aid, equity, and love in the world is what keeps me going.

Girl Scouting is something that I truly value and treasure close to my heart. It has been such a constant part of my life for the longest time that I honestly couldn’t imagine life without it. Through all the meetings, camps, projects, trips, journeys, and events I have participated in, I have learned how to be strong, determined, compassionate, courageous, caring, helpful, and so much more. I have learned not only how to “make the world a better place” but how to follow each step of the Girl Scout Law and Promise.

I will forever fondly look back upon my younger years in Girl Scouts and treasure the inspiration I received from the program and the invaluable scouting experiences with my dear cousin and all my family and friends. They led me to where I am today and enabled me to make an impact. Thank you, Girl Scouts!

Time to Go Gold

Self-confidence and an unstoppable shine? You’re looking at a Gold Award Girl Scout, and she carries her remarkable leadership skills with her for life.

Join a century of women who have done big things. Learn more about Gold Award scholarships, the history of the Gold Award, and the benefits of going Gold

Sign up for our Highest Award trainings or a Take Action workshop to get started on your journey!

Get ready for Girls Change the World month!

We’re celebrating Girl Scouts Change the World Month and International Day of the Girl (October 11) with lots of programs and special events!

Stay tuned for more information!

Congratulations to the 2021 Pinnacle Award Class!

Congratulations to the 2021 Pinnacle Award Class!

Introducing the first-ever Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Pinnacle Award recipients! This award was created in partnership with our Adult Recognition Committee and council staff who work directly with Girl Scouts.

These Ambassador Girl Scouts are each amazing examples of young people stepping up and using their voice, taking the lead, and committing to their communities. Girl Scouts who earn the Pinnacle Award will receive a pin to wear proudly, a letter of congratulations from our CEO, and be listed in the Annual Recognition booklet.

Congratulations to these Girl Scouts!

The Pinnacle Award honors Ambassador Girl Scouts who have demonstrated outstanding leadership through their Girl Scout experience. To qualify for this award girls must document their experiences by earning at least seven leadership points achieved through a combination of Girl Scout and other extracurricular experiences.

Applications are currently closed, but be on the lookout for when they open to apply!

Press play on Girl Scouts!

Connecting. Testing her strength. Making a difference. Renew today to make sure your Girl Scout continues to shine her brightest.

She’s ready to explore, learn, and create. She’s ready to come back.

Press play with Girl Scouts and watch her confidence soar. Renew your Girl Scout membership today.

Introducing 28 new Girl Scout badges for all ages!

Introducing 28 new Girl Scout badges for all ages!

We are so excited to introduce 28 new badges for Girl Scouts of all ages!

Become a digital activist; make your own Cookie Business plan; explore the natural world through the lens of math; it’s time to take on something new! With these 28 new badges in Math in Nature, Entrepreneurship, and Digital Leadership, and new Global Action Awards, Girl Scouts will have the chance to break new ground in whatever they’re passionate about, whether it’s reinventing the way they sell cookies or finding out that STEM is for them.

See the new badges below and use the Badge Explorer to start your badge-earning journey!

Purchase badges and badge guides on our shop!

The Brand New Badges

New for Girl Scouts of All Ages

All Girl Scouts in grades K-12 can now earn Cookie Business and Digital Leadership badges!

13 Cookie Business Badges

Girl Scout Daisies to Ambassadors will be challenged to think beyond the cookie booth and become Cookie Goal Setters, Bosses, and Influencers! Digital sales and marketing will be just part of this curriculum where Girl Scouts will learn how to make the most of the Cookie Season and the Digital Cookie® platform!

6 Digital Leadership Badges

Sponsored by Instagram

Girl Scouts of all ages looking to explore the power of social media should look no further than the Digital Leadership badges! Learn to be safe online and manage screen time, how to create social impact and become a digital activist, and connect with your local and global community!

2 Global Action Awards Badges

There are two new major awards for Girl Scouts of all ages: World Thinking Day Award and Global Action Award. Girl Scouts will be able to start creating global impact today with these two new awards–one for each Girl Scout level.

New for Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors

Girl Scouts in grades K-5 can now earn brand-new Math in Nature badges!

9 Math in Nature Badges

Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson

Get outdoors and explore the worlds of mathematics and nature, at once! These badges help Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors (K-5) live in the intersection of science and math, discovering the Fibonacci sequence, finding patterns in the planet, and much more.

Get Started Today!

These badges are ready to go, and through Girl Scouts at Home, GSUSA has free self-guided activities available online now!

You can also access a suite of Girl Scout programming online through the Volunteer Toolkit, including troop meeting plans, tips for volunteers, and other resources to help Girl Scouts earn badges and awards! There are also 28 training videos for volunteers: search gsLearn for “Badges” to watch all the mini-courses!

Explore all of the amazing badge opportunities online using the Award and Badge Explorer!

Purchase badges and badge guides on our shop!

Renew to Press Play

Connecting. Testing your strength. Making a difference. Renew today to make sure you continue to shine your brightest.

Press play with Girl Scouts: renew your membership today!

Meet the Gold Award Class of 2021

Meet the Gold Award Class of 2021

Gold Award Girl Scouts are the dreamers and the doers who take “make the world a better place” to the next level. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable and proof that not only can they make a difference, but that they already have.

Seniors and Ambassadors who earn the Gold Award tackle issues that are dear to them and drive lasting change in their communities and beyond. Think of the Gold Award as a key that can open doors to scholarships, preferred admission tracks for college, and amazing career opportunities. 

The Gold Award Class of 2021 from Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GCNWI) are young changemakers; they are innovators, organizers, and advocates. Each of these Girl Scouts poured their hearts and energy into projects that will leave a positive and lasting impact on others, and we are so proud of them!

