The Power of Advocacy #5 - Ambassador Journey - Meeting Follow Up -- Take Action (Take 2)

Step 6:  Since my original meeting didn't allow me to really make my pitch.  I am counting this  call as my pitch.  I had GSUSA staff - 3 of them on the call with me.

On December 9, 2013, I had a follow up conversation with GSUSA. I requested this second meeting because my previous one with Ms. Joann Berge, I felt that I was not heard or listened to. So I sent her an agenda and gave her a time frame. I feel that in this meeting I was given the opportunity to speak about my survey and journey plan/idea.

Throughout this phone meeting GSUSA commented on my efforts and leadership, these were the extent on what these comments were about. I was also asked questions on my journey such as “If girls had this journey do you really think that they would go for the Gold Award?” or “Do you think that awards are necessary for older girls after they have received their Gold?” I answered each question with a yes.

The agenda:

Introductions

    - Who

    - Why

        - The lack of Girl outdoor badges, journey's of interest to older girls – therefore NOT doing higher level awards and opportunities

-      Used to be 24 Outdoor Badges, now there is 4 (total in all three levels combined: Cadette, Senior, Ambassador)

-      We need more skill building badges to keep outdoor program/camp pathway a reality at council levels

 Survey Results

          Share and discuss 1739 respondents

          Plan for follow up survey – asking point blank questions – with the intention to be a national survey of girls 4^th grade and “up”

 

Journey Plan – sample STEM in the Outdoor journey idea

Conclusion

    - What will it take to make this reality?

        - Is it money?

        - Is it Council commitment?

    - When can you find out more for me

    - Thank you for your time and help

            I would love comments on

• whether or not you would use an outdoor journey and if you had it for your use,
• would you be more inclined to go for your Gold?
• Also, for those who have earned their Gold, would you be more inclined to do more in Girl Scouts, if you had an “award” of some sort?

 

I plan on creating another survey soon! Look out for it on my blogs and on Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/CSAGirlScoutsOutdoors/

The Power of Advocacy #7 - Ambassador Journey - - Thank You

Ms. Berg,

I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me.

I don't feel I got to talk with you about my survey and the results.  Please review and share with all departments that have girl impact.

It is important to get the girls outside.  Studies across the country back the importance of nature and its connection to academic success.

GSUSA needs to take the lead- councils and girls will follow.  Listen to the girls- ask current members what they want.

I would appreciate a time to actually talk about the survey, and for you to listen to my journey idea and not be told what you think can be done.   I worked hard to put together information and you wouldn't let me share it with you.  Although discouraging- I will continue to pursue.

When is a good time to talk with those who could answer my questions?

1.  What would it take to make this type of journey happen?

2.  Is it money?  If so how much?

I can talk by phone the first two weeks of December on Mondays or Wednesdays.

I look forward to our next discussion.

Sarah Young

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 25, 2013, at 4:51 PM, "Berg, Joanne" <JBerg@girlscouts.org> wrote:

Dear Sarah:

Thanks so much for coming in today to meet with me and to share your ideas.  Truly appreciated!

Have a great Thanksgiving in New York City!

Regards,

Joanne

Joanne L. Berg

Executive Editor, Girl Experience

Girl Scouts of the USA

420 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

212-852-5093

The Power of Advocacy #4 - Ambassador Journey - Meeting on Monday 11/25

Identify the big ears and set up a meeting.  Thanks to all the adults who are part of our team -- we have made enough noise.  I have a meeting set.


I thought I would send you an email to let you know where I am on my Ambassador Advocacy Journey.

 

You contacted me during the survey process and expressed interest in being part of phase two.

I hope you have followed the blog and facebook group – to see the sample letters drafted and posted there.  http://journeysummit.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1412858552265145/

Monday (yes, 4 days away 11/25) – I am meeting with GSUSA to discuss the survey results AND the Outdoor Journey.

If you haven’t already sent your letter – please do.  You can also send a video message.  (I will be encouraging folks to do that during the month of December)

I will be posting the survey results to the blogspot as well - http://journeysummit.blogspot.com/

But, thank you and those who supported this project so far.  We had at least 65 GS Councils and 1739 girls respond to the survey.

Let’s keep telling them what we want!

