MILLSTONE June 2018

Millstone’s First Girl Sprout Group Bridges to Daisy Troop 507

Millstone‘s First group of Girl Sprouts bridged to Daisy Troop 507. The Girl Sprout program is for four-year-old pre-kindergarten girls who will be entering Kindergarten the following fall. The program was designed as a mommy-and-me type program with two events run by the Girl Scout Council. “As a Troop Leader, I was so excited the Girl Scout Organization afforded younger girls the opportunity to extend their enriching program to our four-year-olds, now known as Girl Sprouts,” said Troop Leader Christina Baldino. “My younger daughter Nicolina would see all the amazing things we were doing in her big sister Bella’s Troop, so naturally she couldn't wait to join in on the fun!” In an effort to give the Sprouts an even bigger taste of what Girl Scouts would be like, Baldino modeled the Sprout group after her older daughter’s Brownie Troop. The Sprout group met bi-weekly throughout the year, earned fun patches, went on group outings and did an age appropriate community service project just like a regular Girl Scout Troop. “I am so happy to share this experience with my daughters and their friends. Plus, it’s never too early to start teaching them valuable life skills.” As a Sprout, girls learn about honesty, sharing, being helpful, how to be kind to their friends and most importantly to have fun doing it. “This year was was such a wonderful experience for my daughter Abygale,” said Co-Leader Melissa Wasenda who recently hosted a teddy bear tea party for the group. "The girls colored t-shirts for their favorite teddy bears while drinking "tea" (good old Honest fruit punch) and chatted about courtesy, manners and table etiquette.” Since the Sprout program is new, there was no official uniform so the Millstone Sprouts had vests custom made. “We needed a spot to display our patches so the girls could be proud of their hard work,” said Wasenda. “Our girls even helped design the Sprout vest and picked the hot pink color with yellow embroidery!” The bridging to “Daisy” ceremony took place at the Girl Scout Program Activity Center in Farmingdale where they bridged with other Girl Scout levels. This little group of Sprouts did just that - and “sprouted” into official Daisies and now have their own Troop number 507. Troop 507 is open to any Millstone child entering Kindergarten in September and the Troop is excited to welcome new members. Come September, the group will meet at the Millstone Primary School directly after school on the second Friday of every month. “Our girls are forming friendships that will last as they journey through major milestones together. We hope you will come and be part of the fun!” said Wasenda. “We know you will love it...and that’s a Girl Scout Promise!” For more information about become a Sprout, Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior or Ambassador please contact MillstoneGirlScouts@outlook.com.

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The Millstone Times

June 2018