“I believe the girls participating, and the lives they will touch later, will be able to say with conviction that a dream worth having is a dream worth realizing. Girl Scouting has always been a place where I’ve been able to realize my dreams and I love seeing girls today have the same opportunities. We want girls to know there are no limits to reaching happiness and success in life.”
 According to Jen McGowan, the Council’s program director who has organized the last three travel pathways, this is an opportunity for girls to look at others and themselves in a totally new light – as citizens of the world who share the same planet. Jen’s daughter, Bailey, will be among the teen travelers.
“When we are exposed to other perspectives, we begin to see that everyone looks at the world from an individual bias, but each viewpoint is necessary to complete the picture of our common home,” she said. “The key is to allow curiosity, open-mindedness, and tolerance as essentials when planning and taking a trip like this.”
The girls spent four days in New Zealand where they experienced a skyline Gondola ride, visited a jade factory and learned about the natives of New Zealand at the Maori Cultural Center. Then it was off to Sydney, Australia where they had a guided tour of the Sydney Harbor, visited an opal factory and spent time with Australia’s unique animals like Kangaroos and Koala bears at the Sydney Wildlife World.
The program and journey allowed for personal reflection, promoted positive connections, and empowered girls to use their travel experience to effect change in their lives and their communities. It is just one of many ways girls learn and grow through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience – a program that promotes an understanding and appreciation of individual, cultural, religious, and racial differences.
“It was exciting to look below the surface of customs and traditions that were different from what we are familiar with,” Tracy said. “When we, as role models, search for a deeper knowledge and appreciation of other people’s lives and perspectives, we are encouraging girls to use the same skills to work with others for the well-being of the community and, ultimately, make the world a better place.
 Girl Scouting offers a variety of ways for adults to getinvolved. Travel and short-term opportunities are available. For information, contact them at (757) 547-4405 or visit www.gsccc.org.
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts ayuda a las muchachas a desarrollar la confianza en sí mismas, el valor y los principios para hacer del mundo un mejor lugar.
Girl Scout Camp 2011 - More Choices and More Reasons to Choose Girl Scouts! Visit us at: http://www.gsccc.org/Camp/
Marcella Germanotta
Communications Director
Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast
A Place for Girls
912 Cedar Rd. , Chesapeake , VA 23322
757-547-4405 ext. 1258; direct 549-0836; fax757-547-1872 marcyg@gsccc.org
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