 

 

The Power of Advocacy #6 - Ambassador Journey - WRITE LETTERS - TELL GSUSA WHAT WE WANT

Prepare Your Pitch
This is part of my pitch and I am asking for your help.

Now is the time for us to take this to the next level.  Below are two different levels. I encourage you to hand write both letters and mail them to Ms. Chavez.  This is a great opportunity for a troop meeting, etc.

Although, I would love to have you send them to me -- and we send them to her together -- I think it is a bigger impact to get a lot of mail.

So send them, but, keep track how many your troop sends.  Then POST it.

Share this anyway you can!
We don't know if they will change - but, let's give it a try.  The Girl VOICE is important.

(Your Return Address)

(Your City, State, Zip)

 

Girl Scouts of USA

420 Fifth Avenue

New York , NY  10018-2798

 

November   , 2013

 

 

Dear Ms. Chavez,

 

            My name is _________________ and I am a (insert program level) Girl Scout.  During my Girl Scout career I have collected fond memories.  Many of which are from Girl Scout camp.

            I feel that Girl Scouts camps are a huge part of what Girl Scouting is to girls.  Just like when you were a girl.  As well as a big part of who I am.  I can’t believe that so many councils are selling their camps.  This is wrong.  I realize that you feel that this is not a GSUSA issue – but, I disagree.

            These camps are closing because of lack of use – this is because councils do not understand the importance of the camp pathway.  And the staff are not supported by GSUSA with camp pathway materials, marketing tools, guidance or even an opportunity to facilitate best practices or popular camps among councils.  The camps aren’t getting used because councils do not know how to program, market and effectively run their camps.

            GSUSA has the responsibility to support councils who lack the training to manage, program and market their camps.

            INSERT YOUR CAMP TESTIMONY – WHY DID YOU LIKE CAMP – LEARN AT CAMP.  IS A CAMP IN YOUR AREA CLOSING?

 

 

 

            Please evaluate the staff and support GSUSA could offer to councils including a place on PEARL that they could post successful camp descriptions, camp outlines and marketing materials.  This would be a low cost, immediate demonstration of support and collaboration amongst councils.

 

Yours In Girl Scouting,

 

(YOUR NAME)

(your email address)

(Your Return Address)

(Your City, State, Zip)

 

Girl Scouts of USA

420 Fifth Avenue

New York , NY  10018-2798

 

November   , 2013

 

 

Dear Ms. Chavez,

 

            My name is ____________________ and I am a (insert program level) Girl Scout.  Currently, the troop pathway includes the Girl Experience handbook and as a )insert program level) – I realize that the Journeys and Badges are very limited at this level.  From middle school – high school there are only 4 outdoor/environmental badges available for us to earn.  The prior edition 2001 copyright had 17. 

            I ask you to bring back the C/S/A outdoor, camping IP’s.  From 1948 to 2001 the number of outdoor activity badges were plenty and available for all kinds of weather and regions of the country.

            The Girl Experience is also limited in the way we earn higher level awards.  Currently, the Journeys offered to not appeal to all girls who are currently in Girl Scouting.  The C/S/A levels should be about leadership retention and GSUSA and councils need to focus on retention.  By offering unique programming and outdoor opportunities is the way Juliette would have wanted us to help develop these skills.

            INSERT YOUR GS story

 

 

 

 

            I ask you to consider the development of a C/S/A outdoor journey.  The cost of this could and should be minimal.  The outdoor outfitters who target women would be willing to sponsor such an initiative.  The manual should ONLY be for the girls and should be available ONLINE only.  This would allow for immediate implementation, reduce initial outlay and the manual can be updated with links regularly.

 

 

Yours In Girl Scouting,

 

(YOUR NAME)

(your email address)

Keep encourging your peers to take the survey!

It's been almost a month since I posted the survey and what I thought was going to be a regional survey, has turned into a national survey.  I would LOVE to get 1200 girls to take the survey.  At that time it is a viable sample.

I am planning to meet with GSUSA staff in 1 month while I am in New York.

I met with my council CEO about an Outdoor STEM Journey and she is very supportive.  So we might end up with a Grassroots project.

