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Welcome Helen Wronski to Tropical!

Please join us as we welcome Ms. Helen Wronski to Tropical Florida!

We are thrilled to announce the creation of the Coral Gables Community Foundation patch for Camp Mahachee campers made possible after the Foundation awarded the Girl Scouts with a $5,000 grant. Foundation Board Members John O'Rourke and Scott Poulin and Executive Director Mary Snow presented the special patches to the girls at Camp Mahachee this afternoon!

THANK YOU for your amazing support of our girls!

Top Reasons Why Girls Should Get Outdoors

JOIN NOW: www.girlscoutsfl.org/JOIN

We want to hear from YOU!

Tell us about your experience with Girl Scouts this year!

This spring, Girl Scouts of the USA is introducing a new survey called “Girl Scout Voices Count.”

There will be versions for girls, parents, and volunteers—so we can get an idea of what the year was like for everyone.

Here’s what you need to know:

Girls: Your chance to tell us about your experience starts May 11. To participate, you need to sign up for the Girl Scout Voices survey panel. If you are 13 or older, you can sign yourself up here: www.GirlScoutVoices.org! If you are 12 or younger, ask your parents to sign you up.

Parents: Look for an email that tells you how to sign your daughter up for the Girl Scout Voices survey panel. We also want to hear from you and will be inviting you to participate in a parent/guardian survey starting June 1.

Volunteers: Your opportunity to give feedback will begin June 1. In a few weeks, we’ll be sending you an invitation to participate via email, but you can also keep an eye on our social media feeds for information on when to participate.

We can’t wait to hear what you have to say!

Got questions? Can’t find the email with the survey invitation? Feel free to get in touch with us at GSVoicesCount@girlscouts.org.

Girl Scout, Justine Padron, is the Eco-hero winner!!

CONGRATS to our very own Girl Scout, Justine Padron, who was selected by WPLG Local 10 as the Eco Hero!! She will be going to the Canadian Rockies with Zoo Miami Ron Magill. 

See full video here

University of Miami Biologists Host 50 South Florida Girl Scouts for Naturalist Badge Day Activities

College of Arts & Sciences Ph.D. Student in Biology Allie Graham Inspires Young Girls to Explore the Fun in Science through Educational Event on Bugs and Flowers

Coral Gables, Fla. (April 9, 2015) – More than 50 South Florida Girl Scouts spent an educational morning at the University of Miami on April 4, when Ph.D. student in Biology Allie Graham organized Naturalist Badge Day.

Graham – a biology Ph.D. student in the College of Arts & Sciences – created a curriculum on Bugs for local Brownies (second and third graders), and a unit on Flowers for Juniors (fourth and fifth graders).

Ultra-organized and energetic, Graham was a Girl Scout for more than 10 years, eventually earning a Silver Award for her accomplishments in scouting, her community and her personal life.

“My experience in Girl Scouts was so important to me. I wanted to give back,” she said. 

In addition to planning interactive and educational activities, Graham recruited several faculty members and graduate students from theDepartment of Biology to share their expertise with the Scouts.

Director of Programs for the Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida Lori Ross said, “The students who helped Allie run the program were great with the girls and so effective in ensuring the girls learned in a safe, fun and encouraging atmosphere.”

Professor of Biology Carol Horvitz – an international authority on plant ecology – worked with the Juniors on their Flower Badges. They explored UM’s Gifford Arboretum to gather specimens and investigate floral properties such as scent and color. They then visited a lab to create corsages and make their own perfume.

“Spending the morning in our living tree collection with the Girl Scouts was a delight,” Horvitz said. “They discovered the diversity of scents, colors, forms and functions of flowers as we had planned, but they did not stop with the planned lesson. Their natural curiosity took over as they explored on their own, collecting seed pods, big leaves, small leaves and marveling at the fibers and saps produced by the trees.”

For their Bug Badges, the Brownies examined different bug species under a microscope, made bug masks and learned how insects are used in research to answer biological questions.

Ross said, “I am so grateful to Allie and her team of volunteers for developing and implementing this program. The program was so well organized, and Allie made certain that the activities were fun, hands on and educational.”

Graham said, “We had so many girls come up to us, telling us how much fun they had, and how wonderful the event was. I know I left campus feeling like I had really accomplished something; hopefully it got the girls interested in insects and plants, even if just a little.”

She added that another goal of the event is to humanize scientists for the Scouts. “Scientists are real people. I try and portray myself as a scientist, but also as a regular person. You don’t have to be a genius – you just have to have the enthusiasm.”

www.as.miami.edu

Photo caption: Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida Brownies and Juniors enjoy Naturalist Badge Day at the University of Miami on April 4.

