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IndyStar’s Liz Biro shows how to make a straw out of a Thin Mint Girl Scout cookie for drinking milk, beer or bourbon.
Jenna Watson, Indianapolis Star
The sale of Girl Scout cookies was put to good use in the Southern Tier.
Forty-three youth members, adult volunteers, chaperones and staff from several districts of the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways Council spent eight days in July learning about Ecuador’s culture, geography, wildlife, cuisine and enjoying unique experiences.
Girl Scouts Council staff began planning the trip in 2022. Some Girl Scouts traveled with counselors and family members, while others traveled as individuals under the guidance of trip counselors. Many participants funded their adventure through proceeds from the Girl Scout Cookie Program.
“International travel is invaluable and an essential part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience because it shows our young members that they can do difficult things and still have fun while doing it,” said Liz Schmidt, vice president of real estate and programs at GSNYPENN. “I travel with Girl Scouts of all ages all over the world and they surprise me on every trip. They gain more confidence in themselves and their ability to adapt to new situations and return braver and bolder than ever before.”
Schmidt said that traveling helps Girl Scouts become better global citizens because they develop a unique appreciation for their place in the world and how to navigate it.
“That’s why it’s so important to buy Girl Scout Cookies and support your local Girl Scouts through the program,” Schmidt said. “Every box of cookies they sell helps them have life-changing adventures.”
About the trip to Ecuador
Sophia Polise, a cadet with the Horseheads Girl Scouts, was one of many Southern Tier Girl Scouts who traveled to the Galapagos Islands in July as part of the council’s travel program, which “empowers Girl Scouts to change the world by sharing it.”
The Girl Scouts’ group flew to Ecuador to begin their trip and met with tour guides in the capital city of Quito, GSNYPENN officials said. Destinations included Quito, the islands of Baltra, Santa Cruz, Isabela, San Cristobal and Otavalo.
The group visited several historical sites in Quito, took a trip to the equator line where they viewed both hemispheres, learned how the Incas determined the center of the Earth at the Intiñan Museum, saw wild turtles on a ranch in the Santa Cruz highlands, and visited a breeding station for giant tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Station.
“This has been a once-in-a-lifetime journey with my daughter,” says Latrica Polise, Sophia’s mother. “Not only have we been immersed in different cultures and experiences, but I have also watched Sophia gain confidence and independence every day. She has developed a strong cultural awareness and learned to cope with change, even when she is pushed out of her comfort zone.”
GSNYPENN said the Girl Scouts also enjoyed snorkeling with marine life, taking a boat trip to Las Tintoreras Island, made entirely of lava, where they also explored lava tubes, hiking in Tortuga Bay and Tijeretas Hill, visiting Peguche Waterfall, relaxing at Playa de Los Alemanes and La Loberia beaches, learning about natural history at the San Cristobal Interpretation Center and gaining unique insight into traditional Andean culture and crafts in the market town of Otavalo.
“My favorite part of the trip was snorkeling on the Tintoreras lava island on Isabela Island because I saw a lot of animals there that I had never seen before,” said Sophia Polise. “Traveling abroad had a positive impact on me. I learned a lot of new things and lifestyles and came home with a new appreciation for the world.”
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Local Girl Scouts who made the trip
- Elise Cruz, Girl Scout Cadet, Endwell (Broome County)
- Mariana Cruz, Girl Scout Ambassador, Endwell (Broome County)
- Sahana Gajendran, Girl Scout Cadet, Horseheads (Chemung County)
- Kendall Porter, Boy Scout Cadet, Addison (Steuben County)
- Riley Smith, Girl Scout Ambassador, Vestal (Broome County)
- Eleanor Snyder, Girl Scout Cadet, Endicott (Broome County)
- Anastasia Utterback, Senior Girl Scout, Chemung (Chemung County)
Adult volunteers and supervisors included Luis Cruz and Holly Zurenda-Cruz of Endwell, Cassandra Hertzler of Addison, Latrica Polise of Horseheads and Patricia Walker of Chemung.
For more information about the program, visit gsnypenn.org/travel
