Girl Scout annual 2020 Powder Puff Derby
Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey Service Unit 53, “Clark, Garwood, & Winfield Girl Scouts” (CGWGS) held their annual Powder Puff Derby at the Clark Recreation Center on Saturday, January 25, 2020. More than 50 girls, ranging from Daisies to Cadettes came ready to race the gravity-powered wooden cars that they built and designed from scratch.
Many of the girls had learned about car design and construction at the first ever Car Construction Clinic, hosted jointly with Clark Cub Scout Pack 145 two weeks prior to the derby. The clinic gave Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts of all ages who were unfamiliar with the car-building process the chance to learn hands-on the ins and outs of building a derby car from scratch, and the physics of racing fast! Brownie level Girl Scouts even had the opportunity to earn a special Race Car Design badge.
The event was run by Leigh Anne Jadro (Leader, Troop 41248), with assistance from Rachael Hand (Leader, Troop 41292), and announced enthusiastically by Sheryl Gluck (Troop 40626).
Yes they are in order of the award winners! Daisy winners, then daisy special awards, brownie winners then brownie special awards, junior winners and award winner are together in one picture, cadette winners and award winner are in one pic. Then the parent race and then the overall winners.
CGWGS would like to thank Cub Scout Pack 145, especially Scoutmaster Tom Klimic and Assistant Scoutmaster Matthew Jadro, for working collaboratively to allow for the CGWGS Powder Puff Derby to be held on the same day as the Cub Scout Pack 145 Pinewood Derby, for allowing CGWGS to share use of their track and computer software, and for their assistance in planning and running the Car Construction Clinic.
They would also like to thank their student-volunteer track operators Joe Hovick, Michael Karnaugh, Ashley Rose Breinin, and Julianna Cistaro, and the many parents who contributed baked goods and helped to run the kitchen. Final thanks go to the many generous local businesses who donated to the event including: ShopRite of Clark, Vaccaro’s Bakery, Jersey Mike’s Subs in Clark, Philly Pretzel Factory in Westfield, Target of Clark, Trader Joe’s, and Bagel Chateau in Westfield.
The CGWGS Powder Puff Derby Winners were as follows.
Toughest Looking Car: Mia Arvelo; Most Sporty Car: Ellie Majewski; Most Patriotic: Catherine Hudak; Sweetest Car: Noelle Rizkalla; Most Unique Car: Nora Zerella; Most Royal: Charlotte Pitta; Cutest Car: Julianne Johnson; Funniest Car: Olivia Serioux; Most Creative Car: Olivia Gillespie; Most Scout-Themed Car: Gabriella DeSanto; Most Original Design: Lilijana Jadro
(above) 1st Place: Catherine Hudak; 2nd Place: Isabella Breece; 3rd Place: Noelle Rizkalla
Best Craftsmanship: Hayley Francavilla; Most Colorful: Julia O’Brien; Fastest Looking Car: Juliette Raab; Most Bling: Hope Schadewald; Most Girl Made: Rebecca Schubring
1st Place: Gabriella Sulikowski; 2nd Place: Eve Pitta; 3rd Place: Ruby Tomkowski
(above) 1st Place: Samantha Sulikowski; 2nd Place: Avery Fogu; 3rd Place: Alison Silva; Best Sportsmanship: Lauren Gluck
(above) 1st Place: Isabella Papa; 2nd Place: Isabella Sulikowski; 3rd Place: Kiersten Mathison; Best Car Name: Lucy Gilio; Best Paint Job: Kiersten Mathison
(above) 1st Place: Isabella Papa with her car “Star of the Show”; 2nd Place: Samantha Sulikowski with her car “The Jackrabbit”; 3rd Place: Catherine Hudak with her car “The Marvelous Fury”
(above) This year’s Family Race category had several last-minute withdrawals, leaving Bernard Sulikowski as the winner of the uncontested race. Rather than make Mr. Sulikowski race alone, his car was raced against the cars of his three daughters, Samantha, Isabella, and Gabriella, who were all winners in their divisions and placed 2nd, 4th, and 7th overall respectively.
