Inside:* Troop 542 goesto the beach!

*Girl ScoutMeghan Quinnshares her troop’sNew York Cityexperience!

*Senior Scuba!

August 2008

Also in this issue:2009 Inaugural information,Destinations Orientationsand the new Girl ScoutAmbassadorprogram level!

HHHHHow do I get published?ow do I get published?ow do I get published?ow do I get published?ow do I get published?

TTG: Totally Teen Girls is a publication ofthe Girl Scout Council of the Nation’sCapital for girls ages 11 and up.

Editor

Belinda McBean

Manager of Program Services

Brigid Howe

Deputy Executive Director

Lidia Soto-Harmon

Girl Scout Volunteer and GraphicDesigner: Header Art and Color Scheme

Carmel Steindam

Technological Assistance: Council Staff

Angel Parsons, Online/Pubs Specialist

Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital

4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite M-2

Washington, DC 20008

www.gscnc.org

We’re always looking for articles, photos,drawings and anything else teen girls want tosubmit. If you have any questions regardingTTG content, getting published, or aboutbecoming a TTG Teen Editor, contact:

Belinda McBeanPublic Relations Assistant

bmcbean@gscnc.org202-237-1670 ext. 206

The best pictures for publication generally areclose-up pictures of just a few girls. Photos shouldaccompany an article or caption.

*Note -- TTG editor reserves the right to shortenarticles and crop pictures for the publication.

For information regarding teen programs,events, scholarships and awards, contact:

Brigid HoweManager of Program Services

bhowe@gscnc.org202-237-1670 ext. 211

More RMore RMore RMore RMore ResourcesourcesourcesourcesourcesesesesesGSCNC Main Website

www.gscnc.org

GSCNC Teen Website

www.gscnc.org/girls/teen

GSCNC Teen Programs

www.gscnc.org/girls/teen/programs

GSCNC Teen Forms

www.gscnc.org/girls/teen/forms

GSUSA Website

www.girlscouts.org

STUDIO 2B Website

www.studio2b.org

2 • August 2008

TTG • 3

Blood Drive by Tara Anderson, Troop 3838

Fun Times at Camp

Girl Scout Troop 3491 of Vienna, VA, has agreat time at Camp Crowell.

Teen Troop 3838, of Prince WilliamCounty, VA, in partnership with theAmerican Red Cross, sponsored the first-ever blood drive for the River Oakscommunity in Woodbridge, VA.

We were able to collect 24 productive pintsof blood with 40 individuals donating. Those donations have the potential to save72 hospital patients who rely on blooddrives for life-saving blood.

As Teen Girl Scouts we strive to providecommunity service in all areas. This blooddrive was our Silver Award Project. It wasa wonderful experience for the troop and wehope to continue this effort again next year.

Thank you to the River Oaks community forhelping Girl Scouts save lives!

By Girls For GirlsCommittee (BGFG)

BGFG is working hard tohelp GSCNC’s Program

Department continue to create fun andinteresting events and activites for Girl

Scout Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors!The committee also helps choose thePresident’s Award nominee and picks a themefor some council ceremonies. Currently, BGFGis working on events for the 2008-2009 GirlScout year. If you are interested in learningmore about the committee or would like to

join, please contact the Teen ProgramSpecialist at 202-237-1670 ext. 236.

4 • August 2008

Memorial Day at the Beach

Several teens andadults from TeenTroop 542 of Bowie,MD, took a MemorialDay weekend beachcamping trip to CapeHenlopen, DE. Whilethere, they swam inthe ocean, took a tourof Fort Miles and thesurrounding bunkers(sites that were used inWorld War II), andseined (fished with adrag net) in theDelaware Bay.

They also took a nighthike through theforest around thepark, climbed to thetop of an observationtower, had dinner inwonderful downtownLewes, DE, andworked on someInterest Projectpatches. They arepictured here with theCape HenlopenLighthouse in thebackground.

Adventure Scuba

Members of Cadette/Senior Troop 3910 ofPrince George’s County, MD, enjoyed a lessonfrom Adventure Scuba, a local company thatteaches scuba diving.

Costa Rica

Teen Troop 3426 of Montgomery County,MD, enjoys the sunset during an eight-dayexcursion to Costa Rica. They went scubadiving, took mud baths, ziplined through therainforest and learned aboutlocal culture and food.

by Michelle Porter, Troop 542

TTG • 5

Since we were in sixth or seventh grade, mytroop has been talking about going on a tripsomewhere, so my troop leader, my sister, ourfour other troop members, our safety king and Iheaded for New York City.

When we arrived, we grabbed ourbags and hailed taxis to the youthhostel where we were staying. Wewere pretty excited when we sawour bunk room. We brieflydiscussed plans for the next day,and then collapsed into bed.