Scroll through to meet the Gold Award Class of 2021!

Alexis T. Staying Alive

My original idea for my project, “Staying Alive,” was to CPR-certify members of my community. This new skill would allow people to act in the case of an emergency and have the potential to save lives. Due to the pandemic, I had to slightly change my project. I decided to start making face masks for people within my community and I attached a card that outlines the basic steps of CPR. These cards can be kept in wallets, cars or wherever else may be useful. The face masks I made were used by members of my community in order to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. It was important to me that I incorporated a new plan of action once I determined that I could no longer safely certify people. Even though I could no longer certify people in person, I knew that I still wanted to share this skill with others. By making the cards and masks, it allowed me to share this skill while still staying safe.

Allie D. From Eigth Grade to High School

My project is a presentation that is going to be put up on Bannockburn Elementary School website. The project gives tips and advice to help the eighth graders transition to the major high school in our town. The topics are clubs, academics, athletics, and some other social aspects.

Allison S. Pollinator Garden

Our church had a third of an acre “forest” full of invasive plants. I cleaned and mulched the area and created a pollinator garden using native plants. We also removed invasive trees and bushes, replacing them with native species.

Alyssa N. Fish Measuring Boards and Portable Tables (FLAG)

I made fish measuring boards and portable tables for the Will County Forest Preserve.

Alyssa S. Gaming for Women

I created a tournament for competitive Pokemon specifically designed to welcome women to play. Named the “Women’s Tournament,” I was able to create a safe space for women to feel welcome and play Pokemon, and also interact with other women in the community. I also created a Discord server for people to join and use that as the hub for women to practice and meet each other and view tournament information. I was able to livestream the event on Twitch so that everyone else in the community could watch and support the women playing in the tournament.

Amber D. Growing With The Elderly

I built and painted two raised gardening beds with wheels and have them to the American House Cedarlake Assisted Living Facility. Each bed has four wooden walls, caster wheels (for mobility), soil, and seeds. Since the residents are not allowed outside of the homes, adding a garden with fresh vegetables and herbs would gave them a new hobby (gardening), some new scenery to look at while inside of the home, and a new garden filled with fruits and vegetables that they can eat.

Amelia R. Prayer Garden

In order to bring attention to the ever growing awareness around mental health, a garden for prayer, reflection, meditation, and mindfulness was made to be accessible to the students and staff at the Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart. Complete with a bench, carefully hand painted rocks, and a mailbox with wonderful messages of positivity and mindfulness along with guides to meditation, this garden has been an exceptional addition to the school especially due to how no spaces at the school were specifically designed for students to go to for complete privacy prior to the completion of the garden. Located in the school’s outdoor garden, it gives students the chance to reconnect with nature and to take a moment to destress, away from the stressors of every day life at school.

Anna B. Mokena School and Park District Pet Cleanup

My Gold Award addresses the issue of pet waste left on the grounds of the community park and on the grounds of the adjacent school. The park and the large area around the school are very popular places for members of the community to walk with their dogs and these areas see a great deal of foot traffic. By providing pet waste receptacles, I have helped the community maintain the health and beauty of the grass and keep it free of pet waste, thereby allowing members of the community to better enjoy these outdoor areas.

Aren S. Supply Station

My project was created to help students who may not have access to important daily school supplies. I selected a school that over 76% of the population is on the free and reduced lunch plan. I wanted students to focus on their education and not on the financial burden that buying supplies places on those kiddos. I fundraised and had many supplies donated. After supplies were donated bags were created with school supplies the students needed. The additional school supplies were in a general location at the school for students to access when they were needed throughout the school year.

Arwen R. St. John’s Cemetery Veteran Memorial Map Project

My project makes sure that all veterans buried at St. John’s cemetery in Mokena, Illinois receive proper recognition by flag placement at the foot of their grave for Memorial Day. To achieve this goal, I worked with both the head of St. John’s Cemetery and the Mokena VFW Post 725 to produce a map of the cemetery that has the locations and names of all deceased veterans. This map is reproduced and distributed to those placing flags on the graves the weekend before Memorial Day and helps to ensure that no veteran is forgotten or left behind.

Ashley S. Comfort Carts

My project addresses the need for providing children’s ministry services for families with special needs children. After working in the Peer Partner program at my high school, I realized the importance of having more opportunities for inclusion for these children in my community. As a result, I researched, designed, and created a special needs program for Alleluia Lutheran Church called Caring Connect whereby special needs children can be assimilated into age appropriate Sunday School classrooms to promote independence and growth as well as build self-esteem for these children. The project also included the development of two mobile comfort carts that contain fidgets and specialized equipment needed to incorporate these children into a classroom in a safe and comfortable way. To reduce costs, I constructed several items such as sensory bottles, weighted lap pads, and weighted stuffed animals. The project also involved development of the program procedures and a training program and manual to qualify and train volunteers. After training, each special needs child is provided with a “buddy” each week to serve as their mentor.

Avery M. Distance Marker Project

I worked to support my community by implementing distance marker signs along the path in a local park. Also included with the distance markers is an opening sign with a summary of the history of the town and park. The goal is to encourage outdoor activity and beautify the park.

Brianna D. For the Love of STEM

I planned and hosted a virtual STEM event for 100 third and fourth graders in my community. Additionally, I made a website with curriculum, instructions, and required materials for future use. I aimed to decrease stigmas within STEM classes and courses that lead to disinterest. While instructing participants through a variety of STEM-related activities, I taught technical skills and soft skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration.

Cali L. Mental Health Videos

During our turbulent teenage years, there’s a lot of things that can wrong and that can change. One thing that is affected during this time, though, is mental health. When I first started this project, I identified
that my mental health was not the strongest and that led to a series of issues, such as me losing friends
and stopping activities that I was passionate about. I wanted to make videos to help try to reverse those
things.

