Happy Trails:
http://www.girlscouts.org/forgirls/travel/destinations/event_details.asp?eventid=297
Explore the Appalachian Mountain foothills on horseback.
Ages: 11-18

Paddle Happy in the Southwest: http://www.girlscouts.org/forgirls/travel/destinations/event_details.asp?eventid=558
Follow the Lewis and Clark trail along the Missouri River and experience the splendor and glory of nature from a Canoe
Ages: 12-17

Wyoming Wildlife:
http://www.girlscouts.org/forgirls/travel/destinations/event_details.asp?eventid=322  
Work with and learn from field instructors at the Teton Science Schools and women leaders from the Rocky Mountains to explore Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Give back through science and service and explore careers that promote sustainable ecosystems.
Ages: 13-15

Challenge to the 100^th:
http://www.girlscouts.org/forgirls/travel/destinations/event_details.asp?eventid=561 
Spend 10 days in Atlanta participating in a variety of challenge course activities, bonding with other Girl Scouts, and celebrating the 100th anniversary.
Ages 13-17 (Grades 7-11^th)

London to Lucerne:
http://www.girlscouts.org/forgirls/travel/destinations/event_details.asp?eventid=565 
Spend 10-14 fabulous days seeing the best of Europe – London, Paris and Lucerne.
Ages 14-18

Equestrian Gymnastics:
http://www.girlscouts.org/forgirls/travel/destinations/event_details.asp?eventid=559 
Discover the sport of vaulting as you learn tricks on horseback.
Ages 14-18

Girl Scouts Make the World a Better Place: http://www.girlscouts.org/forgirls/travel/destinations/event_details.asp?eventid=557 
Team up with Habitat for Humanity to help a family in need.
Ages 16-18

Questions? Contact Sue DeCarlo at sdecarlo@gshnj.org or 908-518-4419 or visit our website for more information and application paperwork and procedures.

Silver Award Project Description:
As Jackie Hall, Sammy Vanderhoof, Tara Dombrowski, Valeria Saro, and Julianne Molinari from Troop 65878, strategized how to achieve their Silver Award—the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn they discovered something important, much of their community is in cyberspace.  The Silver Award is an opportunity for a Cadette Girl Scout is a leader who is organized, determined, and dedicated to improving her community.

But how would this group improve their virtual community?  How could they make it safer?  What a daunting task.

This innovative group felt strongly that their message would have to come from the voices of peers be taken in earnest.  The girls came together to write a realistic script about being safe online in order to earn their Silver Award. The Girl Scouts remarked, “We figured that it would be more educational if girls acted out the script themselves.  We and have asked Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey to post it on this blog so it could be viewed by a large audience online.”  People can also share the link with other friends beyond their immediate community.

Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey welcomes our guests on this blog:

Silver Award Group —Troop 65878 and presents:

Internet Safety SkitWritten by Silver Award group:

Tara Dombrowski, Jackie Hall, Sammy Vanderhoof, Julianne Molinari, and Valeria Saro

DIRECTIONS:  PLEASE SHARE THIS SCRIPT BY ACTING IT OUT TO OTHER AUDIENCES.  THANK YOU!

CHARACTERS:

ALEX             She is the victim in the story. She gives into peer pressure easily even though she knows what she is doing might not be a good thing to do.

LAUREN           Although she means no harm to anybody, she can be pushy with her friends without thinking of the consequences of her actions

ALEX’S MOM       She may seem a bit strange for a mother, but she has the most life experience and always knows what the right thing to do is.

ANNA/CARL        He is the antagonist (bad guy) in the story. He can be creepy at times.

OFFICER JENNY    The highest in command of the police force, she is the most respected officer in the whole town.

OFFICERS 1&2     They are Officer Jenny’s loyal subordinates.

GIRLS 1-4        The girls only appear in the first scene. They are an exaggeratedly girly group of girls that are always texting each other no matter how close they are and love talking about the latest Facebook gossip. They are also the most popular girls in the school.

SCHOOL BUS       This is a person dressed up in a school bus costume to escort the girls to school

SCHOOL KIDS      Extras. They walk around in the back ground and ride the bus along with the other characters.

SCENE 1

(Lauren and Alex are sitting at a lunch table in the school cafeteria eavesdropping on the five girls that are sitting at another table nearby, talking to each other about Facebook.)

GIRL 1           Oh my gosh, did you hear that Chrissie is in a relationship with Johnny?

GIRL 2           No way! He’s so out of her league.

GIRL 3           What are you talking about? They’re perfect for each other

GIRL 2           Where did you hear that?

GIRL 3           Facebook! Where else? Didn’t you see Chrissie’s wall? They had a really long conversation.

GIRL 4           Wait, did you update your Facebook? The new version is so fast and cool.

GIRL 1           OMG! Did you see what Kevin posted? Woah, he’s so cool.

GIRL 3           No way! He’s so not!

(Lauren and Alex switch their attention to each other)

LAUREN           Alex, do you have a Facebook?

ALEX             No, I don’t.

LAUREN           Why? It’s so much fun! You can see what people are up to, talk to friends, and play games too! Farmville’s the best game ever!

ALEX             My mom says it’s dangerous.

LAUREN           What in the world could be so dangerous about talking to friends?

ALEX             I’m not entirely sure. She said something about there being bad people on the internet. They’ll trick you into doing things you shouldn’t do.

LAUREN           Well I think your mom is just exaggerating. She probably watches way too much TV.

ALEX             I don’t know, Lauren. I think she might be right about this.

LAUREN           You mean like she was right about the rat with dog ears that barked?

ALEX             It was sniffing a piece of cheese! What did you expect from somebody who has never seen a Chihuahua before?

LAUREN           I’m just trying to point out that your mother has been wrong before. Has anything happened to me? No, nothing at all has happened to me.

ALEX             Not yet.

LAUREN           Look, if you’re careful, like me, nothing should happen to you, like me, and you’ll be having a blast for the rest of your life, like me. Just talk to her and see if she’s changed her mind, okay?

ALEX             Well, I suppose it can’t hurt.

LAUREN           Good, but when you do make a Facebook, the first thing you got to do is friend me. Got that?

ALEX             Yeah, okay.

SCENE 2

(Alex comes home to see her mom trying to balance a pot on her head)

ALEX             Mom, I’m ho- What are you doing?

ALEX’S MOM       Hi sweetie! I read an article about a great chef who balanced three pots on his head for a whole hour! It must be the mark of a great chef.

ALEX             Okay? I’m not sure what to say about that.

MOM              How was your day? Did you learn anything cool in school today?

ALEX             Well we learned about the Oregon Trail and stuff… but it was kind of boring.

MOM              Boring!? (The pot falls off her head) That was my favorite lesson when I was in school! It’s important to know about.

ALEX             I guess so…

MOM              You seem troubled by something. Do you want to talk about it?

ALEX             It’s nothing, really. It’s just… I was wondering if maybe I could make a Facebook.

MOM              I don’t think you’re really ready for one quite yet. There are a lot of risks that come with having a Facebook. What if something happened to you? No, I think you should wait until you’re a little older.

ALEX             I’m thirteen years old, mom. I think I’m ready to make my own decisions. All my friends have one and nothing happened to them.

MOM              Honey, you say you’re thirteen like it means that you’re a full grown adult! You’re still just a kid. Kids can get in trouble without even realizing it.

ALEX             I’m not a kid, I’m a teenager now. And I’m much more mature than all the other kids in my class who do have a Facebook.

MOM              Alex, saying you’re a teenager doesn’t help. Teens get into more trouble than kids do because they think exactly like you are right now, thinking that they’re more mature than everybody else. You know this is for your own safety. I just don’t want you to get hurt.

ALEX       But I won’t-

MOM              Alex, please do me a favor and don’t make a Facebook, not now.

ALEX             But- oh… fine. (Alex goes up stairs to her room, closes the door and calls Lauren) Hi Lauren, what’s up?

LAUREN           Nothing much. Did you talk to your mom about making a Facebook?

ALEX             Yeah, she said I was too immature for it. I can’t make one until I’m older. Whatever.

LAUREN           No! You have to make one. If you don’t I’ll- I’ll-I’ll stop being your friend!

ALEX             But-

LAUREN           No butts! Facebook is safe and if I have one you can have one. It’s fun and social and-and- and- it’s amazing!

ALEX             Come on, can’t you wait just a year or two? I’m sure by then I’ll be allowed to have one.

LAUREN           No! By then, it might not even be popular anymore.

ALEX             Lauren, I don’t think that Facebook is going to suddenly stop being popular next year.

LAUREN           It’s definitely possible! Just look at MySpace. Nobody has a MySpace anymore. It’s just useless now.

ALEX             Yeah but that lasted at least five years didn’t it?

LAUREN           Well you never know how long Facebook is going to last. I’m sure people will start getting sick of it soon and go to something else, like Google Plus or whatever it is.

ALEX             Then I’ll make a Google Plus instead.

LAUREN           No! I said it once and I won’t say it again! If you don’t make a Facebook I won’t be your friend. Goodbye! (Lauren hangs up)

ALEX             (Alex looks at the phone) Actually, she did say it again. (She sighs) Well, I suppose it really can’t hurt to at least see what it’s all about. (She turns on her computer) Yeah, what could go wrong? (She goes to Facebook.com and creates an account. She friends Lauren)

SCENE 3

(The next day at school, Lauren runs up to Alex who is at her locker)

LAUREN           I got your friend request! You made a Facebook!

ALEX             Yeah I did! But it’s just to see what the website really is. My mom doesn’t know about it. I’m scared she’s going to find out.

LAUREN           Don’t worry, your mom won’t find out. It isn’t like anyone will tell her. Maybe she will change her mind later and then you can tell her so it won’t matter.

ALEX             You’re right, there’s nothing to worry about. (The school bell rings) I guess I’ll see you at lunch

LAUREN           Yup! See ya! (Lauren walks away)

(Girl 4 walks up to Alex)

GIRL 4           Hey, I saw your pictures on Facebook

ALEX             Yeah, they were from my vacation a couple years ago

GIRL 4           I could tell! You looked so young. See you later! (She walks away)

ALEX             Wow, no popular kid has ever talked to me before. Hmm, maybe this Facebook thing is pretty useful.

SCENE 4

(Later that night in Alex’s room, Alex goes on to Facebook. A chat box pops up in the bottom right corner of the screen. The following dialogue is expressed through chat, but it may be easier for the audience if it is read aloud as well as typed.)

ANNA             Hey, I’m Anna remember me?

ALEX             Um, no, how do you know me? I don’t remember anybody named Anna.

ANNA             I was on your bus when we were in elementary school, don’t you remember?

ALEX             Not really.

ANNA             Well I guess you wouldn’t. It was a couple years ago, and I didn’t really talk much.

ALEX             Oh wait, I think I might remember. You sat at the front of the bus right? You were the quiet kid?

ANNA             Yep, that was me alright.

ALEX             Cool, I heard you moved away to… New York was it?

ANNA             Yeah, I live in downtown Manhattan now

ALEX             Lucky! I’m still at 12 Candy Land Ave. in New Jersey. It’s so boring here. =P

ANNA             Oh, but I liked it there too! Listen, I gotta go do homework, ‘kay? Talk to you later.

ALEX             Okay, bye.

SCENE 5

(The next morning in Alex’s room, Alex is still asleep)

MOM              (She sneaks into Alex’s room quietly, then pulls the blankets off of Alex) Time for school honey!

ALEX             Ugh, give me five more minutes, mom.

MOM              But you’ll be late for school! And the waffles will get cold too.

ALEX             (She sighs) Fine, fine.

MOM              Get up! Brush your teeth! Wash your fanny!

ALEX             Yeah, yeah I will- Wait, what?

MOM              Just kidding. But please brush your teeth.

ALEX             Fine, I’ll be downstairs in a bit. (Alex gets ready for school in her room and the bathroom)

MOM              Alex! The bus is here!

ALEX             Oh no! Don’t leave without me!!!

(She grabs her backpack and runs to the school bus waiting right outside her driveway.)

SCENE 6

(Lauren, Alex, and a few other school kids trail behind the school bus actor, pretending to ride the bus)

LAUREN           Good morning sleepy head!

ALEX             Hey Lauren, how’s it going?

LAUREN           Fine, thanks for asking.

ALEX             Hey, guess what!

LAUREN           What?

ALEX             I talked to Anna last night on Facebook.

LAUREN           Anna? Who’s Anna?

ALEX             Oh she was on our bus a few years ago. She moved to New York though.

LAUREN           I don’t remember anybody named Anna.

ALEX             Well she was super quiet and always sat near the front of the bus so you wouldn’t have noticed her.

LAUTREN          Whatever.

ALEX             Hey, Lauren?

LAUREN           Yeah?

ALEX             Is it just me, or has that car been following us for a while?

LAUREN           What car?

ALEX             That car back there. It’s been following the bus since I got on.

LAUREN           Oh that black one. Yeah, but it could just be a parent dropping off a kid at school.

ALEX             I guess so… but it’s still creepy.

(The bus reaches the school and Alex and Lauren look back to see that the car has disappeared)

LAUREN           The car’s gone… Weird.

ALEX             Let’s just forget about it and go to class.

(The kids “get off” the bus and enter the school)

SCENE 7

­­­

(After school on the bus ride home)

ALEX             Hey Lauren, this is my stop. Bye!

LAUREN            Okay, see you later!

(Alex walks into her house)

ALEX              Hi Mom!

MOM               Hi Alex! I made your favorite food for dinner.

ALEX              PIZZZZZZA!!!

MOM               Yup! But first you have to finish all of your homework, okay?

ALEX              Aw man. Okay, I’ll be in my room.

(Alex goes to her room and chats with Anna on Facebook)

ALEX              Hi Anna, what’s up?

ANNA              Nothing really, how’s about you?

ALEX              Well, this weird black car was following my bus on our way to school.

ANNA              Really? That’s creepy. Why do you think it was following you?

ALEX              I don’t know. It stopped following us after we got to school, but my friend Lauren said that it was probably just dropping a kid off.

ANNA              Yeah that makes sense. Well, I gotta go to sleep

ALEX              At 3:30 in the afternoon?

ANNA              Yeah… I went to sleep late last night and I’m super tired

ALEX              Well, okay… Bye!

SCENE 8

(It’s morning time. Alex’s mom is calling to her from the kitchen)

MOM               Baby girl! A package came for you!

ALEX              (Alex shouts from her room) Really? Who is it from?

MOM               I don’t know, there’s no return address. (The phone rings) Come look at it while I answer the phone, honey.

ALEX              Okay, I’ll bring it back upstairs. (Alex goes downstairs, grabs the package, and goes back upstairs. She opens the package and screams.)

MOM               (She comes up running with a spatula in her hand, hair tied back with a bandana, and with a dirty apron on) What’s wrong?!

ALEX              Uh… There was a spider.

MOM               Well, where is it?

ALEX              (Alex slaps her desk) … I killed it

MOM               … Well wash your hands. What was in the package?

ALEX              There was a, uh… a pillow pet from Lauren for our… friendship anniversary… our “friendaversary”.

MOM               Oh, how sweet of her! You should get her something in return.

ALEX              Yeah, let’s stop by Claire’s later… (Pause) Weren’t you talking on the phone just now?

MOM               Yes I was.

ALEX              Then how in the world did you get in that apron so fast?

MOM               It was a short conversation. Can I see your pillow pet?

ALEX              What? Oh the pillow pet, um… Well you see, the pillow pet is… eh… I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM!!!! (She runs out of the room with hands in her pockets)

MOM               She can be so strange sometimes. I wonder who she gets it from (She walks out of the room playing with her spatula)

(Alex goes in the bathroom, locks the door behind her, and pulls a picture out of her pocket. It is a picture of her walking home from school with a note that says, “You look great in that shirt, Alex! You should wear it more often. Here’s a treat. I thought they tasted great so I saved one for you =).”)

ALEX             (She pulls out her phone and calls Lauren) Come on Lauren… answer already! (Her tummy rumbles and she looks at the box with candy) Well I am hungry, and dinner’s not for a few more hours. Why not? (She eats the candy)

LAUREN           Hey, what’s up?

ALEX             Lauren! You’re not going to believe what just happened.  

LAUREN           What? What happened?! Did Chrissie and Johnny break up?!

ALEX             Huh? No! Well, I don’t really know. It’s much more serious than that. I got this creepy package in the mail. There wasn’t a return address on it so I don’t know who sent it. It was a picture of me walking home from school and some candy.

LAUREN           WOW! You have no idea who it’s from? That’s weird. Can you tell when the photo was taken? You didn’t eat the candy, right?

ALEX             Woah, woah, woah! One question at a time!

LAUREN           Well answer them!

ALEX             Okay, okay! Sheesh. I have no idea who it’s from, I think the photo was taken yesterday afternoon when I was walking home from school.

LAUREN           Oh, Alex, that’s dangerous! Don’t you know anything? You’re not supposed to eat candy from strangers! (She sighs in disapproval) Wait, wasn’t that creepy car following us yesterday morning?

ALEX             Oh yeah, it was! Do you think that maybe it’s all connected somehow?

LAUREN           I sure hope not. Listen, I’ve got to go to dance class now. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, ‘kay?

ALEX             Fine. Bye, Lauren.

LAUREN           Bye.

SCENE 9

(The next morning in Alex’s room, Alex is sick in her bed)

MOM              (She walks into Alex’s room) Here you go, honey. (She hands Alex the soup) Eat up!

ALEX             (Alex coughs) Thanks, Mom.

MOM              Ok, I’ll let you rest.

ALEX             I wonder what got me sick. Maybe it was  that candy.

MOM              What candy?

ALEX             Oh! Uh –uh the candy from the candy from last Halloween, in the candy drawer.

MOM              Oh, honey. You know that candy is stale! Don’t eat that again!

ALEX             Alright, I won’t sorry, Mom.

SCENE 10

(The next day, Alex is lying in bed with her laptop. The following is a Facebook conversation)

ALEX             Hi, Anna.

ANNA             GUESS WHAT?

ALEX             WHAT?

ANNA             My family is visiting New Jersey! Want to meet up at the mall?

ALEX             Oh, really? Sure! When?

ANNA             Meet me tomorrow at eight. It’s a Friday so it’s okay to meet at night.

ALEX             Sounds great! I’ll see you there!

(Friday, 7:30pm at Alex’s house

Alex is trying to sneak out)

MOM              Where are you going Missy?

ALEX             Me? Oh, um, I’m going to Lauren’s house. We’re working on a science project.

MOM              This late at night?

ALEX             Well, it’s due tomorrow and she was busy all afternoon.

MOM              Alright, Do you need me to drive you?

ALEX              No, it’s okay! It’s right around the corner so I should be fine.

MOM               Alright sweetie. Be safe. Keep your phone on!

ALEX              Okay! Bye Mom!

MOM               Bye sweetie!

SCENE 11

(Alex is walking up to the mall when she sees Carl in a hood waiting in the parking lot. Carl has a very manly appearance and uses a high pitched voice that sounds like an attempt at a girl’s voice)

CARL              Hey Alex! I’m over here!

ALEX              Who are you?

CARL              It’s me! Anna! You know, from Facebook. I know I don’t look like you thought I would, I’ve changed a lot since, uh, fifth grade.

ALEX              I’ll say. You look a lot manlier than I had expected…

CARL              Maybe, but we’re still friends, right?

ALEX              Uhhhhh. I’ve got to go… My mom is waiting for me!

CARL              But you just got here!

ALEX              Yeah. Sorry! Dinner time!

CARL              Come on! Hang out with me! I know we don’t know each other very well, but we could be great friends.

ALEX              What the heck man-thing…girl? What are you? 

CARL              I am your father!! I’m just joking. Ha, I guess you’ve figured out that I’m a man. My name’s actually Carl. (He starts taking off disguise)

ALEX              Whoa, whoa, keep that on! Help! HELP!

ANNA              Sh, no. Don’t scream! (He grabs Alex and Alex blacks out from fear)

MOM               Hmmmmm, Alex isn’t home yet. And it’s now 10:30 pm. I should call her. (She calls Alex but there’s no answer) Why isn’t that girl answering her phone? I told her to leave it on. Oh well, I’ll just call Lauren. (She calls Lauren)

LAUREN           Hi Mrs. Flowers. What’s up?

Mummy            Hi Lauren, can I speak to Alex?

LAUREN           Huh? Alex? She’s not here.

MOM              But Alex told me she was going to work on a project with you.

LAUREN           Uh, nope. She was never here. We… we aren’t even in the same science class.

MOM              She lied to me?! Where could she be then? Where do you think she is?

LAUREN           I have no idea Mrs. Flowers; maybe you should call the police.

MOM              Wait, maybe there are clues in her room to find out where she is.

LAUREN           Good idea Mrs. Flowers you could be on the police force.

 MOM             Uh, thanks. I’ll call you back with news soon. (She hangs up, goes to Alex’s room, searches for evidence, and finds that the computer is logged on to facebook. She checks the conversation calls Lauren back)

MOM              LAUREN! Who is Anna?

LAUREN            She’s a girl that Alex met on Facebook. She used to live near you and supposedly rode the bus with Alex.

MOM               I don’t remember any girl named Anna. Wait a second, this package, it has a picture of her! There’s no pillow pet in here! She was lying to me all this time!

LAUREN            Oh yeah, she told me about that.

MOM               WHAT? You knew about this?

LAUREN            I thought- I thought she would tell you!

MOM               This isn’t good. We need to call the police now.

LAUREN            Can’t we just go to the mall ourselves and go look for her?

MOM               No, when this sort of thing happens, we need to call the police to deal with it. They’ll know exactly what to do. (She picks up the phone and dials 911)

MOM               Hello?

OFFICER JENNY     Hello this is the police. How may I help you?

MOM               My daughter’s gone missing! Alex, my daughter, Alex Flowers, said she was working on a project with her friend, Lauren, but I just called Lauren and she says that she hasn’t seen Alex all day. (She starts talking really quickly) Apparently she was going to see a friend named Anna at the mall, but she’s never mentioned anybody named Anna at home, and I’ve never met anybody named Anna. And now I’m afraid she’s hurt and in trouble and-

OFFICER JENNY     – Calm down, Miss. Calm down. We’ll get right on it. I’m sending my squad over to the mall right now. Can you meet me there in ten minutes? We’ll need a picture.

MOM               Of course. I’ll be right there.

OFFICER JENNY     The police will be there first to look for anything suspicious.

SCENE 12

(At the mall, Mrs. Flowers looks for police mobiles and goes up to Officer Jenny)

MOM               Are you here to search for my daughter?

OFFICER JENNY     Yes Ma’am. Did you bring the picture?

MOM               Yes Officer, here you go.

OFFICER JENNY     Thank you. It will help us to find her a lot fast-

OFFICER 1         Officer Jenny! We found this guy behind the mall with a girl…The girl is unconscious. We have him here to interrogate.

MOM               WHERE’S ALEX???

OFFICER JENNY     Calm down, ma’am, we’ll handle the questioning. Now, sir, where’s the girl?

CARL              How should I know?

OFFICER JENNY     Sir, we’ll find out if you took her even if you lie. I recommend you tell us the truth now before you get into big trouble.

CARL              I don’t know what you’re talking about.

OFFICER 2         Officer Jenny! The girl behind the mall looks like Alex in the picture.

OFFICER JENNY     Well now, do you have anything to say to me?

CARL              Can I go now?

OFFICER JENNY     Let’s go around the mall and how this girl is doing. (They all go around the mall and see that Alex fell on a bed of flowers)

OFFICER JENNY     Is this your daughter?

MOM               Alex!

OFFICER JENNY     Get her into the police car fellas. She’ll need to go the emergency room.

OFFICERS 1 & 2    Yes sir!

CARL              Well I sure didn’t do it.

OFFICER JENNY     There’s enough evidence to know for sure that it was you. But we’ll have to take you over to the police station for a proper interrogation anyways. We’ll also have to wait for Alex to wake up to ask her a couple of questions.

OFFICER 1         You’re under arrest, sir.

SCENE 13

(Alex’s mom is waiting next to Alex’s bed in the Emergency Room)

ALEX              (Alex wakes up) Wha- where am I? Mom? (She turns to see her mom sitting on a chair nervously) MOM! I’m so sorry!

MOM               Alex! You’re okay! Don’t ever do that to me again!

ALEX              I know and I’m so sorry!

CARL              (He pops up in a corner of the hospital room) All I wanted was a flat screen TV!

MOM               Wait, where did you come from?

OFFICER JENNY     What are you talking about? That doesn’t make any sense!

MOM               Where are all of you people coming from?! Oh whatever, I’m just glad you’re safe!

ALEX              I’m sorry. I promise not to do it again. I’m so sorry. I’M SORRY! (Alex starts to cry)

MOM               It’s ok, it’s ok, I’m just glad you’re safe. Be more careful and never be afraid to tell me what’s happening, ok?

ALEX              Ok, mommy! I will! Promise! (She runs up and hugs her mom)

(Lauren comes running up on stage through the hospital door)

LAUREN            (Out of breath) What happened? Is Alex okay? (She looks at Alex hugging her mom from the hospital bed and gets confused) What did I miss?

(Curtains close with Alex and her mom hugging, Carl being put into the police car by Officer 1 and Officer 2, and Lauren looking confused)

THE END

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CHARACTERS:

ALEX           She is the victim in the story. She gives into peer pressure easily even though she knows what she is doing might not be a good thing to do.

LAUREN         Although she means no harm to anybody, she can be pushy with her friends without thinking of the consequences of her actions

ALEX’S MOM     She may seem a bit strange for a mother, but she has the most life experience and always knows what the right thing to do is.

ANNA/CARL      He is the antagonist (bad guy) in the story. He can be creepy at times.

OFFICER JENNY The highest in command of the police force, she is the most respected officer in the whole town.

OFFICERS 1&2   They are Officer Jenny’s loyal subordinates.

GIRLS 1-4      The girls only appear in the first scene. They are an exaggeratedly girly group of girls that are always texting each other no matter how close they are and love talking about the latest Facebook gossip. They are also the most popular girls in the school.

SCHOOL BUS     This is a person dressed up in a school bus costume to escort the girls to school

SCHOOL KIDS    Extras. They walk around in the back ground and ride the bus along with the other characters.

SCENE 1

(Lauren and Alex are sitting at a lunch table in the school cafeteria eavesdropping on the five girls that are sitting at another table nearby, talking to each other about Facebook.)

GIRL 1         Oh my gosh, did you hear that Chrissie is in a relationship with Johnny?

GIRL 2         No way! He’s so out of her league.

GIRL 3         What are you talking about? They’re perfect for each other

GIRL 2         Where did you hear that?

GIRL 3         Facebook! Where else? Didn’t you see Chrissie’s wall? They had a really long conversation.

GIRL 4         Wait, did you update your Facebook? The new version is so fast and cool.

GIRL 1         OMG! Did you see what Kevin posted? Woah, he’s so cool.

GIRL 3         No way! He’s so not!

(Lauren and Alex switch their attention to each other)

LAUREN         Alex, do you have a Facebook?

ALEX           No, I don’t.

LAUREN         Why? It’s so much fun! You can see what people are up to, talk to friends, and play games too! Farmville’s the best game ever!

ALEX           My mom says it’s dangerous.

LAUREN         What in the world could be so dangerous about talking to friends?

ALEX           I’m not entirely sure. She said something about there being bad people on the internet. They’ll trick you into doing things you shouldn’t do.

LAUREN         Well I think your mom is just exaggerating. She probably watches way too much TV.

ALEX           I don’t know, Lauren. I think she might be right about this.

LAUREN         You mean like she was right about the rat with dog ears that barked?

ALEX           It was sniffing a piece of cheese! What did you expect from somebody who has never seen a Chihuahua before?

LAUREN         I’m just trying to point out that your mother has been wrong before. Has anything happened to me? No, nothing at all has happened to me.

ALEX           Not yet.

LAUREN         Look, if you’re careful, like me, nothing should happen to you, like me, and you’ll be having a blast for the rest of your life, like me. Just talk to her and see if she’s changed her mind, okay?

ALEX           Well, I suppose it can’t hurt.

LAUREN         Good, but when you do make a Facebook, the first thing you got to do is friend me. Got that?

ALEX           Yeah, okay.

SCENE 2

(Alex comes home to see her mom trying to balance a pot on her head)

ALEX           Mom, I’m ho- What are you doing?

ALEX’S MOM     Hi sweetie! I read an article about a great chef who balanced three pots on his head for a whole hour! It must be the mark of a great chef.

ALEX           Okay? I’m not sure what to say about that.

MOM            How was your day? Did you learn anything cool in school today?

ALEX           Well we learned about the Oregon Trail and stuff… but it was kind of boring.

MOM            Boring!? (The pot falls off her head) That was my favorite lesson when I was in school! It’s important to know about.

ALEX           I guess so…

MOM            You seem troubled by something. Do you want to talk about it?

ALEX           It’s nothing, really. It’s just… I was wondering if maybe I could make a Facebook.

MOM            I don’t think you’re really ready for one quite yet. There are a lot of risks that come with having a Facebook. What if something happened to you? No, I think you should wait until you’re a little older.

ALEX           I’m thirteen years old, mom. I think I’m ready to make my own decisions. All my friends have one and nothing happened to them.

MOM            Honey, you say you’re thirteen like it means that you’re a full grown adult! You’re still just a kid. Kids can get in trouble without even realizing it.

ALEX           I’m not a kid, I’m a teenager now. And I’m much more mature than all the other kids in my class who do have a Facebook.

MOM            Alex, saying you’re a teenager doesn’t help. Teens get into more trouble than kids do because they think exactly like you are right now, thinking that they’re more mature than everybody else. You know this is for your own safety. I just don’t want you to get hurt.

ALEX      But I won’t-

MOM            Alex, please do me a favor and don’t make a Facebook, not now.

ALEX           But- oh… fine. (Alex goes up stairs to her room, closes the door and calls Lauren) Hi Lauren, what’s up?

LAUREN         Nothing much. Did you talk to your mom about making a Facebook?

ALEX           Yeah, she said I was too immature for it. I can’t make one until I’m older. Whatever.

LAUREN         No! You have to make one. If you don’t I’ll- I’ll-I’ll stop being your friend!

ALEX           But-

LAUREN         No butts! Facebook is safe and if I have one you can have one. It’s fun and social and-and- and- it’s amazing!

ALEX           Come on, can’t you wait just a year or two? I’m sure by then I’ll be allowed to have one.

LAUREN         No! By then, it might not even be popular anymore.

ALEX           Lauren, I don’t think that Facebook is going to suddenly stop being popular next year.

LAUREN         It’s definitely possible! Just look at MySpace. Nobody has a MySpace anymore. It’s just useless now.

ALEX           Yeah but that lasted at least five years didn’t it?

LAUREN         Well you never know how long Facebook is going to last. I’m sure people will start getting sick of it soon and go to something else, like Google Plus or whatever it is.

ALEX           Then I’ll make a Google Plus instead.

LAUREN         No! I said it once and I won’t say it again! If you don’t make a Facebook I won’t be your friend. Goodbye! (Lauren hangs up)

ALEX           (Alex looks at the phone) Actually, she did say it again. (She sighs) Well, I suppose it really can’t hurt to at least see what it’s all about. (She turns on her computer) Yeah, what could go wrong? (She goes to Facebook.com and creates an account. She friends Lauren)

SCENE 3

(The next day at school, Lauren runs up to Alex who is at her locker)

LAUREN         I got your friend request! You made a Facebook!

ALEX           Yeah I did! But it’s just to see what the website really is. My mom doesn’t know about it. I’m scared she’s going to find out.

LAUREN         Don’t worry, your mom won’t find out. It isn’t like anyone will tell her. Maybe she will change her mind later and then you can tell her so it won’t matter.

ALEX           You’re right, there’s nothing to worry about. (The school bell rings) I guess I’ll see you at lunch

LAUREN         Yup! See ya! (Lauren walks away)

(Girl 4 walks up to Alex)

GIRL 4         Hey, I saw your pictures on Facebook

ALEX           Yeah, they were from my vacation a couple years ago

GIRL 4         I could tell! You looked so young. See you later! (She walks away)

ALEX           Wow, no popular kid has ever talked to me before. Hmm, maybe this Facebook thing is pretty useful.

SCENE 4

(Later that night in Alex’s room, Alex goes on to Facebook. A chat box pops up in the bottom right corner of the screen. The following dialogue is expressed through chat, but it may be easier for the audience if it is read aloud as well as typed.)

ANNA           Hey, I’m Anna remember me?

ALEX           Um, no, how do you know me? I don’t remember anybody named Anna.

ANNA           I was on your bus when we were in elementary school, don’t you remember?

ALEX           Not really.

ANNA           Well I guess you wouldn’t. It was a couple years ago, and I didn’t really talk much.

ALEX           Oh wait, I think I might remember. You sat at the front of the bus right? You were the quiet kid?

ANNA           Yep, that was me alright.

ALEX           Cool, I heard you moved away to… New York was it?

ANNA           Yeah, I live in downtown Manhattan now

ALEX           Lucky! I’m still at 12 Candy Land Ave. in New Jersey. It’s so boring here. =P

ANNA           Oh, but I liked it there too! Listen, I gotta go do homework, ‘kay? Talk to you later.

ALEX           Okay, bye.

SCENE 5

(The next morning in Alex’s room, Alex is still asleep)

MOM            (She sneaks into Alex’s room quietly, then pulls the blankets off of Alex) Time for school honey!

ALEX           Ugh, give me five more minutes, mom.

MOM            But you’ll be late for school! And the waffles will get cold too.

ALEX           (She sighs) Fine, fine.

MOM            Get up! Brush your teeth! Wash your fanny!

ALEX           Yeah, yeah I will- Wait, what?

MOM            Just kidding. But please brush your teeth.

ALEX           Fine, I’ll be downstairs in a bit. (Alex gets ready for school in her room and the bathroom)

MOM            Alex! The bus is here!

ALEX           Oh no! Don’t leave without me!!!

