Take Action!

There are tons of ways you can make a difference.

Check out the issues below and let us know how you
or your troop can Take Action!

The Big Green Help

The Big Green Help web site features daily green tips; a video upload tool that kids can use to post photos and videos of their own Earth Day efforts; a Big Green Quiz; a glossary of environmentally focused terms, and more. Kids can also play several green-themed mini-games online, including "SpongeBob & Patrick: Dirty Bubble Busters," where kids can help SpongeBob and Patrick try to eliminate dirty bubbles polluting Bikini Bottom's ocean floor. View the archive of the daily green tips. Activities to go green with your family are available at www.nickjr.com

Youth Creating Change

The Pittsburgh Foundation, in partnership with The Grable Foundation, has created a three-part online competition series titled Voices of Youth. The purpose of these competitions is to get local youth more involved in community issues and philanthropy.

Youth Service America

Youth Service America (YSA) improves communities by increasing the number and the diversity of young people, ages 5-25, serving in substantive roles. Founded in 1986, YSA supports a global culture of engaged youth committed to a lifetime of service, learning leadership, and achievement. The impact of YSA’s work through service and service-learning is measured in student achievement, workplace readiness, and healthy communities.

Dr. Helen S. Faison Racial Justice Student Essay Contest

The Dr. Helen S. Faison Racial Justice Student Essay Contest for 2010 is under way. Awardees will be celebrated at a special award ceremony on Wednesday, April 21st.

The annual essay contest supports the mission of the YWCA – eliminating racism – by raising awareness about diversity among young people and acknowledging their search for ways to create racial harmony and equality.

This year, students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades will be asked to respond to the following question: How would you design a media campaign (for example: newspaper/print, tv/film, radio/music, internet or social media site such as Facebook or Twitter) to challenge and eliminate racism? (300 words or less)

For Essay Contest rules and entry form, please click here.
For a Lesson Plan for educators, please click here.

Note: All essays must be received by the YWCA by March 12, 2010.

A panel of judges from the greater Pittsburgh educational community will select three essay finalists in each of the three grades. Successful students will be awarded U.S. Savings Bonds: First Place, $1,500; Second Place, $1,000; and Third Place, $750.

For more information, please call 412.255.1466.

Take a Stand

To see how girls in Girl Scouting in the U.S. and across the globe are speaking up for themselves and taking a stand on key issues, check out Take a Stand, developed by girls worldwide with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

Express Your Concerns About Trash

PA CleanWays is excited to announce its annual Litter Hawk Youth Award Program. The Litter Hawk program gives youth an opportunity to express their concern about littering and illegal dumping, and preventative measures such as recycling, proper disposal, beautification, and stewardship through visual arts, language arts, and community outreach. This program includes two age groups, 10 and under and 11 to 18, and is ideal for organized youth groups, a classroom activity, or an individual project.

Program brochures are available by submitting an online request form on the PA CleanWays website www.pacleanways.org or by contacting the PA CleanWays’ office toll free at 877-772-3673. The deadline to submit applications and projects is Wednesday, March 31, 2010.

Entries will be judged on creativity and the project’s ability to convey the chosen subject. Three winning entries in each age group will receive gift cards to a bookstore in the amount of $75 (10 and under) and $100 (11-18). Awards will be announced during Earth Month (April). The Litter Hawk Youth Award Program is not open to PA CleanWays employees or the immediate relatives of PA CleanWays employees. Only one entry per youth allowed.

PA Cleanways - $1,000 Sue Wiseman Scholarship

PA CleanWays is now accepting applications for the Sue Wiseman Scholarship, an annual $1,000 scholarship that recognizes youth who have demonstrated leadership and shown exceptional commitment and dedication to reducing litter and illegal dumping in their community.

The Sue Wiseman Scholarship is open to Pennsylvania youth, ages 16-21, who have initiated and carried out a personal project that addresses littering, illegal dumping, recycling, proper disposal, beautification of an area to deter illegal dumping, or public education that addresses one of the other listed topics.

Applications and project requirements are due May 1, 2010. Application forms are available electronically at www.pacleanways.org or by calling the PA CleanWays office at 877-772-3673.

