Volunteer Connections by Girl Scouts of Nassau County

Have you ever wondered what is the benefit of earning your Girl Scout Gold Award? A 2012 study by the Girl Scout Research Institute, titled Girl Scouting Works:  The Alumnae Impact Study reports that overall, Gold Award Girl Scouts do well in life. Here are some of their findings Gold Award Girl Scouts tent to... Higher education and career Distinguish yourself in the college admissions process Earn college scholarships Enter the military one rank higher Life skills Be seen as a role model and distinguished leader Master time management skills Make the world a better place Community Use your vision for change Tackle an issue, locally or globally Establish a lifetime network Create your community legacy with a sustainable solution to a problem To learn more about earning your Girl Scout Gold Award, visit www.gsnc.org .  

All that glitters is BOLD! As we celebrate 100 years of Girl Scouting in Nassau County, we also celebrate all of the bold and beautiful things our girls, troops, and council are able to do – powered by the Girl Scout Cookie Program. This Entrepreneurial Program, fitting the Girl Scout Leadership Experience model of learning by doing, isn’t just money earning – it’s skill building. Girls learn the five skills of goal setting, decision making, people skills, money management, and business ethics.   Here’s what one GSNC parent had to say about her daughter’s experience in response to our 2018 end of season survey:   "It was my daughter’s first year in Girl Scouts and I felt that she learned a lot about how to sell cookies and how to always greet a person with a smile. She also learned some math as a kindergartener, counting and returning proper change with the supervision of an adult. Overall, it was a good experience for her to know the value of a dollar and how to...

    During this season, we take time to reflect upon the good things we have, like our Girl Scouts, volunteers, families, and community partners. We hope your holidays will be filled with joy and laughter through the New Year. Happy Holidays from your friends at Girl Scouts of Nassau County!

  b y Emille B., Emma V., Allison T., Setu M.   Recently, we had an amazing opportunity to attend “Seneca Falls Revisited: A Women’s Equality Conference and Retreat.” We engaged with a plethora of inspirational women and sister Girl Scouts channeling the spirit of past female leaders who championed women’s rights, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan B. Anthony. Rochester and Seneca Falls are two places that are no strangers to the women’s equality movement. Rochester was home to Susan B. Anthony and served as headquarters of the women’s suffrage movement, and Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Seneca Falls was the location of the first ever Women’s Suffrage Convention, where 68 women and 32 men signed the Declaration of Sentiments. We want to share with you some highlights from our trip:   What was the best advice you received this weekend? Emilee B: Honestly, so much amazing advice was shared with us this weekend from all of the accomplished w...

We are pleased to announce a change in requirements for the Girl Scout Silver Award and Girl Scout Gold Award . Girls may now do Take Action projects that benefit the Girl Scout community. In order to make sure that this change doesn’t dilute the prestige, leadership efforts, or impact of each girl’s project, Silver and Gold Award projects must still meet the requirements that are key to taking sustainable action: The project makes a lasting difference in the local community, region, or beyond The project puts the Girl Scout Promise and Law into action The project includes provisions to ensure sustainability The project identifies national and/or global links to the girl’s selected issue And the project inspires others Take Action projects must go beyond community service. When choosing to benefit Girl Scouts, the projects must identify an issue in the world that needs improving, then determine if Girl Scouts could be one of the audiences to help propel the change you want to ...

Adult volunteers make Girl Scouting happen! Our adult volunteers help Girl Scouts unleash their inner G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, and Leader) and make events possible for all Girl Scouts. Acknowledging the efforts of others is an essential part of Girl Scouts. Acknowledgements can be informal and initiated by the girls, parents, co-leaders and Service Units. Some ideas may include: Recognition Certificate - A certificate may be given to a volunteer at a Service Unit Meeting in recognition of her/his interest in and support of Girl Scouts. Handicrafts - A mobile, flower arrangement, special ceramic plaque, scrapbook, sampler, poster, decoupage, ornament, bookmark, etc. Written Thank You - Send a brief note, poem, letter, special occasion card, scroll signed by members of the group, autograph book with signatures and comments, framed pictures of girls, or a yard sign with message “A Great Girl Scout Leader Lives Here.” Adult Recognitions Nomination - Ano...

