Seeking Girl Board Members

GSEMA invites Girl Scouts ages 14–17 to apply for a position on the GSEMA Board of Directors. Girl Board Members have the unique opportunity to collaborate with local professional leaders, strategize to better support Girl Scouting throughout eastern Massachusetts, and make a difference in their communities. To apply, girls should submit an application and two recommendations by 11:59 PM on January 23, 2020.

Represent GSEMA at the 2020 National Convention

Calling Girl Scouts age 14+ and adults! Apply to serve as a National Council Delegate for GSEMA at GSUSA’s 55th National Council Session and Convention. From October 21–25, 2020, in Orlando, Florida, you can be part of the action by representing GSEMA, meeting delegates from other councils, and casting your vote to help shape the future of Girl Scouting. Learn more about the role and read through the FAQ, then apply by December 5.

Program Highlights

STEM and Outdoor programs for Cadettes and Up- The days are getting shorter, but there’s still plenty of time for girls to learn new skills! They can develop green urban landscapes, problem-solve, and experiment with bridges, gliders, and moon rovers alongside female engineers from Raytheon at MathMovesU on December 8. They can also get outdoors to learn about knife safety, build an emergency shelter, cook delicious dishes using a variety of outdoor cooking methods, and more at Build Your Outdoor Skills sessions throughout December. Register your girl today.

Financial Literacy Badges

Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors are eligible to earn two Financial Literacy badges through the Toyota Driving My Financial Future program. To receive these badges, complete the following steps by December 1:

• Complete all requirements for the two badges. For individual badge requirements, consult the Badge Explorer.
• Complete the badge request form. 
• Mail the badge request form and the appropriate evaluation form (for Juniors or for Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors) to 111 East Grove St., Middleboro, MA, 02346, or scan and email all completed forms directly to jcollier@gsema.org. 
  

TIME SENSITIVE! Amazon Robotics Tour – February 26th (3:30-5:00 p.m.)

We are very excited to be running this free STEM event for a tour of Amazon Robotics for registered Girl Scouts in grades 6-12 only.  Take a tour of the Amazon Robotics facility and hear about their state-of-the-art robots. Council is equally as excited as this is a FIRST and will be offered in the future to other Service Units! Parents are invited to attend and will be required by Amazon Robotics to sign a non-disclosure agreement. 

Please send this flyer (here )to your girls and their families ASAP.  Girls do not need to participate as a troop.  We will need at least three chaperones to attend, and they must be CORI’d through GSEMA.

If you have any questions, please contact Denise Kung at denise_kung@hotmail.com or Lisa Coroa-Bockley at lisa.coroa-bockley@ge.com. 

Amazon Robotics Tour

Target is Feb or April vacation week – tours are offered Mon-Thurs 9-3pm

Take a tour of the Amazon Robotics facility and hear about their state-of-the-art robots. Tour groups have the opportunity to receive an overview of the facility and how it runs day to day, followed by a visit to the manufacturing floor. You will have an opportunity to take pictures at the end.  All visitors 18+ must sign an NDA to enter the facility. This opportunity is normally open to girls 6^th grade and up, however we will try to ask for an exception to allow 5^th graders.  We need a minimum of 10 to run the tour.

 

 

2019 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

GSEMA has the opportunity to nominate up to 9 girl members for the 2019 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards (7 middle school and 2 high school aged girls). The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards recognizes outstanding young people from across the United States. It is the largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer community service. Since its creation in 1995, they have recognized more than 125,000 young people who’ve made a difference in their communities.

What recognitions are granted by this award? 
Honorees are granted at 3 levels.
   1. Local Honorees. Chosen by GSEMA. Will receive a certificate and if they qualify will also receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Prudential will review all local honorees and determine if girls move up to state-level judging.
   2. State-Level Honorees. One middle-level and one high school student will be named in each 50 states and the District of Columbia in February 2019. Those selected will receive: $1,000, a Silver Medallion and an all-expense-paid trip with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C. in May 2019 for gala awards ceremony and other exciting events. Chosen by Prudential.
   3. National Honorees. In Washington, five middle-level and five high school students will be named America’s top youth volunteers of the year by the program’s national selection committee. Those selected will receive: an additional $5,000, a Gold Medallion, a trophy for GSEMA and $5,000 grant from The Prudential Foundation for nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice. Chosen by Prudential.