Caroline E. Outdoor Oasis

The Outdoor Oasis project entailed creating a garden for hands-on agricultural and biological experiences for school children. In this project, I created a tiered “vertical” garden with many garden boxes in order to efficiently use the space, as well as created a traditional raised garden bed. The grade levels have split up the various gardening areas and will include it as part of their curriculum when teaching about plants. Additionally, they will be able to use the vegetables once they are grown. Finally, the garden also serves to beautify the courtyard that it is located in.

Claire B. Little Free Libraries

I went out and built/installed three Little Free Libraries around my community in places where they would be helpful and/or spark interest in reading. I aimed to provide as diverse stories as possible to expose my community to a broad variety of different narratives!

Delaney B. Diapers for Dignity

Nationwide, researchers estimated that 7 million children need diapers, and only about 300,000 of these children receive support from diaper banks. Diapers are an essential and often an overlooked need for
families who are struggling financially. Dignity, and overall family well-being are at stake when parents
and caregivers cannot afford an adequate number of disposable diapers. Diaper Depot provided low
income families in the North/Northwest region of Chicago the support they needed.

Eden H. Kenilworth Union Church Cares

I created a junior care guild to provide support to those struggling with mental health issues in my community. My project directly fought the negative impacts that COVID-19 had on the mental health of youth in my community. My junior care guild provides all types of support to teens in the area who are struggling such as delivering goodies and mailing cards.

Elliana B. Remodeling the Early Childhood Education Center at Concordia University

As schools are reopening this fall, they have an unexpected challenge to address, especially how to safely educate students during a pandemic. The Early Childhood Education Center at Concordia University Chicago has been working for many years to improve their playgrounds but they still had a few issues to address. These issues include having unusable outdoor storage for their toys and equipment and needing a wider variety of areas for children to play and explore.

I created two platforms that lifted the storage containers out of the mud and allowed the doors to swing freely. This also allowed for the toys inside to be stored cleanly instead of having them sit directly in the mud. I also created a kitchen to match the pots and pans that the teachers already had. This created an entirely new play area for the preschoolers who must spend most of their day playing outside due to COVID-19.

Heidi S. Raised Herb and Flower Boxes

My Gold Award involved the creation of three elevated garden bed boxes at a local retirement home in my community. These boxes allowed residents to have an outlet for the planning, growing and harvesting of their own herbs, vegetables and flowers. It also allowed for the socialization of the residents and collaboration of their efforts.

Janine G. Girls in STEM

I hosted three workshops with 29 girls. I did five experiments that related to science and also gave a presentation that looked at what STEM was and other resources that girls can use to continue their learning in relation to STEM. Each workshop was about an hour and a half and most of the girls were Girl Scouts; all of them were in grades 3-5.

Jenna H. Butterfly Prairie Garden

For my Gold Award I designed a butterfly garden at Camp Greene Wood. I did this by cutting and mulching a sitting area and path through a prairie, building butterfly houses which were placed along the path, and built an entrance arbor for the garden. I also made informational booklets to guide troops through the path and educate them about prairie plants and flowers as they walk through the garden. For the garden, I picked and harvested seeds to spread and plant in the spring to continue to sustain the prairie.

Jennifer B. Composting Makes Changes

I created a double decker compost bin at the garden plots at the Lisle Food Pantry. The goal of my project was to find a more sustainable way to get rid of waste that comes from a garden. I used two large drum barrels as the composters and used wood supports in order to stack them and make the barrels easy to turn. Another goal of the composter was to make it easy to use.

Jordan E. Grab and Go Book Bags

I collected reusable bags and books for children at the Lake County Children’s Advocacy center to choose from. The LCAC deals with children and teens who have been abused and the teens are often forgotten when people are giving donations. I collected books geared towards teens and they can fill up a bag to take with them.

Jordan K. “Pop In” Boxes

I organized a donation drive for two homeless shelters in my area. I made the boxes myself, developed social media sites for the drive, and also created a website. This drive was created because these specific shelters were struggling throughout the holiday season during the pandemic, and I wanted to find a way for myself and the community to help out.

Jordanne N. Hey Pretty Girl

Many girls develop low self-esteem and body image issues due to how media portrayals. I created the website www.heyprettygirl.net, a safe space where girls can discuss and express their feelings and emotions about themselves through links to books, poetry, and affirmations that uplift. My final pieces were a self-esteem workshop, creating a club at my school, and growing a long-lasting social media presence.

Karina V. Be Smart, Don’t Start

My project was about raising awareness on the dangers of drug abuse amongst youth. I spent time researching, interviewing experts, and creating a presentation that I gave to youth groups. I also shared the presentation with local schools and a non-for-profit organization as an additional tool augment their health curriculum. My presentation also created anti-drug youth ambassadors.

Katie C. Befriend a Butterfly

My Gold Award addressed the decreasing Monarch butterfly population, and the steps that community members could take towards positively impacting the species. I lead educational classes that taught how to identify butterfly eggs in the wild and raise caterpillars from home. At the end of each class, I gave participants take-home kits which included instructions on how to raise them, two or three butterfly eggs, and a stalk of milkweed that was grown from seed. The intention of including the kits was to not only help inflate future monarch generations by adding to their population, but also promote awareness within younger generations. Additionally, I worked with my local public works department to install a large monarch habitat in the community park. The butterfly garden included several caterpillar and butterfly food sources, as well as an assortment of perennials and a flagstone path for kids to walk across.