Our hearts remain with everyone affected by the tragic events in Chippewa, Wisconsin. In true Girl Scout spirit, Girl Scouts have been asking what they can do and how they can get involved and offer support to troop 3055 during this difficult time. We are encouraging Girl Scouts to honor their Girl Scout sisters in troop 3055 in whatever way is most meaningful to them. The Wisconsin Girl Scouts community has come together as a unit to support their sisters with Days of Action to honor troop 3055. They are inviting all of their sister Girl Scouts to participate in service projects during the month of November to pay tribute to Troop 3055’s commitment to public service and making the world a better place. We encourage volunteers to balance their interests and needs to participate while taking into consideration the girls’ awareness of the tragedy and understanding of the reason for the service. Service projects already happening can also be dedicated to the memory of the Gir...

by Gina G. Gold Award Intern Girl Scouts of Nassau County As my internship with the incredible organization that is the Girl Scouts of Nassau County quickly comes to an end, I can easily say that I am extremely grateful for the time spent working within the marketing office here. As a current graduate student pursuing my Master’s and a future career in public relations, I appreciate this experience, one which led me to gain many valuable skills while adding to my pre-existing understanding of public relations, marketing, and communications as a whole. Having the chance to work in a close-knit department where open communication came easily and asking for assistance was never a hesitation, GSNC has shown me a prime example of what a positive office setting looks like. As a current full-time student, experiencing the many tasks and duties of marketing led me to understand how much and how often it overlaps and involves public relations, proving how important it is that I have...

Girl Scouts are Going Places! Trips are a GREAT way for your Girl Scouts to experience and learn. If you are taking your troop on a trip, you will need to follow some procedures. Before you plan a trip, you will need to refer to the SAFETY ACTIVITY CHECKPOINTS and the VOLUNTEER ESSENTIALS which is necessary to ensure that the activity is consistent with GSNC Policies, Standards & Guidelines . Now that your trip is planned a TRIP APPLICATION needs to be submitted to the Council. This fillable form will be submitted electronically to your Volunteer Experience Manager and a Service Team Member in your Service Unit. This form should be filled out at least two weeks prior to the trip or event. Please know that you will not be contacted unless the Trip Application is not approved. Leaders must be registered and background checked and the troop’s Tag-along Insurance must be up to date. A PERMISSION FORM must be signed by the parent/guardian of any girl attending a Girl S...

Approximately six years after the first Girl Scouts blazed the trail of redefining what was possible for themselves, the first official Girl Scout troop in Nassau County was established circa 1918. Girl Scouts of Nassau County will be honoring this amazing milestone by celebrating all that Girl Scouts can do throughout the 2018-2019 year . The celebration begins with the ever-popular Bowling Bash, kicking off the new Girl Scout year, as well as the Mags & Munchies program. It is a time for girls to make new friends and reconnect with their current friends, after having the summer off. To continue the celebration, GSNC is partnering with the NY Jets ! We are able to offer discounted tickets and other incentives to our Girl Scout families and friends for the October 14, 2018 game against the Indianapolis Colts. Neighboring Councils have also been invited to join us. We can’t wait to show the NY Jets the power of the Girl Scout spirit! We also created our “Man Enough to b...

The end of summer doesn’t mean the end of camping and being outdoors! Fall is a great time to get your troop active outside and have them earn a badge or two. Camping Fall is a great time for your troop to go camping. Traditional Troop Camping is a unique experience planned and carried out by a group of girls and their camp-trained volunteers/leaders. Under the guidance of trained and enthusiastic adults, girls may take their first hike, build their first campfire and sleep under the stars for the first time—so cool! Girls take part in planning of meals and activities, learn outdoor skills and work as a team to enjoy a fun outdoor adventure. And, if you’ve never been to Camp Blue Bay before and want to check it out? We have a Council Camp opportunities available for those troops that don’t have camp trained volunteers, for those troops who are new to the camping experience, and for those who just want to try a new camping experience! With our Council programs, no tra...