Who can apply?
An individual student enrolled grades 5-12 as of November 6, 2018.
A legal resident of any U.S. state or Washington, D.C.
A girl who has engaged in a volunteer activity after September 1, 2017.
Any girl member who meets these criteria is encouraged to apply. Previous honorees selected
by GSEMA have been girls who have earned their Bronze, Silver or Gold Award as well as
others. Keep in mind that girls must apply as an individual.

How can girls apply?
See website for specific additions
Complete the application at here.
Applications are due by 11:59pm on November 6.

Spooky Trails Along Dark Trails

Leaders,
This fun event is back! The last time it was run, the girls had a great time!
 
Your troop is invited to create a spooky story, read one from a book, or play one from a disc. Girls are encouraged to make their characters come to life and dress the part.
Each troop is asked to select an area within the Historic District (outdoors) to tell their story. It’s ok if multiple troops select the same location.
Possible locations:
   The steps of the library
   In front of the Damon Tavern
   Near the Barn next to the Putnum House
   The Putnam House and its grounds
   The building on the common
   The gazebo on the common
   On the steps of the Congregational Church
In the event of rain, all stories will be told in the Library Activity Room. This is a troop event and leaders/registered adults are expected to stay with their girls.

Please complete the attached flyer here and return at the October
Leader Meeting. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email me. Information is on the flyer.

Hope to see all of you there!

2018 Games Galore Camporee

Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors are invited to register for the 2018 Camporee being held at Camp Wind-in-the-Pines October 12 -14.  The cost is $40 per adult and girl and you can use the link below for more information and to sign up.

http://www.gsema.org/en/events-repository/2018/camporee-2018.html

 

Nuturing the Grit in Girls – 3rd grade girls and older

Troop 71279 from the Reading Service Unit would like to invite you (parents, troop leaders and girls in 3^rd grade and older) to an excellent and informative presentation on Nurturing Grit in Girls on Monday, June 4^th from 7-8 PM at Camp Rice Moody.

Please see the flyer here for more information.  Register now because space is limited!  Contact information for this event is Carla Nazzaro at cjnazzaro@verizon.net or 781-942-1530.

NASA wants you to help test new space science badges!

Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador troops! How would you like to:

• Learn about space science and engage in scientific inquiry!
• Receive a NASA badge test pilot patch----- designed solely for participating troops!
• Be a part of history, as you help develop a new badge!

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) has teamed up with SETI Institute, ARIES Scientific, University of Arizona, and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific to create a new series of space science badges in collaboration with NASA! Daisy, Brownie, and Junior troops from Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (GSEMA) have had great success participating in the pilot program. Now, GSUSA would like the assistance of six Cadette, six Senior, and six Ambassador troops from GSEMA to provide feedback on the new badge activities.

If selected, your troop will be expected to complete all the badge activities and participate in the evaluation of these materials within an allotted time frame. Click here to apply before October 6!  https://girlscoutsusa.ca1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_br75hcEegug60zb&Q_JFE=0  Troops will be notified of their selection by November 1st!

STEM Conference & Expo 3/12/17

5th Annual STEM Conference & Expo, March 12th from 9 to 5 at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel and Conference Center.  This is an event from girls in grades 6-12.  The cost is $45 for registered Girl Scouts and $70 for non-members.  The registration deadline is February 28th. Please find information about registering for this event here.

 

Girl Scout Leadership Awards

There are three different leadership awards for Cadette, Senior and Ambassador level Girl Scouts.  Please see the information here about the Community Service Bars, Silver Torch Award and the Gold Torch Award.

 

Winchester Service Unit Babysitting Training

On Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23, you can become a better babysitter through this American Red Cross babysitting class.  The training is open to all girls in grades 5 and up and the class will cover safety, developing a business, basic child care, and first aid/CPR.  The class fee covers all required class materials, a quick reference guide and recertification.  The fee is $125 or $100 for registered Girl Scouts.  Class limit is 16 girls.  For more information and to register, click on the link below: https://drive.google.com/a/student.north-reading.k12.ma.us/file/d/0B2s_7pduLT_EcnR3Vm5oR2J6WFE/view?pref=2&pli=1

 

 

 

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards - call for entries

This award, given out by GSEM, recognizes children in grades 5 - 12 who have distinguished themselves by making a meaningful difference in their communities by volunteering.  Please visit https://gsemserviceunitcoordinators.shutterfly.com/forum/5/647
for more information.

