Discover What's New - More STEM and Outdoor Badges are here!

With new badges rolling out in alignment with the four Girl Scout program pillars of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), Outdoors, Life Skills, and Entrepreneurship, it's an exciting time for Girl Scouts!

Included in this rollout are our first ever Daisy badges. Now, in addition to their petals and leaves, our littlest Girl Scouts can earn Outdoor, Citizen and even Engineering badges! They'll make colorful outdoor art projects, learn how to be good neighbors, and get hands-on experience with robotics. And Girl Scouts at all levels will make new memories in the great outdoorswhen they earn their Troop Camping badges!

BADGES

 

Engineering | Robotics: Girls design their own robots after learning how they’re built and programmed. “Unplugged” activities allow girls to earn badges without buying kits.

Engineering | Mechanical Engineering: Girls complete hands-on engineering activities, such as building and testing rollercoasters, race cars, and gliders.

Girls’ Choice | Troop Camping: Get ready for fun, adventure, and challenge in the great outdoors with the winning Girls’ Choice badge for 2017. 

Daisy Badges: Two new Daisy badges, Outdoor Art Maker and Good Neighbor, give Daisies a chance to get in on the creativity and discover all about their school, city or town, and state! 

Join Girl Scouts - we’re more than cookies, camp, and crafts!

She’s earning badges, gaining new skills, exploring the great outdoors, and building a better world alongside her sisters. Every step of the way, she’s learning by doing—and at Girl Scouts, she has plenty of opportunities to jump in and make amazing things happen. Is your G.I.R.L. ready to take the leap? Visit us here!

Gold Award Recipent Shelby O'Neill's Advocates for Ocean Conservancy

Meet high school student Shelby O’Neil, Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast Gold Award recipient—the highest honor in Girl Scouting! Shelby’s project is the Jr Ocean Guardians, a conservation organization aiming to help keep our oceans safe and healthy. 

Shelby O'Neill - Ocean Clean Up Day

Shelby began her volunteer work at the Monterey Bay Aquarium near her hometown and was so inspired by the environmental issues facing our oceans today that she took action by forming the Jr Ocean Guardians for her 2017 Girl Scout Gold Award Project.

Today, Shelby's original project is branching out in many areas. One of her latest endeavors is the "No Straw November" movement, which discourages the use of plastic straws for that month. The goal of "No Straw November" is to bring awareness of the amount of disposable plastic straws being discarded daily, as plastic straws can cause ocean pollution.

Her meeting with her local Costco store resulted in an immediate change: the store provided sustainable wooden stir sticks available online at Costco.com as a result of meeting Shelby this month! 

Shelby working with local Girl Scouts

After Shelby’s successful meeting with Costco to get sustainable wooden stirrers , she is currently working with Farmer Brothers to look for sustainable options in lieu of their plastic stir sticks too, as well as other large retailers. More details coming soon! In the meantime, please visit Shelby's website at https://www.jroceanguardians.org/

To join Shelby's campaign, go to Jr. Ocean Guardians for "No Straw November" pledge and tally sheet.  Click here for flyer.

Great work Shelby!

Why Girl Scouts is the BEST Girl’s Leadership Experience in the World

Girl Scouts of the USA CEO Sylvia Acevedo explains why only Girl Scouts can provide girls with one-of-a-kind character building and life skills in a safe, inclusive, all-girl, girl-led environment, where girls are free to try new things, expand their skills, and take the lead!

Cheetah Conservation Fund Hosts Girl Scouts and Girl Guides in Africa

L to R: Olivia, Kira, Allison, and GSCCCGirl Scout Sarah Hall, Troop 11144- 

The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) welcomed a group of 11 young women from the Girl Scouts of the United States and three Girl Guides from South Africa at its Centre this summer.

The visit was the second half of a two-part, two-nation, immersive conservation learning experience, “Voice of the Cheetah," that began in Washington, D.C. and ended in Namibia as part of a Girl Scout Destination event.

In all, the group spent 10 days in Namibia, visiting Cape Cross on the Skeleton Coast, the Namib-Naukluft National Park, and Etosha National Park, in addition to CCF. The group was led by Lesley Robinson, VP of Girl Leadership Experience (GSLE), Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina, and sponsored by the Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina.

Sarah Hall, (pictured on the far right), is a Girl Scout from Santa Cruz County. She was one of the 11 girls who participated in this Destination event in DC and Africa.

"The trip was really fun and exciting, especially getting to see all the girls again," said Sarah. "We learned lots of wildlife species and jobs in conservation!" 