Kayla A. How to be a Teen Advocate

According to Everytown USA, nearly 2,900 children and teens (ages 0 to 19) are shot and killed annually, and nearly 15,600 are shot and injured—that’s an average of 51 American young people every day. My project is to increase awareness of this problem by being a teen advocate to reduce gun violence against kids ages (0-19) while helping others advocate for their cause.

Keeley M. Girls in STEM!

My Gold Award addressed the underrepresentation and stereotypes of women in STEM fields. Often, girls are not encouraged or directed to pursue a passion in a STEM field. In order to address this, I completed a two-part project. For the first part of my project, I attended 11 younger Girl Scout troop meetings in my local area and I coordinated STEM based troop meetings. I directed activities such as a coding team-building maze, building platform shoes from recycled materials, making kinetic sand, a math scavenger hunt, and a race car coding activity. For the second part of my project, I moderated a live, 2-hour zoom webinar, in coordination with the Indian Prairie Public Library in Darien, Illinois. Five accomplished women in STEM fields were on the panel. They answered various questions relating to STEM, including their experiences in the workplace and how they became so successful. Through this, I was able to give and provide opportunity to my community at large.

Kendall B. Climate Connection

I built a bridge to ensure safety to those horseback riding or hiking over a small creek. Additionally, I further educated younger scouts and children how to take care of the outdoors and love the Earth!

Korey Z. Bethel Church Micro-pantry

Located in Lansing IL, I created a micro-pantry at Bethel Christian Reform church, where I saw a need for struggling families. A micro-pantry is a small box-like structure that offers non-perishables and other basic necessities to anyone who needs them. This created an anonymous place where people can get items without judgement and donate without contact of others.

Lia P. Community Benches

I researched the importance of social skills, friendship, and cooperation among the youngest of school children, and decided to develop a community bench. To do this, I assisted in the researching, building, and execution of plans to build the bench for a local preschool. In addition, I created an instructional video and survey to measure the effectiveness of my project in the classroom.

Lillian R. Girls Leadership Club

The Girls Leadership Club is a space dedicated to the young women of my school community’s personal empowerment and promoting both female empowerment and discussion of women’s issues school-wide. Girls Leadership Club invites girls from grades 9-12 to gather in a space that is safe and comfortable to express themselves, develop leadership skills, and broaden their own understanding of women’s issues, all while cultivate a culture of female empowerment in our school. We engaged in service for women facing housing insecurity, spent time discussing ways to improve our school’s culture surrounding women, and spent time reflecting on our own self-image as young women. Girls Leadership Club is both an all-purpose empowerment space and advocacy group for the women of my school and the world.

Lily P. Domestic Violence Prevention

Education outreach in schools and in the community and promoting healthy relationships was my main goal for my project. I wanted to bring awareness of unhealthy relationships and to provide a source of support to those who may find themselves in an unsafe environment. By going out into the community, I was able to collect much needed donations for the Apna Ghar Women’s Shelter as well as sharing educational materials and tools to the community.

Lindsey M. Shelter Garden

[I beautified] a shelter for the homeless to make clients feel better about where they are. Just because they are homeless, doesn’t mean they should have to go to a shelter that looks like it isn’t cared for. Having a beautiful place to call home will inspire residents to keep going on their path.

Madeline H. Empowerment Program

My Gold Award addressed teen girl empowerment and was designed to serve teenaged high school girls as part of a new program being developed at Naperville’s Alive Center. The project focused on the development of program content and activities for the newly created teen-led, teen-driven program as well as the creation of a resource brochure on teen issues. The brochure, designed to help teens navigate various teenager challenges, was distributed free distribution at Alive Center’s various locations as well as provided in electronic form for continued distribution.

Maeve D. Duck Deck Construction

For my Gold Award, I worked alongside Willowbrook Wildlife Center to build “duck deck.” These are raised, waterproof platforms made from decking material to provide shelter for the ducks at the Willowbrook nature center. With a hide-box and a hinged ramp, these decks can be submerged in a adequate environment for waterfowl and serve as a habitat for up to 25 years. The construction took about 4 days start to finish, with several months of planning and communication between those involved and myself.

Maheen S. Adopt-a-Grandparent

A safe space where youth and senior citizen members from the local community could come together to share experiences and learn from one another. Events included game night, storytelling, arts and crafts, small group interviews and gardening.

Margaret S. Beautifying Countryside Park

My Gold Award addressed the issue of improving the ecosystem and beautifying Countryside Park. It is important for my project to improve the ecosystem of [the park] and to enhance the presence of native plants
as well as water ecosystems in the area. If this area is well maintained, it can impact the ecosystems
around the park which would impact the [community] as a whole. This project did teach my community about
native plants and the work it takes for a community to make something sustainable. My community will
takes care of Countryside Park while I am away. As an example, I hope my community realizes not littering can help the garden and ecosystem flourish.

Neeharika K. Facilitating Intergenerational Engagement and Improving the Livelihood of our Elderly

Many local low-income senior citizens face challenges such as food insecurities, health issues, financial struggles, and loneliness. Additionally, there is seemingly little communication and understanding across generations. I decided to address these issues by hosting a care package event to support the senior community and create an opportunity for students and seniors to interact. Just as I had finalized my plan, the pandemic hit canceling my event indefinitely. I persevered and made adjustments to fit new regulations, eventually delivering care packages to 100 local seniors. After distributing the care packages, I was grateful to listen to stories from seniors and hear I inspired new hope for youth leadership. Further motivated by this, I coordinated an intergenerational pen-pal project to create a lasting impact. I believe my project showed seniors a community of youth that cared for their health and wanted to bring them some joy.

Olivia J. STEM in the Park

“STEM in the Park” are signs that combine Science, Technology, Engineering and Math activities that use the playground equipment. Elementary school children can experience engaging learning activities while playing at Union Creek Park in Frankfort. Children will explore concepts like shapes, friction, gravity, speed, angles and much more.

