This weekend I spent some time at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.  And, I wasn’t there to see closing weekend of Body Worlds 3!  I was there to visit with Girl Scout troops and the Girl Planning Board for Girls Exploring Math and Science (GEMS).

Friday night the girls spent the evening setting up their booths, touring exhibits, and finishing the evening watching Invaders of Mars in the Planetarium before lights out in the Hall of the Americas.  I can’t imagine sleeping amidst the artifacts.  Just wondering through at 10 pm felt very “Night at the Museum”, but I didn’t catch a glimpse of Ben Stiller.

This morning I heard about magnetic forces, incline planes, pulleys, prisms, medieval catapults and their propulsion mechanisms, probabilities, gravity and optical illusions from various presenting Girl Scouts – and they all did a great job! 

Regan, an enthusiastic future crime scene investigator (or maybe actress, or paleotologist, or fashion designer), taught me about fingerprinting.  In case you’re wondering, I’m an arch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerprint#Classifying_fingerprints). 

And troop 4644 had me seeing double (literally) with their demonstrations and explanations of optical illusions.  Can you do this without doing a double take?

There were lots of troops visiting the museum to try the experiments our GEMS booth hosts offered.  And the booth hosts got to share their expertise with general museum visitors as well.  It was also great to see the Girl Scout Astronomy Club and Mariners there showing everyone their area of passion in girl scouting.

Thanks to the GPB, HMNS staff, Rosie, Jo and Julie for putting on such a meaningful event again this year.  What a great, day (and night) at the museum!

           Before I go any further, let me start by sending a big thank you to our GSSJC board member, Kathy Tamer, and the employees of United Space Alliance.  Because of the support of USA volunteers, Saturday’s mega drop had virtually zero waiting.  I just wish the rain had held off a little longer for those later troops picking up (and the volunteers working in the downpour).  

           This week I picked better when I signed up for duty and went with counting instead of loading (haha!).  You’d think that’s easy, but I challenge you to try not losing count as case after case goes by.  That’s why there are several counters – Graebel counts, and girl scout volunteers at each stop count twice to do our best to ensure the right number of cases go to each troop.

            Talking with troops driving through and volunteers helping with the delivery, I heard about troops raising money for service projects, camping, and even bigger graduation trips.  I heard about Senior and Ambassador troops that have been together since Daisies, and others who are younger and just beginning their Girl Scout journey.  There were experienced volunteers from large troops showing up with U-hauls and trailers ready to fill with 57 cases of one variety and 22 of another.  They brought their own walkers, counters and loaders to help along the way.  There were newer troop leaders who drove through the “assembly line” wide-eyed and unbelieving at the scale and efficiency of the operation and all the volunteers it takes to pull it off.

This week, cupboards open, booths begin, and we swing into the second phase of the cookie sale.  Over 12,500 cookie booths have been booked and girls have been practicing their “sales pitch”.  One volunteer was sharing with me about rehearsing at their next troop meeting to be ready for their booth.  I hope you and your troop will be participating in the booth sale.  Personally, I plan to make more trips than normal to stores all over the city in the next few weeks.  And, if you see me – I’ll never say “no” to a Girl Scout asking me to buy a box of cookies.   See you at a booth nearby!

            Over the last week or so, I’ve been going from one Regional Meeting to the next.  I hated to miss Lake Jackson, but I was able to make the other four meetings.

            I was pleased to see some familiar faces and meet some members that I haven’t met before.  In The Woodlands, a few of the other National Council Session delegates joined us and it was good to see them again.  Thanks to Stacy, our Fall Product Sale high seller and girl delegate, for coming to meeting in The Woodlands.  Having participation from older girls added great perspective and the grounding that everything we do is aimed at delivering the best program for girls.

            Then in Beaumont, I was so glad to meet Ambassador Troop #6308.  They shared with us their perspective on the Journey books and how it’s right on target for where they are.  Each session of the Journey is led by a different girl in their troop, so everyone gets the opportunity to lead if they choose.  They also shared with us an exciting new project they are working on with two other troops from across the Council as well as a troop from Las Guisas in Mexico.  Sounds like they’ll be doing a lot more than just thinking of sister Girl Scouts on Thinking Day.

            At each meeting, we got feedback on the Journeys and how they are being used in the field.  We also had some great suggestions and observations that we will share with GSUSA for consideration as they develop Journey #3 (the second Journey – It’s Your Planet, Love It! – is being finalized for print this summer).  We heard various ideas of how troops of all ages have been able to incorporate the Journeys in with their other program.  And, there are some troops, usually trying to finish bronze or silver awards, that weren’t able to work the Journey in to their program just yet. 

That’s all great news.  In the end, it means the girls are involved in planning and leading their troops, and tailoring the program for their needs.  And, for the most of our levels, when they use the Journeys, they are enjoying the ride.  So, I hope you’ll take the chance to try them out too.

For me, personally, it was also encouraging to see older girl members demonstrating leadership by attending the Regional Meetings and speaking to their personal experiences with the Journeys. Thank you girls for joining us!