Tag: Bronze Award

Girl Scouts Celebrate ‘Bring Your Daughter to Work Day’ at Bank of America

Girl Scouts Celebrate ‘Bring Your Daughter to Work Day’ at Bank of America

The #GirlPower was strong at the Bank of America ‘Bring Your Daughter, Niece and Mentee to Work Day!’ Employees at the Bank of America financial center in downtown Chicago invited Nancy Wright, CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, and three special guests — Girl Scouts Cadette Susan Tatelli, Anya Konieczka and Areesha Majeed — to speak about the importance of women in leadership.

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During her remarks, Wright discussed the growing number of women in leadership positions and connected this confidence in girls to the main character in the popular animated movie Zootopia and contestants on the reality singing show The Voice. She stressed the importance of trying again, and than failing at something can be a great stepping stone.

“To fail simply means it is your ‘First Attempt In Learning,'” explained Wright. “Remember, oftentimes, when you fail it makes you step back, rethink your approach and try again with even more passion, heart and power. And this is what makes all the difference moving forward.”

Meanwhile, the Girl Scout panelists spoke to their experiences in Girl Scouting and their contributions to their communities through service projects and leadership roles.

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Anya, an 11-year-old Girl Scout Junior, earned her Bronze Award after organizing a hair donation drive in Downers Grove, Illinois. She was inspired to start the project after her friend’s mother was diagnosed with cancer.

“I want everyone who has lost their confidence by losing their hair to find it again,” she said.

In the future, Anya hopes to continue her love of coding, and eventually code for a robot that will help find the cure for cancer.

Susan, a 13-year-old Girl Scout Senior, made headlines with her Silver Award project, which focused on the self-administration of epinephrine. She wants to help those who are still learning about their allergies and those who are not fully aware of what to do during a life-threatening reaction. Susan, who was recently appointed to Food Allergy and Reaction Education (FARE)’s Teen Advisory Group, wants to continue to help raise awareness about food allergies through her Gold Award.

Meanwhile, Majeed, a 19-year-old Girl Scout alumna and Brownie troop co-leader, discussed the importance of empowerment. The 19-year-old rising sophomore at Northwestern University in Evanston wants to be an actuary to study the measurement of empowerment and how this affects young girls.

About 50 Bank of America employees and their daughters, neices and mentees participated in the luncheon.

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“I share the same desire with everyone here today,” Wright said, “the desire to inspire girls and young women to pursue their dreams without reservations.”

 

Downers Grove Girl Scout Leads Hair Donation Drive

Downers Grove Girl Scout Leads Hair Donation Drive

Anya Konieczka of Downers Grove has cut her hair three times to donate for use as a wig.

What made the third time different was that she convinced five other people to join her.

The fifth-grader at Lester School organized a hair donation drive to help earn her Girl Scout Bronze Award.

Anya hosted the drive May 9 at Galleria Hair Salon and Day Spa, where her stylist, Jen Jagger, trimmed her hair to shoulder length.

Anya said she was first inspired to donate her hair when a friend of her mother, Christina, had cancer.

She learned that the image of cutting her hair shorter could spur other people into action.

“I inspired another little girl at our church to do it,” she said. “If I can inspire her, I can inspire others to do it, too.”

Anya said she spent six months planning the drive, designing fliers and figuring out how to organize it.

Christina said they also needed the time to let the donors grow their hair out.

“I’m very proud that [Anya’s] not only giving her hair but inspired others to do the same,” she said.

After the hair was cut, it was put into a bag and mailed to either Locks of Love or the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program.

To show their thanks, Pantene and Locks of Love will award Anya and other scouts who donate their hair with a special badge for their vests.

Anya chose the Pantene program for her hair because it gives its wigs for free.

“With all the other things Pantene does, with shampoos and conditioners and stuff, they can spare a little bit of money,” she said.

To read the full story, visit mysuburbanlife.com.

Photo via Mark Busch of My Suburban Life