Lego Event - Coming Soon!

SAVE THE DATE - January 19th

Lisa Ayer and Denise Kung are organizing the Lego Challenge event for Daisies, Brownies, Juniors and Cadettes. More information coming soon!

Program Highlights

Here are some new and interesting program highlights:

Adventures in Storytelling. Girls are invited to meet Kara LaReau, the award-winning author of the Infamous Ratsos series and Rise of ZomBert (coming July 2020), on February 22! The registration fee is $18 per girl, and includes a copy of Infamous Ratsos. Daisies and Brownies can register for the 3 PM–5 PM session, and Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors can register for the 10 AM–2 PM session. Volunteer supervision is required.  

Cybersecurity Badge Day. Brownies and Juniors can earn the Cybersecurity Basics badge on January 19, by taking part in exciting workshops taught by professional women in the cybersecurity industry. Girls will learn about pending cybersecurity legislation, engage in exciting discussions and debates, and explore potential cybersecurity careers. The registration fee is $20 per girl, and includes a badge. Volunteer supervision is required. Register.

Winter Online Journeys. Seniors and Ambassadors can learn exciting new STEM skills through online Journeys in January and February! In the Think Like a Programmer Online Journey, girls will join together to learn coding and computer science skills. Registration is $25 per girl.

Winter Vacation Camp. Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors are invited to spend their winter breaks at Camp Wabasso! At Winter Vacation Camp, campers can enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and more from February 17–21. Registration is $425/girl, and includes heated lodging, equipment rentals, lessons, meals, and transportation to/from Waltham, MA. This is a drop-off event.

Winter Vacation Adventures.  Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors can escape the winter blues by joining their Girl Scout peers for winter break at Camp Cedar Hill! At Winter Vacation Adventures, girls will make new friends, go on adventures, and participate in games, crafts, STEM experiments, and more. Groups will spend the majority of their time in indoor heated spaces, with occasional outdoor activities (weather permitting). New for 2020: busing is available and included in the registration fee. Registration is $60/girl, and financial aid is available.

Program Highlights

Check out some of the programs offered by Girl Scouts..
 1. Cyber Challenge - In GSEMA’s first ever Girl Scouts Cyber Challenge (October 19, from 8:30 AM–5 PM, at UMASS Lowell), Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors will work together to rescue a hacked moon colony. Girls will learn cryptography, forensics, social engineering, and ethics skills while empowering themselves and one another through STEM. This competition is a drop-off event; busing is available from Middleboro, Roxbury, and Waltham for $5 per girl. Registration is $10 per girl, and includes lunch, a shirt, and a patch.
2. Critter Camp - Girls can meet the furry friends that live at Camp Cedar Hill, make fierce and festive animal crafts, and take action as conservation superstars on Monday, November 11, from 9 AM–4 PM. This is a drop-off event; cost of registration is $50 per girl and includes a patch.
3. Challenge Accepted Overnight - During this exciting overnight experience on November 16–17, girls will gain confidence and learn team-building skills together on the low and high ropes courses at Camp Runels. This is a drop-off event; cost of registration is $60 per girl and includes a patch.
4. Journey Overnight - Seniors and Ambassadors are invited to work together to complete the Sow What (Senior) and Justice (Ambassador) Journeys in an action-filled overnight experience on November 2–3. Girls will explore their “food prints” and learn how everyday actions affect the environment as they prepare the next steps of their Take Action projects. This is a drop-off event; cost of registration is $55 per girl.
5. Journey Overnight - Cadettes are invited to “Think Like an Engineer” with their peers from all over eastern Massachusetts on November 9–10. Girls will complete the “discover” and “connect” steps of this exciting STEM journey, work together to find innovative solutions to engineering challenges, and take the first steps of preparing for their Take Action projects. This is a drop-off event; cost of registration is $35 per girl, and volunteer supervision is required.
6. Girl Scout Day at the MIT Museum - Girls are invited to the MIT Museum on November 2, for a day of hands-on, state-of-the-art engineering. Girls will use modern technologies including computer-aided design and laser cutting to engineer their own boats and take their design ideas to the next level. Cost of registration is $15/girl, and volunteer supervision is required.

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. 
  

