Girl Scouts Earn Highest Awards

Congratulations to The Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida's Gold & Silver Award Recipients!

These young women are our leaders of tomorrow: the future CEOs of powerful
corporations, judges administering justice, scientists and engineers, university professors, and potentially Presidents of the United States.

For 100 years Girl Scouting has provided girls with the tools they need to thrive as adults. These young women are committed to achieving excellence. Today’s girls learn about environmental leadership, science/technology/engineering/math, healthy living, financial literacy, the arts and as we will learn today, much more.

Congratulations to the 38 Girl Scouts who have received the highest girl-earned achievement –the Gold Award and to the 100 girls who achieved the Silver Award- the second highest honor for girls in Girl Scouting.

It is equally important to commend the dedication of the adult volunteers who are committed to the values of Girl Scouting and the true girl-adult partnership.

Thank you for helping these girls become the future leaders of our nation!

My Travels: Visiting North Carolina’s High Country

During the winter holidays, there’s really nothing better than a little snow, but for most South Floridians the closest views we get are from wintery snow scenes on holiday cards and TV commercials.

Our family has been fortunate to enjoy a few winter breaks with lots of white fluffy snow at the top of Beech Mountain, North Carolina. Beech Mountain is the highest town in Eastern America and an ideal vacation spot in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains. The elevation is at 5,506 feet! It’s a great place year round, but the winters up in these mountains are breathtaking.

For those who enjoy winter sports there are two great ski resorts: Beech Mountain Resort and Sugar Mountain, which feature ski slopes, ice skating, snowboarding, sledding and adventure hiking.

There are tons of lodging options and rentals available for short or long stays; to stock up on supplies and firewood, visit my favorite traditional general store, Fred’s Mercantile.

As per cuisine, there are many options for all price ranges. My pick is Melange Mountain Bistro in Banner Elk at the bottom of Beech Mountain. They blend local game with traditional cuisine. If you go, make sure you try the lamb-stuffed meatball and the quail appetizers. For main entrée, you cannot go wrong with the filet or fresh trout…they melt in your mouth. Reservations are a must!

Finally, to warm up in front of a fireplace and revel in the view of the winter landscape outside is a treat, especially to get away from the warm South Florida winter, but it’s always nice to come back and thaw out.

http://www.gableshomepage.com/news/2012/01/13/travels-visiting-north-carolina’s-high-country

Happy Holidays!

This time of year always makes me think back on the challenges and accomplishments of the last 12 months. It's been a tough one but the hard edges gave way to new opportunities.

Having run my own company for many years, in July of this year, I was fortunate to join a new company and quickly learned to enjoy the challenges and changes that this new career path has brought into my life.

On the charitable side, my work with Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida continues to fill me with great pride as I have seen so many young girls transition into amazing strong leaders doing great things for our community.

Lastly, my family is happy and healthy. There truly is nothing else a person can ask for. I am blessed.

Happy Holidays!

We wish you much health & happiness for 2012!

Alberto, Foxy & Jeb "the elf"

"Puss in Boots" South Florida Premiere Rocks the Boat!

Kudos to Dreamworks & Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines for hosting the South Florida screening of "Puss in Boots" on the Allure of the Seas docked at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Guests were treated to a sumptuous brunch reception where the stars of the film, Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas attended. It was great timing to have both Latino stars at the event being that October is Hispanic Heritage month.

Salma Hayek & Antonio Banderas

As per the film itself, I was skeptical of it since most spin off characters movies from hit films usually go straight to DVD, however “Puss in Boots” sets those apart. The film is actually funny and witty with Shrek-styled jokes for the adults to catch. The storyline is entertaining with a few familiar fairy tailed friends from Shrek and some new surprise additions. There are beanstalks, golden eggs and dancing cats, add 3-D to the mix and it’s a must see film for all ages.

It is great to see Hollywood working more Latinos into  mainstream films even if its heavy Spanish accents behind cute animated cats for now.

Girls are struggling with media images

From television and the Internet to music and magazines, the media strongly affects girls’ physical, emotional and social health.

For girls, these three facets of health are interrelated. Self-esteem and body image are a critical part of girls’ health and can often be manifested socially and physically. Right now, girls are struggling with media images, which, as a constant presence in their lives, can hurt their self-esteem and limit their choices of substantive role models.

At the Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida, and in Councils across Florida and nationwide, we are addressing the effects of media images on girls. Our programs help to educate girls on the positive and negative aspects of their interactions with the media, but we cannot solve the problem alone.

