Archive for the ‘STEM’ Category

Upcoming STEM activities

Thursday, April 7th, 2011

April’s Super Tech Sunday Theme: Build It!

Inspired by Design Squad Nation’s newly released national contest Big Build

Location: Hacienda Program Center

3101 N. Sabino Canyon Rd.

Date: April 17

For: All ages

Fee: $10 for Daisies and Brownies, $15 for Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors

Questions? Contact Michelle at mhiggins@sahuarogsc.org

Kavli Science Video Competition

Announcing: Kavli “Save the World Through Science & Engineering” Video Contest

The Kavli Foundation is challenging Grades 6-12 students to brainstorm and share their ideas for saving our world through science and engineering. We are asking students to use their imaginations and investigative skills to tackle global challenges, explore new frontiers, and to discover and discuss the inventions that will help mankind and improve life on our planet.

Students worldwide are invited to submit entries to the 2012 video contest, with cash awards and prizes for the top entries. The best videos will be shown at the Festival Expo during April 27-29, 2012, where hundreds of thousands of science fans are expected to gather in Washington, D.C. The first place winner will also receive a travel stipend to attend the Expo. The contest will open Oct 1, 2011 and close Mar. 2012. To learn more, visit their website.

For additional questions, please contact: Stacy Jannis, jannisprods@earthlink.net

Laser Fun Day

http://www.optics.arizona.edu/laserfunday/.

We are trying to get a few older girls to facilitate some hands-on activities in the afternoon. Interested? Contact Michelle!

Ferret Rescue

Do you love animals? Are you looking for a Take Action project? Southern Arizona needs a Ferret Rescue to be set up. Interested? Contact Michelle at mhiggins@sahuarogsc.org or 520-319-3155. I have a mentor waiting to work with you!

Girl Scout Week in Review

Monday, April 4th, 2011

by Super Kristi

Hey Hey Hey! What an incredible week here in Southern Arizona! Did you take part in any Girl Scouty goodness this week? We did, and hopefully you did too!

On March 27th, the Catholic Committee on Scouting recognized Girl Scouts with Religious Awards. Dr. Virgina Robillard was presented with the Saint Anne Award. The Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Award was presented to Kathleen N (Troop 646) and Carla R (Troop 1022). Marie R (Troop 646) was presented with the Spread the Spirit Medal. The Marian Medal was presented to Brianna R (Troop 1022), Danielle R (Troop 1022) and Siobhan Frankiewicz (Troop 1073). The Family of God Medal was presented to Rhiannon M, Karla M, Solil C, Layla L, Heidi L, Brenna D, Ciela P, Stephanie S, Lily G, and Jillian S all from Troop 1217. The I Live My Faith Medal was presented to Kelly D (Troop 1217), Mikayla S (Troop 1217), Mireya E (Troop 1217), Jenna S (Troop 1217), McKenzie C (Troop 1217), Annie O (Troop 1212), Catherine S (Troop 1212) and Noelle S (Troop 1212). Congratulations to all of you!

On Friday, Kim met with a group of Cadettes for Fashion Remix. They spent their time learning about fashion and how to transform old clothes into something new and cool! How fun is that? Want to get in on the action? Join Ellen for Fashion Rewind on April 6th from 5-7 at the Resource Center!

Also on Friday, we had some staff changes happen at the office! Congratulations to Niki Hoffman, our new Customer Experience Manager; Karyn Synnestvedt, our new Retail Manager; and Kristi Pallack, our new Mission to Market Coordinator!

Saturday was a BIG day in Girl Scout land! In Yuma, Juniors got to enjoy a two hour horseback riding lesson at the Rocking Horse Farm! They learned to groom their horse, take care of their tack and then got to learn how to ride. Thanks Jonica for organizing such an awesome event!

If you were in Tucson on Saturday, you must have been busy! We had three amazing events for you to choose from! We started the day off at 10am at the Resource Center with Eatza Pizza where 40 Daisies and Brownies gathered to learn about what makes a pizza a pizza! They planted herb gardens to use on their own pizzas at home and built solar ovens to cook pizzas for a pizza party!

