Four Benefits of Summer Camp

Summer is just around the corner and for many kids that means it’s time for summer camp! Many of us share fond childhood memories of summer camp – making new friends, sleeping in bunk beds, day hikes, campfires, and don’t forget the s’mores. But camp is so much more beneficial for our kids than we may have imagined. Here are four benefits disguised behind the fun of camp:

1. The Road to Independence

Camp is a safe place for kids to learn responsibility as they are empowered to take care of themselves. Camp counselors provide structure and guidance, but kids at camp are responsible for getting themselves up and ready for the day, making their beds, keeping track of their personal belongings, and finding their way to and from the dining hall.

2. The Great Outdoors Prevails to Electronic “Time Suckers”

Camp is a perfect way to get kids outside and active! With so many inside distractions, it can be hard to pull kids away from their cell phones and Wii’s long enough to see the sun. At camp, kids trade their button pushing and joystick maneuvering for rock climbing, mountain biking, ropes course challenges and more!

3. There’s a Leader in Every Kid

The camp setting is a small community unlike any other. The unfamiliar setting, new people, and shortened time together help kids make friends and bond. As kids make choices and direct projects, their natural leadership instincts progress. They learn to get along with others and become self-reliant without parents there to save the day.

4. I Can Do Anything! Camp, the ultimate self-esteem boost.

For many kids, camp is their first time away from mom, dad, and their extended family. This can be a huge boost to their self-esteem. Summer camp is a place where children can express themselves, discover their own abilities and mature through experiences that challenge them to discover resilience and good decision-making.
See if your child is ready for a sleep away adventure with this camp readiness assessment. Just know if they are not ready for life at camp, don’t push them. It’s better to wait a year then spoil the experience for years to come.

The New Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting!

Hi! This is Ashley and I'm a Girl Scout Senior for Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada. Recently I had an opportunity to get my hands on the new Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting books and they are awesome! I wanted to share with you some of the best parts about the new books.

• The handbook is now in a binder. This is great because now you can keep all of your Girl Scout paperwork in one place!


• Hate carrying around your badge book? The Girl's Guide is a little bigger than our old books, but it actually works out well because you can take out the info for the badge you're working on and take it with you wherever you go!


• Did I mention the Girl's Guide has style? I love the new colors and the fact that every age-level has it's own color.


• Love to customize your world? I do! And the new Girl's Guide provides space for every girl to make it her very own. You can even create your own badge.


• The new guide book has EVERYTHING!!! I can track my journey projects, badge work, and Gold Award all in one place.


• Did I mention the badges have been updated? When you think about it, that's pretty cool - we get to be the first girls to earn the new badges! And as new badges are created we can simply add them to our Girl's Guide!


• And the best part for us teen girls... no more sharing books! That's right, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors have their own books with their own badges to work on.

So here's the deal. The shop has a special - if you preorder your Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting, you get $1 off your next purchase at the shop. And save the date - September 30, Girl Scouts is hosting a launch party at the Leadership Center. See you there!

Sincerely,

Ashley Smith
Girl Scout Senior

Girls Make a Difference in the Fight Against Girl Bullying

Meet Lily, Juliana, Janelle, and Catherine!

They represented Girl Scouts of the USA and Southern Nevada by participating in a panel in front of more than 700 people at the National Girl Bullying and Relational Aggression Conference in June.

Teacher, counselors, and school administrators from all over the country gathered to discuss the issue of girl bullying and relational aggression in hopes of learning tools to recognize and stop it from happening in their schools.

Lily, Juliana, Janelle, and Catherine offered their opinions and personal experiences in the hopes that they might help change the life of girls all over the country. Here are a few of their ideas on how to combat girl bullying and relational aggression:

Take the bully out of the equation. When helping a friend deal with a bully, speak to the bully in private about the situation. A bully might not even realize the harm they are causing. By taking the bully out of the situation, they don't have to worry about what peers will think of them.

Find your (true) friends. If you've been bullied with rumors or gossip, to help ease feelings of hurt and isolation, find one or two true friends and confide how the gossip has hurt your feelings. Set the record straight by telling your friends quietly and confidently what's true and not true about you. Hearing a friend say, "I know the rumor's not true. I didn't pay attention to it," can help you realize that most of the time people see gossip for what it is — petty, rude, and immature.

Practice confidence. Practice ways to respond to a bully verbally or through your behavior. Practice feeling good about yourself, even if you have to fake it at first.

Most importantly is talk about it. It may help to talk to a guidance counselor, teacher, or friend — anyone who can give you the support you need. Talking can be a good outlet for the fears and frustrations that can build when you're being bullied.

