Our Promise, June 2021

June 2021

OUR PROMISE

Our eastern Missouri Girl Scouts faced some unbelievable challenges in 2020 and persevered with unmatched determination and courage. As we navigate our way back to normal, I am so excited to see our Girl Scouts soar to new heights. This summer, each Girl Scout will continue to innovate and inspire as they prepare to play. They will once again, or for the first time, sit around the campfire, paddle a canoe, shoot a bow and arrow and tackle the new Outdoor Adventure Course when attending Girl Scout camp. They will also find the space, tools and support they need to transform ideas into action, turn questions into adventures and grow confidence through practice and positive reinforcement with our new in-person and virtual summer programs. In this issue of Our Promise , we will be highlighting many of the ways Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri have continued to provide the best leadership development program. Each year, our Girl Scouts grow in leadership, discover new passions and embark on big adventures.

Pre-kindergarten girls will Launch Into Girl Scouts as we help them prepare for kindergarten this fall in our safe all-girl, girl-led environment. Our young trailblazers will get back outdoors exploring camp and taking risks in a welcoming and inclusive environment. As a loyal donor, you are integral to our mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. Your participation enables Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri to continually incorporate new innovations into our already rich traditions.

Thank you!

Yours in Girl Scouting,

Bonnie Barczykowski CEO, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri

Many photos used in this newsletter were taken prior to COVID-19 outbreak.

Welcome New Board Members Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri welcomes our newest board members! New members-at-large are leaders in their fields and poised to help Girl Scouts empower a broad community of girls and mentors who will take action to make a difference.

Laurel “Buff” Burkel Colonel, US Air Force Retired Inspirational/Motivational Speaker

Jeromey Farmer Director, Enterprise Analytics and Talent Edward Jones

Kalen Fumagalli Sales Team Lead eCommerce Nestle Purina

Mira Iyer Girl Board Member

Mike Kiefer Chief Financial Officer Afinitas

Anastasia Stevens Operating Effectiveness Director, Sales & Account Management Optimization Cigna/Express-Scripts

Women’s Leadership Network

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s Women’s Leadership Network When women come together for a common goal, they are unstoppable. Through the Women’s Leadership Network, members connect with each other and help Girl Scouts reach all girls, everywhere. Celebration Luncheon

(WLN) is more than a program —it is a community. As the premier women’s network in the region, the WLN provides women the

Please join us on July 14, 2021 for the annual Women’s Leadership Network Celebration Luncheon—this year celebrated virtually! This fun and inspiring event will bring supporters together across the region to support our Girl Scouts’ big dreams and bright futures! Throughout the event, we will showcase how Girl Scouts “see what they can be” through mentorship and programs. Attendees will enjoy a delivered lunch and hear testimonies from Girls Scouts and their mentors involved in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Together, we can empower the next generation of female leaders as they discover their potential is limitless!

opportunity to support one another on their own leadership journeys while working with Girl Scouts to encourage and inspire the next generation of leaders, today’s Girl Scouts. “The WLN grew from a seed,” says WLN president, Jenny Bartlow. “It was this idea of having a forum for women, who weren’t typically engaged with Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, to get connected with our girls and programs. What emerged was a diverse community of women who came together to share common experiences, both personally and professionally, and become more involved with Girl Scouts to give of their time, talent and treasure.” The WLN is open to all adult women in the region and there is no fee to join the network. Featuring several networking events throughout the year, the popular Mindful Mornings are scheduled quarterly and feature round-table discussions on a variety of leadership topics. “I love the positive energy, passion for fostering our future leaders and support for each other that each and every woman who is involved in the WLN brings,” says Bartlow. “That’s why I’ve chosen to be, and stay, involved in this premier women’s organization.” To learn more about the WLN, please visit girlscoutsem.org/wln or contact Kate Tichelkamp, Director of Fund Development at ktichelkamp@girlscoutsem.org or 314.592.2373.

Wednesday, July 14, 2021 noon-1 pm Virtual Event on Zoom

Visit girlscoutsem.org/celebrationluncheon for more details or to register online.

Calling Our Campers Home Our community’s collected and continued investment in Girl Scout Camp provides girls a unique leadership development experience they can’t find anywhere else. We are excited to welcome campers back to our camp properties during summer 2021 for Resident, Day and Troop Camp.

Girl Scouts provides a wide array of opportunities for girls to engage in high adventure. For more than 100 years, girls have explored and strengthened their leadership skills and commitment to environmental stewardship by engaging in opportunities at Girl Scout Camp. This summer, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri reopened its camps with new additions, programs and sold-out registrations. Through the generosity of Edward Jones, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is excited to announce the opening of a new Outdoor Adventure High-Course Challenge, located at Camp Tuckaho in Troy, Missouri. For close to 30 years, this course has been an iconic team building and leadership program for girls ages 12 through 18. In 2019, the course was retired with plans to rebuild. The new Outdoor Adventure High-Course Challenge was designed and built by ABEE, Inc. “Edward Jones is proud to partner with the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri to support their mission to help girls build courage, confidence and character,” said Edward Jones Managing Partner Penny Pennington. “We invested in the new Outdoor Adventure Course at Camp Tuckaho to create opportunities for girls to learn leadership skills, discover the value of teamwork and build confidence by taking on new challenges. These are skills that will serve them throughout their lives and we’re excited about the new adventures that await Girl Scouts across our region at Camp Tuckaho.”

To ensure all girls can discover the joy of outdoor exploration and develop 21st-century skills, Keri Westland, Girl Scout volunteer, life-long Mariner and Gold Award Girl Scout, made a generous $500,000 endowment gift to support Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s Mariner Program in perpetuity. The Mariner Program has been a part of Girl Scouts’ bold history since 1934. Developed as a special interest program for Girl Scouts in seventh through twelfth grade, the Mariner Program offers adventures on, in and near the water.

