World Ninja Competition --

Austin area teens head to Ninja World Championships

Austin, TX –  Three area teens and their coach head, Kye Ackel, with American Ninja Warrior season 9 participant and ANW course tester.

When the Ninjas aren’t taking on the American Ninja Warrior obstacles, they’re not exactly sitting around idle. Many of the fan-favorite competitors take part in local competitions, such as those organized by the Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association.

The UNAA hosts qualifying and regional competitions all around the country, and now, the world. It all builds towards the looming UNAA World Championship Finals.

Over 2000 Ninjas have attended qualifiers held by 75 gyms (eight outside of the US) this season. The top Ninjas are now heading to the Championship Finals taking place July 19-21.

Cayden Bell, Buda - Cayden has been pursuing his passions since he was 3 years old. From playing music to acting to acrobatics, parkour, and dancing, he actively performs them all. After seeing American Ninja Warrior on tv as a baby, he is now taking on the challenge of the UNAA Finals.

Seth Markham, Georgetown - Seth was introduced to ninja obstacles and competitions when a fellow archery team member invited him to go to one of the local gyms.  As a natural athlete who has always climbed whatever he could find this was all completely natural to him. He has found the community of athletes to be the best part of the sport.  “Even other athletes who I compete against, will take the time to help me figure out the best way to complete an obstacle. “ Seth is a homeschool high school sophomore who competes with Baseball Factory and Austin Royals baseball and track team.

Marie Young, Pflugerville - “You don’t have to be a gymnast or even an awesome athlete.  What I love is that the community is here to help and support everyone.” Marie Y., the hot pink ninja, started rock climbing at Austin Rock Gym twelve months ago after body shaming and bullying because she was so tiny.  She has made it her goal to go from twig to strong. She made it through multiple rounds of auditions for the upcoming season of American Ninja Warrior Junior. And is happy to be going to World Championships instead.

To qualify for the Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association (UNAA) World Championship Finals in New Mexico, a competitor must first compete at an area qualifier. There were 68 area qualifier competitions held throughout the world. They qualified by placing in the top 50% at their area qualifiers held at Austin Ninjas and The Jungle Movement Academy in March.  By placing in the top 50 percent in the 10-13 (Marie) and 14-17(Caden and Seth) year-old age group, they qualified to compete in a regional qualifier.

With only 26 locations throughout the world holding a regional qualifier competition, the three traveled to Houston for the regional qualifies. In that competition, held on May 19, they had to compete in three rounds of competition. To complete the various obstacles the competitor needed to utilize upper body strength, balance, and agility. Marie placed third for the 10-13 year old girl group, Cayden and Seth placed in the top five earning them a spot at the UNAA World Championship Finals in New Mexico.

More on Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association:  http://www.ultimateninja.net/

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/-hot-pink-ninja-competes-in-international-obstacle-course-finals/1307190555

More information:
https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/bullied-body-shamed-austin-girl-scout-overcomes-obstacles-to-qualify-for-world-championships/269-571437409

GOLD AWARD - SWE NEXT CLUBS

Gold Award Luncheon

Marie Young, June 9, 2018

·        If you earned one of the higher level GS awards, First Class, Curved Bard or Gold Award – including those of us being honored today – please raise your hand

·        If you have been a girl member for 10 years or more – please raise your hand.

I am honored to stand here today with the 37 2018 Gold Award recipients of the Girl Scouts of Central Texas.  Think about it – there are 16,922 girl members in our council, 723 seniors and ambassadors – and today only 37 of us have earned the highest award in Girl Scouting – less than ½% all girls in our council – we are the role models for the younger scouts – we are only 5% of Seniors and Ambassadors. 

We are amongst roughly 3000 Girl Scouts who have earned the higher level award here in Central Texas since this council and legacy councils were formed. 

We are the inspiration for the next generation of girl scouts, the next generation of engineers, lawyers, politicians, moms and action takers.

As a fourth generation Girl Scout/Girl Guide and the third Gold Award recipient in my family – I was born with Green blood.  I was raised on Girl Scouts and STEM – 19 years ago – Girl Scouts of Lone Star Council started one of the first STEM programs in the country.  Giving girls the edge in school and in life. As a result, I was taught for as long as I can remember that girls should do science, technology, engineering and math programs and I can do whatever I wanted.

