Tag: Gold Award

An Open Letter to Powerful Girls Everywhere

An Open Letter to Powerful Girls Everywhere

My name is Brandi Hoover and I’m a 17-year-old Girl Scout Ambassador. Ever since I was a Daisy in kindergarten, Girl Scouts has done nothing but support me and give me opportunities that no other organization would have been able to, such as camping with my friends, attending Camp CEO, being a girl representative on the Board of Directors and so many more.

Having already earned my Silver Award, I’m currently working on my Gold Award, which is the highest award in Girl Scouting. When trying to think of what to do for my Gold Award project, I started noticing how big of a problem low self-esteem is in girls my age.

Girl Scouts was always there showing me the true value of my life. So I kept asking myself, “what can I do about this?”  How can I make others feel the way Girl Scouts has made me feel. Now, it has always been a dream of mine to impact the world and make a difference. So I thought what better way to make my dream a reality. 

image3

Nearly a year ago, I started a blog called Hello Powerful You. The purpose behind my blog is to empower girls and help them raise their self-esteem. I post a variety of things from how I overcame barriers in my life to pictures of inspirational quotes. I think that every person deserve to live a happy life with a high self-esteem.

I think that Girl Scouts really helped me realize the full potential that I had. The organization as a whole really showed me the leadership skills I had. They proved to me that I could do anything I set my mind to. They not only supported me through this whole process and continue to support me, but they have also given me so many opportunities and way to help me network. One of my goals for this blog is to turn it into an organization like Girl Scouts. They have helped me turn my dreams and aspirations into a reality.

Now one of the things I regularly think about when trying to motivate myself to stay positive is how an issue will affect my life. I first think about how it will affect my life right now, and then I think about how it will affect my life in five years. If I realize that this problem will not affect me in one year or even five years, then why am I stressing about it now?

You should never stress about something that is not going to affect your life in the long run. Failing one math test is not going to break your future. Your boss in five or even ten years will not look back on that one test you failed in middle school or high school.

I use this method to help me work through problems on a daily basis. Now one year into my blog, I have many goals for Hello Powerful You. I hope that one day this blog can become something even bigger as I said earlier something like an organization to empower girls … just like Girl Scouts.

Most importantly, I want to change the world one girl at a time. So please check out my blog and tell me what makes you powerful.

YOU ARE WORTH IT.

Celebrate National Girl Scout Day with #100DaysOfGold

Celebrate National Girl Scout Day with #100DaysOfGold

Community service is at the cornerstone of what it means to be a Girl Scout, which is why more than 100 girls are gathering in Vernon Hills this weekend to celebrate National Girl Scout Day with the Birthday in a Bag Bash.

This Saturday, March 12, marks the 104th birthday of Girl Scouts and girls from Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GCNWI) are paying it forward by assembling Birthday in a Bag supplies at Gathering Places across the council. The service project invites girls to gather items, such as boxed cake, canned frosting, candles, balloons, streamers and a small toy for children at local food pantries.

“We wanted to be a part of this project to be able to help make a person’s birthday special,” said adult volunteers Karen Huber and Sue Siegel of Girl Scout Cadette Troop 40651 in Park Ridge.

DSC12406

Through a combined effort, GCNWI Service Unit 405 and five troops at St. Paul of the Cross School in Park Ridge brought in donations to in cake mixes, pans, cans of frosting, plates, napkins, tablecloths, birthday candles, and balloons to fill 50 birthday bags. The bags were then delivered to the parish food pantry and will be shared with the Maine Township Food Pantry and Our Lady of Angels Food Pantry.

“The girls enjoyed being part of this effort,” Huber and Siegel said. “They also had fun deciding which items to put together in the bags, such as yellow cake and pink frosting or chocolate cake with white or chocolate frosting.”

The Birthday in a Bag Bash also kicks off #100DaysOfGold to commemorate the centennial of the Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting. The council-wide initiative encourages girls to participate in 100 days of doing good in their communities starting on March 12 and going through June 20.

“We’ve already been given so much in our lives, yet there are some who struggle to find basic necessities,” said Marie T., a Girl Scout Cadette with Troop 40651. “It’s our time to pay it forward and give these people what every human deserves.”

Girl Scout Recognized by The Children’s Museum in Indianapolis

Girl Scout Recognized by The Children’s Museum in Indianapolis

After noticing a need for clothing at a local food pantry, Madison Fanta, of Saint John, IN, decided to do something about it. At age 9, she started donating her own clothing to the pantry to help other children. Shortly thereafter, her collection expanded to a dedicated room at the pantry and Maddie’s Helping Hands was born.

On Friday, November 13, Madison, a 15-year-old Girl Scout Senior, was honored for her work during the 11th annual Power of Children Awards by The Children’s Museum in Indianapolis, IN. The award recognizes young philanthropists (grades 6-11) across the country for their significant contributions to society.

“My project was inspired by my Nana, who works at a local food pantry,” Madison explained. “When I went there and saw all the kids and people in need of clothing, I asked my family and friends to donate clothes for people in need. I think it’s important to give back because not everyone enjoys the same privileges.”

As one of five recipients, Madison received a $2,000 grant, which she plans to use for purchasing undergarments to distribute at the food pantry.

“Madison’s project reveals her compassionate and philanthropic nature,” said Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO, The Children’s Museum. “Her vision to clothe the underserved in her community, and her commitment to grow her project through recruitment of significant numbers of volunteers from the elderly to fellow Girl Scouts, demonstrate that Madison is precisely the kind of inspirational young person the Power of Children Awards program was created to honor and recognize.”

Madison, who is a lifelong Girl Scout, plans to use Maddie’s Helping Hands as the basis for her Gold Award project. The Girl Scout Gold Award, which celebrates its centennial in 2016, is the highest award that Girl Scouts ages 14-18 may earn. The leadership skills, organizational skills, and sense of community and commitment required to complete the process set the foundation for a lifetime of active citizenship. Girls complete seven steps to earn the Gold Award, including the completion of a significant service project.

“The Gold Award is important to me because it means that I am growing as a Girl Scout and I’m able to accomplish more than I ever thought,” she said. “The most important lesson I’ve learned as a Girl Scout is to give back to the community.”

To learn more about Maddie’s Helping Hands, watch the video below: