HOLYOKE-Morgan O’Connor knows in her heart that any future plans she has will include involvement with Girl Scouts.
O’Connor, of Westfield, was joined by her mother, Patricia, to meet with Pat Hallberg, chief executive officer, Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM), on Tuesday afternoon at the Holyoke Service Center on Kelly Way. O’Connor is one of three girl members who have been elected to serve a two-year term on the organization’s board of directors.
Pat Hallberg, CEO of Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, reviews a draft plan for a new Girl Scout leadership center in central Massachusetts with Morgan O’Connor of Westfield – a newly elected member of the board of directors.
New members also elected to the board include Diane Ranaldi of East Longmeadow, Jennifer Roy of Easthampton, Felicia Fil of Hadley, Devon Grierson of Pittsfield, Shirley Konneh of Worcester, and Nicole Clarke of Northborough. Lyn Simmons, of Northampton, former vice president of the board, has assumed the role of president after Linda Skorupski retired.
“The broad perspective and wealth of knowledge these individuals bring to the board will help maximize the impact of the Girl Scouts’ mission,” said Simmons in a statement. “The mission of the Girl Scouts is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.”
Hallberg echoed those sentiments.
“Having girls on the board – and listening to their perspectives – keeps everyone focused on our mission,” said Hallberg, noting that girl members chair the Girl Leadership Board which has a direct voice in the governance and operations of the council. Any registered Girl Scout, age 14 and older, can apply to be on the GSCWM board. The board meets four times a year at the Holyoke Service Center in addition to the Annual Meeting conducted each spring.
For O’Connor, who is a member of Westfield Senior Girl Scout Troop 40222, this responsibility will also provide a great leadership opportunity.
“I applied for the board because I want to broaden my ideas of how to be a leader and help Girl Scouts,” said O’Connor.
O’Connor is already a leader in a multitude of ways – including assisting as a “girl mentor” to Westfield Daisy Troop 64804 and Westfield Brownie Troop 64797. Both troops meet at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Westfield. Patricia O’Connor co-leads the Daisy troop with Stephanie Einersen and co-leads the Brownie troop with Melanie Chartier and Jennifer Grabowski.
As a strong advocate of the values and mission of Girl Scouts, O’Connor regularly assists with membership recruitment activities which included hosting an informational night earlier this year at Westfield High School.
“I like to get to know the girls in the community and we registered close to 20 girls that night,” said O’Connor, noting she conducted a mock meeting so that girls and parents would have a feel for a Girl Scout gathering.
O’Connor’s community involvement has also included mentoring first and second graders at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield on robotics and recycling, and she also serves as an altar server and a member of the contemporary choir at Our Lady of Blessed Sacrament Parish.
During the school year, O’Connor attends Westfield Technical Academy where she is studying graphic arts. She will be a sophomore in the fall. Her summer plans include dance camp at Dancer’s Image in Westfield, taking two College for Kids art courses at Westfield State University, visiting her grandparents, and participating in the orientation program with Hallberg and the new members of the board.
Also this summer – for the third year – she will join teens in planning activities for the Catholic Outdoor Religious Experience Team – which conducts a retreat at Camp Holy Cross in Goshen for all scouts each fall. She is also a candidate for the Pillars of Faith award for having earned all her Girl Scout religious emblems.
During her 11 years in scouting, she has also earned the Girl Scout Bronze Award and Silver Award, and looks forward to going for the Girl Scout Gold in the coming months.
“The more you learn the further you can go in life,” said O’Connor. “Girl Scouts is an organization I really love and I want it to be a part of the rest of my life.”