(She grabs her backpack and runs to the school bus waiting right outside her driveway.)

SCENE 6

(Lauren, Alex, and a few other school kids trail behind the school bus actor, pretending to ride the bus)

LAUREN         Good morning sleepy head!

ALEX           Hey Lauren, how’s it going?

LAUREN         Fine, thanks for asking.

ALEX           Hey, guess what!

LAUREN         What?

ALEX           I talked to Anna last night on Facebook.

LAUREN         Anna? Who’s Anna?

ALEX           Oh she was on our bus a few years ago. She moved to New York though.

LAUREN         I don’t remember anybody named Anna.

ALEX           Well she was super quiet and always sat near the front of the bus so you wouldn’t have noticed her.

LAUTREN        Whatever.

ALEX           Hey, Lauren?

LAUREN         Yeah?

ALEX           Is it just me, or has that car been following us for a while?

LAUREN         What car?

ALEX           That car back there. It’s been following the bus since I got on.

LAUREN         Oh that black one. Yeah, but it could just be a parent dropping off a kid at school.

ALEX           I guess so… but it’s still creepy.

(The bus reaches the school and Alex and Lauren look back to see that the car has disappeared)

LAUREN         The car’s gone… Weird.

ALEX           Let’s just forget about it and go to class.

(The kids “get off” the bus and enter the school)

SCENE 7

­­­

(After school on the bus ride home)

ALEX           Hey Lauren, this is my stop. Bye!

LAUREN           Okay, see you later!

(Alex walks into her house)

ALEX             Hi Mom!

MOM              Hi Alex! I made your favorite food for dinner.

ALEX             PIZZZZZZA!!!

MOM              Yup! But first you have to finish all of your homework, okay?

ALEX             Aw man. Okay, I’ll be in my room.

(Alex goes to her room and chats with Anna on Facebook)

ALEX             Hi Anna, what’s up?

ANNA             Nothing really, how’s about you?

ALEX             Well, this weird black car was following my bus on our way to school.

ANNA             Really? That’s creepy. Why do you think it was following you?

ALEX             I don’t know. It stopped following us after we got to school, but my friend Lauren said that it was probably just dropping a kid off.

ANNA             Yeah that makes sense. Well, I gotta go to sleep

ALEX             At 3:30 in the afternoon?

ANNA             Yeah… I went to sleep late last night and I’m super tired

ALEX             Well, okay… Bye!

SCENE 8

(It’s morning time. Alex’s mom is calling to her from the kitchen)

MOM              Baby girl! A package came for you!

ALEX             (Alex shouts from her room) Really? Who is it from?

MOM              I don’t know, there’s no return address. (The phone rings) Come look at it while I answer the phone, honey.

ALEX             Okay, I’ll bring it back upstairs. (Alex goes downstairs, grabs the package, and goes back upstairs. She opens the package and screams.)

MOM              (She comes up running with a spatula in her hand, hair tied back with a bandana, and with a dirty apron on) What’s wrong?!

ALEX             Uh… There was a spider.

MOM              Well, where is it?

ALEX             (Alex slaps her desk) … I killed it

MOM              … Well wash your hands. What was in the package?

ALEX             There was a, uh… a pillow pet from Lauren for our… friendship anniversary… our “friendaversary”.

MOM              Oh, how sweet of her! You should get her something in return.

ALEX             Yeah, let’s stop by Claire’s later… (Pause) Weren’t you talking on the phone just now?

MOM              Yes I was.

ALEX             Then how in the world did you get in that apron so fast?

MOM              It was a short conversation. Can I see your pillow pet?

ALEX             What? Oh the pillow pet, um… Well you see, the pillow pet is… eh… I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM!!!! (She runs out of the room with hands in her pockets)

MOM              She can be so strange sometimes. I wonder who she gets it from (She walks out of the room playing with her spatula)

(Alex goes in the bathroom, locks the door behind her, and pulls a picture out of her pocket. It is a picture of her walking home from school with a note that says, “You look great in that shirt, Alex! You should wear it more often. Here’s a treat. I thought they tasted great so I saved one for you =).”)

ALEX           (She pulls out her phone and calls Lauren) Come on Lauren… answer already! (Her tummy rumbles and she looks at the box with candy) Well I am hungry, and dinner’s not for a few more hours. Why not? (She eats the candy)

LAUREN         Hey, what’s up?

ALEX           Lauren! You’re not going to believe what just happened. 

LAUREN         What? What happened?! Did Chrissie and Johnny break up?!

ALEX           Huh? No! Well, I don’t really know. It’s much more serious than that. I got this creepy package in the mail. There wasn’t a return address on it so I don’t know who sent it. It was a picture of me walking home from school and some candy.

LAUREN         WOW! You have no idea who it’s from? That’s weird. Can you tell when the photo was taken? You didn’t eat the candy, right?

ALEX           Woah, woah, woah! One question at a time!

LAUREN         Well answer them!

ALEX           Okay, okay! Sheesh. I have no idea who it’s from, I think the photo was taken yesterday afternoon when I was walking home from school.

LAUREN         Oh, Alex, that’s dangerous! Don’t you know anything? You’re not supposed to eat candy from strangers! (She sighs in disapproval) Wait, wasn’t that creepy car following us yesterday morning?

ALEX           Oh yeah, it was! Do you think that maybe it’s all connected somehow?

LAUREN         I sure hope not. Listen, I’ve got to go to dance class now. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, ‘kay?

ALEX           Fine. Bye, Lauren.

LAUREN         Bye.

SCENE 9

(The next morning in Alex’s room, Alex is sick in her bed)

MOM            (She walks into Alex’s room) Here you go, honey. (She hands Alex the soup) Eat up!

ALEX           (Alex coughs) Thanks, Mom.

MOM            Ok, I’ll let you rest.

ALEX           I wonder what got me sick. Maybe it was  that candy.

MOM            What candy?

ALEX           Oh! Uh –uh the candy from the candy from last Halloween, in the candy drawer.

MOM            Oh, honey. You know that candy is stale! Don’t eat that again!

ALEX           Alright, I won’t sorry, Mom.

SCENE 10

(The next day, Alex is lying in bed with her laptop. The following is a Facebook conversation)

ALEX           Hi, Anna.

ANNA           GUESS WHAT?

ALEX           WHAT?

ANNA           My family is visiting New Jersey! Want to meet up at the mall?

ALEX           Oh, really? Sure! When?

ANNA           Meet me tomorrow at eight. It’s a Friday so it’s okay to meet at night.

ALEX           Sounds great! I’ll see you there!

(Friday, 7:30pm at Alex’s house

Alex is trying to sneak out)

MOM            Where are you going Missy?

ALEX           Me? Oh, um, I’m going to Lauren’s house. We’re working on a science project.

MOM            This late at night?

ALEX           Well, it’s due tomorrow and she was busy all afternoon.

MOM            Alright, Do you need me to drive you?

ALEX            No, it’s okay! It’s right around the corner so I should be fine.