If you haven't taken the survey - get all your friends to do it at your next meeting --


https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10Z4X1d446ef105YIILJxqBeXzTqINZbF4sCnmcdLAls/viewform

The Power of Advocacy #3 - Ambassador Journey - Take the Survey

Step 3 - Focus on one realistic angle of their advocacy issue.
Since my issue doesn't have regular research already available -- I am creating my own research.
Take the survey:

 
 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10Z4X1d446ef105YIILJxqBeXzTqINZbF4sCnmcdLAls/viewform

 

 

 

 

           The survey is up! If you are an Older Girl and you want to see changes, please fill out this survey. The staff and volunteers need to know that we want a say and a voice.

            All of the answers and feedback will be given to the staff so they see just how many girls want to participate and help.

The Power of Advocacy #2 - Ambassador Journey

Step 2:  Tune In – Do some research – zoom in on a specific angle and possible solutions.  See out the root causes.  Where can you learn more?  Trustworthy and unbiased.

 

            When I was 13, I was a part of a group called The Green 13. It was a group of teenagers that were all passionate about one thing, getting kids outdoors. But not only getting them outside, but also showing them that they need to be outside.

            Because research shows, that kids who spend time outdoors are more fit physically and mentally. They are happier and healthier and ready for challenges. And Girl Scouts have conducted and are conducting research on what girls as a whole are interested in. Trying to appeal to them so they join Girl Scouts, whereas there are girls in Girl Scouts, who are not happy with many of the choices being made.

            One of the issues that have come up in my council is that adults are making choices whereas the girl should have. So I have created a survey that asks older Girl Scouts in my council, what they want to see done. As well as, if they would like to participate in a Girl Led Committee that helps make the decisions on what we can do. Girl Scouts was started as Girl Led… lets get it back to that.

 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10Z4X1d446ef105YIILJxqBeXzTqINZbF4sCnmcdLAls/viewform
 

The Power of Advocacy #1 - Ambassador Journey -

Step 1:  Finding Your Cause 

Everyone has something they love, something they like, or something that’s deeper than it all. Something they are passionate about and my passion is the environment. Everything and anything green, growing and flowing. Starting this journey, I knew I was going to do something environmental.

Due to my love for the environment I found it an insult that the nurseries and big name stores were selling invasive species. It was my first idea to talk to City Council about banning the ability to sell invasive species. But this idea changed, when I figured out, that girls in my council weren’t having a say in outdoor activities and trips.

So my project went from, banning invasives, to giving girls a voice in getting outdoors and loving it!

Iceland and Ireland - What I did this summer

The fall means back to school and in my case, back to troop. I can’t wait to tell all of my friends – Girl Scouts and non-Girl Scouts about my summer.

There is no secret that I am a very active Girl Scout – they see me in January and February selling cookies with my sister. As a high school student, they ask me, “Why?” Here is my why …
Hiking four mountains in seven hours, learning about Vikings in a home made of turf, experiencing a different culture and meeting new friends. This June and July I was fortunate enough to experience all of these. Girl Scouts helped me get there. Through a program called Destinations, I was able participate in two different trips, one to Ireland and Iceland.

Destinations is an initiative through Girl Scouts of the USA to help girls go on national and international trips. This initiative is a three-part process. Every Destinations has an application and every girl that goes on the trip is chosen out of many others, due to their application content. Every application is reviewed by a selection committee.
What they look for includes:
1. What does the girl already know about the destination they choose?
2. Will the girl most likely bring something to the table that the others wouldn’t?
3. Does the girl have connections to the destination beyond just the desire to go?

After the selection, you have to fund. There are multiple ways to fund for the trip.
1. Part-time jobs
2. Cookie sales – this is what a cookie can do. I used the proceeds from my cookie sales to fund my summer trips.
3. Scholarships – For some Destinations, you can apply for scholarships.

Ireland Multi-Sport Adventure
This trip was just that. We went rock-climbing and backpacking, all-day hiking and took a canoe trip to an island 30 minutes off the coast, Salt Island.
Going on this trip was a great experience. I got to see Ireland through an explorer’s eyes. This trip was about pushing yourself to your highest and to figure out what you can do, physically and mentally.
What helped me to participate fully on this trip was being a part of our council’s High Adventure Team, which backpacked, rock-climbed and hiked regularly. Through the High Adventure Team I learned tips and techniques that helped me to excel on this trip.
My favorite part of this trip was the mountain-biking. I had never mountain-biked on this scale before. We did courses and trails in the woods with logs, trees and natural divots as our obstacles.

