Outdoor

#Rally4MKW Kick Off Event

It’s been nearly one month since a wildfire consumed over 150 acres of Mah-Kah-Wee Program Center. Join us to kick off #Rally4MKW.

Though the wildfire that consumed over half of our beloved Mah-Kah-Wee Program Center was devastating, we now have an unprecedented opportunity to reimagine the future of this important camp for the next generation.

Register now to attend the #Rally4MKW Kick Off Event. This is not a cleanup event. This is not a rebuilding event. This is a rally.

#Rally4MKW Kick-Off Event
Saturday, May 20, 2017
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Register Now.

All are invited. A nominal fee of $1 may be waived with PROMO CODE RALLY4MKW. 100% of registration fees which are received will be used in the Rally4MKW Fund.

Our first charge as a community is to mobilize to build a new vision for the future of Mah-Kah-Wee Program Center. True cleanup efforts will not begin for months and must be guided by professionals who are skilled at handling this level of destruction.

The event will feature food trucks, girl activities, tours by trailers of the damaged areas, and an opportunity to sign up for Action Teams, charged with generating a vision for key areas of the future of Mah-Kah-Wee. Action Teams include Building Design, Cleanup, and Outdoor Program Opportunities.

STEAM

Pop Culture and Girl Scouts: Chipping Away at Gender…

[Originally published March 9, 2017 by Kelly Dwyer on NewAmerica.org’s Education Policy]

GE commercial that aired during the Oscars asked, “What if we treated female scientists like they were celebrities?” The ad featured the late Millie Dresselhaus, the first woman to win the National Medal of Science in Engineering, to promote the company’s commitment to increasing the number of women in technical roles by 2020. This advertisement is on the heels of one of the most popular films of 2016, Hidden Figures, itself nominated for three awards that Sunday, that illuminated a group of female scientists and computational experts at NASA during the space race.

These snapshots of female scientists and mathematicians figure into a larger and increasingly nuanced portrait of women in STEM.  For a long time, the narrative of women and STEM has been a troubled one. Headlines tout the story that women are struggling in the field and we need to focus resources on increasing women’s participation. However, new data may tell a different story. Although there is no question that women are still underrepresented in STEM programs in universities and the workforce, it is time to look critically at the origins of such disparities and recognize the ways advocates are working to combat them.

In 2014, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) introduced a new exam, the Technology and Engineering Literacy Assessment (TEL). The TEL was administered to a national sample of eighth grade students. On the exam, students were “presented with real world situations requiring understanding technological principles, solving technology and engineering-related problems, and using technology to communicate and collaborate.” The results were surprising.  On average, girls scored three points higher on the exam than their male classmates.

If middle school girls are outperforming their male peers on a national exam, where and why does the great divide in STEM start? Hidden Figures and the Millie Dresselhaus commercial point to the historical lack of strong female figures in the field due to barriers to education and employment. Some believe it is a matter of addressing interests and self-confidence. While opinions about the ongoing, underlying causes of gender inequalities in STEM vary, we should all agree that we can be doing more to remedy the situation.

Hidden Figures actor Aldis Hodge, who played main character Mary Jackson’s husband, said that the film is doing just that. He believes that the film is encouraging the next generation of female scientists.  A promotional event for the film was a  Girls Build LA event where 10,000 girls watched the film together and heard from the film’s actors and current NASA scientists. While providing exposure to women in STEM is an important step in encouraging long-term participation, advocates can take further steps, to promote early STEM engagement among girls.

One way is to take a cue from Hidden Figures inspiration Mary Jackson. In addition to being a leading woman professionally, Jackson was also a leading woman in her community. For over 30 years, she was a Girl Scout troop leader.

Currently, Girl Scouts are working to push back against the prevailing narrative of girls in STEM. In the past year, the national organization developed a National STEM Strategy. Programs are dual purpose; they are designed to increase girls’ STEM content knowledge and to develop their confidence in their STEM abilities.

