It’s not too late to become part of the largest girl-led business in the world!

What’s really inside a box of Girl Scout Cookies? Her success. 

When she participates in the Girl Scout Cookie Program she’s setting goals, managing money, and taking the lead like a cookie boss!

Whether she’s working to save the honeybee population or exploring robotics, there’s no doubt she is doing amazing things—and it’s all powered by her participation in the Girl Scout Cookie Program.

Through the cookie sale, girls from all over central Maryland are funding new adventures and life-changing opportunities—from trips and community projects to summer camp and charitable donations—Girl Scout Cookies are about so much more than what’s in the box.

If you are already participating in the cookie sale, awesome! Check out the hoodie challenge (below).  If you’re not, what are you waiting for?  We’ve extended the sale to December 15^th so you can still take advantage of incentives and prizes!

To learn how to get started, check out page 11 of our Cookie Program Guide to Success!  To schedule a training, email membercare@gscm.org today!

NEW — Elephant Hoodie Challenge!

Calling all ADULTS: For two weeks, you can earn matching 2017-2018 Elephant Hoodies!

Here’s how:
Every 35 cases picked up from a Cookie Cupboard between November 15 and December 2, 2017, earns a hoodie.

35 cases = 1 hoodie
70 cases = 2 hoodies
105 cases = 3 Hoodies (and so on).

There’s no limit!  The more cases you get-the more hoodies you earn.  Every hoodie earned helps us reach our Cookie Sale goals!

Time is running out to register for GSCM’s Girls STEAM Ahead!

At this event, girls will engage in hands-on workshops led by professionals to learn how their interest in science, technology, engineering, art, or math can turn into a career!

Activities include making magnetic slime with engineers, building a dream house with architects, designing your brand with graphic designers, and creating your own story in an interactive app.

Click here to register now! Only a few spots remain for this year’s Girls STEAM Ahead and your Girl Scout is NOT going to want to miss it!

Volunteers needed to help with registration, set-up, and lunch. Contact STEM@gscm.org if you are available to help out!

Leadership Series with the CEO

Sponsored by The Murthy Nayak Foundation

When: December 9, 2017 11:30am – 1:30pm
Where: GSCM Program Center
Who: Cadettes, Seniors, Ambassadors

Standing Up and Speaking Out — How to be an Advocate

Hear from a panel of leading female attorneys and advocates who will share their experiences standing up and speaking out on issues such as civil rights. Following the panel discussion, attendees will work with the panelists to create vision boards.

Click here to register!

The 2018 Distinguished Women’s Shadow Girl Program Application is Here!

Calling all Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors: Applications are now being accepted for the 2018 Distinguished Women Shadow Award program.

As part of our Distinguished Women’s Award Celebration, we honor five esteemed women from across central Maryland and provide five Girl Scouts the opportunity to shadow them. As a Distinguished Woman Shadow Girl, you will spend the day with one of the honorees and experience first-hand, a typical day in her professional role, and learn more about how she navigates her career.

As one 2017 Shadow Girl shared during her speech at last year’s event:

“While I am not yet certain exactly what will happen in the future, I do know that I want to become a lawyer. Shadowing Ms. Dennis certainly solidified these aspirations, and I cannot thank her or GSCM enough for the opportunity.”

Click here to download the 2018 Shadow Girl application now! The application can also be found at http://www.gscm.org/shadowgirl.

Applications are due (emailed or postmarked) by January 5, 2018.

For more information, please contact Karen R. Blake, Special Events Manager at 410-358-9711, ext 254 or kblake@gscm.org.

Holiday Card Contest

Girl Scouts of Central Maryland is in search of girl drawings or designs to use as the designs for our 2017 holiday greeting cards! All registered girl members of GSCM are eligible to participate in this art contest.

One design will be selected from each Girl Scout level. Winners will get 20 cards with their artwork on it to share with friends and family!

Show that you’re #GIRLScoutProud on #GivingTuesday

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and community collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.

You don’t have to be a big-ticket donor to make a big difference. Your contribution, no matter the size, shows what you value. And together, many small gifts can make a big impact. Consider a gift, no matter the size, to Girl Scouts of Central Maryland on #GivingTuesday and shout that you’re #GIRLScoutProud on your social media pages. You can show that you value the work we do to unleash the power of your G.I.R.L.

If you would be interested in being a social media ambassador on #GivingTuesday, contact Kim Becker Cooper at kbeckercooper@gscm.org. Thank you for your generosity and support.

Camp Registration

2018 is right around the corner and that means summer camp registration is coming soon!  We have some exciting new programs ready to roll out this year, and our brochures will be set to mail out right after the New Year. NEW THIS YEAR registration will open up on February 1^st at 8am!

Become a Rockin’ Robotics Coach

If you have a passion for inspiring girls to achieve great things as well as an interest in learning more about technology and engineering—volunteer with one of GSCM’s robotics teams!

FIRST LEGO League Jr. is a fun robotics series for girls in grades K-3^rd where girls learn engineering principals and robotics through building and programming LEGOs! Teams are forming in Baltimore City, Howard County, and Harford County starting February and run on weekends through June.