World Thinking Day 2/22/17

Celebrate and grow with Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from around the world! Celebrated since 1926, World Thinking Day (WTD) is a day of international friendship and speaking out on issues that effect girls and young women around the world. WTD is on February 22^nd, but your troop can celebrate it at a troop meeting sometime around that date (mid-February to early March). If they haven’t earned it already, you can have your girls earn their blue WAGGGS pin by completing an activity for WTD. This year’s theme is “Let’s Grow”. Here is a link to a guide for activities and the WTD badge that you can do with your troop and here is a website with more Thinking Day ideas.

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 

Girl Scout Resource Books at Flint Memorial Library

Just to let you know that Kristin Puliafico has completed her mission to place Girl Scout books, for most if not all levels including some Journey books, in the Flint Memorial Library.  They are located in the children’s room!  These books are not to be taken out but to be used for reference only.  Thank you, Kristin!

Ideas for Health and Nutrition badge work

Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare is offering information and work packets for leaders to use with their troops to help teach the girls about healthy living and nutrition.  Here's the website to find this information:
http://www.healthykidshub.org/partner/enrichment 

Brownie Badge Workshop "Making Games"

The North Reading Girl Scout troop #73894 will be running a Brownie Badge Workshop for the badge "Making Games".  It will be held on Saturday, February 28th, from 1-4 at the Library Activity Room.  Please see here  for the details and the permission form.  Cost is $5.  This is a drop off event.  Any questions, please contact Melissa Audier audier@verizon.net 978-276-0431.

Girl Scout Baking Day

Teen Scouts from 6th - 12th Grade

Camp Rice Moody, Reading, MA

11 am - 2 pm on 2/2/14 (Come for all or part of the time!)

Please join other Girl Scouts and bake for our heroes! We will be baking breads and cookies and donating them to the heroes in our towns. Girls are asked to bring a mixing bowl and a spoon and if possible, measuring spoons or measuring cups. We will be sharing and working together so if you don't have all these items, no problem!

Since girls will be joining from different towns, we will be donating to the heroes in the town from which you are from! Heroes might police officers, fire personnel, educators, veterans or your neighbor down the street who does good deeds.

RSVP to Michelle at michellekramer@verizon.net or 781-789-6774 by 1/30/14!

Once I receive RSVP's I will send permission slips.

More Event Ideas!

GSEM offers many events for Girl Scouts.  Here's the link to their Program Guide.  They also offer programs that focus on the different Girl Scout levels, see here.
One of the programs offered is the Junior Jamboree.  Here is a list of workshops being offered that day:

 Beaded Bookmark

 Bubbles

Cookie Decorating

Clay Creations

Decoupage

Design a Diary

Duct Tape Design

Fun with Forensics

Fun and Games

Hip Hop Dance

La-Di-Da-Spa

Letterboxing

Minute to Win It

Name Art

Rock ‘n Video

Salsa Sampler. 

Sand Art

Soda Design.

Yoga

Zumba

A fun GSEM event coming up is Cookie Creations, see flyer here.

And from our North Reading leaders, here are some more ideas:

• A make up session with the make-up artists at Carl Michael Salon - and pair it with a talk /presentation about how the media distorts images, painting with Kim Scher
• If you have 16 year olds, a car talk session (checking oil, changing a tire, etc) at Foxy Auto 
• The Textile Museum in Lowell 
• Keisha Conigliaro has a mentoring program and she speaks to girls about self esteem and bullying.  La Chic Mentoring is the name of the program. http://www.lachicmentoringplus.org/ 
• Check out the projects at Look What I Made.  There are lots of variety besides the "paint the figure" type approach. The staff lead you by the hand on these projects so anyone can feel like a creative genius. http://www.lookwhatimade.net/Page/LWIMworkshops.html
• Boston Rock Gym offers Scouting classes:  http://www.bostonrockgym.com/programs/youth-climbing/climbing-merit-badge

Fun Activities for troops!

Here are a few ideas for troop activities that have shown up on the North Reading Girl Scout Leader Facebook page.  We know not everyone is on Facebook so we thought we'd share them here also:

• Bring a group to Pease International Airport in Portsmouth and be a greeter for troops returning or heading over to Afghanistan. They have flights daily and many times/days to choose from. For flight alerts you can sign up at Peasegreeters.org.

