Academics

KPMG Leadership Program and Scholarship for graduating Ambassadors

GRADUATING AMBASSADORS ELIGIBLE FOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AND SCHOLARSHIP, APPLICATIONS DUE JANUARY 31

Annually, top female high school seniors from around the country are selected to participate in the KPMG Future Leaders Program and receive a scholarship of $10,000 per year through four years of college.

KPMG is deeply committed to the advancement, development and empowerment of women. As women break glass ceilings in the workplace and excel on the international athletic stage, the influence of women will only continue to grow and affect our society for the better.

To participate an applicant must:

  • Be enrolled as a high school senior female student (traditional or homeschool),
    progressing normally toward graduation or completion of high school at the end of the
    2017-2018 school year, and planning to enroll in a 4-year undergraduate program at a
    college or university no later than the 2018 fall semester following the completion of high
    school.
  • Be a citizen of the United States, or be a U.S. lawful permanent resident.
  • Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5 or higher.
  • Demonstrate exceptional academic and leadership ability.
  • Display an interest in a business academic or STEM track.
  • Exhibit strong community involvement.
  • Letter of recommendation from a nonprofit organization to be attached to the applicant’s
    application for review. This person must speak to your character and leadership ability.
  • Provide a statement of financial need in the essay section of the applicant’s application
    for review (household income not to exceed $75,000 per year).
  • Applicant will also need to provide Federal Pell Grant Program application form or
    University financial aid application form or a reward letter to either program.
  • Must be available to attend the three-day KPMG Future Leaders Retreat at Stanford
    University, July 15-17, 2018.

 

Selected students attend a three-day retreat at Stanford University the summer before their freshman year of college. They also take part in a yearlong mentoring program, paired with a female leader participating in the KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit.

Learn more about the program and share the application

Applications are due January 31.

 

Cookies

Getting the Cookie Plan Together

As we prepare to celebrate the holidays, Girl Scouts throughout the nation are also getting ready for that very busy time of year…Girl Scout cookie season!

Our Girl Scout Motto is to ‘Be Prepared’, and its important to do just that! January can creep up on us quicker than we think. Some of us may already see requests for cookies, so its essential to be prepared.

My troop prepares for the cookie season by attending our annual troop holiday party. We munch on the newest Girl Scout S’mores™ cookie, enjoy homemade hot chocolate and make plans for the first day of cookie sales.

Our troop prepares by getting our uniforms ready, attending troop cookie training and designing cookie booths. As a troop, we go over our cookie checklist. Which looks something like this:

____ Girl Scout vest or sash.

____ Identify a Cookie buddy (adult).

____ Tote, cart, or wagon to load cookies.

____ Cookie order form and pen.

____ Amount of money to have on hand for change.

____ Cookie envelope for payments in a day pack.

Before setting up cookie booths or selling cookies door to door Girl Scouts proudly wear their official uniform. I encourage girls to wear their favorite Girl Scout t-shirt or official Girl Scout polo shirt with vest or sash. Remember presentation is key.

When a Girl Scout wears the uniform, she lets the world know she’s a real-life Cookie Boss! I’ve found that wearing the Girl Scout uniform can also increases cookie sales. Cookie customers look for the blue, brown, green or tan vests and sashes to purchase cookies each year.

During troop meetings practice selling cookies to customers door to door through selling scenarios.

  • Smile and introduce yourself.
  • Practice your cookie “script”
    • Hi, my name is Daisy. I am a Girl Scout in Troop 123. The Girl Scout Cookie Program is teaching me how to run my own business. I have Girl Scout cookies for sale at $4.00 a box. You can also purchase cookies to support our military troops by donating $4.00 for each box.
  • Practice providing change for the cookie purchases.
  • Smile and thank your customers whether they do or do not purchase cookies.

Ask the girls in your troop to select the Cookie Badges they will earn during the cookie season. The 2018 Girl Scout Cookie Activity Pin – Celebrating the 5 Skills with girls can also be earned!

Daisies Count It Up Badge & Talk It Up Badge
Brownies Meet My Customers Badge & Give Back Badge
Juniors Cookie CEO Badge & Customer Insights Badge
Cadettes Think Big Badge, Business Plan Badge & Marketing Badge
Seniors My Portfolio Badge & Customer Loyalty Badge
Ambassadors Profit & Loss Badge and Research & Development Badge

 

Check with council and your community on the different Cookie Rallys and Cookie kickoff events they have going on early in the year. These are great ways to get your girls motivated and excited.

Here are just a few you might want to look into:

January 14, 2018- Sea World Cookie Kickoff

January 20, 2018 – Girl Scout Cookie University at Embry Riddle

 

Short and Sweet

History of Christmas Traditions

Have you ever wondered where your favorite Christmas traditions come from? We sure know we have! For example, why are your mom’s cookies left out for Santa Claus or why are the colors red and green considered Christmas colors?