For more information on Girl Scout travel opportunities, please visit Girl Scout Destinations. 

Happy Travels!

South African Girl Guides from left to right: Olivia, Kira, Allison and GSCCC Girl Scout Sarah Hall

Girl Scout Creates Volunteer Website for Youth in the Conejo Valley

Conejo Valley teen and Ambassador Scout in Troop #60565, Alison Canton, created Volunteen Conejo as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project. Alison found that as a child in the Conejo Valley it was hard to find fun volunteer opportunities to participate in, so she created a website where children and their families could participate in volunteer opportunities together.

Alison's Gold Award project aims to inform Troop Leaders, young families, schools, and any other organization looking for ways to involve children under 16 ways to volunteer. To compile her listings, Alison researched and contacted local non-profit organizations to create a website with opportunities for children to actively engage in their community -- and Volunteen Conejo was born. Parents can click on the link and find a matching volunteer opportunity for the family.

Way to go Alison, on helping give back to your community!

The 2017 Total Solar Eclipse: Fun Facts to Prepare

A map of the United States showing the path of totality for the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse.
Map via NASA.gov

[Courtesy of GSUSA]: What happens when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, blocking the sun’s rays? A solar eclipse! During a total eclipse of the sun, the sky goes dark for several minutes, the temperature drops, stars appear, birds and other animals can become confused, and people gather outside to see the spectacle for themselves.

On Monday, August 21, astronomy enthusiasts across the United States will be able to view a partial and total eclipse of the sun for the first time in nearly four decades. On the Oregon coast, the total eclipse will be visible at 10:20 a.m. pacific time, while those in Columbia, South Carolina, will need to wait until 2:40 p.m. eastern time before seeing it. After accounting for time zones, the moon’s entire trip will only take one hour and 33 minutes!

Although it’s safe to be outside during an eclipse, it’s not safe to look at the sun while the phenomenon is occurring (or at any other time!) If you want to watch this remarkable event, be sure to use a pair of solar viewing glasses (available at National Parks on the day of the eclipse), use a projection method, or join an eclipse-watching party at your local natural history museum or planetarium.

Eclipses actually happen about every 18 months, but it’s rare for them to follow a path that people can easily see. If you don’t get to watch the eclipse this time, mark your calendar for April 8, 2024, when the next one will be visible in the United States!

Curious to know what the eclipse will look like where you live? Plug in your zip code on an interactive map.

Want more information? Visit NASA’s 2017 eclipse site.

Happy National S'Mores Day!

August 10 is National S’mores Day! Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) announced today that the popular Girl Scout S’mores Cookies will return as part of the 2018 Girl Scout Cookie season lineup!

With its debut last year, the Girl Scout S’mores became the most popular flavor to launch in the 100 years of Girl Scouts selling cookies. Girl Scouts of California's Central Coast will continue to offer one of the two varieties of Girl Scout S’mores, which joins classics like Thin Mints®, Caramel deLites®, and Shortbread.

The tradition of making and enjoying S’mores in the outdoors was popularized by Girl Scouts as early as the 1920s, and it portrays Girl Scouts’ longstanding commitment to all the outdoors has to offer girls. In addition, each and every purchase of Girl Scout Cookies—100 percent of the net revenue of which stays local—is an investment in girls and their futures, powering amazing opportunities and experiences for them.

S'moretastic!

Fork It Over Fundraiser - Chef winners!

FORK IT OVER FUNDRAISER at the Palm Garden Hotel, August 3

BLVD BRGR Company

 
Delicioso! GSCCC held the Third Annual Fork It Over on Thursday, August 3. It was a tasty event that help raise funds for our Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE) programs across all of our six counties.

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This year, chefs created one sweet and one savory culinary delight, in the culinary competition portion of the event.

The Cave Ventura

 And the winners are (drumroll, please . . . )

Season's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIO 2017 Winners are . . .

Judge’s Choice:

Sweet: BLVD BRGR Company: Cindy Rivezzo

Savory: BJ’s – Gerry Ruiz

People’s Choice:

Sweet: Sugar Lab Bake Shop – Ali Davis

Savory: The Cave and Dj’s California Catering – Alex Montoya (Cave) – & Eric Bryant

Girls Choice:

Sweet: Sugar Lab Bake Shop – Ali Davis

SUGAR LAB BAKE SHOP - Ali Davis (R)

Congratulations to all our chefs, restaurants, spirit purveyors and all those who volunteered and attended this event. A big thank you. Until next year!