Iceland Exploration
This was a trip with a history and geology twist to it. What was unique about this trip was that my mom went to Iceland when she was 15 and did some of the same things on her trip, as I did on mine.
Before I went, I touched base with my environmental geology professor from ACC, who gave me more resources on the environmental aspect of Iceland. We went on all-day trips to waterfalls, valleys, museums and hot springs.

My love for the environment helped me to coordinate an activity for this trip. I planned a tree-planting with Icelandic Scouts and with the Girl Scouts on this trip, we planted 103 trees.
The Girl Scout cookie program allowed me to develop skills that I can use in all areas of my life, including my role with Keep America Beautiful – Youth Advisory Council, City of Pflugerville Parks Commission and as the youth director for Discover Green. I am more confident in who I speak with and understand goal-setting and planning. Both of these were key in the successful international tree-planting I coordinated as a part of the trip.

All of these experiences are the outcomes of understanding that all girls who want to be Girl Scouts should be given that opportunity. We need more adults to lead the girls in Pflugerville and in Central Texas. To get involved contact the council office at gsctx.org or pecantrail.org

Girls in the Outdoors -- What we really want!

I am working to find out what older girls really want in outdoor programs.  I feel that GSUSA and GSCTX don’t really know what we want.

 This is part 1 of a 2 part Take Action Project I am putting together for my Your Voice, Your World: The Power of Advocacy  - Ambassador Journey.

 

Below is the link to a survey –  that I have put together to get as much current girl or even girls who left GS for another organization, data as possible for GSCTX.  PLEASE forward to as many girls ages 11-18 you know who are or were Girl Scouts.

 

 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10Z4X1d446ef105YIILJxqBeXzTqINZbF4sCnmcdLAls/viewform

 

The second part is a letter writing/email/video message campaign to GSUSA to move forward with an Outdoor series of journeys and more outdoor skills badges. – If you would like to be a part of the second phase let me know by emailing me – sarah@discovergreenyel.org

Bliss - Live it, Give It - #6

Adopted Dreamer

            I have chosen a member of the Girl Scout troop and with her I will help her to become, more confident in a group. I would also like to help her be able to express herself through something she enjoys, such as drawing.

            I am going to work on having her talk in a group, so she will build confidence. As well as have her lead a few projects, so she will build confidence in herself. Because if you don’t believe in yourself, it’s hard for others to believe in you.

            Having her draw out things that she has a passion for is another thing I want to work with her on. Have her draw things that make her happy, sad, and scared. Maybe even have her draw out a wish or a dream. Have her draw were she sees herself amongst the troop in a year, then, I can work with her to get there.

Bliss - Live it!, Give it! - Take Action

To take action with this journey - was 2 part:
1.  I worked with my adopted dreamer to help her find ways to express herself and to create her own works of art.

2.  I shared my dreams and my Girl Scout experiences with various Girl Scout troops and groups of girls.  I talked with a group of girls who were my age who were not sure they should stay in Girl Scouting - we talked about dreams and interests they had - I shared how Girl Scouts could help them do those things.  I also talked with a group of Junior Girl Scouts who attended a council event -- I talked about travel and my dream of traveling.  Through Girl Scout Destinations I am able to travel.   This summer I will be traveling to Iceland for 10 days.  And a second trip to Ireland.

Bliss - Live it, Give it - #10 - Celebrate

            When I finished the last edit of the novel, I felt great! I had finally finished a book, from beginning to end, with a plot and characters and everything. I had always created scenes, but never had I created a 12 chapter novel.

            And now that it is finished I have two places of which I will post it so that other people around the world can read it. Wattpad.com and TeenInk.com, both of these websites I have posted poetry, but now I have a story to post and I’m excited. And what will be really rewarding is getting to see what people say about it, and if they vote for it, and rate it.

            I also plan on sending it to a few friends, to see if they can give me feedback on the story, see if there are things I can add, take out or change. Because a story can never be perfect, there will always be things that can change.

            What this journey has taught me is that, if you work hard enough on a dream, it can happen, but a star won’t get you there, you do.

