Девушки-скауты из Южной Дакоты вернулись из двухнедельного путешествия по Новой Зеландии и Австралии

Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons return home from an international adventure SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - A once-in-a-lifetime trip years in the making brought 30 Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons members home with more than souvenirs. The group recently returned from a two-week adventure through New Zealand and Australia, where they explored iconic destinations, experienced local traditions and cultures firsthand, and formed friendships that many said will last long after the trip ended. “We just got back from New Zealand and Australia, so that was just awesome,” Girl Scout Maddi M. said. “Like, I don’t even know how to describe it. I was just so excited to be there!” Many of the girls had never met before boarding the plane, but parents said it didn’t take long for those unfamiliar faces to become friends. “But then she said, ‘You know what, Mom? I want to go make some friends. I want to go get to know the girls,” Megan M., Maddi’s mother, said. “She just jumped right in and started playing games and cards and said, ‘Mom, I’m making new friends!’ So that was really awesome to see them connect.” Throughout the trip, the group immersed themselves in traditional cultures, learned local customs, explored communities across New Zealand and Australia, climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge, and snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef. “We got to have the fish swim right up next to us, and to look over and see the beautiful colors of all the fish, and the coral was amazing,” Megan M. said. “Definitely something I’ll remember the rest of my life.” For Maddi, her adventurous climb in Sydney stood out above everything else. “My favorite memory from the whole trip was probably when we got to climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge because I didn’t even know that was an option,” she said. “My mom was like, ‘You can climb that,’ and I was like, ‘You can?! Let’s do it!” While the itinerary was filled with memorable experiences, parents said the personal growth they witnessed was just as meaningful. “We had bingo cards of things to look for in each country, and one of them was to step out of your comfort zone,” Megan M. said. “I definitely saw her do that on this trip.” The international adventure was made possible through years of planning and fundraising. According to Jennifer Hoesing, chief development officer for Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons, proceeds from the organization’s entrepreneurship program, including the annual Girl Scout Cookie Program, helped many participants earn the opportunity to travel. “The girls’ proceeds from their entrepreneurship program, from the cookie program, have truly helped them pay for their adventure Down Under,” Hoesing said. The journey had been nearly three years in the making and represented far more than an overseas vacation. “We hope that the girls are setting the foundation for a lifetime of adventure with their trip,” Hoesing said. And for Maddi, the experience was one she’ll carry long after returning home. “I feel like I’ll definitely remember this trip for the rest of my life because it’s such a big trip that not a lot of people get to take,” she said. “Even doing it with Girl Scouts and people I didn’t already know, just going out of my comfort zone; I love it. It’s something I’ll definitely remember for the rest of my life.” More information on the Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons can be found here. Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.