The lineup of badges for Girl Scouts in grades K–12 just got bigger! 30 NEW badges + 2 NEW Journeys = even more opportunities for your girl to explore environmental stewardship, cybersecurity, space science, engineering, robotics, college prep, and more!  There are new badges and Journeys in the Volunteer Toolkit for all levels. NEW BADGES Girl Scout leaders can decide with their troop members which ones they would like to work towards. Below are some examples! Space Science Badges : Daisies, Brownies and Juniors investigate, explore, and observe space, and learn to see things in new ways. College Knowledge Badge : From test prep to financial aid, Ambassadors walk through all the steps of the college admission process and get ready to attend the school of their choice. Cybersecurity Badges : Daisies, Brownie and Juniors learn how computers and the internet work and apply the concepts of safety and protection to the technology they use every day. These badges are...

T he 71 young women honored in this year’s Gold Award ceremony make up Nassau County’s most accomplished. As a Council, we are extremely proud of their achievements as Girl Scouts and look forward to what they will do as leaders in the future. Girl Scoutsof Nassau County honored its Gold Award class of 2018 on Monday, June 25, 2018 at Adelphi University’s Performing Arts Center (PAC). The event began with the honorees arriving in their vests and sashes ready for the memorable evening ahead. Excited family members and friends gathered to learn more about the individual projects that made it all possible while viewing the informative display boards created by each Gold Award Girl Scout . The honorees assembled together and posed for an official class photo before the ceremonial events began. When doors opened, GSNC Chief Executive Officer Randell M. Bynum welcomed the honorees, their families and friends to the special occasion. The Gold Award Girl Scouts listened closely whi...

Happy Father's Day to all of our Girl Scout Dads! Thank you for all you do to make our Girl Scout Experience possible. As we approach Father’s Day this Sunday, we would like to take a moment to honor and celebrate all fathers—especially the fathers and father figures who are involved behind the scenes right here in Nassau County! Through their dedication they exemplify our key values, contribute to the power of Girl Scouts, raise our future entrepreneurs, and teach the value of being a volunteer. Contributing to the Power of Girl Scouts Dads have contributed to the Girl Scouts of Nassau County in innumerable ways. Many men volunteer their time throughout the year to play a role in leading our specialty clubs, council events, troop activities, camping trips, and cookie sales. Through their support, our council has made so many wonderful memories! “It is fantastic to see how the robotics program helps the girls develop confidence and expand the way they think and their willi...

If I could name only one thing that girls learn when they’re involved with Girl Scouts, it’s that they become capable of tackling pretty much anything. With the right encouragement, guidance, training, and confidence, they grow into women who lead by example to do great things for the world. There are so many reasons to support Girl Scouts and stand with girls: Girl Scouts is the best leadership experience for girls in the world. Our programs are specifically designed with girls in mind and provide opportunities that they can only get from the preeminent leadership organization for girls. Girl Scouting bolsters the benefits of school by fostering a safe, inclusive, and girl-led environment where girls are free to practice different skills, try new things, and take on leadership positions. The fact is, most of a girl’s life is coed. The girl-only, girl-defined, and girl-led aspects of Girl Scouts are crucial for girls; the safe space that Girl Scouts offers helps them str...

by girls, FOR GIRLS By Mikaela M. On Tuesday, February 20, Girl Scouts from Nassau County assembled at the DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science at Hofstra University for Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day! The day started with a presentation on the different fields of engineering and how Hofstra helps students gain positions within companies. We learned that engineering encompasses all fields, in fact, many doctors have roots in engineering. Following the presentation, two female engineers held a forum where they spoke about their experience in the field and at work. They offered two important pieces of advice; math is important, if you don’t like math the chances of you enjoying engineering are slim and that social skills matter. Both women agreed that their social skills helped them rise in their respective companies and that being able to communicate with their team is crucial in technology careers. The final speakers were two engineering professors from Hofstra...