The scholarship is named for Sue Wiseman, whose own commitment and dedication to a cleaner environment led to the founding of PA CleanWays, a statewide nonprofit organization empowering people to eliminate illegal dumping and littering in Pennsylvania. Since 1990, PA CleanWays has facilitated over 1,000 illegal dump cleanups resulting in the removal of over 11,635 tons of trash, 2,224 tons of scrap metal and 401,490 tires statewide. PA CleanWays community-based approach has involved more than 50,600 volunteers.

Katey’s Caring Companions - A Girl Scout Gold Award Project

Recipe donations are needed for a Cancer Awareness Cookbook. Accepting all recipes, from desserts, dinners, lunches, and fun kid snacks. Credit can be given to donors or even can be in Memory or Honor of. Also needed: Words of wisdom would also be appreciated about dealing and coping with cancer to fill in space on pages.

Both recipes and words of wisdom will be accepted from anyone who is or has been affected by cancer or even knows someone who has. All recipes will be accepted until March 31, 2010

Recipes can be mailed to: P.O. Box 415, Cadogan, PA 16212 or email, kateyscaringcompanions@yahoo.com

For more information, please contact Kaitlyn Howard, Girl Scout Troop #20006 at 724-763-8116.

Participate in a Naturalization Ceremony

A great way to celebrate your privileges and duties as U.S. Citizen is to participate in a Naturalization Ceremony. Naturalization Ceremonies are held at the US District Court downtown Pittsburgh on the third Friday of every month. Girl Scout Troops are asked to participate in these ceremonies, which start at 9:45 a.m. and conclude at 11 a.m. As part of the ceremony, Girl Scouts have the opportunity to present the colors, lead the Pledge of Allegiance to a group of new United States citizens and retire the colors. To participate in a Naturalization Ceremony, please contact Jessica Malewski.

Become a Force for Change

Join the Power of Girls, a new initiative to engage and mobilize girls like YOU in the United States about critical issues affecting girls around the world, with a special focus on education and leadership.

By International Women's Day 2011, our goal is to have 50,000 girls pledge to learn about issues facing girls around the world, including the importance of girls' education, and to share what they learn with their friends.

Spread the Bread

Spread the Bread is a community bread-giving campaign to help youth get into the spirit of giving and to spread goodwill to heroes and to those in need. It was conceived as a simple yet effective opportunity for people to nurture children's innate generosity and promote appreciation of and concern for others as a necessary part of community life. The campaign teaches children that they can make a difference, regardless of their age. It also gives a message to those who inspire us and those in need of support that they are not forgotten. For both bakers and recipients, "bread-spreading" promotes respect for the importance and dignity of each member of society.

Girls can pick and choose activities to learn all about bread and then make some to share with others as a heartfelt gesture of giving.

Go to http://spreadthebread.org/getstarted.html and download a FREE Starter Kit today! Patch order forms are also included in the Starter Kit. There is also a Spread the Biscuits patch program for making treats for service animals and a Breadhugger patch program about bringing energy and resources saving ideas to baking. For even more fun...click on the traveling apron to learn how your group can host a Sisterhood of the Traveling Apron day event. Patches can be purchased after completing our powerful bread service-learning projects.

Spring STEM Conference:

To all who have a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics. If you would like to be involved in presenting or volunteering for a Spring STEM conference that will serve 400-600 Middle and High School age girls at Gateway High School on May 15, 2010, please contact Heather Keefe or call 1-800-248-3355, ext. 1705.

Forever Green

So that we can create NEW programs for girls of all ages that focus on the environment, tell us about an organization, business or provider who would collaborate with Girl Scouts to provide workshops, activities, tours or events around environmental issues like waste management, air quality, water conservation, energy or greenspace.

Flight 93 Memorial

On September 24, 2002, the Flight 93 National Memorial Act was signed by President George W. Bush, creating the memorial as a unit of the National Park Service. The purpose of the memorial is to honor the passengers and crew of Flight 93 and their courageous efforts to thwart an attack on our nation’s capital on September 11, 2001.

While a permanent memorial is in development, there are opportunities to visit the site and show signs of expression and respect.

