First Selectman Pat Llodra met with a number of Girl Scouts on Tuesday, March 1, to present a proclamation recognizing Girl Scout Day, ahead of Girl Scout Week, marking the anniversary of the organization's start in 1912.

Newtown High School seniors in Girl Scout Troop 50763, and Middle Gate Elementary School fourth graders from Girl Scout Troop 50127 met with Mrs Llodra to receive the proclamation.

Girl Scout Week is an annual celebration in March, and this year it is being recognized from March 6 to 12.

Girl Scout Week, Mrs Llodra told the assembled girls, is worth celebrating and acknowledging as "it really does speak to courage, confidence, and character." The NHS troop had brought signs saying those three words to hold in a photo with Mrs Llodra and the proclamation.

Mrs Llodra also told the fourth graders the high school seniors are good role models for them to look to for guidance.

After meeting with the first selectman the girls shared some of their reasons for being Girl Scouts.

Middle Gate fourth grader Zosia Teraszkiewicz said she likes being a Girl Scout "because I like teaching other people how to be kind and respectful."

Fellow fourth grader Jillian Hoag said she likes "a lot of fun projects," like a saving water project completed by troop members last year that included teaching Middle Gate students about water conservation.

Jillian and fellow Troop 50127 member Grace Chiriatti said their troop is raising money for the Brian J. Silverlieb Animal Care and Control Center. The troop will have donation boxes around Newtown through the next week at multiple locations, including Your Healthy Pet, EverWonder Children's Museum, Stop & Shop, Big Y, Newtown Municipal Center, Middle Gate, Newtown Middle School, and NHS.

The Girl Scouts from NHS also shared why they have enjoyed being members in the organization.

Senior Julia Preszler said she found the programs and projects to be diverse. Being in Girl Scouts, she said, offers the opportunity to learn about a lot of topics.

The high schoolers also spoke about the different awards they earned along the way from various projects, many designed to support and include the community, like game nights hosted for Brownies in second and third grade. The game nights offered the older Girl Scouts the chance to have leadership responsibilities and for the younger scouts to have an experience in their community.

In recognition of Girl Scout Day, recognized each year on March 12, the proclamation presented by Mrs Llodra to the Girl Scouts reads, "I, E. Patricia Llodra, First Selectman of the Town of Newtown, on behalf of all town citizens, do hereby applaud the Girl Scouts of the United States of America for more than 100 years of leadership and expertise as the voice for and of girls, proudly proclaim March 12, 2016, as Girl Scout Day."

Girl Scout Day commemorates the day in 1912 when Girl Scout Founder Juliette Gordon Low registered the first Girl Scouts, according to the organization's website.