Girl Guides of Canada-Alberta

Alex is a very active in her community through varied projects including Calgary Reads, Stephen's Backpacks, curating care packages for kids in need during the holidays, Community Kitchen, sorting produce for families in need, and Adopt a Senior with a group of friends buying and organizing care packages for seniors to open on Christmas day. At school she is a CAUSE Executive member and is head of Props and Set for a production of about 15 actors.

As a peer tutor, she works alongside students and helps them reach their educational goals. Alex is currently attending University of British Columbia in the Science program. She has been a member of the organization for 13 years and is currently a Ranger. Alex wrote “each experience through Girl Guides has uniquely afforded me skills and connections applicable to all aspects of my life, providing a broader worldview, one more tailored to community involvement, kindness, and accountability.” As an artist, Alex spends hours each week sketching and creating large pieces; an accomplished pianist, she performs at recitals and is a member of the grad band at school.

Annamarie is currently a Ranger and has been involved in Girl Guides for seven years. As a Guide she attended a Friendship Camp where she realized how fun Guiding could be. She considers her most significant accomplishment to date to be when, as a Pathfinder, she raised a significant amount of money to take an international trip with her unit, through numerous bottle drives and working as a cashier at a stadium. Annamarie has been an honour roll student since junior high during which time she earned several drama awards, and was awarded most creative tutor, by Life Long Learner.

Annamarie is a committed adapted recreation leader responsible for planning and executing inclusive and adaptive activities for children with various disabilities. She also founded a Games Club with four of her peers with a goal was to provide a worry-free space for students at school to relax. Annamarie is attending University of Toronto in the Humanities (Arts) program; her hobbies include art, reading and writing.

Asia is currently a Guider and has been a member for 18 years. She wrote that one of her proudest achievements was serving a volunteer term at Our Cabana, where she was exposed to many new experiences and forced to grow and adapt in so many ways. Prior to working at a World Centre, she was selected to attend a provincially sponsored trip to Ecuador where her group had the opportunity to help construct a school in a rural area while also learning about the local community and principles of social justice. Asia wrote that the organization is a women's-only space that normalizes that anything that can be done, can be done by a woman.

Asia is on the Dean's Honour List, University of Lethbridge, where she is enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts program with a major in Social Sciences. Her community work is varied from collecting donations for the foodbank, preparing food at a soup kitchen, helping out in a women's shelter for women and children facing domestic violence to volunteering at a local cat shelter. Asia loves to travel, exploring new places in an ethical and sustainable way, and is learning Spanish.

Hannah graduated high school with Honours with Distinction and is currently attending the University of British Columbia in the Kinesiology program. While in high school, she was active in drama productions designing lights. When asked to take on this role she enrolled in a class to prepare her for the intricacies of lighting, costume, audio, and set design, and was extremely proud when her design received shining reviews for Alberta Youth Theatre Collective.

In addition, she was on the Executive of the Student Solidarity Committee, working to promote inclusivity and kindness at her high school and participating in Pride Month activities. Hannah is an 11-year member of Girl Guides and is currently a Ranger. An active volunteer in her community, she volunteers at the local food bank, keeps score for volleyball, basketball and handball. Hannah enjoys weekly art classes and is an accomplished pianist.

Kaylee currently attends the University of Calgary in the Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies. A practicum student at Vecova as Team Lead, she is responsible for planning and executing inclusive and adaptive activities for children with various disabilities and hopes to work in a patient advocacy role in the future to help empower change for people experiencing chronic illness and facing the medical system. Kaylee was on the honour roll throughout high school and received the Rutheford Scholarship.

Kaylee feels her most important accomplishment to date is completing her first year of university with a 4.0 GPA, despite serious health problems. A Unit Guider, Kaylee is a 13-year member of Girl Guides. She writes: “By developing empathy, critical thinking, problem solving, resilience, and courage, Girl Guides provides girls with valuable opportunities to learn and grow, shaping them into well rounded and confident individuals with transferable knowledge and skills.” A skilled archer, coach and facilitator, Kaylee received the MICA world archery medal. She considers archery to have been the catalyst for developing confidence, resiliency, patience, and discipline in her life.

Lacey is pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree at Red Deer Polytechnic, was on the Honour Roll during her high school years and has received many Girl Guide, school, and community awards. Having a passion for mentoring youth and making a difference, her hope is to create a supportive environment where youth are successful, resilient, and make a difference for others.

