The Edge - Special Edition, December 2020
Innovation comes in many sizes. When The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce honored women leaders in innovation at a virtual ceremony on Nov. 10, we also recognized nine outstanding girl scouts from across New Jersey. These girls have used innovation skills to sell cookies, solve problems and improve their communities. Their accomplishments are being recognized in one of the most prominent ways possible – with their photos on this year's boxes of Girl Scout Cookies.
Remember their names! These amazing girls are future CEOs and entrepreneurs who are already making their presence felt. Read more about them below. You may try to hire them someday.
Aimee Gil – Cultivated a Love of Science
Aimee has been involved in Girl Scouts for more than a decade, and has used the leadership experiences and STEM-related projects she found in Girl Scouts to cultivate her love of science and medicine, which she plans to pursue in college.
Brenna McCormick – Selling Cookies has Taught her to Set Goals, Manage Money and Make Decisions
Brenna is a Girl Scout Cookie Boss. Selling cookies to family and friends has taught her to set goals, manage money and make decisions – skills that will serve her well in the future.
Bryana Turner – Her Silver Award Project Supports Women in Need
Bryana's Silver Award project supported women in need. She credits Girl Scouts with helping her become an innovator by arming her with the knowledge and confidence to develop creative methods to challenge herself, especially as a successful entrepreneur in the Girl Scout’s Cookie Program.
Christel Burrell – Girl Scouts Unleased Her Passion in Medicine, Which She Now Studies in College
Christel is a Gold Award Girl Scout whose Gold Award project – Wellness Appreciation Day – unleashed her passion for medicine, which she now studies in college. In Girl Scouts, Christel found opportunities that allowed her to be her authentic self without fear of judgment so that she could embrace new experiences, push boundaries and achieve personal growth.
Jacquelyn Troutman – Developed the Poise and Confidence to Be a Problem Solver
Jacquelyn says the Girl Scout Media program helped her develop poise and confidence and it has taught her that unconventional thinking is essential to problem solving. Jacquelyn is an innovator who – through Girl Scouts – has learned to create solutions when existing ones are flawed, or when there are no solutions at all.
Madeleine Freundlich – Girl Scouts Propelled her into a College Major: Environmental Policy and Land Use
A backpacking adventure through Oregon on a Girl Scout & NASA program about astronomy made a lasting impression on Madeleine. It allowed her to work with girls from across the country and learn about innovative astronomical methods. Over 13 years as a Girl Scout, Madeleine developed the courage and confidence to pursue her passions, which now include a role at the Vassar Environmental Preserve and a college major in environmental policy and land use analysis.
Rihi Jhain – Pushed Past Her Fears and Used Her Voice to Empower Others
Earning the Gold Award empowered Rihi to push past her fears and use her voice to empower others. Rihi says that Girl Scouts pushed her outside of her comfort zone and helped her build self-confidence. Ultimately, she discovered that nothing can prevent her from accomplishing her dreams.
Samantha DiMartino – Gained the Confidence to Push Boundaries
Samantha says taking risks while surrounded by supportive Girl Scouts gave her the confidence to push through personal boundaries and do things like teach STEM and serve as a master of ceremonies at large Girl Scouts events. She now describes herself a daily innovator. As for having her face on the Girl Scouts cookie box, she calls it life-changing. As a representative of the Girl Scout brand, she is part of something bigger than herself.
Samiyah Abu Bakr – Helped Transform an Abandoned Newark Park into a Safe, Vibrant Place for Children
Samiyah considers her greatest Girl Scout accomplishment the Paint Newark Project, which transformed an abandoned Newark park into a safe, vibrant place for children to visit, play and create memories. She says Girl Scouts has presented her opportunities to try new things – including her recent service as a delegate representing New Jersey at the National Governing Meeting of Girl Scouts of the USA.
Ginny Marino, CEO, Girls Scouts of Central & Southern New Jersey: “We want Girls to Stand up and Advocate for Themselves and Their Ideas”
“Too often in our culture, innovative ideas and contributions made by women and girls aren’t recognized,” said Ginny Marino, CEO at Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey. “We want girls to stand up and advocate for themselves and their ideas, and to never be dismissed. Girl Scouting shows girls that their ideas are smart and workable, and that they can solve challenges before them. In short, it shows them that they are innovators.”