The next morning we were up earlyout of sheer excitement. After breakfast, werode the subway to an open air market. It wasgreat. I think almost everyone boughtsomething, from cider and bread to cheese andjam. We went to a dim sum restaurant inChinatown, and everyone tried new things. Byfar, the most interesting food we tried waschicken feet. They weren’t that bad, just verytough! During lunch, Danielle, one of our troopmembers, had her aunt who lives in New Yorkjoin us. She spent the afternoon with the troopas we went around Chinatown and SoHo,shopping, and stopping for treats at Pinkberry,a frozen yogurt shop. We were pretty amazedwith the things we saw at Evolution in SoHo,like shrunken heads and lollipops with insectsin them. Before dinner, we humored our leaderand went to an exhibit of Irving Pennphotographs at the Morgan Gallery. Much toour surprise, the things we saw in the museumwere interesting. We ate a quick dinner atJohn’s Pizzeria, and rushed down to TimesSquare. We went to Broadway and saw theproduction of Spamalot. It was hilarious. Weall enjoyed seeing the show and laughed at thecoincidence that a sing-along (audience andcast) was the closing number.

Afterwards we almost got Clay Aiken’sautograph.

Sunday morning, we packed all of our stuff andleft the hostel. Before catching the bus back

home, we went to acostuming exhibit at theMetropolitan Museum ofArt. Then, we walkedthrough Central Parkuntil we found the statueof Balto. After takingtons of photos, we allgot our Silver Awards

and bridged to Seniors byrunning a “victory lap” across a bridge in thepark.

We ended up spending a lot of time in Dylan’sCandy Bar. The store has everything in it, allkinds of candy. After a scramble to get lunchand leave on time, we left the city on a sugarhigh, spending the ride home enjoying thesweets we bought. This really was an incredibletrip. I had such a great time, and my troop’salready planning our next trip.

We anticipate that GSCNC will beasked to provide service duringInaugural activities on and aroundJanuary 20, 2009, but the level ofparticipation is unknown at this point.Information will be posted on theGSCNC website and sent out ine-Edition as soon as it becomesavailable. Online applications toparticipate will be due by November 30,2008. For more information, pleasecontact the Teen Program Specialistat 202-237-1670, ext. 236

2009 Inaugural Day

Big Fun in the Big Appleby Meghan Quinn, Troop 4445, Montgomery County, MD

Destination OrientationsDo you ever see the pictures in TTG of girls traveling the world and think, “How did they do that?”There is a Girl Scout destination for everyone. There are destinations for those interested in drama,the outdoors, natural history and so much more. Last year, over 30 girls from GSCNC were chosento attend destinations around the world!These trips may seem out of reach. Perhaps you think that they are too expensive, or that yourapplication would never be chosen. These are common concerns, but they shouldn’t hold you backfrom trying. Girls who have gone on destinations say, “It was the best time of my life”, and “I’vemade friends from all over the country that I still keep in touch with.” Before you make up yourmind that you’ll never be able to go, come to GSCNC’s orientation and learn how and why youshould apply. There is something for everyone! Orientation dates are as follows:

Washington, DC Council Office:Wednesday, October 1, 7 - 9 pmSaturday, October 4, 10 am - 12 noon.

Waldorf Council Office:Saturday, October 4, 2 - 4 pm

Leesburg Council Office:Sunday, October 5, 2 - 4 pmFor more information, go to http://www.studio2b.org/escape/destinations/.

6 • August 2008

Calendar of EventsNovember3- Gold Award Deadline (by 5 pm)13-Gold Award Panel Meeting

December1- Gold Award Deadline (by 5 pm)11-Gold Award Panel Meeting

January5- Gold Award Deadline15-Gold Award Meeting

Looking ahead:April1- Deadline for Congressional Aide,President’s Award, Gold Award Scholarship,Inclusion in In Your Honor Ceremony

May3- In Your Honor, Trinity University, DC

September2- Gold Award Deadline (by 5 pm)6- New Leadership Journey Programs (C,S,A),

Camp Crowell, Oakton, VA11-Gold Award Panel Meeting21-New Leadership Journey Programs (C,S,A),

Camp Brighton Woods, Brookeville, MD30-Destination Orientations,

GSCNC Office, Leesburg, VA

October1- Gold Award Deadline (by 5 pm)1- Destinations orientations,

GSCNC office, Washington, DC4- Destinations orientations,

GSCNC offices, Washington, DC andWaldorf, MD

5- Destinations orientations,GSCNC office, Leesburg, VA

9- Gold Award Panel Meeting

Yearbook Corrections!GSCNC sincerely apologizes for failing to include or misspelling the names of the following

Gold and Silver Award recipients in May’s edition of TTG

TTG • 7

Leslie Shapiro, Olney, MD Project: Painting the ParksLeslie and her partner held reading and writing workshops for elementary school children.Participants even got the chance to write their own books!

Silver Award corrections: Mary-Kate Bailey, Cara Modowski, Michelle Thiry and Taren Vail.