Bliss - Live It, Give It - #9 - Moving Dreams Forward

            My dream was to finish a book and I did, but I didn’t just, sit down and write it. I did everything from the brainstorm to the outline, the rough draft and the editing. And the thing that helped me find the way to the last page of my novel was the Map.

            The Map was a book that had questions everywhere from, who’s your hero? to what is his/her positive ideal? These questions helped me to create a plot, create the characters and to create the emotion. The Map had me answer questions and write scene that would go into my book, but with exceptions like “only use an adjective every 100 words” or “do not use and adverbs”.

            It had everything, and it taught me and showed me the way to the very last word of my book. 

Bliss - Live It, Give It -- 7 & 8 -- Adopted Dreamer

             I chose my Girl Scout and she agreed that I could help her. The first two weeks I worked with her on expressing herself through other forms of art, which she enjoyed. She took photos and learned about composition and how a picture can tell a thousand words. She practiced taking pictures of the other Girl Scouts while they were doing a project, trying to capture what they were doing in a single picture.

            She also told me that she enjoyed drawing. We worked on lines, shading and other drawing techniques. She tried 3D dimension drawing, as well as still life. But her favorite was anime and cartoons. I had her draw what she was good at in anime as well as what she wished she could invent. Both were on drawing.

            She then took what she knew on how to express herself through art, and went and began to express herself through writing, on her own.

Bliss - Live it, Give it -- #3

Magazine Survey

Does the media effect how a girl thinks of herself? In my opinion, yes, for some. When you look through a magazine, you see pictures of girls and women portray what they think is “perfect” or the “ideal image”. It raises the standards for girls on how they think they should look like, or even how they should act. And with that, it also changes their interests and their dreams. What they want to be when they get older or just their goals for the year or even semester. The media has a big impact on what girls and women think of themselves.

When I create characters for books I create what I think is an ideal person. Someone with values I think are important, such as, leadership, friendship and passion. And lots of times I look at my characters that were supposed to be after real people, say… me, and I have transformed them into what I want them to be, not what they are.

And that happens with people, not characters; they try to change themselves for what they think are the better. Just because of what they read or what they see. I have conducted a survey of one of my favorite magazines Justine! and I have learned much about this magazine through this survey versus just reading it. I would strongly suggest doing this same survey for a magazine that you read.

 

 

            Magazine: Justine Magazine

            Month and Year: April/May 2013

            Count the number of ad pages

            11 Ads for beauty and makeup products and services, including perfume

            29 Ads for fashion and accessories, including jewelry, handbags, shoes

            6 Ads for other products and services

            Count the number of pages with editorial content

            18 Editorial or non-ad pages

            Survey the subjects or topics addressed in the editorial content, aside from beauty and fashion

            0 Arts and culture  1 Charity work, philanthropy  1 Travel

            0 Architecture, home décor  0 Dating and relations  0 World affairs

            3 Celebrity news, gossip  2 Health and fitness   16 Other

            2 Careers, business  0 Money management

Count the number of:

0 Women in photos who look like you

2 Women in photos doing something active like kayaking, biking, tennis

1 Women in photos who are or seem to be working

4 Women whom you would describe as looking “perfect”

5 Articles about women that you are interested in reading

1Ads that seem to reflect your values and standards in some way

2 Articles that seem to reflect your values and standards in some way        

Bliss - Live It, Give It #5 - Fashion some passion

            I have a passion for writing poetry and stories, and I never let that passion show until I read a poem to the public at Austin City Hall.   It was in front of Austin City Council on honor of the 100th Anniversary - on the day they read a city proclamation.

http://100actsofgreen.moonfruit.com/#/blog/4560533971/The-Year-of-the-Girl/1866396

           I had shared my writing on the internet on various websites, but never to a group of people. Not because I didn’t think my writing was good, but because I thought that maybe other people would think that my writing was bad.

            But in reading the Bliss live it! the girls guide and leaders guide, I have learned to cast aside these people or “passion busters” when it comes to my passion.

            A passion buster is someone you don’t be yourself around, someone who makes you less confident in your abilities and someone who doesn’t take your dreams and passions seriously. I have known these kinds of people, but I have learned to change, not only how I act around them, but have changed how they act around me.