Also at 10am, we kicked off our 2nd Annual GreenFest- Presented by Bookmans at the Tucson Village Farm! Over 1,000 Southern Arizonans came out for this FREE, family event showcasing over 40 local, sustainable organizations. We had a farmer’s market, a green living exhibit, a recycled art show, live music on the solar powered stage and even an electric car show! We had over 30 Girl Scouts show up to volunteer at the event and even more bring their families to walk around. We made worm bins, challenged you with a recycle relay and had a solar robot demonstration! If you’d like to get involved with GreenFest 2012, become a fan of GreenFest Tucson on Facebook to keep up with the latest news and planning for next year!

On Saturday afternoon, the Flandrau Science Center hosted Brownies and Juniors for an afternoon of Insect Discovery! Girls learned about insects, why we need them and how they aren’t as gross as you may think! Insect Discovery is happening every Saturday in April so if you want to get in on the bug fun- contact Michelle for more info!

Well, that’s it for this week! Make sure you consult our Program Calendar for what’s coming up this week!

Do you want to cover Girl Scout events and write about them for the GS Blog Squad? It’s fun! If you don’t want to write about them, you can make a movie, record a podcast or even draw a picture! Sounds exciting, right? Let your voice be heard! Contact Kristi Pallack for info on how to get started as part of the Blog Squad!

Explore Cyclovia Tucson

Wednesday, March 9th, 2011

Hi Ladies! Looking for a fun event that blends being outdoors, fashion, hanging out with friends, meeting new people, and doing something awesome for the Tucson community?? Come participate in the GS Booth at Cyclovia, on March 27 from 9:30-3:30! Cyclovia is a big celebration of open, car-free streets that anyone can come to, whether your walking, running, on a bike, on skates, pushing a stroller, anything! This year, the Girl Scouts will be womaning the “Fur and Flower Your Bike Booth,” decorating passerbyers’ bikes with whacky fur and crazy flowers. If you want to come join us and put your mad creative skills into action decorating bikes, contact Ariane at 520.319.3144 or amohrfelsen@sahuarogsc.org. Don’t forget to bring your family and your bikes and explore Cyclovia after you’re done helping out–there will be obstacle courses, food vendors, a jumping castle, a rock climbing wall, live music and dancing, and free helmet give-aways, just to mention a few of the other activities! Please contact Ariane by March 21st to reserve your space as a bike decorator!

For more information about Cyclovia, check out their website or find them on Facebook.

Who’s the GREENEST of them all?

Friday, March 4th, 2011

Kristen Culliney, our Director of Mission to Market, is! To honor all her hard work and her devotion to not only leading a healthier life, but teaching girls how to lead healthier lives- we’ve nominated her for Mrs. Green’s “Who’s the GREENEST of them all?” Contest honoring the bestest and greenest in our community! Here’s what Super Kristi had to say about Kristen:

“Kristen is surely the Greenest of them all, both at work and in her personal life! At work, Kristen organizes and supports outdoor and environmental programming- teaching girls to respect and love nature, garden and even raise chickens as part of an urban agriculture series. She promotes recycling and composting around the workplace and even bikes to work! She coined the phrase “No Girl Left Inside” and supports curriculum that enables girls to become environmental stewards while going on the adventure of a lifetime. At home, she has sworn off television in order to develop healthy relationships, raise chickens with her family and spend more time in the outdoors running, biking and hiking with her kids. She is one of the lead organizers of GreenFest Tucson and is an advocate for shopping, eating and playing local. Kristen is a believer in reducing, reusing and recycling and lives her beliefs everyday. There’s no green-washing this lady! She’s totally green!!” Click here to vote for Kristen as the GREENEST of them all!

Visit Mrs. Green’s Website to vote for Kristen or nominate someone who you may think is the Greenest of them all! Are there any Green Girls out there who deserve some recognition? I bet there are!!

Winter Family Astronomy Event: Globe at Night Kick-off

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

Featuring our friends from the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO)

For: All Girl Scout Families

When: Sunday, March 6, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Where: Hacienda Program Center

3101 N. Sabino Canyon Rd.

Fee: $2.00 per person

Compliments It’s Your Planet-Love It! Journey

To register, visit our website at http://www.sahuarogsc.org/ and select Register Online. You will be directed to a downloadable registration form.

Questions? Contact Michelle at mhiggins@sahuarogsc.org or 520-319-3155

Check out http://www.darkskiesawareness.org/DarkSkiesRangers/ for the evenings activities.