MOM             Alright sweetie. Be safe. Keep your phone on!

ALEX            Okay! Bye Mom!

MOM             Bye sweetie!

SCENE 11

(Alex is walking up to the mall when she sees Carl in a hood waiting in the parking lot. Carl has a very manly appearance and uses a high pitched voice that sounds like an attempt at a girl’s voice)

CARL            Hey Alex! I’m over here!

ALEX            Who are you?

CARL            It’s me! Anna! You know, from Facebook. I know I don’t look like you thought I would, I’ve changed a lot since, uh, fifth grade.

ALEX            I’ll say. You look a lot manlier than I had expected…

CARL            Maybe, but we’re still friends, right?

ALEX            Uhhhhh. I’ve got to go… My mom is waiting for me!

CARL            But you just got here!

ALEX            Yeah. Sorry! Dinner time!

CARL            Come on! Hang out with me! I know we don’t know each other very well, but we could be great friends.

ALEX            What the heck man-thing…girl? What are you? 

CARL            I am your father!! I’m just joking. Ha, I guess you’ve figured out that I’m a man. My name’s actually Carl. (He starts taking off disguise)

ALEX            Whoa, whoa, keep that on! Help! HELP!

ANNA            Sh, no. Don’t scream! (He grabs Alex and Alex blacks out from fear)

MOM             Hmmmmm, Alex isn’t home yet. And it’s now 10:30 pm. I should call her. (She calls Alex but there’s no answer) Why isn’t that girl answering her phone? I told her to leave it on. Oh well, I’ll just call Lauren. (She calls Lauren)

LAUREN          Hi Mrs. Flowers. What’s up?

Mummy           Hi Lauren, can I speak to Alex?

LAUREN          Huh? Alex? She’s not here.

MOM             But Alex told me she was going to work on a project with you.

LAUREN          Uh, nope. She was never here. We… we aren’t even in the same science class.

MOM             She lied to me?! Where could she be then? Where do you think she is?

LAUREN          I have no idea Mrs. Flowers; maybe you should call the police.

MOM             Wait, maybe there are clues in her room to find out where she is.

LAUREN          Good idea Mrs. Flowers you could be on the police force.

 MOM            Uh, thanks. I’ll call you back with news soon. (She hangs up, goes to Alex’s room, searches for evidence, and finds that the computer is logged on to facebook. She checks the conversation calls Lauren back)

MOM            LAUREN! Who is Anna?

LAUREN          She’s a girl that Alex met on Facebook. She used to live near you and supposedly rode the bus with Alex.

MOM             I don’t remember any girl named Anna. Wait a second, this package, it has a picture of her! There’s no pillow pet in here! She was lying to me all this time!

LAUREN          Oh yeah, she told me about that.

MOM             WHAT? You knew about this?

LAUREN          I thought- I thought she would tell you!

MOM             This isn’t good. We need to call the police now.

LAUREN          Can’t we just go to the mall ourselves and go look for her?

MOM             No, when this sort of thing happens, we need to call the police to deal with it. They’ll know exactly what to do. (She picks up the phone and dials 911)

MOM             Hello?

OFFICER JENNY   Hello this is the police. How may I help you?

MOM             My daughter’s gone missing! Alex, my daughter, Alex Flowers, said she was working on a project with her friend, Lauren, but I just called Lauren and she says that she hasn’t seen Alex all day. (She starts talking really quickly) Apparently she was going to see a friend named Anna at the mall, but she’s never mentioned anybody named Anna at home, and I’ve never met anybody named Anna. And now I’m afraid she’s hurt and in trouble and-

OFFICER JENNY   – Calm down, Miss. Calm down. We’ll get right on it. I’m sending my squad over to the mall right now. Can you meet me there in ten minutes? We’ll need a picture.

MOM             Of course. I’ll be right there.

OFFICER JENNY   The police will be there first to look for anything suspicious.

SCENE 12

(At the mall, Mrs. Flowers looks for police mobiles and goes up to Officer Jenny)

MOM             Are you here to search for my daughter?

OFFICER JENNY   Yes Ma’am. Did you bring the picture?

MOM             Yes Officer, here you go.

OFFICER JENNY   Thank you. It will help us to find her a lot fast-

OFFICER 1       Officer Jenny! We found this guy behind the mall with a girl…The girl is unconscious. We have him here to interrogate.

MOM             WHERE’S ALEX???

OFFICER JENNY   Calm down, ma’am, we’ll handle the questioning. Now, sir, where’s the girl?

CARL            How should I know?

OFFICER JENNY   Sir, we’ll find out if you took her even if you lie. I recommend you tell us the truth now before you get into big trouble.

CARL            I don’t know what you’re talking about.

OFFICER 2       Officer Jenny! The girl behind the mall looks like Alex in the picture.

OFFICER JENNY   Well now, do you have anything to say to me?

CARL            Can I go now?

OFFICER JENNY   Let’s go around the mall and how this girl is doing. (They all go around the mall and see that Alex fell on a bed of flowers)

OFFICER JENNY   Is this your daughter?

MOM             Alex!

OFFICER JENNY   Get her into the police car fellas. She’ll need to go the emergency room.

OFFICERS 1 & 2  Yes sir!

CARL            Well I sure didn’t do it.

OFFICER JENNY   There’s enough evidence to know for sure that it was you. But we’ll have to take you over to the police station for a proper interrogation anyways. We’ll also have to wait for Alex to wake up to ask her a couple of questions.

OFFICER 1       You’re under arrest, sir.

SCENE 13

(Alex’s mom is waiting next to Alex’s bed in the Emergency Room)

ALEX            (Alex wakes up) Wha- where am I? Mom? (She turns to see her mom sitting on a chair nervously) MOM! I’m so sorry!

MOM             Alex! You’re okay! Don’t ever do that to me again!

ALEX            I know and I’m so sorry!

CARL            (He pops up in a corner of the hospital room) All I wanted was a flat screen TV!

MOM             Wait, where did you come from?

OFFICER JENNY   What are you talking about? That doesn’t make any sense!

MOM             Where are all of you people coming from?! Oh whatever, I’m just glad you’re safe!

ALEX            I’m sorry. I promise not to do it again. I’m so sorry. I’M SORRY! (Alex starts to cry)

MOM             It’s ok, it’s ok, I’m just glad you’re safe. Be more careful and never be afraid to tell me what’s happening, ok?

ALEX            Ok, mommy! I will! Promise! (She runs up and hugs her mom)

(Lauren comes running up on stage through the hospital door)

LAUREN          (Out of breath) What happened? Is Alex okay? (She looks at Alex hugging her mom from the hospital bed and gets confused) What did I miss?

(Curtains close with Alex and her mom hugging, Carl being put into the police car by Officer 1 and Officer 2, and Lauren looking confused)

“Every 15 Minutes someone dies as a result of an alcohol related accident… and today I died,” wrote a student to his parent, as a part of Gina’s Gold Award project.