  • Groups that want to schedule a visit to the site to place large tributes at the memorial or hold programs or ceremonies are asked to contact the National Park Service at 814-443-4557. Permits for special events or ceremonies may be required in advance.
  • The Temporary Memorial is located on private property. Please respect the owner’s rights by not trespassing beyond the gravel and paved parking areas.
  • The crash site itself is accessible only to family members of those killed on Flight 93.
  • The following policies exist for the site: (1) no solicitation, concessions, brochures, signs or advertisements are permitted; (2) overnight parking or loitering at the site are prohibited; (3) planting of trees, flowers or shrubs are not allowed; and (4) no structures are to be installed at the site.
  • The Flight 93 Temporary Memorial is a place for quiet reflection and expressions of respect. Help maintain the dignity of the site by not smoking or bringing pets, food or drink into the memorial area.
  • Visitors may write their thoughts or simply record their visit in bound books or on comment cards provided at the temporary memorial. Please do not write on memorial tributes left by others.

For more information, visit www.nps.gov/flni.

Organize a Shoe Drive

Often times, kids just grow out of their sports shoes and these can be donated to second-hand service centers for resale. When shoes are more well-worn, rather than throw them away, individuals or groups can get involved in the Nike ReUSE A SHOE program by collecting a maximum of 200 used sports shoes to be recycled into play surfaces.

Girls Helping Girls

Girls Helping Girls": is a youth-led international nonprofit organization that partners girls in the United States with girls in schools and community organizations in developing countries to jointly identify problems in their communities and develop social change through micro lending projects to address those issues.

Historic Preservation

In the effort to connect place and story for students, historic preservationists are an essential link in connecting the benefits of historic preservation to communities and the nation, and providing learning opportunities in the process. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) believes the best initial strategy for creating that link is for historic preservation organizations to reach out to their local schools and school districts. By building direct relationships with schools and enlisting the help of students, teachers, and administrators in efforts to meet existing preservation needs, all involved will benefit. One great way to do this through service-learning. Learn more, find examples, and download planning resources for historic preservation service-learning projects at: www.servicelearning.org.

Heifer International

Heifer International, a non-profit organization established in 1944, helps Americans consider global solutions to poverty and hunger through educational programming at its learning centers in the U.S. Read more about these learning and service opportunities at: www.heifered.org.

Women's Sport Foundation “GoGirlGo!”

Women's Sport Foundation “GoGirlGo!” is a program to inspire girls to be physically active. Project ideas, program details and team scholarship information are available at: www.GoGirlWorld.org/Ambassador

Linking Girls to the Land

Linking Girls to the Land (LGTTL) is a partnership between Girl Scouts of the USA's Elliott Wildlife Values Project and federal natural resource agencies, initiatives and partnering organizations. LGTTL builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. As part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, over 35,000 girls each year work collaboratively with federal natural resource agencies to develop leadership skills through girl-led, learning by doing, and cooperative learning activities that help them:

  • Discover a strong sense of self, positive values, and an understanding of their important role in caring for the environment and our Earth's natural resources
  • Connect with nature, the outdoors and their local and global communities
  • Take Action to identify community and environmental needs, positively impact the environment and educate and inspire others to act as stewards of our Earth

Girl Scout Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors are eligible to wear the Get with the Land Patch and receive an official certificate from the Girl Scouts of the USA LGTTL national committee when they complete the patch criteria. The patch order form, certificate and more information about LGTTL are available through the LGTTL Web site and www.girlscouts.org.

Help the Butterfly Children

Fallyn, a first-grader from Hempfield, PA, loves playing with her sisters, attending Girl Scout events, and trouncing her dad on Nintendo Wii. No matter what the activity, though, she must be extremely careful - even the slightest touch can cause painful blistering and break her delicate skin.

Fallyn was born with a rare and painful genetic disorder known as recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). She, and children like her, are know as "butterfly children" because their skin (both inside and out) is as fragile as the wings of a butterfly. Fallyn's skin is so fragile that the simple act of walking frequently causes blisters on the soles of her feet; the seams of her clothes can rub her skin raw - even the soft fabric of her pajamas will cause wounds that take days, weeks, or even months to heal. She often wakes up with the neckline of her PJs stuck to the wounds on her neck it created.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital, Fairview have been working on a potential cure for this previously incurable disease.