 I think my mom signed my sister and me up for every STEM program she could find in the councils we lived in.  Programming, robotics, engineering, applied STEM and more.

So when I started to explore options for my Gold Award – it was upsetting to me to hear that the statistics for women in STEM careers were actually less than 19 years ago.  I knew I had to figure out a way to get more girls involved in engineering.  I knew to make a real impact it had to be more than just in Austin or in Texas.  Working closely with the Society of Women Engineers headquarters staff -  we identified projects that the volunteers and staff thought would be useful to youth outreach efforts.

Working with adult volunteers and staff, I took action by creating videos, slide decks, promotional pieces, social media plans, scripts and other marketing materials for them regarding their SWENext club program.  I love the fact that any group, team, club or troop could be a SWENext club.

SWENext clubs offer girls ways to

·        connect with female engineering role models,

·        solve real world problems,

·        participate in regular competitions with clubs around the globe and

·        anything else the group wants to do. 

SWENexters are eligible for scholarships and clubs are eligible for grants.  I am proud of the fact that as a result of these resources they have grown from 70 clubs to over 140 clubs around the world.

My gold award is only one of the awesome opportunities that I have had in Girl Scouting – learn new things, entrepreneurship, public speaking, archery, traveling and meeting others make me who I am. 

In Girl Scouting we have all had opportunities, to make friends, and memories.  We are given experiences to help us become young women of Courage, Confidence and Character.    It is how we use these experiences that define us.     

I was part of a group of middle and high school girls  a year and  a half ago – at the time I called them my friends.  During the first 6 months I was teased about my size, not once, not twice but to the point that I changed who I was, who my friends were, how I dressed and even how I treated my family – I wanted to fit in.  Even after all the changes they still body shamed me and made sure I wouldn't be able to participate the in the group the way I wanted.   In their mind I wasn’t strong enough and couldn’t be strong enough.  

My mom picked me up from my group and for the eleventh time I was crying.  She encouraged me to talk to mentors.  That resulted in an adult explaining to me for 2 hours why the names were pet names and not meant as insults.  This did not make it better, it actually made it worse.  I knew I had to do something – I did not like the “pet names”.

I made it my goal to get stronger and to prove I was strong enough, that I could do the job that I wanted.

I had the courage to try new activities – I started to rock climb 5 days a week making new friends who shared with me their knowledge and supported me.  Peers and adults alike – it was amazing that even those who might have been considered “the competition” were supportive and helping.   A few months later I was strong enough to do the job I wanted – HOWEVER, the decision had been made – I never got the opportunity to even show that I could do it.

I found the confidence to leave this group, define friendship in a different way and to strive to be the type of friend that I needed , others needed those friends too.  Friends who would be supportive, encouraging and always teaching – this is my character. 

Through cookie and product sales – I have learned how important goal setting can be to being able to participate and excel in new opportunities.  I set a goal to go from Twig to Strong and from teased to a friend. 

I continue to set new goals and as an accidental athlete. I have qualified for the regional and national Ultimate Ninja Athletic Association tournaments.  I will be competing in the American Ninja Warrior Junior show this fall –

No one will ever describe me as a twig or weak again.

We learned in kindergarten to “make new friends and keep the old – one is silver and the other is gold. “Don’t be afraid to let go of those friends who aren’t supporting you, make new ones. 

Before you leave today – make a new friend, at your table or the table next to you.  You will never know when or where you might meet again. 

You are part of a sisterhood,

you are the elite Girl Scout,

you are your own warrior.

Amy's Ice Cream and Thin Mints

March 2018

This cookie season I had the opportunity to write and submit a business plan to work with Austins own Amy's Ice Cream.

While putting together my business plan describing how I saw the marketing working -- I also learned how to describe my business to others..

Introduction

Mission Statement

Young Girls Cookies mission is to provide ABC Baker cookies to individuals and businesses in the northern region of the Austin Metropolitan Area through personalized interactions and appreciation from  the business owner.

Vision Statement

Our vision is that everyone who interacts with Young Girls Cookies will understand “It is more than just a box of cookies.”

