Scouts learn about the world at 'Thinking Day'

More than 700 local Girl Scouts and volunteers took a virtual trip around the world Saturday during International Thinking Day at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates.

Twenty-four troops hosted booths featuring specific countries, with information about the traditions, education, food and history of that country. The scouts received a small token called a SWAP from each booth they visited and used passports to collect stamps from each country.

"We celebrate by having troops research countries, then they create a display," said Denise Urban, Service Unit 406 finance manager and Thinking Day chairwoman. "Then we invite girls from our community to come and travel the different booths to see what girls are doing around the rest of the world."

The event also included a song session and a chance to learn about the educational challenges of children in other parts of the world.

"This is just one example of what we as Girl Scouts do, other than selling cookies," Urban said. "So we're celebrating our friendship and sisterhood around the world, and learning about what's going on in the rest of the world, is a big part of what we help the girls learn."