The Girl Scout Council of Vermont
Where Girls Grow Strong™
Strong in mind, body and spirit. Strong in their belief
of their own self-worth. Strong in developing character and a sense
of responsibility. These are only a few of the convictions that
girls develop when they choose to become a member of Girl Scouting.
Mission
The Girl Scout Council of Vermont is a not-for-profit Vermont corporation
whose mission is to provide informal educational programs that will
"inspire girls with the highest ideals of character, conduct, patriotism
and service that they may become happy and resourceful citizens."
The council's purpose is to help Vermont girls become confident, self-reliant,
courageous and committed young women. Nearly 7,200 girls and 1,800 adults
are registered members of the Girl Scout Council of Vermont.
Funding
The Council and its programs are financed by individual contributions,
grants, United Way allocations, program fees, and annual product sales.
While the membership fee for girls is only $7, which goes directly to
the Girl Scouts of the USA, the cost to serve each girl for one year
is $180. Nearly 87% of the revenue earned each year goes directly to
provide services to girl members, adult volunteers and for community
events and camp scholarships throughout Vermont.
Key Programs
Girl Scouts have the option of becoming as involved in programs and
events as they choose. Some are part of a troop in their school. Some
join a GirlSports interest group. Some are part of a special project
and others become members to participate in our resident or day camps.
No matter how they are involved, they are Girl Scouts, embracing the
Promise and Law, learning skills for life.
The Girl Scout Council of Vermont offers several values-based educational
programs to girls of all ages. These programs are designed to help girls
grow strong and prepare them with skills for the 21st Century. Our key
programs are outlined below.
Resident Camp
Camp Wapanacki is located in Hardwick, Vermont. Camp is open to Vermont
girls entering 1st through 11th grade. Camp Wapanacki features miles
of hiking trails, fields and woods, and a beautiful 22 acre mountain
lake. Girls live in cabins or large platform tents with girls their
own age or with similar interests, and with counselors trained to
help them plan for the time of their lives. They take part in a variety
of activities, including canoeing, kayaking, swimming, hiking, backpacking,
horseback riding, arts and crafts, and cooking over a campfire. Scholarships
are available to registered Girl Scouts.
Day Camp
This summer, nine excellent one-week day camps are offered throughout
Vermont to provide day experiences to girls who are new campers or
those who want a local experience in Girl Scout camping. Day camp
staff members are volunteers who have been carefully trained to give
girls good program experiences in a safe, comfortable setting. Each
day camp has a distinctive theme that sets the stage for the week's
activities.
Cyberquest
Girl Scouts are doing their part to help girls cross the "digital
divide". Cyberquest is a unique computer learning experience
for teen girls, working in collaboration with the University of Vermont.
Girls learn word processing, Excel, PowerPoint, database, Web page
design and how to use the Internet safely.
Girls Eye View
Girl's Eye View is a project of the Girl Scout Council of Vermont
that links two or more trained mentors with middle school aged girls.
Girl's Eye View provides girls with an opportunity to explore issues
that impact their lives and express their feelings through creative
writing and photography. The program promotes personal and creative
expression rather than technical skills. Emphasis is placed on the
value of what girls have to say, their humor and concern for the world
around them. Girl's Eye View concludes with an exhibit of each girl's
work in a public venue.
This program is designed for all girls of middle school age (11 -
14 years old) who would benefit from involvement with caring female
adults (mentors) in their lives.
Science, Engineering and Math (SEM)
A comparison in science and mathematics success between boys and girls
reveals that girls, beginning in 4th grade, consistently score lower
in science than boys; fewer than one in five college degrees in chemistry,
physics, math and engineering are awarded to women.
The Girl Scout Council of Vermont works hard to retain girls in grades
5 - 7 who are at risk, due to low achievement or economic status. We
work with middle school science teachers and guidance counselors in
choosing girls who need motivation and enrichment in science, math and
technology.
