Each year on Feb. 22, World Thinking Day, U.S. Girl Scouts honor their sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts by taking time to give thanks for their international friendships and remember that Girl Scouts of the USA is part of a global community — one of nearly 150 countries that are members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
The Girl Scout troops of Mount Vernon celebrated Thinking Day this year at Wesley United Methodist Church. Each troop represented a country of their choosing and shared what they learned with their fellow scouts.
In the months prior to this day, each troop picked a country of interest to them, learned basic facts about their country, and then worked on a presentation of a dance or song to share that represented their country. In order for all of the scouts to fully experience the different countries, the troops prepare and share country specific food, pictures, stamp “passports” and make special SWAPS (pins) for their fellow scouts to remember the country.
Local troops represented 12 countries including Japan, Netherlands, India, Brazil, and Mexico. Graduating MVHS senior and 13-year Girl Scout Heather Campbell was this year’s Thinking Day organizer and worked with her troop to create a new way of looking at the country they chose, Djibouti.
“It has been exciting to learn about and experience all the different countries through the unique eyes of the troops that participate at thinking day throughout the years,” she said.
This year's World Thinking Day theme, girls' worldwide say "together we can save children's lives," gives girls a chance to take action on issues affecting children's lives in other countries. This theme is based on the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goal 4, which is focused on reducing child mortality rates around the globe.
To find out more about Girl Scouts in the area, check out the council webpage http://www.gscnc.org/ or call the local GS Office at 571-642-0253