About Us

Young Girls Cookies  is in the baked goods distribution industry distributing ABC Baker cookies in partnership with Girl Scouts of Central Texas and Girl Scouts of the USA.  The business was launched in 2005 by my sister, Sarah Young, I joined her in 2009. Total sales hit 10,000 during 2017. Customers can choose from nine different flavors, including five vegan and 1 gluten free.  We are open mid January to late February, (Opportunity knocks). Our focus market is ages 20-45 and mainly female. Businesses can use my cookies in their products or as gifts.

😊I did get the contract to supply them with thin mints for a limited edition flavor they had in June. It was fun.

I also applied for the GSUSA cookie pro program. Although I didn't get it -- again I am working on creating more and more videos.

Pink Ninja in the Jungle

So in July I attended a Ninja Camp - similar to the show - American Ninja Warrior.  I really enjoyed the instructor and have had some private lessons with him.

He has a group of parkour athletes and ninjas that train and workout together.  I was asked to participate in their photo shoot today.

We had a lot of fun climbing rocks, trees and jumping.

I was definitely the youngest one there.  But I had a blast with The Jungle Movement Academy.

GSUSA - Convention

GSUSA Convention - 2017

What a week!  I joined my mom and grandma for a few days in Columbus Ohio and the G.I.R.L. convention.

I worked the National Park Service booth and the SWE booth.  it was great to meet so many new friends.

The SWE booth and social media take over for them is part of my Gold Award.

I also had the opportunity to participate in the entrepreneur pitch contest.

I cannot wait until 2020 -- it will be my senior year AND it will be in Orlando!

While we were in Columbus -- my moms home town -- we visited The Columbus Zoo, Graters Ice Cream, COSI and because I had to ask -- Michelle Warnky's gym - MLAB Ohio

Although I could write and show all kinds of photos -- this is what I feel like today!

Posted: https://gsctx.wordpress.com/2017/08/09/life-after-girl-scouts/

AND

https://alltogether.swe.org/2017/08/life-girl-scouts/

A 5-year-old girl, Amy, walked into her first Girl Scout meeting. She didn’t know what to think or what to expect. Was she going to make friends? Was she going to get into trouble? Would anyone like her? She walked through that door, shy. She walked out of the meeting thinking she had had lots of fun earning badges, she’d made friends, and she wanted to do more with the community.

Traditional Girl Scouts was lots of fun for Amy, but when she got in high school, she wanted to do even more for her community and in her interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).  And she wanted to make new friends outside of her Girl Scout troop.

After a bit of Girl Scout and STEM research, Amy found and joined the Lady Cans Girl Scouts robotics team her sophomore year of high school. Walking into the first meeting was a little like her first Girl Scout meeting. Would she like it and make friends? It was a whole different environment than Amy had ever experienced: ten other girls who all had the same interests and goals, a coach who would help her until she graduated, a community she could call her second home, and friends she could truly call her Girl Scout sisters.

According to their coach, Susie Rich, the Lady Cans is an all-girl, Girl Scouts robotics team located in the greater Austin area.  “They strive to build the courage, confidence and character of young girls and teach them to strive for success in everything they do,” Rich said.

According to the Lady Cans website, their mission is “to introduce young women to science, technology, engineering, and math principles while developing the skills to be successful in a variety of careers.”

Two years after joining, after building and programming robots, Amy was elected CEO, or captain, of the Lady Cans Robotics Team 2881, giving her the opportunity to learn leadership and public-speaking skills—and to lead an amazing team of 30 girls into being the award-winning team they are today.

After Lady Cans, Amy went to college with the goal of building robots for NASA. Last fall Amy got that opportunity with an internship at NASA Langley in Virginia building prototype robots for the International Space Station. “[In the Lady Cans,] every girl needs to do the building, the programming, and the leading,” Amy said. “I was more than prepared for my internship here at Langley NASA because of building with the Lady Cans.”

Amy, now 21, is in college studying aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. She enjoys her classes, and she has been accepted into the NASA Pathways Program based out of Houston. The Pathways Program allows young adults to be hired by a federal agency. The interns work one semester and go to school the next. Yes, it takes longer to finish their degrees, but they already have jobs when they finish.

“I knew Girl Scouts and the Lady Cans would give me the opportunities to learn and fail. Through these programs, I learned the courage, confidence, and character to be an amazing leader and employee.” Amy said.

100 years of Girl Scout cookies

Cookie Season is here!