There are several programs designed to help girls develop
these skills:
Bridging the Gap (BTG)
This is an exciting and innovative program designed to give troop
leaders experience in science, engineering and math activities and
build their confidence, so they can share the activities with their
girls. BTG is the idea that every woman, and every girl, can enjoy
science, math and engineering. BTG is about changing attitudes about
SEM activities and creating a community support system to implement
SEM programming at a local level. This program can be adapted to all
age levels - from Daisy Girl Scouts to adults. Some of the activities
included are experimenting with a super-absorbent chemical, sodium
polyacrylate, found in disposable diapers; examining individual preconceptions
of science; discovering how quilting is a form of mathematics; and
exploring to find out what is really in the food you eat.
The troops are provided with tubs, which are filled with science
exploration kits, guides and all of the tools needed for their projects.
Science Fair Mentor Program
This program is designed to strengthen girls' skills by developing
a passion and excitement for science and technology in a format that
is comfortable and safe.
We match girls who need motivation in science, math and technology
with a woman who works in one of those fields to mentor her with the
purpose of producing a science project to be presented at a statewide
Science Works Fair. Participants are identified by their teachers
and guidance counselors. They participate in a workshop to identify
their field of interest. The Girl Scout Council of Vermont uses the
information from the workshop to match girls with their mentor.
Boston Museum
Hundreds of Junior and Cadette Girl Scouts throughout New England
ride a bus to the museum and participate in a sleep-in. They sleep
in the Exhibit Halls, in the midst of dinosaurs, computers and the
wave tank. Girls attend demonstrations, the Omni Theater show and
participate in workshops. This is a very popular, organized activity
with trained and certified adult volunteers.
Montshire Museum
The Montshire Museum Camp-In is a great first sleepover event for
Brownie Girl Scouts. Girls learn about ecology science through a wide
array of hands-on exhibits. They try the glass elevator, make enormous
bubbles, observe a see-through beehive and visit boa constrictors.
Sports
Studies show that high school girls who play sports are less likely
to be involved in an unwanted pregnancy, less likely to be involved
with drugs, and more likely to graduate from high school. The Girl
Scout Council of Vermont plays a critical role in combating lack of
fitness among youth by encouraging all girls to establish healthy
lifestyles and to remain active in sports as part of the Girl Scout
program.
Focusing on year-round sports and fitness participation for girls
ages 5 - 17, the GirlSports Initiative encompasses a variety of projects
that promote health and fitness in girls of all ages, from different
geographical regions, and with different interests and abilities.
GirlSports Spectacular
In our fourth year, GirlSports Spectacular has become one of our
most popular events. Offered to all girls in all Vermont schools
from grades 1 - 6, girls build skills for an active, healthy lifestyle
through a variety of sports. Held in the fall, girls participate
in a one-day event, held at several different sites throughout the
state. Activities vary by site, and include activities like pillow
polo, line dancing, basketball, relay races, tennis, Tae Kwon Do,
and volleyball.
Jump-In to Wellness
Jump-In to Wellness has proven to be successful for serving low-income
girls, getting girls interested in healthy activities, recruiting
new girls to Girl Scouting, and keeping teen girls who look forward
to mentoring younger girls. The Jump-In program gives girls new
skills, self-esteem, teamwork skills and leadership through the
affordable sport of synchronized rope jumping. Jump-In is currently
centered in Bennington, with an active team that assists in starting
new groups and performing for exhibitions. Additional Jump-In areas
will be established where populations of financially disadvantaged
girls are clustered, as rope jumping is a sport that requires little
investment in equipment or facilities.
The Girl Scout Council
of Vermont is located at:
79 Allen Martin Drive
Essex Junction, VT 05452-3400
Our telephone number is 802-878-7131, or 800-639-3055.
If you would like further information about the Girl Scout Council
of Vermont, please call or email vtgsc@aol.com.
For more information on the Girl Scouts of USA,
go to www.girlscouts.org.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution,
please send a check to the above address. We also would be happy
to accept your credit card payment. Thank you for your kind consideration
and support of Girl Scouting.
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