“Everyone is a citizen of the world. At some level we should all be its stewards with accountability toward preserving its environment. One component of that is the preservation of dark skies or the prevention of light pollution. The preservation of dark skies is important for many reasons including astronomy, energy conservation, cost, wildlife and even human health. Through the Dark Skies Ranger Program, students learn about the importance of dark skies and experience activities that illustrate proper lighting, light pollution’s effects on wildlife and how to measure the darkness of your skies. A highlight of the program is the citizen science project, GLOBE at Night, which enlists the help of students to collect data on the night sky conditions in their community and contribute to a worldwide database on light pollution.”

–Dark Skies Rangers Program

STEM Youth Speakers

Monday, February 21st, 2011

Hey y’all,

Sangeetha here! Today was an eventful day here at the National Girls Scout Office. I met several girls from lots of different countries and they all have special and personal stories to share about women in their community. Particularly, I met a girl from Cameroon and one from Indonesia. We are in a group together to discuss our personal experiences and thoughts about women’s opportunities in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It was very inspiring to hear their stories and to hear about the issues women face in their community every day. My friend ,Fabiola, from Cameroon talked about how the girls in the schools don’t get equal access to technology, specifically computers.

Imagine being in a class of 43 students with 15 girls and 28 boys. There are about 12 computers total and only 6 of those work. Out of the 6 computers only 3 computers have internet. Try to imagine ten students sharing one computer and not every one in the group of ten get a chance. In an uncomfortable situation like this, the women in the class don’t get any access to the computer.

Fabiola recalls an incident when she was using the computer and a male classmate walks up to her demanding her to get off the seat. He told her, “Why are you holding the computer mouse when you are supposed to be holding a baby’s napkin?”

This story made me reflect on the fact that the issues she faces in Cameroon is multiplied in severity compared to the issues faced by girls in the United States. On one hand, I am thankful for the resources and opportunities women are given at the United States, but on the other hand, I want to make a difference in the world to improve the lives of girls and women. Women must be strong and not give up their rights to their STEM education, simply because they are told it’s not their place.

Do you want to be a part of the GS Blog Squad and get published? Contact Super Kristi!

Unlock your power as a cyclist through the science of movement!

Sunday, February 6th, 2011

NASA-sponsored Astronomy Camp for Girl Scout Trainers

Thursday, January 20th, 2011
We are recruiting Girl Scout trainers for our next Astronomy Camp for Girl Scout leaders on April 8-10, 2011. Held in Tucson at the Hacienda Center of the Sahuaro Council, this weekend workshop is a science education program sponsored by the James Webb Space Telescope which is NASA’s next large space telescope. We seek to develop a long-term relationship with all GSUSA Councils that will directly benefit your troops not only in general STEM-education but also in the astronomical and technology concepts relating to our infrared camera (NIRCam) for JWST.
Since 2003, we have trained and equipped 170 adult leaders from many GSUSA Councils so they can teach young women essential concepts in astronomy, the night sky environment, applied math, engineering, and critical thinking. We model what astronomers do by engaging people in the process of scientific inquiry, and we equip leaders to host astronomy-related activities at the troop level. The Camp staff consists of astronomers at different levels (undergrad, grad student, postdoc, faculty) as well as local GSUSA leaders from our partners at Tucson’s Sahuaro Council (http://www.sahuarogsc.org/index.html). This unique opportunity is an offshoot of the more general Astronomy Camp program operating since 1988 (http://www.astronomycamp.org).
Training includes topics in basic astronomy (night sky, phases of the Moon, the scale of the Solar System and beyond, stars, galaxies, telescopes, etc.) as well as in “cosmology”, i.e., the study of the origin of the Universe itself to pave the way for girls and women to understand the first images from JWST. This telescope will record images of the first stars and galaxies that formed in our Universe. We expect to develop a long-term relationship that would lead to your troops’ receiving some of the first images from JWST, perhaps even before they are generally available. We expect that you will become a leader in your Council and will help train other leaders and students in the use of the
materials and information we provide.
The Camp will be held at the Sahuaro Council’s Hacienda Center on the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona. All major expenses (transportation, lodging) will be paid by our JWST/NIRCam team. If you are interested in participating in the next Camp (April 8-10), please email Dr. McCarthy (dmccarthy@as.arizona.edu) as soon as possible for follow-up information. We are especially interested in recruiting leaders from Councils not already on our list of graduates: http://zeus.as.arizona.edu/~dmccarthy/GSUSA/Participants.pdf.
The Camp Director, Dr. Don McCarthy, is an astronomer at The University of Arizona and conducts both research and education at many levels. He is involved with a University team, building one of the infrared cameras (NIRCam) for JWST to be launched in 2015. The telescope’s primary mission is to image the first objects that became luminous in the Universe as it cooled. It will also explore our human “Origins” through studies of the formation of stars, planets, and solar systems. To explain such images to the public presents a major educational challenge, and we believe that the Girl
Scout network can help us accomplish that goal.