• Here is another fun event! GIRL SCOUT DAY WITH RIVER HAWK BASKETBALL UMass Lowell vs. Stony Brook. Sat. Feb. 15th @ 2:00pm @ Tsongas Center. Tickets are $10 ($5 going back to GSEM). Earn your sports badge pre-game with UMass student athletes & Commerative UMass Lowell Girl Scout Patch. We will have flyers Wednesday night at our leader meeting!

Brownie & Junior Cooking Badge Workshops - 5/18/13

The Winchester & Stoneham Seniors are offering two cooking badge workshops on Saturday, May 18.  Both are open to any registered Girl Scout and we would like to see a high attendance, so please pass this on to any appropriate girls in your town.

Brownie Snacks badge: 10.00 AM - noon; $10 includes food & badge
Junior Simple Meals badge: 1.30 - 4.30 PM; $10 includes food & badge

To register, please fill out the appropriate form and return it by Friday, May 10th.  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email.

Brownie: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_rP2zhfKvWdOG5JUGJZa0RoN0k/edit?usp=sharing
Junior: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_rP2zhfKvWdcEUxSDZFSklYSHM/edit?usp=sharing

Brownie and Junior Badge Workshops - 4/13/13 and 5/18/13

The Winchester and Stoneham Senior Girl Scouts are offering a Brownie "Snack Time" and a Junior "Simple Meals" badge workshop with a focus on local foods.  

On April 13: the Brownies will be from 1 - 4 PM and the Juniors from 9 - noon held at the 1st Congregational Church in Winchester.  

On May 18: the Brownies will be from 10 - 1 and the Juniors from 1.30 - 4.30 PM held at the 1st Congregation Church in Stoneham

$10 will cover food, a plant, and the badge.  Girls may either register individually or with their troop.  To register, please send the appropriate form & payment in.

    Brownie flyer: http://bit.ly/Z20Lol

    Junior flyer: http://bit.ly/XkXPcd

NJ GS's provide "Journeys in a Box"

Look what Debbie found - a Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey has done a lot of work to help Leaders with the task of planning out Journeys!  Check it out at the address below:

https://www.gsnnj.org/About-Us/GSLE/Girl-Scout-Journeys/Pages/Journeys-in-a-Box.aspx

There are so many great things out on the web!  Thanks Debbie...and thanks GSNNJ for sharing!

CADETTE MEDIA JOURNEY IN A WEEKEND 11/30-12/1

How would you like to complete the Media Journey including three leadership badges, all in one weekend?

Join us for an overnight lodge stay at Cedar Hill in Waltham, MA on

Friday, November 30, 5pm - Saturday, December 1, 4pm

to complete the Cadette Media Journey. This workshop is for Cadettes who would like to complete the Media Journey in its entirety taking an important step toward the Silver Award. During the workshops, girls will learn about media, focusing on their interests and desires to make a positive change in the way they use media in their own lives. Cadettes will become aware of the value of media, its limitations and effect and the power they have to lead and inspire others. The Media Journey includes the opportunity to earn three important leadership awards related to the facets of monitoring, influencing, and cultivating media.

This program is sponsored by Belmont Troop 71911 and is open to Cadette troops in Massachusetts. Journey books, awards, food and lodging is included in the cost of $35.

For more information contact Nina García <nina@nitroy.com>

Have great ideas? Share them!

If you've found a craft idea, an activity, an outing, etc... that you think would be perfect for scouting, share it with your other leaders!

Send an email to the Service Team and we'll get it up onto the blog so that all can benefit.  We can even scan it for you!

String Bags - a useful project

Here is another project - this one could be used for the Brownie Try-It "Stitch It Together" or the Junior Badge "Sew Simple" AND it is something that could be useful!

This is from Martha Stewart and the step by step directions can be found here:
http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/easy-beach-bag

Soap Bubble Prints

Here's a fun crafting idea for all ages...Soap Bubble Prints. This one is from Family Fun magazine.

And you can find a printable download here.

This could be used for Brownie Try-it Science Wonders or Colors and Shapes...

Fabric Bead Craft Idea

Here is a craft idea for Brownies and Juniors from Better Homes and Gardens...Fabric Beads. They look cute, easy to make, and might be a nice gift idea for girls to give someone for the holidays. They can also be used as an activity toward the Junior "Jewelry" badge or the Brownie "Art to Wear" Try it (as requirement #4).
You can find the jpg to download and print here.