Cookies and Milk for Santa

Some theories come from Norse folk lore. Odin, the Norse god, led a grand hunting party during yule tide festivals. Children would leave food out for Odin’s eight legged horse, Sleipnir. Eventually, with other European influences on this Norse tradition, it became the Christian tradition to leave cookies and milk for Santa while adventured around the world.

This tradition became popular in America during the Great Depression, when parents believed that their kids helping Santa during his tiring journey, taught them that their good deeds have rewards.

The History of Using Red and Green as Christmas Colors

The green is said to symbolize “The Paradise Tree” in the Garden of Eden. It was normally a pine tree with red apples tied to it. The green would also symbolize holly or ivy that were evergreen plants.

The red symbolizes the red apples also on “The Paradise Tree” in the Garden of Eden. The red is also said to reference holly berries said to represent the blood of Jesus Christ.

Still have more questions on Christmas and how the different traditions came about? Visit www.whychristmas.com for more info.

Leadership

Hanukkah is Well Represented in Apopka Thanks to One…

Naomi Grabish, a Junior Girl Scout now, has been in Girl Scouts since kindergarten. As a Daisy she has done several activities similar to what other Girl Scouts of her age would be doing. A typical, normal girl progressing through school, Girl Scouts, and life. It wasn’t until she came across a holiday display in her community of Apopka that this Daisy would be challenged to do more.

In 2014, Naomi (six at the time) and her sister (five at the time) were going through Apopka and noticed the city’s holiday display. It was beautiful, yes, but something was missing for Naomi and her sister. They both noticed that there were no Hanukkah decorations in town, only Christmas decorations. She and her sister declared in protest, “that’s not fair.” But, what could they do?

Being six and five, they came up with several wild ideas which involved putting up their own display. Naomi eventually settled on writing a letter to Mayor Joe Kilsheimer, asking him to address the issue. Although this wasn’t the first time Naomi had written to a politician (she wrote to Barack Obama when she was four,) it was the first time she was asking for something from a political figure.

She mailed off her letter before Christmas break and when she got back from her family vacation, Naomi had a letter waiting from the Mayor apologizing for the lack of Hanukkah decorations. The Mayor promised to remedy this oversight and affirmed it would be fixed the following year.

Now, holding on to a promise for a year can be challenging for anyone. This proves even more difficult for prominent figures like Senators, Commissioners and Mayors. Sure enough, December 2015 rolled around and there were no Hanukah decorations. There was no change in December 2016 either.

A friend of the family, who happens to be the pastor at the local Presbyterian church suggested Naomi speak during the public comment period of a city council meeting. This would get her in front of city officials and leaders of the community, and she’d have a chance to be heard in person. This year, Naomi attended and spoke at the city council meeting. Mayor Kilsheimer was in attendance and told her that he remembered the letter. He promised her that he would look into the situation and assured her there would be Hanukah decorations this holiday season.

Not to be forgotten again, Naomi decided to write another letter to the Mayor before the holiday season, reminding him that he’d promised her Hanukkah decorations. In late October, as she was volunteering with her Girl Scout troop at a Halloween event in Apopka, she reminded him once again that he had promised her a menorah. He replied that he was making sure it would happen.

 

Mayor Kilsheimer with Naomi Grabish

Two weeks later, when Naomi and her family visited the city council with her Girl Scout troop, Mayor Kilsheimer handed her a photo and explained that the city had ordered that menorah. He then told Naomi and her troop that the menorah would be displayed with the rest of the holiday lights, and would be lit on December 1, 2017 during their Annual Winter Wonderland event.

 

“As her mother and her Girl Scout leader, I am in awe of the way she embraces both the value of inclusion and the importance of everyone seeing themselves reflected in their community-of making sure everyone is represented and heard” expressed Erika Grabish

When reflecting on this experience, and the significance of having a menorah in her community, Naomi expressed that “It seemed unfair…Apopka is a small city, but it should be inviting for everybody.”

Being a Girl Scout also played a key role in developing her confidence. “Girl Scouts helped me to do this because in Girl Scouts I talk to all different kinds of people” said Naomi

When asked how she was able to persist over three years (a third of her life), her only response was “the stronger the fight, the stronger the girl.”

Naomi’s persistence, dedication, belief in herself and her ability to make change happen is an inspiration to all. It also proves you’re never too young to make an impact in your community.

 

You can visit the Menorah light display, along with the other Christmas decorations at the Kit Land Nelson Park in Apopka.

Badges and Patches

Is Your Troop Ready to be a Super G.I.R.L.…

 

A Super G.I.R.L. Troop exemplifies girls and adults working in partnership to give each girl an amazing Girl Scout experience. Surveys show that a satisfied and happy Girl Scout is having fun with her friends and has a quality experience engaged in meaningful activities throughout the year.