Reach for the Stars!

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

Two Girl Scouts and one Boy Scout are past National Winners in the Reach for the Stars Rocket Competition. Let us help you keep scouts on top.

Group leaders are called upon to get their kids into the fifth annual event.  The competition is designed to be run locally by schools, Scouts, Boys & Girls clubs and other youth groups.

The Reach for the Stars Rocket Competition is safe, affordable and easy to run. The contestant whose rocket lands closest to the target after two launches wins the local event. Local winner’s results are entered into the national competition.

Six national winners celebrate at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex – Astronaut Hall of Fame or the October Sky Festival with Homer Hickam and the Rocket Boys.  Contest deadline is June 15th.

Your kids can’t win it – if they’re not in it.

The goal of our Reach for the Stars Rocket Competition is to give kids the unique educational experience of building and launching their own solid-fuel powered rocket.

Our mission is to keep alive the memory of the first Teacher-in-Space, Christa McAuliffeChrista was a life long Girl Scout.

Highlights -

The national Reach for the Stars Rocket Competition -

  • Is in its 5th year
  • Is run at your location
  • No travel expenses
  • Has 3 levels
  • Open Level Competition (ages 10 to adult)
  • Great for parent / child events
  • Intermediate Level Competition (ages 10 to 18)
  • Middle or High School, Scout, CAP, 4-H or youth centers. etc.
  • Kids Level Competition (ages 10 to 14)
  • Elementary or Middle School, Scout, CAP, 4-H or youth centers, etc.
  • Is an easy to run spot-landing Competition
  • Parachute landing closest to a target wins
  • Features the same rockets that are used by Scouts, 4-H and Civil Air Patrol
  • A scout troop, 4-H group or CAP squadron can qualify for advancement while they compete in the national Competition
  • Works well to recruit and train kids for more advanced rocketry events
  • i.e. the National Association of Rocketry’s -Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) and NASA’s – Student Launch Initiative.
  • Has been hosted by several Challenger Learning Centers, the National Space Society, Florida Association of Science Teachers,  Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs, G-WIZ Science Museum, Colorado Springs Rocket Society (COSROCS),  and many others
  • Is affordable – less than $15 per contestant
  • Includes rocket kit, supplies for 2 launches, certificate and Competition entry
  • Excites kids (and adults) about STEM subjects and aeronautics
  • To see pictures go to www.TheRocketman.net click on “Photos”
  • Is a Christa McAuliffe – Challenger Learning Center Educational Outreach and fosters the memory of the first Teacher-in-Space, Christa McAuliffe
  • Everyone involved in the Competition receives a certificate bearing one of Christa’s quotes.
  • Sponsor’s name and / or logo can be printed on certificates
  • Certificates are professionally printed and ready for framing.
  • Is well recognized and highly recommended
  • Each competition produces a Local Winner.
  • Local Winner’s results are entered into the national Reach for the Stars Rocket Competition.
  • The 6 National Winners are determined from all entries submitted by June 15th deadline.

The national winners celebrate with famed author Homer Hickam and the Rocket Boys at the October Sky Festival – or – at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex / Astronaut Hall of Fame.  We promise them – “memories to last a lifetime and bragging rights for generations to come.”

For more details, including cost estimates and a PowerPoint presentation, go to www.TheRocketman.net click on “Competition Info”

Registration now open for Raytheon Scout Days

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011
Open to all Southern Arizona Boy Scout and Girl Scouts ages 11-17!
Raytheon is pleased to announce our second annual Scout Day – 2011, a one day program designed to raise awareness science and engineering. Scouts will have the opportunity to earn one of six Merit Badges/Patches, tour engineering labs, view demonstrations, and interact with professionals in a personal setting.
Scout leaders are invited to attend.
Registration deadline: January 19, 2011
Attendance is limited so please register early!

$8 per attendee – includes lunch/patch/materials
Merit Badge/Patch Workshops include: Space Exploration, Engineering, Electronics, Radio, Composites and Computers.