Volunteer coaches and assistant coaches are needed to help facilitate these programs. No previous experience is necessary to become a coach as GSCM provides all of the training, materials, and curriculum necessary to lead a team. Coaching a team and helping a girl realize a love for technology and engineering requires only the following:

• Attending a majority of the meetings; FLL Jr. has 12 meetings including a competition in June.
• Maintain a safe learning environment for girls.
• Lead the girls in the activities and lessons provided.

Those with technical experience are also welcome to volunteer as a coach or team mentor. Mentors on FLL teams help coaches with teaching the programming and technical aspects of the program.

Can’t commit to becoming a coach? 

Consider these upcoming STEM volunteer opportunities

• Volunteers needed THIS SATURDAY, November 18 from 10am-5pm at our Girls STEAM Ahead event at the GSCM Program Center to help with registration, set-up, and lunch!
• Be a judge, referee or cheerleader at GSCM’s annual First Lego League Competition on Sunday, January 21^st at GSCM. No experience necessary, training is available for all volunteer roles.
• Spend the weekend at Camp Conowingo and help girls uncover a whodunit mystery using science! Volunteers are needed to help lead forensic science activities, play the characters in the mystery, and prep meals. 10am-10am February 24-25, 2018 at Camp Conowingo.
• Help girls discover their inner artist in the beautiful outdoors at Arts in the Outdoors at Piney Run Park on April 14^th. Volunteers are needed to help lead arts activities.

Email STEM@gscm.org if you are interested in any of these opportunities!

Member Care Corner

Every month The Member Care team will be looking at our most frequently asked questions and offer some tips for getting your inquiries resolved as quickly as possible!

We know that when dealing with multiple online systems it’s easy to lose your log-in info or forget which one you need to use. But don’t worry, we’ve got your back! If you need access to any of our systems, email membercare@gscm.org and include the system you are unable to access.

Here’s a cheat sheet for knowing which system is which:

MYGS (membership registration system)
Event Registration (event & training system)
Financial Reporting System (troop financial system & cookie forms)
Smart Cookies (All cookie orders)
VTK (Volunteer Tool Kit)
Volunteer Training

Rent a Badge-in-a-Box Kit and bring STEM activities to your troop!

STEM Badges in a Box are STEM activities available for rent from GSCM for a small fee and include all of the materials necessary for hours of STEM fun. The STEM Badge in a Box programs are:

Girls Go Techbridge: Engineering activities for girls in grades 4-12. Cost: $5/girl

STEM is Fun: Science, technology, engineering, math activities for girls in grades K-3. Cost: $10/girl

Girl Scout GoldieBlox Kits: mechanical engineering badge materials for girls in grades K-3. Cost: $55; $25 fee + $30 refundable deposit

Earth, Wind, and Fire: STEM activities around fire and safety. Include FREE passes to the Fire Museum of Maryland. Cost: FREE

Complete this survey to borrow STEM Badges in a Box: https://tinyurl.com/STEMbadges.

Troop leaders need to attend training to borrow STEM materials from GSCM. For information about scheduling a training for groups of 10 or more, email STEM@gscm.org.

Outdoors Equipment Rental

Looking for ways to get your girls outdoors, but don’t have all the tools?  GSCM has equipment available for rent.  If you and your girls are interested in archery, you can reserve an archery range and rent bundles of equipment.  Archery bundles include 1 target, 2 bows, 12 arrows and 2 ground quivers for $10.  You can rent multiple bundles if needed.  A $50 security deposit, that will be returned if all equipment is returned with no major damage, is required before the equipment is rented.

You will need to have your own instructor or contact us to see if we have any instructors available.  In addition to archery equipment, we also have GPS units for rent if your girls are interested in earning their Geocaching Badge.  As with archery equipment, there is a $50 deposit and bundles are $10.  A GPS bundle includes 2 units, batteries, and pencils.  If you are interested in renting any of this equipment or have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out to our Member Care team at membercare@gscm.org!

Financial Aid Requests

The financial aid button is live in MYGS! Adults can now request financial assistance for registration for any member of their household using the “Request Aid” option that shows at the payment stage of registration.  Adults will be asked what portion, if any, of the registration amount they are able to contribute.  The adult will be sent an email containing a survey link that will collect additional information and allow payment using PayPal.  Please note: This option is only available to heads of households for family members.  Troop leaders can only request financial aid for members of their own household.

Volunteer Toolkit Updates

Over thirty volunteers participated in our volunteer toolkit patch program! Keep an eye out for the program next spring! If you did participate, you will receive an email with information regarding delivery of your free VTK patch!

Right now, our council has a 39 percent VTK utilization rate! That’s over 409 troops using the VTK!  A big shout out to Service Units 675, 605, and 657 for top troop utilization. Looking for tips and resources on the VTK? Check out the VTK section of the Volunteer Resources on our webpage.

New Girl Scout Silver Award Process

The Girl Scout Silver Award now has an online submission and approval process.  Check out the new process on our website.

Questions? Email: mysilveraward@gscm.org