Even though we have seen the rise of “girl power” and a more girl-centric media, some media images continue to send girls the wrong message. Even media images directed at children reinforce stereotypes that girls and women must achieve physical perfection to be valued. Too often, girls and women are depicted as sexualized objects valued only for their appearance and sex appeal, according to a recent study by the Geena Davis Institute. The same study notes that most female media characters are still passive and submissive to men and have limited aspirations, leaving girls without active, ambitious female role models.

The Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida can attest to the fact that girls use media images of females to measure their own character and physical appearance. They are often left feeling inadequate. These feelings can lead to serious consequences for girls’ physical, emotional, and social health. For example, the pressure to be thin in order to be beautiful is lowering the age at which girls begin dieting to as low as 8. It is increasing the number of girls suffering from eating disorders. Low self-esteem contributes to decreased success in school and extracurricular activities, premature sexual activity and unhealthy or unsafe relationships with boys.

However, healthy media images help girls have a positive body image, high aspirations, and healthy relationships. Our children should be able to learn, thrive, and lead in an environment full of positive images of girls and women.

We at the Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida provide a safe place for girls to grow into women of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. In the new Leadership Journey, It’s Your Story — Tell It!, program activities and discussions that get girls to think critically about the media, including its portrayal of girls and women, are woven into each grade-level journey with a variety of goals:

At the youngest grade levels, the aim is to get girls to understand marketing tactics for young consumers. As the girls get older, the focus shifts to the limited roles and opportunities that media gives women and girls, and the narrow definition of beauty that media displays. At the highest grade levels, the girls consider the portrayals of relationships between girls and women.

It’s Your Story —Tell It! explores some of the same themes found in uniquely ME!, but as a Girl Scout leadership journey series, it offers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to building leadership. Self-esteem is a natural by-product of this particular journey because, through storytelling and creative expression, girls gain a better understanding of themselves and their potential, and gain the confidence to become leaders in their own lives and in the world.

However, it will take the support and effort of our entire community to ensure that our kids are receiving healthy media images. We are asking the community to join us in promoting policies and practices among our local government and businesses that provide healthy media images of girls and women. All children should be surrounded by images that inspire confidence and provide substantive role models.

It is time we make a strong commitment towards creating a community truly invested in girls’ success and health. Together we can ensure that Girl Scouts creates an environment that fosters its children’s health and well-being.

Irela Bagué is the chair of the board of directors of Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida, Inc.


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/15/2454506/girls-are-struggling-with-media.html#ixzz1ayz1HIgM

10 Years Ago

I was in Tallahassee, Florida 10 years ago in a taxi cab on my way to the Capitol when on the radio I heard of the 1st plane crashing the WTC. It seemed like a freak accident but after arriving at the Capitol and waiting in an office for my first appointment, I saw with disbelief the 2nd plane hitting the 2nd building. At that moment, it all became crystal clear, this was no freak accident. Quickly they began to evacuate the building and my thoughts and nerves went to my 1 year old son in Miami.

I remember how hard it was to get calls through to loved ones as the lines were jammed with so much activity. The only thing in my mind was to get back to Miami as fast as possible but no air travel. I remember how strange it was that America's air travel stood still for those days post and how strange it was not to hear any planes fly overhead.

Fortunately, with the help of a few friends we shuttled back to Miami in packed car. I remember hugging my baby the minute I got home and the voice in my head telling me "never forget how precious life is and never forget how envied our freedom is". Those two are worth protecting and fighting for. A profound thank you to all of those who gave their lives that day and to those who continue to help protect our lives and freedom today.

Girl Summit for The Future of Girls in Miami, Florida

The Event

The Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida will host a GIRL SUMMIT for the Future of Girls in Miami, Florida on Saturday, October 15, 2011 from 8:00am to 1:00pm at Jungle Island as a prelude to the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting in March 2012. Approximately 400 attendees are expected to attend this regional event and will include members of the general public, community leaders, and Girl Scout members from Tampa, West Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

Focus of the Girl Summit

The GIRL SUMMIT will feature speakers and panel discussions that are focused on the message – Live Healthy / Lead Healthy. As we approach the 100th year of Girl Scouting in the U.S., the roles that girls are being prepared to accept in every walk of life have a deliberate focus on girls as leaders. The GIRL SUMMIT will deal with this focus and on the evolving positive images of girls.

Invited Speakers

The Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida has invited Kirsten Haglund (Miss America 2008), Dr. Donna Shalala (President, Univeristy of Miami), and other notable experts in the areas of media, advertising, youth, and health services, as well as alumnae of Girl Scouting and prominent women who have achieved the highest station in their professional and personal lives, to be panelists and speakers.

For Sponsorship Information or to purchase tickets go to www.girlscoutsfl.org