Super G.I.R.L. Troop Requirments:

  • Have a minimum of 12 girls and 2 co-leaders with current memberships.
  • Participate in the Fall Product Sale and Cookie Sale.
  • Have a per girl average of $200.00 in fall products sold and 198 box of cookies sold.
  • Participate in a minimum of two council sponsored Outdoor Programs and two council sponsored Girl/Indoor Programs.
  • Make a troop donation to GIFTS for Girls. Donation must be a minimum of $5.00 per family.
  • Complete at least one service project during the current Girl Scout Year. This cannot be substituted for a higher awards project.
  • Be Early Bird registered. At least 80% of girls and 50% of parents by the 2nd week of the Early Bird campaign.

Super G.I.R.L. Troop Co-Leader Requirements:

  • New co-leaders must complete all required training within 90 days. Existing co-leaders must have completed VE and GSLE trainings. Product trainings must also be completed annually.
  • Take the online VTK training and create a year plan in the VTK
  • Complete and submit Troop Finance Reports via the VTK two times per year – December 31 and May 31

If your troop has what it takes to be recognized as a Citrus Super G.I.R.L Troop, not only will they have bragging rights, but they’ll also get:

  • A Super Troop Patch for all the girls in the troop
  • A Super Troop Pin for co-leaders
  • An invitation to a special and exclusive event for all Super GIRL Troops in May
  • Each Super GIRL Troop will also receive $50 in Citrus Shop Bucks
  • And much MORE

Is your troop on track to become one of Citrus Council’s Super G.I.R.L Troops?

Cookies

Girl Scout S’mores™ Cookies Are Back!

Our newest cookie offering celebrates over 100 years of Girl Scouts selling cookies. The Girl Scout S’mores™ became instantly popular, and are a delicious, mess-free way to relive summer nights spent around a campfire. The tradition of making and enjoying s’mores in the outdoors was popularized by our early Girl Scout sisters, with the recipe first appearing in 1927 for “some mores” in Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts, a resource book that also taught 12 ways to build a campfire.

In their debut last year, Girl Scout S’mores™ cookies became the most popular flavor to launch in the 100 years of Girl Scouts selling cookies! Now joining legendary classics like Thin Mints® and Caramel deLites®/Samoas®, delicious Girl Scout S’mores are making a triumphant return to the lineup for the 2018 cookie season. This means cookie-lovers in the Central Florida area will again be able to get their hands on these delicious cookies, while powering unique and amazing experiences for girls with each and every cookie purchase.

Girl Scouts of Citrus will offer the crispy graham cookie double-dipped in a crème icing and enrobed in a chocolatey coating. This clever take on the time-honored campfire treat was developed in response to consumer trends. It is vegan and free of artificial colors, preservatives, and partially hydrogenated oils.

Girl Scouts are able to do incredible things thanks to their cookie earnings. Many girl scout troops reinvest in our community by helping to build turtle habitats, providing supplies for homeless shelters and animal shelters, or donating part of the proceeds to a charity.

The council also reinvests these funds to further develop girl programming and provide financial aid opportunities for girls to participate in Girl Scouts. Each and every purchase of Girl Scout Cookies—100 percent of the net revenue of which stays local—is an investment in girls and their leadership capabilities, both now and in the future.

Cookie customers can get the S’mores hook-up from a Girl Scout near you, starting January 10, 2018

Cookies

Cookies: Business Ethics

Our cookies are on a mission: to help girls learn five skills that are essential to leadership, to success, and to life.

Skill #1—Goal Setting
Skill #2—Decision Making
Skill #3—Money Management
Skill #4—People Skills
Skill #5—Business Ethics

When girls have mastered the business ethics skill, they’ll be saying:
“Selling cookies is more than just business.”
“The other day at the cookie booth I made my friend’s mom laugh really hard and she totally forgot her change. I made sure she got it back. She was so impressed she bought another box of cookies. Now I’m even closer to reaching my goal for robotics camp.”

Girls act honestly and responsibly during every step of the cookie sale. This matters because employers want to hire ethical employees—and the world needs ethical leaders in every field.

Go-getter troops are preparing for cookie season now by role playing sticky situations that might come up throughout the cookie program. Families sign and submit a cookie program permission slip, that outlines the families commitments and responsibilities for accurately managing inventory and finances.

Pro tip: Experienced cookie business leaders should share advice and expertise with younger Girl Scout troops by collaborating for booth sales or helping a troop earn their Cookie Activity Pin.

Because your Girl Scout is honest and responsible at every step of the cookie sale…

  • Her friends, classmates, and teachers count on her and think of her as trustworthy.
  • She’ll develop excellent references for when she looks for her first job or applies for college.

