FEATURE FRIDAY: Christina Spicer on Being a “Legend” and All Things in Local Girl Scouting

Earlier this month, in conjunction with the NCAA Men’s Final Four, the NCAA honored Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) Co-CEO Christina Spicer as one of five recipients of its 2024 Legends and Legacy Community Award, which recognizes activists who commit their time, resources and influence to improve and invest in their communities. 

We recently had the chance to connect with Spicer to both wish her congratulations and to learn about all they have cooking with the local Girl Scouts. 

We hear you aren’t the only Girl Scout honoree in recent weeks? 

It has been a busy few months for us in the Girl Scouts! In early March, my Co-CEO Mary Mitchell was announced as the 2024 Women in Leadership Symposium Woman of the Year by the Arizona Diversity Council. We also learned that GSACPC is a finalist for the 2024 Phoenix Chamber of Commerce Impact Award in the nonprofit category. And in late March, we had the privilege of presenting 35 local girls with the prestigious Gold Award, which honors girls in grades nine to 12 who have utilized the skills acquired in Girl Scouts to showcase sustainable and measurable impact through problem-solving of relevant issues on a local or national level by completing a Gold Award-worthy project.

What sorts of projects merit a Gold Award?

The 2024 Gold Award class represents a variety of service projects that target an array of relevant issues. Projects included establishing programs to improve mental and physical health, sustainability, and animal welfare, as well as addressing gender bias, lack of medical access, gaps in educational curriculum, and more.

And how did cookie season go this year?

We were overwhelmed by support in every way, truly. More than 7,500 girls in 90-plus communities across central and northern Arizona collectively sold over 3.4 million cookies this year. The best part? Every single package of cookies sold will contribute to local girl-led community projects, educational troop excursions, maintaining and improving our four Girl Scout camp properties across Arizona, and cultivating even more moments of sisterhood for Girl Scouts. 

In addition to the success of the cookie program, this cookie season also marked the return of the Bring Home the Cookie 5K in partnership with State Forty Eight Foundation, which saw more than 1,000 girls and their families come out to support each other, entrepreneurship, Girl Scouting, and more. 

We heard there is also a Girl Scout Mobile Building Space on the horizon?

Yes! The Girl Scouts Mobile Building Space is in process now. Once complete, it will offer interactive and state-of-the-art workshops on wheels to teach girls the basics of the design and build process, as well as open their eyes to career opportunities in the industry. From small craft projects like birdhouses to large-scale projects at our camp properties, through the Girl Scout Mobile Building Space, Girl Scouts will discover their passion for construction with professional builders, architects, engineers, and designers from communities across Arizona lighting the way by serving as not just program leads, but role models for our girls. 

What else is on the horizon for the Girl Scouts? 

On May 11, we will host our Girl Scouts in an Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration with food, music, and activities with local troops and community partners. During the celebration, Girl Scouts will receive the Girl Scout of the USA AANHPI Hertiage Month patch, and they are encouraged to wear cultural attire that represents their heritage. Then, on June 29, we will celebrate Pride, hosting a Girl Scout celebration with food, music, and similar opportunities to learn. Of course, we also have four summer camps across Central and Northern Arizona as well, offering everything from archery and horseback riding to zip lining and science experiments to our girls. Our mission with camp is to provide girls with a safe and supportive place to have fun, make new friends, and take risks while learning new skills and exploring the outdoors.