Keri Westland (middle), Girl Scout volunteer and life-long Mariner, with her Girl Scout sisters.

While on the water, Mariners gain a unique perspective that encourages them to think

critically about the world around them and consider how they can best address significant problems they are passionate about solving. Ultimately,

Mariners take the helm and sail full speed ahead while actualizing their potential as leaders.

Bonnie Barczykowski, Girl Scouts CEO, says the organization is deeply honored. “Keri’s generosity will make an impact on the lives of girls today and for generations to come. With support from community members—like Keri — Girl Scouting continues to evolve to meet girls’ changing needs and develop their full leadership potential.” Endowment giving is a thoughtful way to ensure your support benefits girls for years to come. Endowment opportunities are available at a variety of levels for most Girl Scout programs. For more information, please contact Janine Lawler, Chief Development Officer at jlawler@girlscoutsem.org

Penny Pennington, Edward Jones Managing Partner and Bonnie Barczykowski, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri CEO, are joined by eastern Missouri Girl Scouts for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Outdoor Adventure Course, located at Camp Tuckaho.

Supporting Kindergarten Readiness Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri launches new kindergarten readiness program for eastern Missouri families as they prepare for this big step.

On your mark, get set, launch into Girl Scouts! Starting kindergarten is a big step. There are so many new things to learn and experience that it can feel a little overwhelming for girls and caregivers. Girl Scouts understands and is here to help! Our pre-kindergarten Girl Scout program, Launch Into Girl Scouts, is specially designed for pre-kindergarten girls to help them get ready for kindergarten this fall. This summer program is all about having fun, building confidence and making friends that will be recognizable faces as she enters the new stage in her life. Through generous support from PNC Bank, families only pay $35 for this new adventure and financial assistance is available. When families register for Launch Into Girl Scouts, they receive: • Four family-fun, hands-on packets full of awesome activities to get her and her family excited about what’s to come delivered directly to her door throughout the summer. • Access to exciting live-streamed programs designed especially for her as she prepares for kindergarten. • The opportunity to set the stage for her kindergarten journey by gaining new friends and building social skills. Girls’ dreams are our dreams, and we have fun making them come true together—whether that’s climbing a tree, painting a mural or making a robot. Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri offers more program variety than any other youth-serving organization.

Launch Into Girl Scouts Proudly Supported By:

For more information on Launch Into Girl Scouts, visit girlscoutsem.org/daisylaunch.

A Leader in Youth Robotics Through Girl Scouts, girls as young as Kindergarten are introduced to the world of robotics with a robust and forward-thinking STEM program.

At Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, we strive to build confident and resilient women who know what they want and, more importantly, know how to blaze trails to achieve their goals—especially when those goals take them into professional fields that have been traditionally male-dominated. This is particularly important when it comes to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), where research shows that the reason few girls pursue STEM careers is not tied to their STEM ability or aptitude but rather to their self- confidence and perception of their STEM abilities. Since 2009, our partnership with FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) has encouraged a love of STEM and Robotics in more than 3,000 Girl Scouts in eastern Missouri. The mission of the FIRST® program is to inspire young people, through competitive Robotics teams, to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting mentor- based programs that build STEM skills. The experience also motivates innovation and fosters well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication and leadership. We consider it our duty and our privilege to introduce girls to the concepts of STEM from a young age. One of the ways that we do this is by supporting up to 91 competitive FIRST® Robotics teams each year and watching our eastern Missouri Girl Scouts hone technical We are proud of all of our Robotics teams and the fearless team members who put their leadership education to the test with each robotics masterpiece they create. The FIRST LEGO League (grades 4-8) project challenges are guided by a real-world, scientific theme. The 2019-2020 theme of City Shaper challenged its players to work together to address architectural designs that could improve the welfare of the immediate community. Team Robo Girls took on the issues of safety in their parks in the evening. Robo Girls researched glow-in-the-dark paint that can be applied to running/walking trails allowing for improved visibility. The team has recently submitted a proposal to their City Council for the implementation of this paint.

skills that will serve them for years to come. This year we welcomed the youngest members of the Girl Scout Robotics family with an all-new Kindergarten category— FIRST® LEGO League Discover. Building on the concept of LEGO’s “Six Brick Curriculum,” FLL Discover teams awaken their creative problem-solving, and critical thinking skills by performing simple, physical coding exercises using Duplo LEGOs. Elevated self- confidence and increased comprehension are among the transformative benefits for girls in this particular age group. Eight Discover level teams were recruited (40 Girl Scouts) in Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s first year of Robotics programming at this level to great reviews. A member of one of our Discover teams, the Winter Cheetahs, perhaps says it best: “I love robotics because I can draw and build using all of my own ideas and opinions.” As we kick off our Launch into Girl Scouts program for those Kindergartners preparing for their Daisy years, we are excited to share with them the wonder of STEM and the opportunities that await them, upon their Girl Scout registration, with the FIRST® Robotics program.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri 2300 Ball Dr. St. Louis, MO 63146 314.592.2300 800.727.GIRL (4475)

Upcoming Girl Scout Events Women’s Leadership Network Mindful Mornings Wednesday, July 21 and Aug. 18 Virtual Event

Join the Women’s Leadership Network for a special opportunity to connect with other female professionals in the St. Louis area and share your passion for Girl Scouts. During these virtual events, we will be discussing the five main outcomes associated with Girl Scouting throughout the year and exploring how we can continue to learn and develop them as adults. Our theme on July 21 is healthy relationships and our theme on Aug. 18 is community problem solving.

Please RSVP to Kate Tichelkamp at ktichelkamp@girlscoutsem.org . A Zoom link will be sent in advance of the Mindful Mornings event.