Patricia M. POW/MIA Memorial

In my local cemetery I created a Prisoners of War (POW)/Missing in Action (MIA) memorial for the military. I also refurbished an old wooden chair for the local American Legion to use in their annual Memorial Day parade. This was a reminder for the community to always pay their respects to the ones who gave their lives for us at the Civil War cannon.

Rachel D. Christmas Shelter Store

My Gold Award addressed the issue of poverty by working with local homeless shelters to help reorganize and remodel their Christmas store in time for the holidays. This store allows people in the community to buy newer clothes and necessities with “Hesed Bucks” to help with the stressors the holidays can bring.

Rebecca F. Small Changes, Big Differences

I created a three week long video program where I reached out to young ladies and we talked about exercise, healthy eating, yoga, skin care, and mental health! Each day of the week I put out a new video I made onto our group Facebook page talking about one of our five core concepts, sharing tips and tricks to improve their everyday lifestyle! Throughout the three weeks I had talked to many of the girls via email and surveys to hear feedback from them and about the positive impacts that this experience gave them!

Scarlett O. Hats for Little Warriors

For my project, I learned to crochet hats for premature babies. I made four different sizes of the hats, as a way to impact a larger group of people. The hats that I made, I donated to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Edward-Elmhurst Hospital. These hats were brightly colored, and served as a way to remind the families of the babies in the NICU, that someone is thinking of them as they go through this difficult time in their lives.

Shaela O. Coal City Community Care Project

My goal was to increase the physical and emotional support for clients of Help for Hope and those in need in my community. Help for Hope is a local food and supply pantry in Coal City. I was able to achieve this by first implementing collection bins for supply donations at local churches, businesses, schools, and organizations. I also constructed a micro-pantry and donation drop-off box that provides anytime access to food, personal products, or other household supplies to those in need. In conjunction with the micro-pantry, I also created an instructional video on how to construct one as well, so that others may learn and become inspired to build one and spread love and assistance around their area as well. Additionally, I built a Letters of Love box, which allows community members to write letters of encouragement and hope to frequenters of the Help for Hope pantry, and help to bring a ray of sunshine to their day. Finally, I organized a drive-thru food and supply donation drive in order to be able to continue spreading awareness and support for Help for Hope, as well as restock their shelves annually. Overall, I was able to achieve my goal of lending a hand physically and emotionally to help those in need in my community.

Sheila T. Little Free Libraries

I built three Little Free Libraries and collected over one thousand books to stock them with. I gave three townships in Lake County a Little Free Library and at least two bins full of books for them.

Sloane J. The Importance of Freshman Year

My project was created to help incoming high school freshmen balance high school life. I talked about how it is important to stay focused freshmen year to be on track for what comes after graduation. I talked about how to balance social life with school work, how to manage time, SAT tips as well as options for after high school.

Taylor M. Niles North High School College Resource Center

The college resources center at Niles North High School did not maintain a list of educational summer programs. Currently, few students participate in summer programs, but I feel that more would enroll if the information was available. I created a comprehensive website containing educational summer programs. The site has over 25 different subject areas, each populated with info and the links to access these programs of their day playing outside due to COVID-19.

Teagan W. Theatre Content Organization Initiative

My project was centered around cataloging and organizing the storage spaces of my school’s theater program. I started by sifting through all of the materials in the storage spaces and separating the useful materials from the unusable materials. Next I cataloged the remaining materials in a spreadsheet. Finally I organized the materials by function, using shelving units and storage containers.

Tess O. RBHS Volunteer Choir

I founded and directed a student volunteer choir to perform at local nursing homes. The project addressed issues of senior isolation, while also providing choir students with opportunities for service. It was a great way for high school students to connect with the community, and to bring music to places that needed it most.

Drive-through, outdoor celebrations at both Camp Greene Wood and the Vernon Hills Gathering Place honored dedicated individual young Girl Scouts from throughout our council who earned their Gold Awards in 2020 and 2021: read our blog to see pictures and hear the story!

Learn more about earning the Gold Award on our website.

Girl Scout Develops App to Celebrate and Educate about LGBTQ+ Community!

Girl Scout Develops App to Celebrate and Educate about LGBTQ+ Community!

June is Pride Month, a month dedicated to celebrating and uplifting LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and more) individuals and communities across the world. We love and support ALL of our Girl Scouts: they’re changing the world and making sure the future is brighter!

One Girl Scout Senior (soon to be Ambassador!) from Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, Mac, recently developed an app at our first-ever Hackathon sponsored by Motorola, an app designed to educate users on everything from appropriate pronoun usage, the diversity of gender and sexual identities, and more.

Read on to hear Mac’s story in her own words!

The battle is far from over.

Written by Girl Scout Mac

The LGBTQ+ community is surrounded by a lot of misinformation both internally and externally. The lack of information surrounding the topic usually leads to a lot of confusion and fear of LGBTQ+ individuals. The general public may not understand the community and the seemingly foreign terms they use such as cisgender, genderqueer, and asexuality. My app aims to provide a basic understanding of the LGBTQ+ community to eliminate some of the misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding it. My app also provides a wide variety of useful information from the proper usage of pronouns, to the definitions of common sexualities. 

Every day, I see news of LGBTQ+ individuals facing discrimination and the constant trivialization of their rights. Anti-trans legislation and the erasure of LBGTQ+ celebrities are just a few examples of issues I see. As someone who knows many in the community, seeing their rights being taken away daily enraged me! I wanted to make a difference and spread awareness, even if it only reached a small number of people. That small difference could save an individual’s life, with the suicide rates of LGBTQ+ individuals still shockingly high, especially in the times we live in. People assume now that LGBTQ+ individuals can get married in the United States, that the battle is over. However, this development only came six years ago. The battle is far from over, and I’m ready to fight it. 