What do you hope your Girl Scout is honest with you about?

Cookies

Cookies: People Skills

Our cookies are on a mission: to help girls learn five skills that are essential to leadership, to success, and to life.

Skill #1—Goal Setting
Skill #2—Decision Making
Skill #3—Money Management
Skill #4—People Skills
Skill #5—Business Ethics

When girls have mastered people skills, they’ll be saying:
“I get a lifetime supply of confidence in every box.”
“I’ve met so many new people at our cookie booth. And I’ve gotten really good at chatting with them about how we are doing more than just selling Girl Scout Cookies. We’re earning money to achieve our cookie-season goals and do great things.”

Girls learn how to talk (and listen!) to their customers, as well as learning how to work as a team with other girls. This matters because it helps them do better in school (on group projects, on sports teams, and on the playground) and, later, at work.

Go-getter troops are preparing for cookie season now by role playing a variety of cookie selling scenarios. Girls should practice being both the seller and the customer. Spend some time brainstorming the types of questions customers might ask, and be prepared with the correct answers. Practice manners like “please” and “thank you.” Know how to articulate individual and troop goals to describe how each customer’s purchase will support Girl Scouts. Don’t forget to prepare for unhappy customers and awkward conversations, too.

Pro tip: Experienced cookie business leaders should practice the no-pressure up-sell. It’s a fine line between offering just one more box (or rounding it up to a full case!) and coming across as a pushy salesperson. Practice confidently and politely making the ask.

Because your Girl Scout learns how to talk and listen to all kinds of people while selling cookies…

  • She can ask a teacher for help or navigate the school cafeteria more easily.
  • She can work well with others on school projects or as part of a sports team.

How do you want your Girl Scout to influence others?

Cookies

Cookies: Money Management

Our cookies are on a mission: to help girls learn five skills that are essential to leadership, to success, and to life.

Skill #1—Goal Setting
Skill #2—Decision Making
Skill #3—Money Management
Skill #4—People Skills
Skill #5—Business Ethics

When girls have mastered the money management skill, they’ll be saying:
“I make change happen!”
“It’s cool that I get to make change when someone buys cookies. I’m really careful about it. I count it out twice, so I know it’s totally right. And I know each box sold gets us one step closer to our goal.”

Girls develop a budget, take cookie orders, and handle customers’ money. This matters because girls need to know how to handle money—from their lunch money to their allowance to (someday) their paycheck.

Go-getter troops are preparing for cookie season now by practicing identifying bills and coins, counting out correct change, and knowing the amount due for various quantities of cookies purchased. Girls should know who a check should be written to, and how customers can pay with a credit card.

Pro tip: Experienced cookie business leaders should design a creative thank you card/receipt to be given to every cookie customer, as a record of their purchase and sign of appreciation.

Because your Girl Scout takes cookie orders and handles customers’ money…

  • She’ll be less likely to lose her lunch money or field trip fees.
  • She can handle a checking account, help with the grocery shopping, and even stay on top of her cell phone bill!

What’s the most important thing you’d like your Girl Scout to learn about earning and managing money?

Cookies

Cookies: Decision Making

Our cookies are on a mission: to help girls learn five skills that are essential to leadership, to success, and to life.

Skill #1—Goal Setting
Skill #2—Decision Making
Skill #3—Money Management
Skill #4—People Skills
Skill #5—Business Ethics

When girls have mastered the decision making skill, they’ll be saying:
“I make smarter decisions.”
“When I sell cookies with my Girl Scout forever friends, we make our own decisions, like how many boxes we want to sell. We all have to agree on what we’ll do with the money, which means talking it out and being okay not getting our way sometimes. And we have to figure out how to solve problems, like what to do when one of the girls is sick and can’t help out. Our decisions matter.”

Girls decide where and when to sell cookies, how to market their sale, and what to do with their earnings. This matters because girls must make many decisions, big and small, in their lives. Learning this skill helps them make good ones.

Go-getter troops are preparing for cookie season now by making decisions about when, where, and how they’ll market and sell their products. Will she do door-to-door sales (“walkabouts”) and sell to family and friends? Will she utilize the Digital Cookie platform to reach her goals even faster? And will she set up cookie booths to explode her sales and exceed her goals?

Pro tip: Experienced cookie business leaders should start reaching out to cookie customers now to let them know that cookies are coming, the different ways and times she’ll be selling them, and get an idea of how many they’d like to buy.

Because your Girl Scout helps decide how her team will spend their cookie money…

  • She can decide how to use her babysitting money—spend some, save some, give some to those in need.
  • As she grows up, she’ll know when and how to give back to her community.

What important decisions do you want your Girl Scout to be prepared to make, now and in the future?