We're Going on a Journey!
Sandy Thomas, Director, USAGSO

It's Your World—Change It! is the series name for the first six books of themed leadership journeys for girls—books filled with stories, facts and games, take action ideas, and much more. Through your efforts girls will discover (themselves and their values), connect (with others), and take action (to improve their communities and the world). There is one new book for each grade level in Girl Scouting, as well as a "how to" guide for adult volunteers and, from all of the positive response received so far, they are sure to help kick off the 2008-09 membership year with a bang!
To order click here.

Please keep in touch through your regional consultant to let us know the exciting things you are doing, or when you have challenges so we can assist you. Judy Seigler at jseigler@girlscouts.org handles Central and South America, Asia, Middle East; and Laura Thielges at lthielges@girlscouts.org handles Europe and Africa. Share your pictures and feedback on the new Girl Scout Journeys.

Please take a look at the new web pages on the "It's Your World – Change It!" journey series.  This is a source of information and downloads on each Girl Scout grade levels. Please share these links with all adult volunteers who are directly working with girls!
Just click and look: Program, Journeys, Your World, Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior, Ambassador.

The new Girl Scout Leadership Experience is being rolled out at several overseas learning conferences, please see the section on "Save The Date" for more information.

2008 National Council Session: Delegates and alternates have been selected to represent USAGSO at the 2008 National Council Session/51st Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana (October 30-November 2).  Delegates are Bill Harvin, Heidelberg, Germany; Cindee Parker, Misawa, Japan; Deborah Weigle, Seoul, Korea; Dineen Angrisani, Paris, France; Julia Carter (girl delegate), Ramstein, Germany; Katrina Erickson, Ramstein, Germany; and Robin Pennington, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.  Alternates are Sandra Quinn, Tamuning, Guam, and Lisa Minnella, Runnymede, UK.

Congratulations to all the girls selected from USAGSO locations and girls representing host country Girl Guides who will be attending the Girl Scout Leadership Institute, which will be held prior to the National Council Session.  They are Helen Combes, Lucinda Covington and Cassandra Brigham, France; Nicole Werner, Germany; Bethany Robinson and Emily Stith, Japan; Jencie Hartberger & Dalini Sivadas, Singapore.  

We are committed to providing you with the tools and services you need, tailored to your Overseas Committee, to ensure a quality Girl Scout experience for your girls. We also are eager to schedule online webinars, so let us know what topics you'd like us to cover.  We heard your concerns about getting families to turn in their registration paperwork, so we hope having "Early Bird" patches for girls who register before October 1, 2008, will be an incentive. Also find out how you can get up to one free set of Journey books for each grade level. Contact overseas@girlscouts.org for details.

So come along on our Journey! We are out to "Change the World".
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Host Country Box
Susan Patten, Overseas Committee Chair, USAGSO-Seoul

A request from a friend in Oregon for information on Korea inspired me to prepare a "Host Country" box. The Korea box includes a book about the country, a tourist map, information on the food, culture, and traditional games, some decorations typical of Seoul, and information about the community where USAGSO- Seoul operates.  A Host Country box is just about all you need to set up a booth for World Thinking Day.

USAGSO-Seoul would like to exchange boxes with councils in the U.S. and other overseas locations.  If interested in participating, please contact Susan Patten at gsocseoul@yahoo.com.
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The 2009 World Thinking Day survey results are in.  The countries that will be featured
were voted on by 1,831 girls.

Africa--Kenya
Arab Region--Jordan
Asia Pacific--Fiji
Europe--Ireland
Western Hemisphere--Costa Rica

Girls Worldwide Say "Together worldwide we can change the world - stop the spread of diseases" is the 2009 World Thinking Day theme. The theme is based on the UN Millennium Development Goals, which aim to improve the lives of the world's poorest people. The 2009 World Thinking Day Patch is available at Shop under the listing of Awards/Badges/Insignia.
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Congratulations to Our Girls and Adults!
Let's give a big hand toall Girl Scout Bronze, Silver and Gold Award recipients (as of April 2008)!

Bronze Awards
Paris: Alix, Elisabeth, Juliette, Nathalie, Paris
Saudi Arabia: Amina, Andrea, Aseel, Cassandra,
Charys, Dania, Danyah, Dena, Hailey, Hannah, Holly,
Hufsa, Kaylee, Krystal, Lili Mae, Lily, Marya, Natalie,
Nisreen, Paige, Pierson, Robin, Sara, Tamara, Victoria
Philippines: Da Hye, Eunice, Jocelyn, Katie, Louisa,
Mary, Sarah.

Silver Awards
Egypt: Chelsea, Jessie, Kenzy, McKenna
Kenya: Claire, Michelle
Saudi Arabia: Ann Marie, Blair, Dana, Jaden, Jana,
Jessica, Loujain, Mallory, Marissa, Megan, Nadia, Nasreen, Natasha, Nikita, Noorah, Shadia, Shalini, Sorcha, Virginia,
Singapore: Natasha

Gold Awards
France: Angela
Singapore: Maile, Pallavi
South Africa: Allyn

Adult Recognitions
Outstanding Volunteer/Leader
Paris: Dineen Angrisani, Bernard Combs, Milla Darcy, Ann Lepretree, Kim Powell Jaulin, Carol Pouchol.

Save The Date
Learning Opportunities and Locations
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Girl Scout Leadership Experience
• Dubai, UAE
  October 8-9, $50 plus housing
• Our Cabaña in Mexico
  November 2008, $140 includes
  room and board
  (dates to be decided)
• Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  November 2008
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Winter Conference
• Japan
  February 18-23, 2009
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Annual Learning Conference
• Germany
  February 26-March 1, 2009
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Global Exchange
• New York
  July 13-15, 2009
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One-Day Adult Learning Opportunities on the new Girl Scout Leadership Experience will be sponsored by USAGSO-North Atlantic in Germany. Up to four members from each Overseas Committee Management Team can attend this session. Confirmation materials will include some pre-course learning.

The cost is $25.00 per person and includes materials, a morning and afternoon refreshment break and lunch. Registration is available online and EACH PERSON must register individually. (OCMT members must attend the same conference.) Register online at www.usagso-na.org

The session is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following locations:

October 4, 2008 – Vicenza, Italy
October 18, 2008 – Wiesbaden, Germany
October 25, 2008 – Anglia, England
November 15, 2008 – Bamberg, Germany
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Newly Revised Guidelines for the Lady Baden-Powell Award Available!  The Lady Baden-Powell Award exemplifies international friendship and encourages Girl Guides and Girl Scouts to work together in the spirit of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting.
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The Water Drop Patch Project Encourages Girl Scouts to learn about water quality and to take action in their communities to protect and restore local water resources.  To download the water drop project manual, visit http://www.epa.gov/adopt/patch.
To order patches, click here
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Reminder
Completed 725 forms must be on file in the New York office by October 1 in order for you to receive up-to-date information and mailings. If you are a new Overseas Committee Chair (OCC) and have not completed this form, please do so immediately. If you are a returning OCC and your contact information has remained the same, just notify Henrietta Abebreseh (habebreseh@girlscouts.org) of your return status and she will update your 725 form.
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Daisy Girl Scouts in the Philippines

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Participants that attended the USAGSO From A to Z Course having dinner in NYC

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Girl Scouts in Ecuador with Sandy Thomas, USAGSO, Director

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Brownie Girl Scouts in Santo Domingo with the US Ambassador to the Dominican Republic and his wife

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Having Your Say
We welcome your questions, comments and suggestions. Write to us at overseas@girlscouts.org