According to the Girl Scout Research Institute, “These programs afford girls the opportunity to combine STEM learning with leadership development, growth mindset development, and other socially desirable skills in a flexible, informal environment that supports student-driven exploration and experimentation.”

Girls aren’t the only group lagging behind in STEM education and achievement. Low-income high school students go on to postsecondary programs in STEM at much lower rates than their wealthier peers. During a recent webinar, Audrey Kwik, the Director of STEM and Programs for Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas discussed how her area is working towards closing the gender gap in STEM, particularly for low-income girls. The Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas recently participated in a robotics project that involved local community colleges to offer coding classes and other introductory workshops. Nationally, robotics programs have been shown to increase interest in programming and engineering and knowledge of what engineering and scientists do.

However, cost can be a major barrier to participation in these programs, especially for low-income girls. That’s why, through scholarships and grants, participation in the robotics program was free for anyone who wanted to participate. The Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas also works with local school districts to identify schools with high economic needs and provides grants to help schools pay for STEM activities during the school day.

The gender gap cannot be bridged without addressing these other obstacles to equality in STEM education.

Current initiatives seem to be chipping away, albeit slowly, at barriers for women in STEM. Even the new administration is on board; last week, President Trump signed the Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act, to promote activities at NASA that are connecting astronauts with students in preK-12 schools. Perhaps these efforts to boost girls confidence in STEM abilities, open professional doors, and highlight female scientists in pop culture can make this the generation that closes the gender gap once and for all. And, although Hidden Figures didn’t walk away with any awards at the Oscars, the film’s real life inspiration, Presidential Medal of Freedom awardee Katherine Johnson, was recognized on stage and received a standing ovation. If that doesn’t confer celebrity status and say we’re on the right track, I’m not sure what does.

Academics

A Thank-You Message: Not Your Mother’s Career Fair

The inaugural Not Your Mother’s Career Fair was a smashing success, welcoming over 200 Girl Scouts and their champions to the Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites Waterpark Hotel.

Dozens of community partners and vendors introduced girls to career opportunities, internships, summer job positions, and options for college. To no ones surprise, girls from Citrus Council were impressively prepared and professional 🙂

A huge THANK YOU is due to the all community partners and vendors, especially our presenters who offered engaging workshops for girls and adults.

CiCis Pizza
City of Orlando Wastewater Division
City Year
Gypset
Junior Achievement
Orange County Public Schools
Orange County Sheriff’s Office
Orlando Health
Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
SKELETONS: Museum of Osteology
The DAVE School
The Wandering Wonton
Visit Florida
Women in Aviation – The Heart of Florida Chapter
WonderWorks

Here’s to the 2nd Annual in 2018!

Badges and Patches

Derby Day for Girl Scouts of All Ages!

Due to popular demand, we have opened up a second session for this program! The morning session is completely full. This session starts at 1PM.

Celebrate and join in on the fanfare of the Kentucky Derby by creating your own wooden race car and festive derby hat at Factur on May 6th! Register now!

You’ll create your own fascinator or Debry hat with help from designer, Melissa Cantrell, VP of Product Design for Scala headwear, which is an official headwear brand sold at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day! All participants will also have the opportunity build a wooden car and test it out in a race, just like the girls in this awesome STEAM partnership between Girl Scouts and Ford!

You’ll also be invited to take a tour of Factur, which is a one-of-a-kind fabrication laboratory and makers space in Orlando. Factur serves as a creative home in which people work, learn and build a community rooted in science, art and technology.

This is an exclusive event for Girl Scouts – you must be a registered Girl Scout member to participate. Kindly note, you must arrive promptly at 1:00pm for check-in to begin the activities.

Cost includes materials needed to design and make your fabulous creations. Each participant will be able to take home their hats and race cars and will also earn a fun patch for the day.

Feel free to come dressed in your best derby attire!

The last day to register for this program is May 1st, however if a minimum of 25 people are not registered by Tuesday, April 25th, this program may be subject to cancellation.

Leadership

Co-Leader Self-Evaluation!

We are eager to hear more details about your Girl Scout troop experience! The following survey will assist all of Citrus Council in creating a helpful and fulfilling co-leader experience for volunteers.