This year the council wanted to showcase Girl Scout camps and everything you can learn at camp.  I was excited to participate in the first day of cookies media fun with my friends who had been part of the council Archery Club.  I miss the club - buy most of us still compete as part of DG Archery.

Anyway - this is the 100th anniversary of Girl Scout cookies - my mom sold cookies, my grandmother sold cookies.  Last year I earned the opportunity to sell cookies to Hopdoddys - this year I will try again.  I will probably go with a retro theme -- I think my grandmothers uniform.

What is your favorite cookie?  Do you eat them as cookies or do you use them to make fabulous desserts?

Archery and Travel

What does Archery and Travel have to do with Girl Scouts?

I fell in love with archery thru our councils archery club.  The opportunities have changed since I started.  And my mom and GS leader are both instructors.

Since I am going to Cyprus, Greece with Girl Scouts this summer -- I knew I needed to do a much as I could to help pay for the trip.  So I am helping them teach a series of classes.

ARCHERY with Troop 1587

Explore Archery Workshop

This 3 hour workshop follows the USA Archery Explore Archery guidelines and activities.  The youth will earn the archery badge for their age level.  Enjoy the workshop, all equipment is provided.  Students will learn their dominant eye, proper form for shooting, parts of the bow, how to score and how to be safe – yet have fun.  Bring your friends and family for a day of archery fun – grades 2-12. Questions? – kate@texasdirector.org

To register for one of the sessions  - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/girl-scout-archery-badge-workshop-tickets-28630535703

Fee $30.00 - Early Bird pricing ends 12/1 for December class      $35.00 registration until December 12^th

B, J, C, S, A ****Siblings and friends are welcome

Archery Country – 8121 Research Blvd, Austin 78758

            December 19 – 9:00 – 12:00 p.m.                       December 19 – 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Location:  Grace Presbyterian – 1705 Gattis School Rd., Round Rock 78664

Early bird registration until March 1st

                March 11 – 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.                   March 12 – 9:00 – 12:00 p.m.                                 March 12 – 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

What to wear? – Closed toed shoes, hair needs to be pulled back, no loose clothing (for example strings from jackets)

WHO ARE WE?

We are Girl Scout moms and daughters who are top in the state ranked barebow target archers; Carrie Rogers Casey and Kate Woodward Young have enjoyed archery since they were kids shooting arrows at the family farm in the summer.  These GS leaders have trained over 40 adult volunteers in GSCTX and hundreds of girls.  When their daughters and troop wanted more – these moms made it happen.  Troop 1587 has 9 USA Archery trained coaches.  Kate, Carrie, Jennifer and Justin are trained level 2 instructors with USA Archery – they have been excited to share their new passion for the sport with young students around central Texas. Over 1000 kids  have benefited from classes with these coaches.  Currently, they coach a homeschool archery team in the Austin area.

 

Samsung STEM Challenge

This year I have joined the Girl Scouts Toastmasters club, press corps and robotics team.  As a member of the robotics team, all of us were encouraged to participate in the GSCTX Samsung STEM challenge.

The Lady Cans, GSCTX Austin Robotics Team sponsored 5 teams for this years Samsung STEM challenge, 3 Cadette and 2 older girl teams.  Lady Cans, CEO, Stephanie Waugh, Senior from Westwood High spoke at the event about the importance of STEM in Girl Scouts and how her joining the Lady Cans changed everything and that this contest helped her narrow her Engineering focus to Civil Engineering.  Lady Cans teams took 1^st and 2^nd in the Senior/Ambassador division and 1^st in the Cadette division.  Girls who are part of the Lady Cans come from troops around the Austin area. 

 

If you are looking for ways to get your daughter involved in STEM, make sure to explore the GSCTX calendar for events.  Middle and High School girls are welcome to contact the robotics volunteers about team opportunities.  There are seven First Lego League Robotics teams sponsored by council for elementary school and middle school students as well.

 

Giving Sylvia A. - Tour of the Edge

Today, I got to give the Interim CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA a tour of our councils Tech Lab.  The lab and program have been called "The Edge" since it started in 1999.

Welcome to “The Edge” lab.  In 1999, Girl Scouts Lone Star Council met with a group of older girls and asked them WHY they wanted to learn about computers.  One of the girls responded that it would give them “the edge” in school and in life.  From that day forward “The Edge” was the name of our technology programs and computer lab.