A Member of Girl Guides for 11 years, she is currently a Ranger and Junior leader with Embers. Active as a volunteer in her community, she has volunteered at a senior care facility spending time with seniors crafting, exercising, giving manicures, playing games etc. She has also been a Junior Ringette coach, planning and developing practices and skills, and volunteered at an elementary school working in small group settings on activities surrounding both literacy and numeracy. Lacey considers Ringette her primary hobby and enjoys dirt biking with her family.

Mia is an 11-year Member of Girl Guides and is currently a Ranger and Junior Leader. Mia writes that her most special experience was travelling on an interprovincial trip for two weeks building stronger bonds with her unit. She states the value of being a member of Girl Guides of Canada is becoming a global citizen willing and capable of aiding whatever communities are in need, whether these are local communities or international ones. Mia is an active member of her community and is proud of the work she does with the Maverick Movement, a student-led social justice club encouraging students to “be the change” they wish to see in their community.

She was also instrumental in starting the Maverick Market as a way of gaining funds to support the goals of the Maverick Movement and to purchase snacks kept in every classroom provided to every student within the school for free. Mia is attending the University of Calgary working on a combined Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Arts. She has received many Girl Guide and academic awards. Her hobbies are playing guitar, performing in musical theatre, painting, drawing, and writing. She is deeply passionate about the art of storytelling, especially in the form of film.

Natasha currently attends MacEwan University in the Bachelor of Design program. In high school, she achieved Honours with Distinction and was the recipient of Music and Fine Arts awards. Natalie wrote “Feminism is very important to me, and Guiding started the feminist fire inside me, and as I progress in the organization the fire gets bigger. Guiding makes me a better person; it has taught me how to care for others while still caring for myself".

A 10-day Pathfinder trip and service project to Peru was a Guiding highlight and Natasha believes her most significant achievement is the 4-month solo Europe trip she undertook this fall. Active in her community, she has participated in bikeathons, bottle drives, and worked at the food bank. Natasha’s hobbies are crocheting and playing the trumpet.

Currently a Ranger and a Member for 13 years, Sienna is a member of the Youth Forum, motivating her to use her voice to speak on topics that are meaningful to her and encouraging youth engagement. Sienna has achieved Honours with Distinction in every semester of High School, graduating with Honours with Distinction. She has earned several prestigious academic and humanities awards.

A student researcher with the WISEST Student Research Program, her research was published, and she was awarded the Nan and Margaret-Ann Armour WISEST Participant Scholarship in 2024 from the University of Alberta, for superior academic achievement. Sienna is attending the University of Alberta in a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. In her spare time, Sienna participates in performing arts, has danced for 15 years in a variety of disciplines, including ballet, jazz, and Chinese dance, and plays four instruments playing in her school concert and jazz bands.

Scarlet is a nine-year member of Girl Guides of Canada and is currently a Ranger, where she and her group planned a fun and engaging themed weekend for Pathfinders attending Nite Trek. Scarlet believes Girl Guides offers the ability to grow into a true leader throughout life, and a dependable helping hand to anyone and everyone. Scarlet has been active in leadership roles in her school and has planned and participated in her high school Orientation Night for the past three years.

She is currently attending the University of Calgary studying Media and Communications, a major she believes will aid the importance of understanding and celebrating the different communities around our world. A gifted guitarist, Scarlet has written, recorded and released her first song. Scarlet’s other hobbies and interests include poetry, art, and rugby.

Haley is a 14-year Member of Girl Guides and has participated in every branch, was a Youth Forum Member and attended Alberta Girls’ Parliament as a delegate and Deputy Premier. Achieving First Class Honours throughout junior and senior high school, Haley also received many scholastic and citizenship awards. She is currently attending Red Deer Polytechnic in the Pre-Pharmacy program.

A dedicated volunteer in her community, she has volunteered at Oklahoma Community Centre, a rural Alberta community hall, in various roles for most of her life. Haley wrote that her most significant achievement thus far was to have been selected and afforded the amazing opportunity to volunteer for the 2024 spring session at Our Chalet. She believes belonging to a long-standing, well-respected organization known worldwide, automatically imparts a nod to one’s character. Haley played minor hockey from age 5 – 18 and she now helps coach. She enjoys competitive dance and participating in service projects at her school.