Casting Call! A new training class for Seniors and Ambassadors

Find information about signing up for this class here.  It takes place on September 18 from 6:30-9:30pm.  

Wilderness First Aid -- January 9 & 10, 2016

Accidents happen. People get hurt, sick, or lost. The temperature drops, the wind picks up, and it starts to rain. Would you know what to do? Many backcountry emergencies are preventable, and even when bad things happen, sometimes the wrong care can make things worse. By learning a few basic skills, you can make the difference between a good outcome and a bad one-and maybe even save a life.  The Wilderness First Aid (WFA) is the perfect course for the outdoor enthusiast or trip leader who wants a basic level of first aid training for short trips with family, friends, and outdoor groups.  

Girls who participated in the Winchester 2014 class found that WFA certification helped their applications to be employed by both Girl Scout and other summer camps.  Both Seniors and Ambassadors who participate will receive the appropriate First Aid Badge as well as certification.

WFA is now the Girl Scout safety requirement for troops traveling more than 30 minutes away from emergency medical care (e.g. hiking & backing trips, canoe overnights).

This two day class will be taught January 9th and 10th (Saturday and Sunday) at Rice Moody (Reading) and is open to girls ages 14+ and all registered Girl Scout adult volunteers.  The course will be $120 for both girls and adults ($145 non-registered).  An option to become CPR certified will be offered for an additional $35.  Course cost includes breakfast, lunch and dinner both Saturday and Sunday as well as the option to stay overnight at Rice Moody.

For more information and to register: http://bit.ly/1JK8YJM 

The GSEM Stem Conference is announced!

Saturday March 15th
9:00 - 5:00
Sheraton Hotel in Framingham
Open to member and non-member girls in grades 6 - 12!
$45 members
$70 non-members
Register today at these links:

Seniors/Ambassadors:  http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/search.html?textfield=stem&agelevel=Any%20Age&category=Any%20Category&zip=Enter%20Zip%20for%20Nearby%20Locations&date_st_month=&date_st_year=&id=13817

Cadettes: http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/search.html?textfield=stem&agelevel=Any%20Age&category=Any%20Category&zip=Enter%20Zip%20for%20Nearby%20Locations&date_st_month=&date_st_year=&id=13361

There is a world of possibility open to girls who study Science Technology, Engineering or Math! Without chemists, there would be no clean water or medicine. Without physicists, no astronomers! Right now, women only hold 24% of the STEM-related jobs in the United States, but that can change! If you are in grades 6-12, we want to know: What STEM career excites you? At the 3rd Annual STEM Conference and Expo, you can choose a workshop track based on your interests, and spend the day learning and exploring through hands-on activities. Our dynamic workshop presenters, who are leaders in their STEM fields, are excited to share their knowledge with you! So, if you are interested in learning more about a specific topic, join us! Track choices may include: Chemistry, Physics and Human-Computer Interaction. During the Expo, you will network with people from Massachusetts businesses and universities with a STEM focus. It is a fun, lively atmosphere where you will observe live demonstrations and participate in experiments. Bring your enthusiasm and be ready to imagine yourself changing the world through STEM! Special patch included. This is a drop-off event. Breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack will be provided. Open to non-member girls in grades 6-12. Non-members will need to register by emailing program@girlscoutseasternmass.org. Non-member price $70

Older Girl Fly Up Invite - June 20th

Fly up for Brownies and up will be on June 20th from 7-8:30 pm at Union Congregational Church.
This year's theme is Totally 80s - and girls are encouraged to dress in their favorite 80s inspired clothing!

The invitation for the fly up can be found here.

Volunteer Opportunity

"Are you looking for a short-term or long term service opportunity? The Girl Scout Museum at Cedar Hill can use your help. Work with our volunteer staff to sort and catalogue the collection, do research or data entry. There are small tasks and longer projects that will help to preserve the Girl Scout story.

Hours and days are flexible. We’ll work with your schedule. We have collections in North Andover and Middleboro if those locations are better for you. To earn the Service to Girl Scouting Bar, you need to provide 20 hours of service to the organization. We will train you for what you need to do.

This is an excellent opportunity to provide service back to the Girl Scout Organization. Adults welcome to volunteer as well.

Please contact 781-373-4360 or cedarhillmuseum@live.com"