One of the ways that sister Girl Scouts can help Fallyn and other children like her is to get signatures of support for the Wound Care Bill in Congress. http://www.ebanusa.org/petition.htm Distributing information for sample letters and online signatures is needed to mandate insurance companies to provide coverage on all bandage and wound-related products needed by those who suffer from Epidermolysis Bullosa like Fallyn.

While troops cannot fund raise for other organizations, Girl Scouts can assist at events that benefit causes in their community by stuffing packets, working at registration tables, conducting flag ceremonies, serving refreshments, creating signs or acting as greeters.

One Warm Coat

One Warm Coat, a national effort meeting local needs. www.onewarmcoat.org helps you to organize a drive, donate a coat and find an agency to work with.

The Catalyst Channel

How have you made the world a better place? What are you plans for future action? Check out The Catalyst Channel, a new Girl Scout video feature that introduces you to eight young women who share their personal stories about how they are making a difference in their communities. There are six sections featuring these girls discussing different topics, a Gold Award section and downloadable tips from them, ranging from environmental stewardship to resume and interview tips, to how to be a successful mentor. After each girl speaks, there is a "Respond" question for you to chat with your friends about what you've heard and a "Reflect" question for you to think and talk about your personal connection to these or similar topics. Click here for a facilitator guide for Ambassadors.

WAGGGS Video Online

Hear what girls around the world have to say about their Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting experiences in this brief video that introduces girls to WAGGGS. The video is available in English, Spanish and French.

The Butterfly Project

1.5 million innocent children perished in the Holocaust. In an effort to remember them, Holocaust Museum Houston is collecting 1.5 million handmade butterflies.

The butterflies will eventually comprise a breath-taking exhibition, currently scheduled for spring 2012, for all to remember. As of summer 2008, they have already collected an estimated 400,000 butterflies. To take action, visit their Web site at www.hmh.org

Invitation to Take the Lead

In the history of the United States, approximately 12,000 men have been elected to the United States Congress, while only 225 women have been elected. At this rate, we will achieve equal male/female representation in 500 years. What can you do to gain knowledge or leadership skills needed for public office? Send us your ideas at editor@gswpa.org.

To learn more, visit the White House Project.

Are you interested in:

  • Reducing women’s poverty and exclusion
  • Ending violence against women
  • Reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS among girls and women
  • Supporting women’s leadership in governance and post-conflict reconstruction

    Learn more about these issues through UNIFEM, the women’s fund at the United Nations; then share your idea for a Take Action project with us – editor@gswpa.org.

Health of Women and Girls in Rural Areas

According to data from the Pennsylvania Office on Rural Health, rural areas have fewer primary care physicians than urban areas. There are nearly 16,838 primary care physicians in the state, but only 12% of these practice in rural areas. This may prevent rural women and girls from receiving adequate counsel on nutrition and may reduce the focus on preventative care. What can you do to make a difference?

Osteoporosis Prevention

One health threat for women is osteoporosis. On average, women acquire 98% of their skeletal mass by age 20, and since bone mass declines with age it’s important for young women to reach their peak so that they can maintain stronger bones for life. Eating three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy each day, becoming active and participating in cardiovascular and weight-bearing exercise can promote bone density. How can Girl Scouts in your troop or group take the lead on this?

Women’s Voices

Nationally, single women are a growing demographic who are not turning out to vote, including 5 million who were registered but did not vote in 2004, and over 18 million who are not registered currently but are eligible (according to Women Voices, Women Vote, State of Unmarried America, 2007). Considering that women make up 60% of all minimum wage workers and single mothers representing 76% of the public housing populations whose lives are greatly affected by government policies and programs – how can you encourage more women to register to vote by the October 6th deadline and have their votes count on November 4, 2008?

The Dangers of Plastic Bags

They seem harmless, right? Check this out and let us know what you think.

  • Take The Catalog Canceling Challenge (64.91 KB)
    Want to save trees, water, energy, and our climate? GSUSA invites Girl Scouts to take action with The Catalog Canceling Challenge and cancel as many unwanted catalogs as they can in thirty days.

ProWebsite provided by newline Creations