Please take our 2017 Co-Leader Self Evaluation to offer insights into your troop experience and offer suggestions to Council staff on better serving you.

This Self-Evaluation should not be confused with the Girl Scout Voices Count surveys, which were sent from Girl Scouts of the USA on April 3. Check your email to provide valuable feedback to the national and local Girl Scout offices on your entire Girl Scout experience!

Take the Co-Leader Self Evaluation now!

Outdoor

Wildfire Erupts at Mah-Kah-Wee Program Center

On Saturday, April 8, 2017, Camp Rangers were alerted to a brush fire in the dense forest on the far side of the lake at Mah-Kah-Wee Program Center. Both the neighboring HOA and our Rangers contacted 911. Within hours, the fire grew into a widespread wildfire, consuming over 150 acres of the property.

[DEVELOPING. Updated 4/26/17 at 2:00 PM] More than 100 volunteers were participating in Girl Scouts of Citrus’ Volunteer Retreat Weekend at the council’s largest camp property, Mah-Kah-Wee. Early Saturday afternoon, neighbors and Rangers noticed smoke and a brush fire on the far west side of Horseshoe Lake.

Donate to revitalization efforts at Mah-Kah-Wee Program Center.

Staff and volunteers responded quickly, totally evacuating the property within 15 minutes. First-responders, including Seminole County Fire Department and Florida Fire Services, also urged evacuation of nearby residential areas.

Due to high winds and dry conditions, the fire spread quickly across the west side of camp. The Turkey Run campsite was lost, while Shady Oaks and Eagles Roost have, so far, been spared extensive loss thanks to the prevention efforts of fire fighters. It is important to remember that the full scope of damage is unknown at this time.

We are extremely grateful to everyone who stepped up to offer assistance, including the East Seminole County VFW Post for providing an evacuation location for staff and volunteers, as well as the nearby Publix who offered food and supplies.

Anyone who would like to make a donation toward recovery efforts should visit our website.

We are continuing to assess the situation as areas continue to smolder and burn. Once more information is confirmed, troops and families will be updated about scheduled camp outings. Regular updates, as they are confirmed, will be posted on this page.

[UPDATED 4/11/2017 at 9:30 AM] At this time, the fire is still active at Mah-Kah-Wee, and parts of the property have experienced flare-ups that are common with wildfires. We believe it is contained, but while fires are still active, we cannot begin a full assessment of the damage.

Summer Camp: We can confirm that summer camp will take place as planned, with suitable accommodations offered to campers to compensate for the damaged cabins. We are working with donors and community partners to find mobile accommodations.

Mah-Kah-Wee Events: Individual events, such as council-led events and camporees, are being assessed on an individual basis based on the timing of the event. Registrants for upcoming events will receive communication if their event is cancelled or postponed.

Cause: At this time, local authorities can confirm that no foul play contributed to the cause of the fire, and they speculate that the fire began as a result of natural causes.

How can I help: There are many ways to get involved right now, but unfortunately, until authorities are confident that the fire is extinguished, we cannot begin any large-scale efforts. Here’s how to help right now:

  • To make a financial donation, please visit our website.
  • To send cards or small gifts (such as your favorite memories at camp or thank you cards written to first responders and other helping organizations), please mail them to:
    341 N Mills Ave
    Orlando, FL 32803
  • To assist with future volunteer cleanup initiatives, please complete this form. This group will be contacted first with additional information when it is available.
  • To assist with volunteer-led appreciation efforts for first responders, please see this Facebook event.
  • To lead an independent fundraising effort on our behalf, such as selling merchandise or donating a percentage of business profit, please contact Toni Castillo, Chief Relationship Officer, at tcastillo@citrus-gs.org or 407-228-1601 before beginning formal campaigns.

[UPDATED 4/12/2017 at 10:00 AM] At this time, we believe the wildfire is 100% contained, but is still active. That means there are still hot spots throughout the acres that were impacted by the wildfire, preventing authorities from beginning a full assessment of the damage.