I am excited to have been a part of the FLL team here for 2 years, a Samsung STEM participant and IBM Watson camp participant. 

When our first computer lab opened in 2000 we were lucky to have Dell, Microsoft and National Instruments as early partners.  Quickly we had Intel.  We offered programs to all the girls in our council including the Girls Beyond Bars troops and the outreach program troops. The growth of the program was supported by IBM when we launched the Edge Express – our first “on demand” programs where we would go out to troops meeting locations, set up a small network and teach girls and leaders how to build websites and make digital scrapbooks.

By 2001 we had introduced over 600 girls to lego robotics thru the Expanding Your Horizons events, dad and me robotics day and more.  This meant continued support from the Kodoskys and National Instruments as we expanded our robotics programs to First Lego League teams and as FIRST grew so did our opportunities for girls. 

Currently, “The Edge-Austin”-one of our 5 lab locations, is also home to the world qualifying Lady Cans, FRC team, 1 of 2 in our council and we went from 2 First Lego League teams to sponsoring 7 this year.   

Our volunteers and staff have offered various national pilot programs and first experiences keeping Girl Scouts on “The Edge”.  Including Intels Fair Play, Techbridge, Dells Video Game Designer, Google Made with Code and local programs including Samsung STEM challenge, Coder Girls, Daisy STEM patch series and our Outdoor STEM journey.

The homeschool STEM club is starting its 4^th year.  We have explored green building, engineering, aviation, scratch, CAD and 3D printing.  This semester was inspired by you – we are exploring Rocket Science and rocketry.

Graduates of “The Edge” have gone on to be graphic designers,  robot builders for NASA and NASA engineers.

Juliette Circle - Sharing my story

When Marianne asked if I was available tonight to talk – I asked what does she want me to talk about.  The response was a great Girl Scout experience.  I anticipate my best memory being next summer when Girl Scouts of Central Texas girls spend 2 weeks with Girl Guides in Cyprus. Seriously I thought.  I could talk to you for hours.  And then, I thought I could tell you about my Silver Award project – again this could be for hours.  And thanks to the Girl Scout toastmasters club – I really could talk to you for hours.

I am going to try and make it not an hour – but instead tell you why being a Girl Scout in Middle and High School is the best time to be a Girl Scout.  And I should know – I am a 4^th generation Girl Scout/Girl Guide.  You could say I bleed green. 

My older sister and mom have told me since I was a Daisy that the real fun doesn’t start until middle school.  I wasn’t sure I believed them because I was having so much fun as a Daisy, Brownie and Junior.  I got to do special events, parades, commercials, camping, service projects, plant trees, build robots, earn badges, learn to cook and go to camp.  What else could be better than a week a GS camp?

 Traveling! I head about older girl travel opportunities called destinatons.  I already traveled with my family a lot and didn’t really think I needed to participate.  But, my sister went to Ireland, Iceland, Virgin Islands, and Ghana.  My mom went on 6, including Iceland.  Other troop members when to scottland, italy, costa rica.  With such a large troop we always got to hear the stories of what the older girls did. I couldn’t wait until I was old enough. 

 

Last year, the 14 Cadettes in my troop decided that we would start with a trip to Houston and a NASA overnight.  We did it.  As soon as we got in the van to head back to Austin – we started talking about where did we want to go next and when. Our troop planned, earned money thru cookie sales and went to Savannah Georgia this summer.  Now, I had already been there once – but, it was so much fun going with my GS sisters.  For three of them it was their first time away from parents, 2 their first time on a plane and 6 of us their first time to Savannah.  I really think the best part for us was knowing that we earned the money ourselves to get there.  For some of us selling 1000 boxes wasn’t a challenge – however, 5 of our troop worked with their sisters and for the first time sold 1000 boxes 3x the amount previous years. 

 

And next summer, I am working towards the trip to Cyprus, Greece. (So if you need some cookies I can hook you up).  Older girls get to decide where, when and how they do what they do.  As our leaders allow us more decision making opportunities, we start to take ownership of the process.  We are developing into Girls with Courage, Confidence and Character.

