The Girl Scouts will help local girls in first through eighth grade learn more about themselves and the world through two “Discovery Your World” summer programs. Both camps will run from July 27 through 31.
The first program will be held from July 27 to 31 for girls in the first through fourth grades. The program will focus on the cuisine, history, science, and art of Great Britain, Switzerland, India, Mexico, and the United States. The program will be held in West New York but is open to girls countywide.
On the same dates, girls in the fifth through eighth grade will become image consultants, CSI agents, artisans, and nutritionists for a day.
The programs each cost $100 and include the cost of food and activities. Financial aid is available.
“I think diversity is probably one of the most important aspects to the program.” Marcia Cocozza.
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“I think diversity is probably one of the most important aspects to the program,” said Cocozza. “[It’s about] Learning to accept other people and empowering the girls and their knowledge of people.”
Around the world
The younger girls will “travel” to girl scouting centers that act as different countries. In “England,” campers will have a tea party and be served finger sandwiches and scones. They will also learn about Victorian etiquette and how a woman could answer questions with her fan without saying anything. They will also learn about European artists before having the opportunity to paint their own masterpieces.
For their science project, they will learn about barge traffic on the Thames River and will figure out how many pennies will float on their aluminum foil barges.
In India each girl will have a sari wrapped around herself. The will also do a crafts surrounding henna and make origami lotus flowers. Nan, an Indian bread, will be served as a snack.
In Switzerland they will eat brown bread and jam, along with fondue and chocolate. They will make coats of armor and learn how Swiss children make their lanyard keychain holders.
In Mexico the campers will make banners and flowers out of tissue paper for their own fiesta and will have tacos as a snack. They will learn about soccer, jump rope and marbles.
“There is hopscotch in [almost] every single country in the world,” said Cocozza.
Cocozza said that the program will also stress community activism and teach girls about which sections of countries are in need of nutrition or if they need to have a healthier lifestyle.
The program will end by relating how the different parts of the world share similarities with the United States.
Deciding their futures
For girls in the fifth through eighth grades, they will study what it takes to become a professional in four different careers.
On the first day they will learn what image consultants do and how they see and feel about themselves. The campers will take a body mass index and learn about what clothing and makeup might make them comfortable in the workforce. Makeup samples have been donated by L’Oreal for them to take home.
“[Empowerment is] what girl scouting is about,” said Cocozza. “We’re a leadership organization and that is our main goal, to enable girls to be their own person and become leaders.”
On day two, the campers find out what education and training criminal science investigators undergo. The day will involve science experiments, like taking the D.N.A. of a strawberry, and they will “solve” two murder cases.
On Wednesday the students will become nutritionists and use computers to learn about good eating habits.
As artisans they will learn about clothing and jewelry design and be able to design their own pieces of jewelry.
Campers will keep check book registers throughout the week and will learn, depending on their careers, how much they could expect to make and the costs, like rent, food and transportation, which would need to be deducted from their finances.
Cocozza said that the program is about the students making their own choices in life.
For more information, call the Girl Scouts Montclair Service Center at (973) 746-8200.
Tricia Tirella may be reached at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com.