Sink or swim at Girl Scouts Cookie Case Regatta
It was a sink or swim event for the Girl Scouts recently when they held their first Wooster Girl Scouts Service Unit — Cardboard Cookie Case Regatta.
Girl Scouts of all levels from around the area gathered at the Orrville YMCA to stretch their imaginations and creativity by attempting to make water-worthy boats out of recycled cartons.
“This event helps to pull in Girl Scouts of the United States of America’s newly launched GIRL initiative,” Girl Scouts service unit event coordinators Cheryl King and Crystal Lilley-Hunt said.
GIRL stands for Go Getter, Innovator, Risk Taker and Leader. King and Lilley-Hunt explained how the regatta fits in with each aspect of this initiative.
Go Getter: Having the determination to build a watercraft out of the available materials with a mind set on success.
Innovator: Having to think outside the box to create a usable boat.
Risk Taker: Being willing to risk the possibility of a sinking ship.
Leader: While a team effort, leadership is often needed to get a plan in motion and see that it is completed.
The regatta event allowed two hours for teams to create a boat out of cardboard Girl Scouts cookie cartons and duct tape. The boat had to be large enough for at least one team member to ride aboard.
Each team had one length of PVC pipe that could be used to fashion a paddle. Each group also had an adult who could supervise but was not allowed to help with construction.
“Adults are not allowed to advise on the design ideas, except for the k-2 girls,” said Jen Moser, service unit manager for Wooster. “They can get a little bit of advice, but all the girls knew they were to do research and come into the event with some ideas.”
The mother/daughter category was the exception with an adult team member participating in design and construction.
Christal Koppert-Smith and her daughter Estella, a junior Girl Scout, traveled nearly an hour from Lucas to participate. “We thought it sounded like fun,” Koppert-Smith said. “Estella likes duct tape, and I like to recycle.”
The mother/daughter team did quite a bit of research prior to the event. They asked friends and even watched YouTube videos about how to make a boat out of cardboard.
The shop teacher at Lucas High School, where Koppert-Smith teaches, gave what proved to be a valuable piece of advice. “He said you definitely want a flat-bottom boat and not a canoe shape because that will cave in,” she said.
They designed their oar with a paddle on both ends. “Like a kayak,” said Estella, who was the designated captain and sole passenger in the team’s boat.
Cadets Twyla Woodall and Madelyn Carruth from Norwayne created a design built on adding multiple layers of cardboard for both the bottom and sides of their boat. They decided to both ride in their creation.
Participants included Daisy/Brownie Scouts (grade k-3), Junior Scouts (grade 4-5), Cadet Scouts (grade 6-8) and the mother/daughter team. Eight teams with 24 participants signed up for the challenge.
There were trophies for every category: rubber ducks painted gold, silver and bronze.
When the cardboard hit the water, some designs provided a bit more sea worthy than others. Most participants got a dip in the pool along with a boat ride. Only one captain navigated her boat back and forth across the pool twice: Estella.
With the abundance of fun, creativity and innovation evident during the afternoon, the regatta is expected to become an annual event.
King and Lilley-Hunt said, “We always strive to provide events and activities to challenge the girls at all ages and abilities. We are building girls of courage, confidence and character who some day can and will become great leaders in all sorts of fields including but never limited to politics, engineers, medical fields, education, aeronautics, STEM. The sky is the limit, and it is our mission in all we do to build and mold these girls to be the best they can be in whatever they choose.”