Troop 451 from Greendale Elementary participated in Keep America Beautiful’s “Great American Cleanup” and was awarded patches and a certificate for being the troop with the most volunteers for cleanup.The girls collected trash at Sugar Hollow, a local park in Bristol, Virginia.
Girl Scout Stories
Girl Scout Adventure at Panther Creek State Park
Submitted by Cheryl-Ann Paul, troop leader
On Friday, July 27, 2012, our troop went to Panther Creek State Park and followed a program set up for Girl Scouts there. (It was advertised in the email news letter from the council.)
What a great day we had! The staff are wonderful. Having our own ranger at all times, we all walked in Panther Stream and learned a lot of very useful information about aquatic life. It was so welcoming during this hot summer to be walking in a cool, shady stream.
After a snack, we all congregated at the edge of the Cherokee Reservoir and went canoeing. Once again, the ranger was so very watchful and attentive and gave my girls so much useful information. Then, he paddled them out and had a ‘jolly good ole’ time.
While Wilfred is not always available, he made an unusual appearance for my girls. What excitement this generated! Wilfred is a corn snake and he certainly did put a highlight to a most fantastic day. Troop 20959 takes their caps off to ‘Ranger Jason’ whom was kind, understanding, and patient at all times with my girls. He is a “Ranger Extraordinaire.”
Council Note: To schedule your Panther Creek Adventure, phone the park at (423) 587-7046 and ask for Ranger Jason Chadwell.
Posted in Girl Scout Stories, PR Stars
Local Troop Joins the Great Girl Scout Hike
Girl Scout Troop 20628, Daisies through Juniors, participated in the Great Girl Scout Hike on May 20, 2012. Everyone had a fantastic time visiting Clingman’s Dome and hiking the part of the Tennessee section of the Appalachian Trail. Girls had lots of fun at Clingman’s Dome with one foot in North Carolina and one foot in Tennessee.
Posted in Girl Scout Stories, PR Stars
PR Stars: Troops Recommend Special Programming at the Knoxville Zoo
Submitted by Nancy Reddy
Secretary, Troop 20961
On November 19, 2011, Jason Moeller, education specialist at the Knoxville Zoo, enlisted the help of the zoo’s greenhouse director and the veterinary assistant in the zoo’s infirmary to present a 4 hour program specially designed for Cadette Girl Scout Troops 20961 and 20577 to earn the Oregon Zoo Interest Project Patch (a council’s own IPP from Oregon) and the World in our Hands Patch from our local Girl Scout council.
In addition to tours of the greenhouse and infirmary, Cadettes and adults learned about many zoo animals, including the impact man has on their environment and survival. Scouts also had encounters with four of the zoo’s teaching animals. Girl Scouts “gave back” to the zoo by completing a service project creating enrichment toys for the zoo’s birds.
Troop 20961 was represented by 16 girls, two leaders and two adult volunteers. Troop 20577 had four girls and two leaders present.
We would highly recommend for other troops to explore developing their individualized programs with the Knoxville Zoo, as well as participation in the programs the zoo has for Girl Scouts.
Girls and leaders attending the special zoo event
Girl Scouts prepare to enter the zoo's greenhouse
Girl Scouts play the species survival game
Girl Scouts see where sick animals are treated
Girl Scouts in the animal infirmary
Girl Scouts make special toys for birds
Completed bird toy - featuring Erin Victorson
An expert brings out the a boa constrictor
The boa constrictor gets close!
Posted in Girl Scout Stories, Media Releases, PR Stars
PR Stars: Troop Works with TN Izaak Walton League
Submitted by Troop Leader Nancy Watson
Ambassador Girl Scout Troop 20130 members Aimen Ali, Julia Dmowska, Katherine Sumarriva, and Alyssa Watson have worked with the Tennesee Izaak Walton League (TN IWL) to offer a new, free, year-long series of nature programs for the public. Troop member Emma Barnes worked in the initial planning stages and occasionally assisted with an event, but had school-year time constraints.
The girls had worked with TN IWL several years ago to make signs, benches, and educational displays for the Turkey Creek Wetland Park Natural Area. Mark Campen, executive director, contacted them last spring to see if they were interested in internships to help develop a new outdoor education program.
Just after school was out in 2010, the girls enthusiastically began to dream up a series of outdoor programs. They decided they would plan, publish, and assist with the events, and the Tennessee Izaak Walton League naturalists would provide the expertise for the main program. Since the series of programs was new for the TN IWL, the whole format, subject matter, methods of publicizing, and every other detail had to be decided.
Their first event with four naturalists leading short programs was in August 2010 and everyone arrived at the park in a light rain. Many of the girls’ teen friends had turned out to help with the event, but only five other people came out in the drizzle to attend. The decision was made to proceed with the stream sampling and nature walks despite the weather. At the end of the event, many of the volunteers commented on how much fun the stream sampling was, and the girls wanted to plan another stream event and hope for better weather.
The second stream program was in early October 2010, and this time the day was beautiful with an excellent turnout. TN IWL’s Nelson Ross began the program with a survey of macro invertebrates to catch everyone’s interest and educate them on the basics of stream ecology. Knox County storm water professional Parci Gibson concluded with a talk about how we can keep our streams clean.
In addition, they’ve offered a program about seeds and a program about planting for wildlife program in Turkey Creek Wetland, a series of three seasonal nature walks at TVA’s Hickory Bend Land, an early spring nature walk at William Hastie Natural Area, a tree-planting program at Episcopal School of Knoxville, and a program to build bluebird houses.
Mark Campen, says of the program, “We are always excited and grateful to have volunteers from schools, Scouts, churches and any other civic groups that want to help us carry out part of mission, which is to provide conservation education opportunities to the public.” Alyssa Watson, teen volunteer, says “I feel like we are doing something important when we teach adults and kids about the environment.”
In addition to the TN IWL programs, the girls have taken what they have learned on this project and presented nature games and educational crafts at West Knox Service Unit encampment and Second Saturday at The Cove.
Posted in Girl Scout Stories, PR Stars
PR Stars: Girl Scouts Build Bluebird Houses
Girl Scout Cadette Troop 20384 with leaders Elisha Perez and Carla Gunderson worked with the Lions Club to build and mount bluebird houses for a Loudon City Park.
LionGerry Knepp assisted the girls in his Tellico Village workshop as they built the bluebird houses. He showed them how to use the tools and explained that by using cedar the houses would last longer.
”This was a great experience in collaboration between several community minded organizations, and it benefited the environment!” Said Gail Yook, the region’s service unit manager for troops. “The Parks and Recreation Department was very appreciative. The girls learned facts about bluebirds, they experienced using woodworking tools, and they completed a community service project.”
Posted in Girl Scout Stories, PR Stars
PR Stars: Living History
Greene County Girl Scouts gathered at the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site in Greeneville to celebrate National Park Week and the park service’s Junior Ranger Day on Saturday, April 23. The girls earned their Junior Ranger Patch (offered one day per year) and their age level Walk With a President Badge. (This Girl Scout badge was developed by Troop 214 in association with the National Park Service.)
Girls from Troop 214 hosted the event in Victorian-era clothing. Activities included a tour of the park sites, learning about life in the 1860s, a sewing project, games and songs from the time period, learning about park service careers, and more.
The Girls attending also received five hours of credit toward the National Park Service Girl Scout Resource Patch, which requires 10 total hours in a national park.
Posted in Girl Scout Stories, PR Stars
