Recently two of our contributors got to experience the National Girl Scout Convention. This triannual convention is a meeting of Girl Scouts from around the world that includes National Counsel Sessions, friendship, connection, learning, exploration and so much more. Did you know that Girl Scouts is the largest girl-led organization in the world? Amazing! The impact of Girl Scouts is felt around the globe and the things you can do as a Girl Scout are unlimited. It is also never too late to get involved in a local troop.
The National Girl Scout Convention this year was hosted at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and Convention Center and our team and their girls had the best time.
Allison
I was a Girl Scout beginning in Daisies!
My troop stuck together through Juniors when our group leader moved away along with a handful of the girls in my troop. I have fond memories of Girl Scout camp, troop meetings, pizza parties and road trips with my friends and mom. My mom still has all of my old Girl Scout vests with more badges than I ever remember earning. As I have aged, I’ve become much more of an introvert than I once was and the thought of going door to door to sell Girl Scout cookies is terrifying to current me… but younger Allison LIVED for those weeks of talking to people about the cookies and bringing them their cookies later. Those weeks provided me with confidence and people skills that I don’t know I would have gotten otherwise.
Girl Scouts has always been at the back of my mind as a mom of two young girls – something to do when the time came. Well, myy oldest has just become eligible to become a Daisy herself, so the time is now! The Girl Scout website makes joining a troop easy through their Troop Search feature. Our life has felt a little unsettled in the last year with our move from Michigan, living in a temporary place and moving into a brand new home – all while navigating kindergarten, the death of our cat, living in a new city… it’s been a WILD year. But, now we are at a point that I feel like we are settled in our new house, the logistics of having a 1st grader doesn’t scare me (just makes me sad) and we are getting into a much better, much more predictable routine. I finally feel like adding one more thing to our plate won’t make me crumble.
After our day at Phenom, it’s going to take a lot of convincing for the added activity to NOT be Girl Scouts. But, I don’t think anyone is going to try to convince me otherwise. Why wouldn’t we want our daughter to be exposed to everything Girl Scouts can offer her? Learn all the skills that Girl Scouts will teach her? Make all the friends and mentors that Girl Scouts provides? Phenom showed just how far reaching, involved and supportive the Girl Scout community is. I always knew that I could count on the girls in my old troop to be a friend on the playground or that someone would come to play on a weekend – I want the same community for my daughters.
Nancy
Girl Scouts have been a staple in our home since Kindergarten and we are now in 7th grade. The middle school years, which come with their own level of obstacles tend to be a point where Girl Scout troops May not glimmer the same.
Attending the Girl Scout convention was magical. Watching my daughter’s passion reignite around likeminded girls was like no other. She was able to shadow a rockstar older teenager and she walked away with a world of possibilities and goals. She was exposed to STEM and endless careers and spaces that are not normally held in the forefront of women at her reach.
She is now looking for her new troop and if not will go the Juliette route, which means she will be an individually registered Girl Scout. As a girl mom of 5, Girl Scouts will be long time family tradition for years to come. Just when you think your little one has lost interest, take a deeper look and see all the access and opportunities Girl Scouts has to offer for our older girls. You will be pleasantly surprised.