Normalization of LGBTQ+ individuals is really important to prevent them from feeling excluded. I would like to see the normalization of asking for pronouns and the support of trans and those of differing sexualities in Girl Scouts. I hope that above all, I can stop an LGBTQ+ individual from facing bullying and harassment. I’ve wanted to change the world for a while now; it’s just something about making an impact and leaving behind a legacy has been really important to me.

Girl Scouts allowed me to grow as an individual and develop new skills. From fire building to problem-solving, the experiences I’ve learned help me every day. It has also let me make friends and share new experiences with them. My love for Girl Scouting fostered my leadership skills and provided new opportunities.


Thank you so much to Mac for sharing her story with us!

We’ve Got This, Together!

Strength, resilience, togetherness, and the support of community—that’s what Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana is all about. So in this uncertain world, you can count on one thing for sure: today, tomorrow, together, we are on your team.

Renew your membership for 2021-22 today and you’ll receive a FREE “We’ve Got This” patch, plus access to the newest programs for the summer and beyond! 

Learn more on our website.

Girl Rep McKenzie inducted into Top Teens of America! 

Girl Rep McKenzie inducted into Top Teens of America! 

This week we’re giving a special shout-out to Girl Scout Cadette McKenzie, Girl Representative to the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GSGCNWI) Board and recent inductee into Top Teens of America Will County Black Diamond! The purpose of Top Teens of America is to “teach teens leadership skills, help develop caring characteristics, and to advance teens in life.”  

Read on to meet Girl Rep McKenzie and her vision of the future for girls! 

McKenzie’s Girl Scout story started at church. “This girl in front of me [in the pews] was in Girl Scouts, so I asked my mom about it. I haven’t stopped ever since.” 

McKenzie has participated in many Girl Scout events and activities over the years, including Summer Camp Revamp, STEMapalooza, and Project Law Track, all of which provided her “exposure to different career tracks, cultural awareness, and plain old fun.”  

These experiences lead McKenzie to become involved with the Girl Reps to the GCNWI Board. As a Girl Rep, McKenzie works with a group of Girl Scouts around the council, attends board meetings, and represents the Girl Scout movement as a spokesperson. 

“My term is almost up and the experience has impacted me in many ways. I’ve met new people, gained leadership experience and board meeting etiquette, and so much more!” McKenzie continued, “I’ve always wanted to be a leader. It’s been terrific to help Girl Scouts even if it’s been one term.” 

Now, as a member of the Top Teens of America-Will County Black Diamond Chapter, McKenzie will continue her growth as a leader for her community. She wants to continue to break the stereotype that Girl Scouts are “only suburban white girls,” and sees even more diversity and inclusion in the future for girls.  

For McKenzie, the value of Girl Scouts is in the experiences the program provides, stating, “You get to experience all of these things with girls who come from different backgrounds, ethnicities, places, and work on one common goal. Or support each other on our different journeys.”

“We do more than just sell cookies. We do great things and help the community, society, and the world become a better place, one girl at a time.”  

Don’t miss out on your chance to lend your voice to change! 

Calling older girls! Now’s your chance to lend your Girl Scout expertise and energy to our Board of Directors by applying to be a Girl Representative to the Board (Girl Rep). 
 
Applications open through May 31.

Celebrating Black History Month: Meet Girl Scouts for Black Lives!

In celebration of Black History Month, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GSGCNWI) is uplifting and applauding the essential work of our Black Girl Scouts, volunteers, and staff in a weekly blog series. Black History Month is a special month that provides all of us the opportunity to celebrate and spotlight Black success, Black voices, and Black leaders in our local and national community.

This week, we are spotlighting a very special Girl Scout leader from Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, Erica Cox, who leads a troop of fifteen Girl Scouts and, with her family, runs the Instagram account @GirlScoutsForBlackLives. The page is a hub of information on Black history, current sociopolitical issues impacting the Black community, and groundbreaking Black women and girls who deserve their flowers. Read on to meet Erica and learn all about her incredible initiative to inspire Girl Scouts across the country.

@GirlScoutsForBlackLives was born out of a necessity to explain the nationwide civil unrest after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor: “It was really hard to explain vocally was what going on because it was really hard for us to take in,” Erica explained, “and my oldest girl is very inquisitive. That’s one of the reasons I started the page, because I thought, ‘I’m going to educate my daughter but I’m also going to educate other people.”

Erica’s urge to educate her girls brought them to a peaceful march where the girls were able to express their anger at the injustices toward the African American community, and eventually, she felt compelled to create a resource for her girls (and everyone else) to remain empowered. “It really became a movement for us. I wanted to represent Black Girl Scouts, give them that voice so they are able to be proud of who they are, what they stand for, and what their history is. I wanted to open their minds up and say, ‘There’s more to history than what they teach you in school.’ The page became a teaching point for everyone,” especially for Girl Scouts and volunteers that don’t always feel represented in the organization.

The @GirlScoutsForBlackLives Instagram has become a family project: “Every day, [my daughter] Michaela brings me a Black history fact. It opens the conversation between us and helps me post! [My daughter] Morgan actually made a slideshow about Harriet Tubman—I love their passion.” Her husband even manages the merchandise they sell!

Erica reflected on her Girl Scout origin story: “I always wanted to be a Girl Scout growing up, but my mother had different reservations.” Like many Girl Scout leaders, Erica became a Girl Scout leader out of necessity and gathered up a troop of girls that continues to meet today. “What motivates me to continue is my girl’s passion behind not just selling cookies, but really wanting to help, be a part of community service, earn the Silver Award. It really pushes me to work hard.”

