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GSSJC Girl Scout is a winner in the 2008 Global Citizens Essay contest
November, 2008
Girl Scouts of the USA announced the winning entries in the 2008 Global Citizens Essay contest, sponsored by EF Educational Tours and EF's domestic division, Smithsonian Student Travel.
This writing competition was designed to have girls reflect on how their Girl Scouting experience broadens their horizons and increases their cultural sensitivity. One of these winners was Poonam V., a Girl Scout from Rainbow Stars Service Unit. Her essay entitled "My Eyes are Now Open" was about a trip to one of the four World Centres - Sangam which means union of two hearts.
In recognition of her accomplishment, Poonam won a trip to Washington, D.C. (four-day, all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C.). She took the trip this summer and it included tours of the Smithsonian Museums, a night tour of Washington, D. C, a river cruise of the Potomac River, and a private tour of the Capitol Building.
"It is inspiring to see so many Girl Scouts not only embracing Global Citizenship, but also taking the time to write about their experiences to share with others," said Norma Barquet, Executive Vice President, Mission to Market, GSUSA. "We are very proud of our winners and hope that their journeys are stepping stones to lives full of exciting adventures where they explore the world and their own potential to make a difference."
Poonam had this to say about the experience, "I was interested in entering this contest because when I went to Washington DC last time, I had a tremendous amount of fun. I also thought that the essay prompt was truly interesting, and I did not have a difficult time thinking about what to write about. This is because Girl Scouts has provided me with so many opportunities to learn about other cultures. During the trip, I enjoyed meeting other Girl Scouts and hearing about the experiences that helped them be a better Global Citizen. It was an amazing educational opportunity. But if you want to know what was my most memorable attraction then it was when we visited the memorials. There was an elderly gentleman standing there and he told us about his story,and the stories of the others that he fought with. He also told us that he currently has liver cancer, because of the Vietnam War, and had been turned down for treatment. He was homeless - basically living on the streets, yet he still came out every day and made sure that nobody forgot the stories of the people that died."
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