For Girl Scouts, International Travel Has Long Been Part of the Program

Related Media

Girl Scouts in India

HALFMOON, NY (11/13/2013)(readMedia)-- International Education Week (November 11-15, 2013) – a joint initiative of the US Department of State and the US Department of Education - is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. For many years, Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York has offered international travel opportunities for girls typically in grades 9-12 no matter where they live or where they attend school in the council coverage area of *15 counties. The only requirement is membership - $15 for the Girl Scout membership year (ends 9/30). Girl Scout travel also offers girls several opportunities to help fund their trips through money earning through Girl Scout product sales (October, and January thru March) and financial assistance available through Girl Scout Girl Grants.

In June 2013, five Girl Scouts from diverse backgrounds within the GSNENY council area came together and traveled to India for 12 days, immersing themselves in the culture of the country. Their reflections include: "I've fallen in love with India." "I haven't had much time to dwell on America due to the crazy cram tour of Delhi. My favorite stops were definitely the historical ones. The Mogul Empire built about 99% of the places we visited and let me tell you, they can build!" "We visited more World Heritage sites and the Gandhi museum which was really cool. It felt like he was there! The slums we passed were awful but the kids were so cheerful, sliding down rock piles and trying to sneak some of our soda." "Today's highlight was public transportation. We rode the buses here twice and they were quite an experience! You alerted the bus driver of your stop by pulling a piece of twine connected to a bell at the front of the bus. Instead of paying when you first entered, a man came around and collected your money. We also rode a rickshaw, which was terrifying and exciting at the same time. Let's just say traffic restrictions and regulations are very different in India. I also loved picking out sari and punjabi fabric, although it was a near impossible decision to make."

Girl Scouts believes every girl deserves a chance to see the world. Girl Scouts offers many different travel opportunities so girls can see new places, meet new people, and learn about different cultures and ideas. Whether exploring neighborhoods nearby or far away, through overnight camping trips, participating in community service projects, or flying to one of the four world centers, Girl Scouts are continually expanding their horizons. For more information about these or other Girl Scout Travel opportunities, call (518) 489-8110 or email travel@gsneny.org.

Vermont Daisy Discovery Day (Grades K-1) - February 8, 2014

$20 per participant; no transportation or meals provided

Hey Daisies – are you ready for a day trip? If so, the Travel Pathway would love to bring you to the ECHO Lake Aquarium for a Daisies-only program! We will have two workshops (including one where we meet the animals!) and then we will spend time touring the aquarium before returning home. It's a perfect day to fall in love with traveling!

Hanging with Benjamin: Franklin Institute Overnight in Philadelphia (Grades 4-5) - March 15-16, 2014

Between $165-$205 per participant (meal options available)

Benjamin Franklin was a pretty cool guy, and we are going to visit the institute his work inspired! We will put our creativity and scientific theories to the test in this all-girl overnight at the Franklin Institute. With design challenges, live science shows, and crazy experiences in store, this will be a weekend to remember.

Boston: Art Exploration (Grades 2-5) - March 29, 2014

$65 per participant; no meals provided

Grab your sketchbook and come take Boston by storm with us! We will head to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, where participants will have the opportunity to explore the museum and discuss the pieces with a guide. Girls will then have some time in a studio at the museum where they will be able to work with any medium to create their own piece of art to take home.

Humanity for the Habitat, NJ (Grades 9-12) - April 13-18, 2014

$450 per participant

Following Hurricane Sandy in 2012, humans and animals in New York and New Jersey lost their homes. We will travel to a wildlife refuge on the Jersey Shore and learn about the habitats and needs of animals prior to lending a hand to the refuge. We will work with the refuge managers to develop a plan for the week to help the inhabitants of the refuge feel more at home!

La Belle Montreal (Grades 9-12) - May 24-26, 2014

$385 per participant

Grab your passport and join us as we embark on an adventure to Montréal! This trip will allow girls to practice some basic French (don't worry, you don't have to be fluent!), experience the European-style culture, tour the famous sites, and have the opportunity to meet with the Girl Guides of Quebec. Girls will plan how they want to spend their days - how will you make Montréal memorable?

NYC Scavenger Hunt (All Levels) - June 14, 2014

$70 per participant; no meals provided

Join GSNENY for the upcoming trip to New York City for an all-out scavenger hunt! Groups comprised of 5-12 people (at least one adult per group) will be challenged to complete a scavenger hunt by the end of the day in New York City. You may compete against other teams to finish first, or take your time touring through the city with your group. Either way, you are guaranteed to learn a lot about the Big Apple by the end of the day! (Groups will be required to have at least one smartphone in the group to participate; the game no longer supports non-smart phones).

Maine Coastal Adventures (Grades 9-12) – June or July, 2014

$500 per participant

Join your fellow Girl Scouts on a trip to Acadia National Park, in Maine! Watch the sun rise over Cadillac Mountain, the first point on US soil to see the sun, tent camp in the park, bike on miles of carriage roads, or kayak along the rocky Maine shoreline! This program will help girls learn about conservation efforts for seabirds as well as national park initiatives.

Ecuador (Ages 14+) - July 2-16, 2014

$2700 per participant

GSNENY is taking girls to the beautiful country of Ecuador in the summer of 2014! Guided by two Spanish teachers from the GSNENY region, girls will see the natural wonders of Ecuador and will have the unique opportunity to meet and interact with Girl Guides. Participants will practice some Spanish while in this culturally diverse country!

London Calling (Ages 14+) - August 2-11, 2014

$2750 per participant

GSNENY participants will embark on an 8-day journey to London, England to participate in the "Journey through London" program at Pax Lodge with an international education professional! Girls will discover London, participate in a community service project, and celebrate the international spirit of the WAGGGS movement.

###

About Girl Scouts:

Girl Scouts is the largest girl-serving organization in the U.S. and is focused on leadership development for girls grades K-12. Having celebrated 100 years in 2012 of building girls of courage, confidence and character to make the world a better place, Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York serves 11,000 girls and 5,000 volunteers throughout *15 counties: Albany, Clinton, Columbia, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren & Washington. Offices are located in Albany, Halfmoon, Queensbury and Plattsburgh. For more information: GSNENY.ORG or (518) 489-8110.