“The true value of Girl Scouts is the socialization they get; they begin to understand that sisterhood can go beyond blood.”

Thank you, Erica, for speaking to us and sharing your amazing story!

Look out next week for another installment of this series!

Black Girl Magic

From taking civic action for social change to expanding access to clean air and water, to championing STEM education for marginalized populations, to addressing food insecurity, there’s no limit to what Girl Scouts can do—because they show us just that.

Read GSUSA’s blog to meet just a few of our Girl Scouts who are impacting their corner of the world in major ways to create a better place for us all.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We are asking for all Girl Scouts—girls, volunteers, alums, supporters, families, staff, and our suppliers and service providers—to commit to taking action to make the world a more equitable place. We have a lot of work to do—join us. You can start by signing the Girl Scout Anti-Racism Pledge.

Visit our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access Page for more resources and ways to take action and take a stand.

Join the 21 Week Equity Challenge!

United Way of Grundy County and Will County are proud to join United Way of Illinois, and other local United Ways across the state to embark on the “21 Week Equity Challenge” and invites everyone to take this learning challenge.

This free, online learning program will provide lessons and resources for Illinoisans to learn about racial issues and systemic inequalities, together. The “21 Week Equity Challenge” encourages individuals, families, friends, and co-workers to have racial equity conversations to gain a deeper understanding of the impact systemic racism and inequality have on our state and in our local communities.

Learn more on their website.

Join us for World Thinking Day 2021!

Observed by 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from 150 countries, World Thinking Day is a wonderful Girl Scout tradition that celebrates what it means to be a peacebuilder, an important component of our global movement. We invite girls of all ages to World Thinking Day 2021, a week-long celebration of global girl power this Feb. 16 to 21!

From peacebuilder panels to virtual world travel, GCNWI has a week full of exciting programs for all girls looking to expand their horizons! Pick and choose or join us for the whole week of fun and earn your World Thinking Day Award!

The Whole Week of Fun!

Attend all of the World Thinking Day events in February by registering for the whole week of programming! Includes access to the Meet a Peacebuilder program on Feb. 16, the World Thinking Day award programs and presentations by the Global Girl Scouting Group on Feb. 20, the family trivia game on Feb. 20, and the Country Open House on Feb. 21.

Register here!

Meet a Peacebuilder Panel

Join us on Feb. 16 as we kick off World Thinking Day week with conversations with a few active peacebuilders, including Jennifer from The Peace School and returning Peace Corps volunteers. Hear their stories and get the chance to ask them questions about their careers in activism! Participating in this program will help girls of all ages to complete step 4 of the World Thinking Day Award.

Register here.

The Main Event

Learn more about World Thinking Day!

During the World Thinking Day Main Even on Feb. 20, girls will work on some of their World Thinking Day award requirements and hear from our Global Girl Scouting group about different countries!

Make sure to meet the Global Girl Scouting group on our blog!

Go Head-to-Head at Family Trivia Night

Test your Girl Scout and World Thinking Day knowledge at this family trivia game night on Feb. 20! Grab your buzzer and your family with the most Girl Scout know-how because we’ll be quizzing you on the history of Girl Scouts, GS traditions, World Thinking Day, the World Centres, and WAGGGS (the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts). Do you have what it takes?

Travel the World at the Country Open House

Let’s travel the world – virtually! Learn about various countries around the world from your fellow Girl Scouts at the Country Open House on Feb. 21. All audience members will receive a recipe book with recipes from the countries presented!

Additionally, GSGCNWI is looking for 18 individual Girl Scouts or troops that are interested in researching a World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) country to present to other Girl Scouts. You’ll research, put together a virtual and/or table display, and present it to a Girl Scout audience! This event is free!

World Thinking Day: Home Edition

Celebrate World Thinking Day at home and learn about a WAGGGS (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) country by ordering the World Thinking Day Cultural Celebrations Box! There will be five country boxes – and the country you get will be a mystery until the box arrives at your home! In each box, you’ll get a snack item, fun patch, recipe, language cards, a craft, and more!

Reserve your Celebrations Box here.

Explore the World through Literature!

Volunteers: take a literary trip around the world with us! Join us on Monday, Feb. 1 at 6:30 p.m. for a riveting discussion about books from around the world!! Register here!

More Resources

Snag Your World Thinking Day Award

Girls who earn the World Thinking Day 2021 Award by attending these events can show off their commitment to peacebuilding with the official award! Celebrate World Thinking Day every day and buy your award today!

2021 World Thinking Day award activities:

Activity Guide for Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors [PDF]
Activity Guide for Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors [PDF]

And make sure to read up on other civic engagement stories on our blog!

Girl Scouts Across the Country Reflect on Historic Achievements for Women

Post originally published by Girl Scouts of the USA

They say you can’t be what you can’t see. And Girl Scouts around the country are watching with eyes wide open as the newest slate of elected officials transcend barriers for women in office. Girls have plenty of examples to look up to: at least 122* women representatives and delegates will serve in the 117th Congress—the most ever! And 55% of them are Girl Scout alums. 

“As a Girl Scout, when I see other women that have been in Girl Scouts, I feel like I have representation. I also feel confident because I know that they will live by the Girl Scout Law, which outlines principles that everyone can strive to live by such as being responsible for what I say and do, and respecting myself and others.”

—Girl Scout Cadette Lily, Nebraska

“I feel proud that we have women who can change the world! It’s important for people to know that girls can do the same things that boys can!”