            The best way to stop a passion buster is to, be true to yourself and to your dreams and passions. Which means to always act like yourself, and if they say something that makes you feel like your not taken seriously, be up front about it, and ask that you are taken seriously. And follow that up with demonstrating that you yourself take your dreams and passions seriously and that you don’t feel embarrassed or apologetic about following them. Because it doesn’t matter if other people don’t like your passion, it only matters that you do.

Keep Texas Beautiful - Youth Award

Thank you Discover Green Board member - Dianne Chase for nominating me. 

And for April Rose, Tree Folks - Executive Director and Kate Lipinski with Girl Scouts of Central Texas for supporting me.

http://www.ktb.org/programs/awards/youth-and-educator-awards.aspx

My Silver Award - Daisy Day's

This is the link to the Daisy Day Guide I created for 2 different Daisy Journeys
 -- It's on the top page of my "bio" page

http://www.discovergreenyel.org/#/all-about-sarah/4554218166

My Gold Award - You Tube

Apache Foundation -- Also created this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kA5STFOKp4&list=UUUYagpwQ5b7ASLVr0GzKohA&index=1


And we had TV coverage as well --
http://www.keyetv.com/news/features/morning/stories/pflugerville-teen-helps-make-city-greener-258.shtml

My Gold Award - Thank you Apache

Girl Scout works hard to GO GREEN in Central Texas

Explore Newsletter: March 2013
4/22/2013

Apache donates trees to help revitalize community hit hard by drought.

Fourteen-year-old Sarah Young is the type of girl who likes to see the results of her hard work. With the help of the Apache Foundation Tree Grant Program, the results have been plentiful.
“(I am) making a difference right here, right now, by planting a tree. I can come back two years later and say, ‘I planted that tree, and it’s still alive, and it’s growing, and it’s making a difference within the environment,’” Young says.

Sarah Young helps 73-year-old retired minister and Pflugerville resident Alvin Meissner plant a tree she provided through her Girl Scout Neighborwoods project.

Through her Girl Scout project called “Neighborwoods,” Young is distributing trees in neighborhoods in Pflugerville that need greenery the most. Her arborous efforts recently got a big boost from Apache, which provided 550 trees to help her canopy the Central Texas town northeast of Austin.
“Without the support of the Apache Foundation and the tree grant, I could not have completed my Girl Scout Gold Award project,” Young says. “The 550 street trees will have a lasting effect on our community.”
The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting.
In all, about 14,000 trees have been planted through Discover Green, a neighborhood tree program started in 2008 by Sarah’s brother. Since taking over the program’s reins two years ago, Young has distributed some 6,500 trees.
Young is welcome to apply for more trees from Apache in the upcoming 2013-2014 planting season, says Wendy Craven, director of the Tree Grant Program.
“What’s happening in Pflugerville is a prime example of how we want to see the tree program work,” Craven said. “Efforts to revitalize the environment with trees are being led successfully by members of the community – in this case by a remarkable young woman – and the citizens and local government officials are fully supportive and enthusiastic. This is quite a success story for Apache and we’re honored to partner with Sarah and Pflugerville.”
Planting trees in Texas has never been more vital, as the ongoing drought and rapid urban growth have taken their toll, says April Rose, executive director of TreeFolks, a Central Texas charity that promotes comprehensive urban forestry practices to public, private and government audiences.
“We’ve got to educate people that we need their help to establish new trees,” Rose says.
Part of that education is recognizing which trees to plant and where. All trees from Apache are native to the areas where they are donated to ensure their prosperity. For her Central Texas efforts, Sarah received Burlive Oak, Texas Ash, Lacebark Elm, Desert Willow, Prairie Flameleaf Sumac and Cedar Elm trees from the company. She says she evaluates each yard to make sure the trees can grow properly.
Sarah vows to continue her efforts to make Pflugerville as green as possible and expand her determination to other cities. She says she will reapply for another Apache tree grant next season.
“I would like to create more cities that are green,” she says.
"What's happening in Pflugerville is a prime example of how we want to see the tree program work," says Wendy Craven, Tree Grant Program director.
Since 2005, Apache has awarded 3.2 million trees to nonprofit institutions and communities across 16 U.S. states through grants from the Apache Foundation. The trees will improve the environment and the quality of life in these communities for decades to come.


http://www.apachecorp.com/News/Articles/View_Article.aspx?Article.ItemID=3250

Bliss - Live It, Give It #4 - Dream Catcher

Writing a good story...
Finding a way to get there ...