Gold Award corrections:Nicole Birrer, Mount Airy, MD Project: Straighten UpNicole organized a basement at a crisis pregnancy center by building shelves and sorting donated supplies.She also held three diaper drives to stock the center.

Hayley Glover, Leesburg, VA Project: Family Literacy Enrichment for At Risk PopulationsHayley provided 12 weeks of literacy enrichment at a Head Start program and for kids living inshelters. She created books on tape and planned activities like puppet shows, games, songs and artsand crafts.Kathryn Ivie, Nokesville, VA Project: Pokemon League Play for All KidsKathryn organized and implemented a Pokemon League for young children. She hoped to shareher love of Pokemon and create a safe place for kids to have fun.

**Look for the names of girls who earned the Gold, Silver and Silver Trefoil awards from April 2, 2008 to April 1,2009 in next May’s yearbook edition of TTG.

In Your HonorOver 500 friends and family celebrated the success of the 223 girls who earned theGold Award, and the 78 girls who earned the Silver Trefoil from April 2, 2007 toApril 1, 2008. The annual In Your Honor ceremony was held at Trinity University’sCenter for Girls and Women in Sports in Northeast, DC, on Sunday, May 4.

Executive Director Jan Verhage welcomed the girls and families, praising their hardwork and dedication. Guest Speaker Marieli Colon-Padilla, a member of the GSCNC Board ofDirectors and the Director of Hispanic Outreach for Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturersof America (PhRMA), spoke about the importance of service. Board President Diane Tiptonaddressed the audience and presented the 2008 President’s Award to Tamara Benchoam- Rogers,Julia Dahlin, Claire Fogarty and Hanna Herold. This award was created to recognize girls who havedemonstrated their leadership and contributed to the growth of GSCNC.

Each year, GSCNC is proud to recognize girls who have earned the Gold Award by presenting 10scholarships and 10 savings bonds, generously funded by The Sara and Lawrence Phillips Girl ScoutGold Award Scholarship Fund, and one scholarship funded by an anonymous donor in the name ofMarilynn Carr. In addition, the Panelists who interviewed semi-finalists decided to fund a twelfthscholarship. This year’s recipients were: Elisia Clark, Elizabeth Khol, Maria Morran, NatalieDubishar, Kelley Brady, Taylor Gentry, Nicole Birrer, Sarasi Jayaratne, LaToshia Ashley Butler,Amanda Lyon, Katie Mercuro and Christine Kennedy.

New Program Levels for Teens FAQHow is the Girl Scout Ambassador level different from the Girl Scout Senior level?A: The Girl Scout Ambassador level is for girls in grades 11-12. GSUSA did a lot of research and foundout what you probably already know: girls in grades 11 and 12 have different concerns and interests thangirls in grades 9 and 10. To address that, GSUSA has added the new Ambassador level. The newmaterials for Girl Scout Ambassadors are designed to help girls navigate big issues while preparing forcollege, careers and futures as advocates for causes they believe in. The journey for Girl ScoutAmbassadors, Your Voice, Your World: The Power of Advocacy, engages girls in an advocacyexperience. Girl Scout Ambassadors are encouraged to “pass on” to younger girls some of what theylearn on their journey. GSCNC is holding several programs that will only be for Girl Scout Ambassadorsin the year ahead – look for Candlelight Yoga and more in the Mosaic Forecast.

How will girls bridge to Ambassadors?A bridging award will be available for Ambassadors in spring 2009 and girls who begin the Ambassadorlevel in fall 2008 may earn this award retroactively. GSCNC also encourages girls to participate in thefall Journey Kickoff Programs, as girls in the Ambassador level program will explore the new Journeyand work together to suggest bridging requirements to GSUSA.

What does this mean for the Gold Award?At this time, requirements for the Gold Award are the same. GSUSA is working on the new prerequisitesfor the Gold Award, and it is almost certain that they will be closely aligned to the Senior andAmbassador Leadership Journeys, meaning that a girl can meet the prerequisites by completing eitherthe Senior or Ambassador Leadership Journey. The new prerequisites will be announced in Spring 2009and take effect in Fall 2009. As always, we will offer a transition period, so a girl who has started herGold Award under one pathway will be able to finish it the way she started. A brand new Going for theGold publication will come out in August 2009, with detailed information about the new processes.

What does this mean for the Silver Award?At this time, the requirements have not changed. GSUSA is working on new prerequisites for the SilverAward which will be announced in Spring 2009. It is likely that they will involve the Cadette LeadershipJourney, aMaze.

Make the ConnectionGSCNC and Booz Allen Hamilton are joining together forthe fourth year to offer a mentoring program to give GirlScouts in grades 7-12 a head start in planning for theirfuture. Registering for Make the Connection means youare invited to various activities throughout the year. Youcan find registration information on the teen program page atwww.gscnc.org/girls/teen/programs/maketheconnection.php. A random selection of allregistrations received by October 10 will be used, with priority given to girls who did not participate lastyear. If you have any questions, please call 202-237-1670, ext. 236.