Girl Scout Chief Executive Director Maria D. Tejera retired effective February 13, 2015

Hired in 1982 as a membership marketing specialist, Maria’s skills and previous experience in child development propelled her as she advanced to the position of director of membership.  She was ultimately hired as the Girl Scout CEO in 1992, shortly before Hurricane Andrew took aim at South Florida, devastating Girl Scout properties.  Due to her tenacity and firmness, the Girl Scouts were the very last FEMA claim settled after Andrew.    The administrative service center was rebuilt as was the Barbara Moore Program Center, but FEMA kept denying the claim for the four cabins at

Camp Choee.   Thanks to her, the cabins were indeed rebuilt, but were moved to a more secluded location on the camp away from the front gate and included air conditioning, showers, and fans for the new generation of Girl Scouts.  In addition, Maria made sure that the youth in the community received Girl Scout programs in an effort to provide some normalcy to their shattered lives as many lived in “tent city” during their own home rebuilding efforts.

As CEO, Maria guided not only Girl Scout staff and volunteers in the operations of the council but also was a trusted and loyal partner with area funding agencies, foundations and with local businesses and corporations.  After putting the properties back together after Andrew, she went on to face a string of hurricanes in the early 2000’s that impacted the properties once again.  Through her determination she worked again with FEMA to settle claims, rebuild more devastated sites all while gaining the confidence of partnering agencies and funders.  She was determined to create stability for Girl Scout families, staff, and volunteers.

A respected Girl Scout CEO across the nation, Maria was frequently asked by Girl Scouts of the USA to serve on nationwide task groups and was selected by the national organization for the Core Business Strategy Task Group which met over the course of several years to design the merging of Girl Scout councils nationwide. 

Maria has served the board of directors of well throughout the years, working in partnership with hundreds and hundreds of community leaders who served on the Girl Scout board.  Her 33 years of service to the Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida, Inc. is commendable.  She exemplified the true qualities of the Girl Scout world….honestly, fairness, integrity, good character, and excellent morals and ethics.   She was the face of Girl Scouting in our community and our friend for 33 years. 

Maria’s planned retirement will allow her to spend more time with her family especially her five year old granddaughter, who is a new Girl Scout and attended summer camp last summer. 

The Girl Scout staff and board of directors held a retirement party for her complete with a fun “roast”.  She was reminded of several funny incidents throughout the years, given amusing gifts along with a case of her favorite Girl Scout cookie, the Samoa.  Her staff presented a custom designed trefoil shaped pearl necklace while the board and Girl Scout volunteers attending, presented her the Girl Scout 100^th Anniversary Lladro Special Edition Brownie Girl Scout and the customary retirement watch so that she will be on time in her retirement!

We wish you all the best, Maria!

Three Things You Can Do on World Thinking Day

Three Things You Can Do on World Thinking Day

When you’re a Girl Scout, you’re part of something much bigger than just your troop or group. Your “network” stretches across your state, throughout the nation, and to more than 150 countries in the world where Girl Scouts or Girl Guides are found. Together, you’re a powerful force!

Every February 22 on World Thinking Day, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world unite in purpose to focus on one issue, or theme, to make the world a better place. This year, the World Thinking Day theme is “Create Peace Through Partnerships.”

Here a few things you can do to make this World Thinking Day special:

Share your #guidinglight

Candles have always been a powerful symbol of friendship for Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world. This year, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides will light up social media with the glow of thousands of candles on World Thinking Day. So how do you participate? Here’s the short version: Light a candle. Take a selfie. Upload it to social media using the hashtag #guidinglight. Include a message that inspires others to do the same. And don’t forget to tag @girlscouts, @WAGGGS_world—and any other friends you might want to join you! Check out more details.

Show that peace is in your hands!

We all have the power to make changes for the betterment of our world.

 Learn about the international symbols for peace. Trace your hands and draw one of the symbols between them. If you want to start a conversation with members of your community, see if you can display your artwork at a community center, a local business, or house of worship. Invite community members to an “art opening” and talk about this year’s World Thinking Day theme.

Earn your World Thinking Day award!

Explore this year’s theme, “Create Peace Through Partnerships”! There are lots of ways to participate. Reading books, watching movies, constructing a “peace pole,” inviting a returned Peace Corps volunteer to talk to you about her/his experiences… Girl Scouts of all ages can participate in World Thinking Day. Check out our list of activities by grade level.

Questions about World Thinking Day? Learn more.