Camp Foxtail - So much fun... and so much more.

Ask a girl about Camp Foxtail and she'll probably tell you all about the fun - but camp is so much more. A camp experience:

enhances teamwork and social skills through community living and group play

develops skills, knowledge and self-confidence through exciting, challenging and fun activities

strengthens self-reliance and independent living skills by being away from home and providing girls with exciting and enriching opportunities for personal growth.

This summer hundreds of girls will head to Camp Foxtail - many for the first time. While there, girls will participate in programs that encourage leadership through activities such as hiking, biking, rock climbing, high and low adventure courses, singing, arts and crafts, and campfires. They will make new friends and cherished memories that will last a lifetime. But most importantly, they will gain important leadership skills that will serve them well the rest of their lives.

Girl Scouts of Japan Relief Efforts

We are devastated by the catastrophe in Japan and, on a personal level, are deeply concerned about our sisters there, the Girl Scouts of Japan. USA Girl Scouts Overseas has served American military and civilian families in Japan for many years, and has extremely close ties with Girl Scouts of Japan. In fact, many of our overseas troops and Girl Scouts of Japan are sister troops. We have received many calls from Girl Scouts around the country asking how to help and are happy to report that the policy that prohibits Girl Scouts from raising money for other organizations has been temporarily suspended. To contribute to earthquake and tsunami relief efforts, you can make an online donation to the newly established Girl Scouts of Japan Relief Efforts. At times like these, Girl Scouts throughout the world come together in sisterhood to help those in need. We have seen our Movement rally in support of the victims of Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters over the years, and will continue to do everything we can to help our sister Girl Scouts of Japan in the weeks and months ahead.

Where will the funds go?

We can assure you that 100 percent of all relief funds will go to the national organization, Girl Scouts of Japan to be used for families affected by the earthquake and tsunami. If you have any questions, please feel free to email globalgirlscouting@girlscouts.org.

Make checks payable to Girl Scouts of the USA:

Girl Scouts of the USA-Fund Development

P.O. Box 5046

New York, NY 10087-5046

Memo: Girl Scouts of Japan Relief Efforts

Four Ways to Celebrate Girl Scouts' Birthday

Girl Scouts is 99 and looking great! The Girl Scout Birthday, March 12, commemorates the day in 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the organization's first 18 girl members in Savannah, Georgia.

Here are some fun ideas to get the celebration going:

1. Throw a Girl Scout Bash - Ask the girls how they want to celebrate the Girl Scout birthday as a group. You may suggest cooking foods from Savannah, trying Girl Scout cookie recipes, or decorating cupcakes with green frosting.
2. Visit with Juliette Low - Let the girls design an event around Girl Scouting's early years. Activities can include music, art, and the culture of Savannah or their own hometown.
3. Create a Scrapbook - Suggest the idea to the girls - they can bring in photos, drawings, and poems of what Girl Scouting has meant for them. The girls can decorate the pages and the cover together.
4. Focus on Environment - Explain how Girl Scouts prides itself on making a positive impact in communities and the natural environment. Talk with the girls about leaving the world a better place than they found it. Ask them how they might make a difference in their neighborhoods. The ideas can be placed in a hat and one can be selected for the girls to do as a group. If the girls are stuck for ideas, suggest planting a tree in a local park or a recycling activity.

Whether the girls decide to have a birthday party or plant a tree, the important thing is to provide an opportunity for the girls to celebrate together. Happy Birthday Girl Scouts!

Girl Scout Week 2011

March 12, 2011, marks the 99th anniversary of Girl Scouting. Serving as a Girl Scout today means being part of a worldwide organization that builds leadership skills by providing girls with opportunities to discover their interest, connect with others, and take action to make the world a better place.

Girl Scout Week is celebrated in conjunction with the Girl Scout birthday, starting with Girl Scout Sunday (March 6) and ending with Girl Scout Sabbath (March 12). During Girl Scout week, girls of all ages celebrate being a by demonstrating leadership and commitment in ways that leave a lasting impact on their communities.

Girl Scout Sunday and Girl Scout Sabbath give girls an opportunity to attend their place of worship and be recognized as Girl Scouts. If a place of worship is the group sponsor, girls may perform a service, such as greeting, ushering, or doing a flag ceremony. These days can also be a time when girls explore other faiths.

In celebration of Girl Scout Week, Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada is having a drawing to win a gift basket full of Girl Scout shop items. Come visit the Girl Scout Leadership Center during Girl Scout Week to enter.