Be Girl Scout Green (Learn and Serve America Grantee)

Through its Project FLOW (Future Leaders of Watersheds) program, the West Virginia Commission for National and Community Service provided funding to the Girl Scouts of Shawnee Council for their "Be Girl Scout Green" service-learning initiative.

Troop 362 from Hardy County has been involved with the "Be Girl Scout Green" service-learning project from the very beginning. Several of the troop members began by participating as members of a youth focus group, which provided the leadership necessary to structure the service-learning program. As a result of the focus group, a wetland management program for the White Rock Girl Scout Camp in Capon Bridge was developed. This project taught the girls how wetlands are created, the habitat they provide for animals, and the propose wetlands serve for humans. The girls charted the growth of the wetlands by measuring the land and water. They also collected macro invertebrates and amphibians to serve as a measuring gauge for animal growth in the wetlands. Girls saw the need to remove invasive species at the wetlands and have held several service projects in removal.

A Watershed Patch Program was also initiated as a result of the focus groups, including the design of a special patch for "Be Girl Scout Green" participants. Focus group participants also became the teachers of younger girls' stream monitoring, wetlands activities, and general watershed education at Girl Scout-sponsored events.

An Older Girl group from Hardy County, Troup 362 decided to learn about stream health in their community and began to monitor streams. The troop created a presentation on Save Our Streams monitoring program and contacted their Town Clerk to speak at a meeting with their Wardensville Town Council. From their presentation, the city granted permission for the troop to monitor the stream that flows through their community park. The troop also procured funding from the local Lions Club and Veterans of Foreign Wars to purchase a water testing kit and boots, due to Troop 362's dedication and recognition that watershed monitoring and sampling is an important need in the community.