Today’s Girl Scouts learn about archery, hiking and being a corporate executive officer

Archery, horseback riding and learning how to cook over an open fire are all fun activities but Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan also want to learn about owning their own business, writing a book or becoming a pilot.

And for that reason there is Camp CEO.

“It’s a great opportunity to meet all these mentors,” said Madalynne Honeycutt of Clinton Township, who recently attended a Camp CEO event at Camp Hawthorn Hollow. “If I wasn’t in Girl Scouts, then I wouldn’t have these types of learning experiences. If it wasn’t for Girl Scouts I would probably be clueless about what I wanted to do.”

Joining Honeycutt at the camp was Sanaiah Williams of Warren.

An aspiring veterinarian, Williams enjoyed several things about the camp that was started in 2019 including spending time with her mentor and sister scouts but also the team building activities all of which are important skills for any entrepreneur or business leader. The camp was not held last year because of the pandemic but she returned this year to enjoy all of the aspects that she enjoyed so much the first year.

“I was so happy to be back at camp again,” she said. “I can’t wait to see who my mentor will be and learn about them.

Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan’s (GSSEM) Camp CEO event held in October paired Girl Scouts who are 15-years-old with adult mentors, who volunteer to help the girls discover, connect and take action, the keys to leadership.

The first camp two-years ago was met with a world of anticipation and excitement from both the mentors and mentees. So, when the opportunity to finally bring Camp CEO back, girls and mentors alike packed their gear and headed back to Camp Hawthorn Hollow.

“Having to cancel Camp CEO last year due to the pandemic was incredibly disappointing but this year we came back stronger than ever,” said Tiffany Griffin, GSSEM’s deputy chief program officer. “We had some of Detroit’s finest and most influential women come and spend time with the girls. Something they’ll probably never forget.”

Among the mentors who volunteered her time to this year’s Camp CEO was Telva McGruder.

A lifetime member of Girl Scouts, chair of the board of GSSEM and chief, equity and inclusion officer at General Motors, McGruder offered the campers a wealth of knowledge. Her ambitious persona was also a lift to the team of mentors.

For McGruder it was all about being assessable to her mentors’ needs and making it an awesome experience.

Colette Douglas, president and CEO of Elite Customer Service said she was there to serve as a coach.

“Sometimes we get to the point where we need to redefine certain words and I think mentor is one of them. I believe you become a mentor after you know a person and their personality, and their weaknesses and their strengths,” McGruder said. “And that’s where the coaching comes in terms of my strengths and how I can encourage and explain certain things to these girls on their level to conceptualize in the world of leadership and what I do.”

Due to the pandemic, Camp CEO had to scale things down but still more than a dozen professional women volunteered to serve as mentors.

If you or someone you know is passionate about the development and mentorship of young women, Camp CEO might be a good fit.

For more information contact Tiffiny Griffin at tgriffin@gssem.org