A friend and I both had a love for creating stories and new worlds to escape to. We created, together, short stories about time traveling to the past or appearing in a whole other universe. But these were just short stories. What we both wanted was to create a full length adventure/fantasy, together.

            It started out as a map that I drew and a plot that she made. We both gave each other ideas on characters. But we couldn’t create ones that were real enough. So, we molded them after us. Sora and Danica, she was Danica and I was Sora. We put ourselves into the story, so we, as a character, could escape to the world that the ancient winds would blow us to.

            We wrote scene after scene together, it was what we did. It was never finished, but I still have it. It was a dream then and for me it is still a dream, to write a story from beginning to end, with a friend.

My way to get there was with a homeschooling curriculum "One Year Adventure Novel".  I accelerated the curriculum to write it in half a year.

Bliss, Live it Give it - The Real Deal #2

            People are like books, its cliché, but its true. You can’t judge a book by its cover and you can’t judge a person just by their looks. You have to read the story and get to know the person. Because, characteristics are The Real Deal.

            We talked about five characteristics and qualities that girls tend to possess versus ones they strive to attain. 1) Passion 2) Considerate 3) Honesty 4) Courage 5) Understanding.

 

Some of those sound familiar right? They should, some of them come from the Girl Scout Law. We talked about how each one could help the girl get to her dream. Each one can help the girl take the first step. Because, if you never take a chance, you won’t fail – but if you don’t try, your dreams cannot come true.  

Bliss - Live it, Give it - Exploring Dreams #1

            What is a dream? It is something that is desired. What is a need? It is something that is used and “needed” on a daily basis in order to survive. I discussed my interpretation of what a “dream” was versus what a “need” was.

            A need to me, is something as simple as; water and food. While a dream would be something that would enhance the needs, such as, for the water, a fruit punch mix. For the food, a box of Girl Scout Thin Mints. Those are dreams, not necessarily needs. They are wishful wants. But a real dream is something that is more than just Koolaid mix and a box of cookies. Its something that will motivate you and what will drive you to get it done.

            For me, becoming a Girl Scout Council CEO, is dream. Or becoming a Girl Scout USA Ambassador, that has the opportunity to represent Girl Scouts in different countries. Having these dreams motivate me to learn everything that I need to know… including staying in Girl Scouts.

            What are your needs and dreams?

100 Acts of Green

            I have another blog, its called www.100ActsOfGreen.org. It is primarily all on different “Acts of Green”. I encourage any of you, who have done, or are doing, an outstanding environmental project, to go check out the blog and maybe post your own project. How you organized it, your partnerships and what you did.

            I am the youth director for an environmental organization called Discover Green. We do many service projects a year, or even a month! And this year, I plan on posting the projects on this website. But it is mostly for girls who have an interest in the environment and in their community, to talk and converse about what they know, and to ask and answer questions from others.

            If any of you have questions or want to know about Discover Green, on what we do you can visit this website www.discovergreenyel.org. Or if you have question on what you can do with Discover Green, you can contact me at sarah@discovergreenyel.org.

 

           

Going For The Gold

            Hello, sorry I haven’t posted in quite a while. I’ve decided to start up the Journey again, with an Ambassador Journey: Bliss, Live it, Give It.

            But why I haven’t posted in a while was because I was taking a “Journey side adventure”. I was earning my Gold Award. The Gold Award is the highest award you can receive in Girl Scouts and it is designed to help girls picture a goal and to work hard to meet it. Or, so that it fits this Journey, they can picture a “dream” and they can achieve it.

            My Gold was environmentally based and it was on a community level. I evaluated around 1500 yards in three different neighborhoods in the city of Pflugerville, to see if any of them qualified for a free street tree. This project was and is, called Neighborwoods.

            On working towards my “dream” I learned valuable skills that will help me later on in the future. A few: People skills, grant writing, public speaking, presentation of my project and of myself and perseverance.

            I am glad that I have finished, because it gives me joy, knowing I have completed such a high award. I’m also proud, because it has shown me that I can achieve what I dream, if I keep at it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kA5STFOKp4