More Than Cookies and Campfires: The Girl Scouts
Serving over 20,000 girls in 2,000 troops across central Maryland, the Girl Scouts provides a safe place for girls to explore new skills, challenge themselves, make new friends and have fun. They are groundbreakers, big thinkers, and role models and Girl Scout Troop 10180, comprised of Baltimore County Public Schools students from Ridgley Middle School and Cockeysville Middle School, demonstrated exactly that.
On Friday, February 26, 2021, the young ladies visited the Exchangeree at THE AVENUE, White Marsh, for An Evening at the HUB, obtaining knowledge about the purpose of a non-profit organization and the operation and management of the foundation’s collaborative educators resource center, The Exchangeree: Gizmos and Gadgets Galore. With an entrepreneurial and business focus, their visit centered around the components of the Cadette Entrepreneur Badge.
Ms. Amorita McClam, the troop’s leader is one of BCPS’s own community members who is employed in the district as an administrative secretary at Martin Boulevard Elementary School. Ms. McClam, in collaboration with Ms. Deborah Phelps, executive director of The Education Foundation of BCPS, Inc., lead the troop through a hands-on collaborative workshop session which included business knowledge, self-reflection, and teambuilding as they worked in dyads throughout the evening. Ms. Violet Apple, CEO, Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, provided opening remarks and comments expressing a lifetime of leadership opportunities, goal setting and to believe in self. Ms. Apple demonstrated the responsibility of being a highly effective leader by modeling it throughout the evening working alongside the troop on the many tasks provided.
The evening started through formal introductions and continued with a walking tour of the Exchangeree, to a collaborative dinner filled with meaningful conversations and many questions. After dinner, a skill building collaborative session included business process brainstorming, improvement of ideas, financial understandings, creative marketing, and concluded with a presentation from each scout on a “Sharing of Business Ideas,” facilitated by Ms. Phelps. Community service was completed by working in teams on tasks supporting the functions of the Exchangeree including sorting inventory, preparing shopper sheets, displaying items, stocking shelves, and sharing positive changes made via team presentations.
“Absorbing each of the young ladies thought process as they responded to a variety of scenarios and questions and observing their problem solving and decision-making skills as they worked collaboratively in dyads, I found myself returning back to the schoolhouse as a teacher and a principal.” shared Ms. Phelps. “They were shining stars who were very articulate…reassuring me that the future is bright.”
Based on the success of the evening collaboration, the future is bright for these young ladies as they were able to explore one of the many opportunities that they can look forward to. “My girls,” said Ms. McClam, “were so excited and interested in being at the Echangeree on Friday. Apparently, after speaking to several in attendance, this was the most exciting meeting and community service activity they have done this school year.”
We thank all who participated and extend congratulation to the participants: Ms. Violet Apple, CEO, Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, Ms. Amortia McClam, Leader, Girl Scout Troop 10180, Mackenzie Glover, Meredith Hoffmaster, Caroline Ochlech, Kelsi Martin-Yeboah, Morgan Taylor, Tiana Willis, and Faith Zhao. The Education Foundation of BCPS began collaborative sessions and community service opportunities with civic groups two years ago with Girl Scout Troop 306, led by Girl Scout Leader, Mrs. Cindy Whitcomb, the foundation’s administrative assistant. Girl Scout Troop 306 were also BCPS students from several elementary schools in the district.
An Evening at the HUB, at the Exchangeree, located at THE AVENUE, White Marsh and the Exchangeree, Windsor Mill are both available for community collaborative learning and community service opportunities. To learn more, visit our Web site or become involved with The Foundation of BCPS, Inc. programs and initiatives.
The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools continues to bridge partnerships between the community and the district, supporting programs that are not supported through allocated funds from tax dollars. We look forward to sharing more information about The Exchangerees.
The Foundation is a 501 C (3) tax exempt, nonprofit organization, under Internal Revenue Service regulations to attract and direct public financial contributions to programs and activities of the school system in support of quality education for all children.
Donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.