Belleville Girl Scouts attend High Adventure program in West Virginia

Last week, girls from Troop 76032 in Belleville, traveled to the Summit Betchel Reserve to attend the Black Diamond Council Girl Scout Jamboree.
The High Adventure program, located at a Boy Scout reserve, is located in Glen Jean, WV.
Troop members participated in BMX racing, mountain biking, skateboarding, tree-top canopy tours, challenge courses, zip lining, rock climbing, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, archery and shooting sports, as well as many outdoor STEM and healthy living activities. There was so much to see and do, that they could not do it all.
“My favorite part was learning to ride on the BMX course,” said Gabby Mayrend. “It was a little hard to do at first, but the instructors made it fun. They were awesome.”
Hiking about 12-15 miles each day, the girls enjoyed meeting other girls from as far away as California, Maine, and Florida as they explored the mountains. Overall, more than 1,100 Girl Scouts participated in the Jamboree.
“I really liked meeting scouts from other states,” Gabby added. “We played games and ate together. I made really good friends and can’t wait to see them again.”
Before attending the jamboree, the troop challenged themselves even more with a white-water rafting trip on the Upper New River. Two of the girls had never rafted.
“It was an exhausting trip,” said Troop Leader Tammy Mayrend. “But it was amazing to see the girls move out of their comfort zone to try new things. My girls had so much personal growth this week, that they blew me away!”
“One of the biggest benefits to this program is learning to deal,” Mayrend said. “Dealing with heat, long hikes, long lines and with each other. I do appreciate the life lessons they learn as much as I appreciate the experiences.”