She has wrapped up her Gold Award project and was recently at Council to talk about how it went. Initially Gina proposed to raise funds to purchase a drunk-driving simulator for her high school. When that idea did not meet the Girl Scout Gold Award requirements she was forced to go back to the drawing board to modify her project.

What she came up with was amazing. Gina decided, instead, to host a simulated drunk driving accident on school grounds. The two-day event started with the Grim Reaper pulling students from class every 15 minutes. Students were given “Living Dead” costumes and were later returned to class, and remained silent for the rest of the program. Their obituaries were read and locker memorials were displayed in the hallways.

Later that afternoon, the seniors gathered outside to witness the drunk driving accident unfold. Two cars were donated and smashed up in the school’s parking lot ahead of time. The incident included a student who “died” on scene, a student who was seriously injured and airlifted out, a student who was taken from the scene by ambulance and the drunk driver was given a sobriety test by local police and then arrested.

The driver and victims were student volunteers selected ahead of time to participate. Gina was able to enlist the help of the local police, rescue squad, NorthSTAR Air Medical Program and UMDNJ to make the scene as realistic as possible. New Jersey 101.5 played sound bites so students could hear the “911 call” and other reports of the accident.

Local EMS responded to the “emergency” as they would any other, doing full extractions of the students from the cars, complete with the Jaws of Life. The drunk driver was taken to the local police department and booked. He even did a little “time” in the slammer.

Parent volunteers were also involved in the incident. They arrived at the hospital to receive the news of their children’s tragic deaths. There was a mock trial at the local municipal building, where the driver was convicted and sentenced. All the events of the day were videotaped, edited and played at the “memorial service” held at the school the next day. A local funeral home brought a casket and flowers were donated.

The previous evening, the “deceased students” remained at the school and their parents went home alone. They each wrote letters to one another expressing the feelings of loss. The heartfelt letters were then read aloud to the group of 12th graders at the service, demonstrating the enormity of the loss of a young life.

A series of speakers also addressed the group: four student volunteers and four parents. A guest speaker was asked to share her very real tragedy, losing her 8-year-old child to a drunk driver. Gina indicated that the memorial service was the most successful part. “There was so much emotion in the room. I saw seniors crying. I could tell that everything finally sunk in.”

Gina’s goal was to help students experience and understand that their decisions have consequences for both themselves and their friends and family and to help them think twice about their decisions. The Board of Education reached out to Gina and expressed their interest in seeing the program continue each year. Gina is in the process of putting together a club to organize the program in future years. Empower of Somerset has also reached out to Gina to express their interest in keeping this program running.

Pillar of Fire is an organization that offers many services to the local community at their campus, including a college, a church, a family-friendly radio station and Urban Youth, which is a program that helps to meet the physical, intellectual and emotional needs of local inner city youth. The organization is in desperate need for volunteers to help clean up the mess that Irene left behind. To donate you time (and collect some community service hours) contact the organization directly at 732-560-4012. They are also in need of donations of cleaning supplies, including bleach, face masks, rubber gloves, buckets, towels, paper towels and basically anything to clean with. These can be dropped off at 595 Weston Canal Road, Somerset, NJ.

Know of other members of your community who need some hurricane relief, let us know and will post it!

Entertain us (for five minutes or less) with a creative response to one of the following prompts:

• I want to bring my time, talent and conscience together to…
• I want to broaden my horizons by…
• I want to have time to connect the dots differently…
• I want to understand my own capacity for…
• Why the tassel will be worth my hassle…

The deadline is October, 13, 2011, but the sooner you post the video, the better. Be sure to give yourself enough time to get the most votes!

Visit PossibilityU’s Website for more information.  Good Luck!

Elizabeth B. SU 63
Metuchen Safety Camp

Elizabeth created a camp for children ages 4-6 to learn about various types of safety.  Metuchen Safety Camp included a visit to the fire station, the police station and daily trips to Safety Town. Safety Town was created by Elizabeth and consisted of several child-sized buildings, streets and even a traffic light to teach children about crossing the streets.  The local Recreation Department has plans to continue this camp in the future. 

Sarah F. SU 64
Future Field Hockey Stars of BH

Sarah provided an opportunity for middle school girls to play field hockey by creating a clinic where she taught them basic skills and rules of the sport.  She held an equipment drive ahead of time and recruited volunteers to assist in teaching the girls.  The program was such a success that the Berkeley Heights Recreation Department has decided to implement a permanent field hockey program for middle school girls in the area. 

Kathleen G. SU 90
Peer Tutoring Program

Kathleen founded a peer tutoring program where members of the Warren Hills National Honor Society tutor students at the local middle school.  Twice a week a group of tutors visit the middle school to provide extra help to the students.  Over the course of the project the program expanded to provide private tutors for students as well as offer tutoring sessions in the high school.  The program was supported by the National Honor Society, and faculty from both schools and will continue to run in future years.  

Taylor I. & Stephanie K. SU 84
Culture Interactive: Greece

Taylor, and her partner Stephanie, provided interactive learning activities for children in their community.  The girls created an event filled with hands on activities designed to expose them to all aspects of Greek Culture.  Participants were able to dress up as a Greek warrior, create a Bouzouki, learn about mythology through a puppet show, sample authentic Greek foods, learn Greek fold dance, and much more.  The Hunterdon County Diversity Council will utilize the program as a template to create fun and educational programs for other cultures. 

Colleen J. SU 48
Intergenerational Senior Buddy Program

Colleen launched a program that paired residents at Atria Assisted Living Facility with children at the Discovery Child Care Center.  The buddies met on a monthly basis for activities including bingo, crafts, Wii games, sing-a-longs and gardening.  Both the children and the seniors mentored each other and developed special relationships over the course of the year.  The program was such a success, that it will continue on in future years. 

Alyssa L. SU 72
Girls Gone Green

Alyssa organized and held an eco-friendly workshop to encourage girls to make “green” decisions.  Alyssa also started an anti-idling campaign in her community.  She went to several community groups and presented a quiz-game to educate people about the effect of idling their car.  Alyssa was able to get permanent signs installed at the local high school, to promote anti-idling.  Her works has paid off, not only are people idling less, the school has also started other “green” programs, such as recycling and composting. 

Each girl had the opportunity to climb cliffs, kayak the ocean and loughs, and enjoy the enchanting forests of Tollymore.  Some say that Tollymore Forrest was C.S. Lewis’ inspiration for Narnia.  Cool!

Over the course of the week the girls not only were able to try a variety of big adventures, they also learned how small things can make a big difference when it comes to conservation.   

It seems like the girls had a ton of fun exploring this enchanted isle and meeting girls from all over.  Sound like fun? Check out our Destinations page and start gearing up for next year’s adventures…

ANN INC., parent company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, would like to challenge you to develop a project at your school or in your community that will advance women and girls. (Sound like a Gold Award project?) The Vital Voices ANNpower Initiative will provide funding to help translate the best ideas into action.

So if your Gold Award project promotes economic development, education, human rights and security for girls and women you should check out this grant opportunity!