Mah-Kah-Wee Events: We have started to contact the participants of upcoming events scheduled to take place at Mah-Kah-Wee on an individual basis to discuss their options. We are committed to ensuring that all events can take place, so we are working with the local network of camp properties to find alternative solutions for our members. Please stay tuned to your email if yourself or your troop has upcoming events.

RELATED NEWS COVERAGE 

Saturday, April 8 at 7:25 PM. Video. Orlando Sentinel.
Mandatory evacuations wildfire near Chuluota doubles in size; several buildings destroyed

Saturday, April 8 at 10:26 PM. Video. WESH2
Brush fire sparks in Chuluota, Girl Scout camp evacuated, structures destroyed

Sunday, April 9 at 6:12 PM. Video. WESH2.
Wildfire in Chuluota 90 – 95 percent contained

Sunday, April 9 at 10:16 PM. Video. WESH2
A look at Chuluota brush fire damage

Sunday, April 9. Video. Storyful. 
Central Florida Brushfire Forces Evacuations.

Monday, April 10 at 3:40 PM. Video. Orlando Sentinel
Firefighters brace for Central Florida surge in wildfires

Monday, April 10 at 4:23 PM. Video. WFTV9
Girl Scout camp structures destroyed by Seminole County brush fire will be rebuilt, group says

Monday, April 11 at 10:18 AM. NEWS6
Gov. Scott declares state of emergency after Florida wildfire increases

Leadership

Strong Leadership, Strong Girls: GSUSA Interim CEO Interview

Last week, interim CEO Sylvia Acevedo and Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland Council were invited to attend and speak at the Columbus Metropolitan Club located in Columbus, Ohio (the same city we’ll be hosting the G.I.R.L. 2017 Convention!) to discuss the state of girls’ leadership and how Girl Scouts are making a difference everyday.

Last week, interim CEO Sylvia Acevedo and Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland Council were invited to attend and speak at the Columbus Metropolitan Club located in Columbus, Ohio (the same city we’ll be hosting the G.I.R.L. 2017 Convention!) to discuss the state of girls’ leadership and how Girl Scouts are making a difference everyday.

This article originally appears on blog.girlscouts.org.

Cookies

Girl Scout Sister from Western Oklahoma Impresses Jimmy Fallon

Even Jimmy Fallon can’t resist this top cookie-seller’s sales pitch! Last night, Katie Francis from Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to celebrate her latest achievement—breaking a Girl Scout record.

This Cookie Boss has sold 101,105 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies throughout her Girl Scout career. And thanks to Jimmy Fallon, Katie’s ending her 2017 cookie season with 101,106 boxes sold!

This article originally appeared on blog.girlscouts.org.

Badges and Patches

Sports Fans, Listen Up!

Girl Scout sports fans! This is our time! Take a look at the exclusive Girl Scout events that are a perfect combination of our love for local athletic teams and a great time with Girl Scout sisters. You can’t get this anywhere else!

Everyone knows that Central Florida has an impressive lineup of athletic teams to support. Thankfully, those teams also love supporting Girl Scouts, which is why when we offer tickets to a game, it’s not just a game: we’re talking exclusive patches, on-field experiences, meet and greets, and even BALLFIELD SLEEPOVERS!

We grow this list of sports programs all the time. Check back often.

Girl Scout Sleepover with the Florida Fire Frogs
May 19, 2017
Includes a cookout on the concourse, movie on the jumbotron with popcorn, inflatables, badge work, AND a free ticket to the upcoming June 3 game!

Girl Scout Night at the Jack with the Daytona Tortugas [REGISTRATION CLOSED]
May 6, 2017
Includes a ticket to the game and a pre-game Girl Scout parade beginning at 6:30 PM!

Bowl for Mah-Kah-Wee
May 27, May 28, May 29
Let’s celebrate the end of a great Girl Scout year and help to support the revision and revitalization of Camp Mah-Kah-Wee.

Soccer Time with the Orlando Pride!
June 24, 2017
Includes a Girl Scout patch.