I still did Girl Scout  “camp” this summer – it was so cool.  An entire week at IBM with Watson!  Every day we were challenged and we accepted it.  Girl Scouts and STEM go hand and hand as far as I am concerned.  I am part of the homeschool STEM club – this semester we are heading to Outer Space (Rockets, Mars and more), I spent the last 2 years on the council lego robotics team – Galaxy Girls, participated in coder girl programs, Microsoft classes and Samsungs STEM challenge the first year.

 I am sure that all of you are familiar with Girl Scout cookies. I LOVE to sell Girl Scout cookies – it is my business and I take it very seriously for 8-9 weeks.  I work hard so that I can play hard.  When I think back to the PSA I did as a brownie with Lolis “What can a cookie do” – I realize that it does so much more than I ever thought.  It allows our troop to cook dinner for first responders and bake treats on 9/11.   We can participate in International Peace Day, Veterans Day flag ceremonies, community parades, go camping, go to the zoo, visit national parks, earn badges – lots of badges.  And, it gives all 62 of us an opportunity to make new friends.

Because One is Silver and the Others Gold

Silver Award - Junior Ranger Program - Waco Mammoth

National parks

I have always loved the National parks.  When I was 10 years old,  I completed my first Junior Ranger program (that I remember) at Capulin Volcano in New Mexico.  It was on my first cross country road trip.   taking my sister to Wisconsin through Wyoming and South Dakota.  Because those states and national parks are “on the way”.  Two years later I am still doing Junior Ranger programs for my history and science classes as a homeschooler.

What is a Junior Ranger? According to the NPS or National park service a- Junior Ranger program is an activity based program conducted in almost all parks, and some Junior Ranger programs are national. Many national parks offer young visitors the opportunity to join the National Park Service "family" as Junior Rangers. Interested youth complete a series of activities during a park visit, share their answers with a park ranger, and receive an official Junior Ranger patch or badge and Junior Ranger certificate. Junior Ranger programs are my favorite thing to do on any vacation, I even went to four National parks on my trip to Disney World.

Junior Ranger programs can be done even when I am not at the site, because I can send them to the park and they will send me back my badge and certificate.

This year for my Girl Scout Silver Award, I created the Junior Ranger program for the newest Texas National Monument, WACO MAMMOTH NATIONAL MONUMENT.  The Silver Award is the highest award a Cadette Girl Scout can earn.  You earn it by creating a Take Action project with at least 50 hours of time.  By creating the Junior Ranger Program with Waco Mammoth National Monument, I hope to inspire kids to go to more national parks, to earn their Junior Ranger badges, To get outside and to learn more about nature and the National Park service.

There are many ways to protect the parks, and the biggest one is to know the history.  national parks started March 1, 1872 when Yellowstone National Park was founded by congress. New ones were founded but not all of them were treated the same way, because there were no rules at the time, that is when the National Park service was created, On August 25, 1916 (100 years ago), President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the National Park Service, a new federal Department of the Interior responsible for protecting the 35 national parks and monuments then managed by the department and those yet to be established.   Every site has their own history and it is great to learn how they became a part of the NPS system.  We have 16 in the state of Texas.

Waco Mammoth National Monument has tried to become a national park 2 times, once in 2010 once in 2012, but was never completed, to become a national park, seashore, forest or river, you have to go through a long progress of going through congress and the senate house and lots more, to become a national monument the acting president has to sign a form and agree, so on July 10, 2015, President Barack Obama made Waco Mammoth a national monument.

On a spring day in 1978, Paul Barron and Eddie Bufkin embarked on a search for arrowheads and fossils near the Bosque River. To their surprise, the men stumbled upon a large bone. Recognizing the unusual nature of the find, they removed the bone and took it to Baylor University's Strecker Museum for examination. Museum staff said the find was a femur bone from a Columbian mammoth . This now extinct species lived during the southern Ice Age. Between 1978 and 1990, the fossil remains of 16 Columbian mammoths were discovered. Their efforts uncovered a nursery herd that appears to have died together in a single flash flood. Between 1990 and 1997, six additional mammoths were found, including a large male. Crews also uncovered the remains of a Western camel, and the tooth of a juvenile saber-toothed cat, which was found next to an unidentified animal. They kept it private until they decided to make it a public park in 2009.

while working on my junior ranger program  I knew I wanted to promote the Scout Ranger Patch - so that more Girl and Boy Scout troops and families would get out and visit the parks.  These programs have been around - but, not everyone knows about them - even a lot of the parks didn’t know about them.  To earn the patch, complete 10 hours of education activities and/or volunteer service at one or several  national park, monument, historic site, sea shore or river.

