NORMAN — Girl Scouts nationally will officially kick-off the 100th anniversary year of scouting at the organization’s tri-annual convention in November. This year’s convention will be held in Houston, and 10 girls representing Girl Scouts-Western Oklahoma will be among the attendees.
Co-delegate Mercedes Harris of Norman, an ambassador Girl Scout and student at Norman High School, is looking forward to learning about other Girl Scout communities and taking part on a national level with an organization that she loves. She is the daughter of RJ and Jennifer Harris.
“Girl Scouts has always been a big part of my life, and to represent such an outstanding organization is a tremendous honor,” Harris said. “I definitely want to be part of any planning that will be going on for the 100th anniversary celebration. One hundred years is a long time, and I want to make sure it is worth remembering.”
The 2011 National Council Session/52nd Convention will be Nov. 8 to 13 in Houston. Among the guest speakers slated include journalists Katie Couric and Robin Roberts, and Ingrid Saunders-Jones, senior vice president of global community connections for The Coca-Cola Company and chair of The Coca-Cola Foundation. Among the items that will be discussed at the convention include: “What Girls Are Learning,” “The 21st Century Volunteer,” “Girl Scouts Explore The Female Factor” and “Advocacy.”
Several adult volunteers, alumnae and staff form Girl Scouts-Western Oklahoma also will be part of the convention delegation.
“This convention will be an exciting one, and I am very happy that 10 girls from our council will be part of it,” said Cathy Stackpole, CEO for Girl Scouts-Western Oklahoma. “Being part of a convention, meeting people from all over the country, having a voice in the future of Girl Scouting, these are all things that help develop leadership skills in girls. The fact that it also begins the celebration of 100 years of Girl Scouting makes this year’s convention even more memorable for the delegates.”
The convention scheduled is divided into three parts: The actual business portion of the convention, a history conference and a Girl Scout Leadership Institute. Harris will be able to take part in all three as she is an official delegate. Other local Girl Scouts that will participate in the Leadership Institute portion are: Robyn Wheelock, Audrey Cullen and Meghan Bradley, all of Norman, and Montana Miner, Moore.
“I am very excited to attend,” said Miner, 13, a student at Highland West Junior High and daughter of Suzan and Stephen Miner.
For Wheelock, daughter of Brenda and David Wheelock, an Ambassador Girl Scout and student at Norman High School, finding out what the girls of this new generation will need most from Girl Scouts is something she is most interested in discovering.
“Being a Girl Scout isn’t just about selling cookies or camping or even getting the Gold Award,” she said. “It’s about defining who you are and learning to make choices for yourself that will shape your future into whatever you want it to look like, whether it’s conventional or non-conventional, and that anyone can do anything.”
Cullin, daughter of Clarice and Andrew Cullin, a senior who attends Norman High School, said she is looking forward to working with others at the convention to begin preparing for the 100th celebrations.
“I wanted to attend so that I could have the opportunity to celebrate the 100th year of Girl Scouting with leaders and girls from all over the country,” she said. “As the theme of this event is ‘Renewing the Girl Scout Promise,’ I think it’s important to bring back and share with my troop the morals of Girl Scouting, as well as anything else that I can learn.”
For more information on joining Girl Scouts, visit www.gswestok.org and click on the “Join” rotating banner at the top or call 405-528-GIRL or toll free at 800-698-0022.