—Girl Scout Brownie Mara, Florida

“Observing the passion and persistence of our congresswomen inspires me to continue my work to change the law locally and make Alabama a ‘hands-free’ state. All the Girl Scout alums holding public office show that working on service projects at the local level sets Girl Scouts on a path to accomplishing greater things!” 

—Girl Scout Ambassador Alex, Alabama

Among notable, history-making firsts in the 2020 election, Kamala Harris becomes the first woman to hold the office of Vice President of the United States, as well as the first Black and South Asian American to hold the office. 

“I am happy and excited to see the first woman vice president because it changes history. It makes me glad to look up to black women leaders and lets me know that my skin color doesn’t stop me from changing the world.”

—Girl Scout Brownie Emarie, Florida

“Being someone who is South Asian and seeing Kamala Harris as the first woman with a South Asian background to enter the office is really meaningful. Kamala is someone who has great influence towards making meaningful change, and I really look up to her. It shows all of us how important it is for girls to get involved in their community—and of course, a great way to become more involved with the community is through the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards! When we see all of these girls making changes in their individual communities, it adds up to great change happening all over the world, leading to the greater good.”

—Girl Scout Ambassador Roshni, Texas

“It is appalling that after 45 vice presidents, only in 2021 has a woman been elected to the executive office of the United States government. I see great things for women in the future; women aren’t going backwards, they are going forwards.”

—Girl Scout Cadette Sylvie, New York

And it doesn’t end there! A record number of 18 Republican women were newly elected to the U.S. House, nearly 40% of whom are Girl Scout alums. And a record number of 52 women of color will serve in the 117th Congress and—no surprise—almost half of them are Girl Scout alums. 

With so many trailblazing women as examples, Girl Scouts can see that they, too, belong in the room where decisions are made.

“Girl Scouts is all about empowering young women and girls, and it’s nice to have that continued outside of Girl Scouts. It’s important for girls to know that they are able to hold positions of power and have women in power that they can look up to. It’s also especially important that our government has many different types of people with various identities within it since the government is supposed to represent the people it serves. There are many different types of people in our population, so our government should have plenty of diversity to represent everyone.”

—Girl Scout Ambassador Justine, Michigan

“I feel very excited with the inauguration of Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as the record number of women entering national public office this year!! It encourages all girls that hard work and confidence in ourselves make it possible to achieve our dreams. To space and beyond!”

—Girl Scout Cadette Sienna, New York

Feeling inspired? Girls can start flexing their leadership muscles and discover how they can make a difference right now. From January 21 to February 4, 2021, troops can download—for free!—the booklets and requirements to earn their Democracy badges. They’ll learn how local, state, and federal government works, how laws are created, how they can connect with their own government officials—and how they can be the change they want to see. 

From city halls to the halls of Congress, tomorrow’s leaders are today’s Girl Scouts!

*One Congressional race in which a woman is running (NY-22) has still not been called. 

Observe Veterans Day with Girl Scouts GCNWI

Girl Scouts are known for their allegiance to our nation’s veterans and have found creative and impactful ways to continue engaging with service members.

Since last year’s launch of the Honoring Our Veterans Patch Program, created in collaboration with army veteran, Girl Scout alum, and United States Senator Tammy Duckworth, Girl Scouts from around Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GSGCNWI) have connected with and honored veterans in their communities.

Listen to Senator Duckworth speak on the importance of service:

Whether by completing a service project, visiting veterans to connect personally, or telling the stories of veterans, girls can earn the Girl Scouts GCNWI Honoring our Veterans patch and make a difference in the lives of veterans around them.

Read on to learn how our girls are celebrating this year’s Veterans Day, and how you can join in!

Honoring the Nation

Brownie Troops 45713 and 45936

Girl Scouts as young as Brownies (grades 2-3) are earning the patch, and these two troops 45713 and 45936 made a special and creative video encouraging everyone to thank our nation’s veterans!

Watch the video above and get inspired to take action and thank a veteran today!

Girl Scout Troop 75466

Service animals, pets that are trained to provide comfort and assistance to veterans, can be essential to healing after stressful and dangerous circumstances. Girl Scout Troop 75466 felt they could do good by providing a service animal to someone who needed it— and they accomplished their goal!

The girls worked hard selling cookies to fund the adoption of a service dog, and with the help of a local organization, were able to provide a local veteran with a much-appreciated furry friend. As you can see from the picture, both the dog and the veteran were very happy to meet each other! Congratulations to him and the girls for their amazing act of kindness!

Honoring our Veterans from Home

Girl Scouts interested in completing the Honoring our Veterans Patch Program should complete at least two of the criteria from the list below and share their story in order to earn the patch.

Take inspiration from the stories above or read this list to get some ideas:

Complete a Service Project Benefitting Veterans

You may complete two service projects to earn the patch. Below are some ideas:

  • Send cards of appreciation
  • Donate Girl Scout Cookies to a veteran home or program
  • Coordinate and lead a virtual activity with a veteran
  • Work with a local veteran or senior center to coordinate the delivery of hygiene supplies, clothes, and other needed items.

Visit with a Veteran

While meeting in person may not be currently safe, coordinating online meetings with veterans you know or in a program can fulfill the requirement.

Tell a Veteran’s Story

Interview a veteran virtually and tell their story through writing, video, or another way! Use digital resources and get creative with how you tell and share their story.

Download the patch program guidelines [PDF] »
Share your story to earn the free patch »

Interested in another service opportunity? Participate in the USO Care Package Program to provide Snack Packs and Toiletry Packs with hygiene essentials to active U.S. and overseas service members!

Read other stories!

Girl Scouts celebrate Memorial Day this year with service projects »

Learn all about the Honoring Our Veterans Patch Program »

Girl Scouts get the vote out this year »

Become inspired to earn the Democracy badges »