I now want to be a Park Ranger when I grow up. Every Wednesday afternoon I visit Waco Mammoth and see what a ranger does when they are at work, they lead tours, sort stuff for the gift shop, teach school groups, and lots more.

Thank you for taking the time to listen, I am Marie Young a senior junior ranger with 48 junior rangers.   

Archery - Before there was a badge

In October, 2014 - 75 girls gathered for an interest meeting about archery.   150 girls participated in their first archery workshop.  In the last 2 months, 5 girls who started with the Girl Scouts of Central Texas archery program have gone to 2 different state championship tournaments.  Less than 15 months after 5 of the 50 Archery Club members joined, they have gone on to qualify and participate in state championship tournaments. 

 

Sydney Zapalac of Texas Star service unit has been with the club since January 2015.  During the Texas Field Archery Association state tournament in February she placed 3^rd in her age division and bow class.  Her interest has grown and she now practices weekly with regular competitions. 

 

 

 

Carolyn Nguyen, Emma Quartaro, Sarah and Marie Young competed in the Texas Archery in the Schools Program tournament.  All 4 girls started with archery thru the Girl Scouts of Central Texas archery club.  They enjoyed it so much they got their parents and Girl Scout coach to lead a school NASP curriculum based team.  The 4 girls competed April 1^st in Belton as part of the Texas National Archery in the Schools Tournament – the four girls qualified based on their individual scores during the qualifying tournament season. 

 

According to club volunteer, Jennifer Yanta, over 20 of the girls have competed in various archery tournaments during the year.  “We hope that more girls will join the club in the fall.”    Elizabeth Nguyen, Junior GS, feels that she is more confident as a result of being involved in the Girl Scout archery club and the opportunities as a result of that program.

 

Over 350 girls have gone thru the archery workshops and over 30 adults have been trained as Level 1 instructors with USAA archery.  This program would not be possible without all the adult volunteers.

38 Girls Scouts walk the Red Carpet

38 Girl Scouts walk the red carpet

By Marie Young, Girl Scouts of Central Texas Media Girl

Kung-Fu-Panda 3 came to Pflugerville early - January 16 the same day in Los Angeles where the cast of Kung-Fu-Panda 3 walked their red carpet at their premiere of the movie. On that day around the US and Canada movie theaters made there own red carpet for special guests to walk. Thanks to Cinemark Tinseltown in Pflugerville for hosting this event and asked Girl Scout troops around the area to be a part of the event complete with popcorn and drinks.

Troop 1587 participated as special guests walking the Red Carpet along with Salvation Army families.  For most of the girls it was their first time walking the red carpet, Ava said “This is my 3rd time on the red carpet, it is so much fun!”.  “Sometimes a little break and some fun in the day is exactly what a family needs.  As a leader we often know what rough times families are going through and can't always do something about it.  Today we could give one of our families a special afternoon after a rough week,” Kate Young, co-leader.  

This movie was great for Girl Scouts all over the US. Michala said, “I think this is a good movie for Girl Scouts because it shows lots of courage and activity in it”.  Those who came to the premiere enjoyed it, especially 4th grader, Ella who said “I would rate this a million stars, it’s awesome and funny!”

I hope everyone gets a chance to watch this movie, Kennedy said “it’s better than 1 and 2 combined!”.  Girls from Kindergarten through middle school said they want to see it again and tell their friends all about it.    

Operation Cookie

Every year - Operation Cookie has been a big part of my cookie season.  My dad said one of the best things about being deployed was getting cookies from home.  It did remind him how much he missed his girls at home.  But, it was like having us with him.

These boxes will be donated to VAs across Central Texas and will be transported for us by a group called Soldier’s Angels http://soldiersangels.org/VA-Support-Program.html

I have aunts and uncles who have been treated at the VAs around Central Texas - I want to make sure that they all understand how much we appreciate their service.
This year I am trying to get 300 boxes for Operation Cookie.  -- you can donate boxes so you don't have to eat them.