Academics

23 New Badges in STEM and Outdoors

This summer, GSUSA introduced 23 new badges in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and the outdoors—the largest programming rollout in almost a decade! Girl Scouts will be able to design robots and racecars, go on environmentally conscious camping trips, create algorithms, collect data in the great outdoors, try their hand at engineering, and so much more. And the best part? These new badges are girl-tested and girl-approved!

The new Girl Scout programming builds girls’ skills and encourages their interest in STEM and environmental conservation from an early age—areas girls are not typically encouraged to explore outside Girl Scouting—increasing their confidence in an all-girl, girl-led environment where they feel comfortable to try new things, take appropriate risks, and learn from failure.

Download a guide to year plans and journeys!

GSUSA created select badges with contributions from notable organizations in the STEM and outdoor industries, such as GoldieBlox, WGBH/Design Squad, the Society of Women Engineers, the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, Code.org, and SciStarter.

These awesome badges have debuted on Girl Scouts’ first digital platform for volunteers, the Volunteer Toolkit, making it more accessible than ever to unleash the power of every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™. The Volunteer Toolkit helps parents and volunteers easily plan meetings and activities; keep track of important information; and, ultimately, make it easier to support amazing experiences for girls!

In the toolkit, most programming for girls in grades K–5 is auto populated so troop leaders can view activity plans and necessary materials, customize meetings, and track troop finances all in one place. Plus, the instructions included throughout make subjects that might otherwise intimidate some volunteers—like STEM—accessible and understandable, so they can confidently carry out troop activities. Which means helping girls take the lead in their adventures just got a whole lot easier!

Badges and Patches

Celebrating 2017 Gold Award Recipients!

The Gold Award is the highest achievement that a Girl Scout can earn. The prestigious award challenges a girl to change the world – at least her corner of it. This year, 19 girls from Girl Scouts of Citrus were recognized for their amazing contributions to Central Florida and beyond.

There is perhaps no better way to see the mission of Girl Scouting come to life than to hear girls talk about their Gold Award projects. On Saturday, June 10, 2017, Girl Scouts of Citrus honored 19 Girl Scouts who have completed a lengthy seven-step process to solve a problem in their communities.

Girl Scouts of Citrus CEO, Maryann Barry, penned a letter of congratulations to the young women:

“You have achieved a rare and prestigious national honor, establishing yourselves as young leaders in your community and the builders of our future…Today, we celebrate you and are proud to welcome you to the special sisterhood of those who have earned Girl Scout’s highest award.”

This year, Girl Scouts of Citrus also introduced three new Council Awards to recognize graduating Ambassadors: Outstanding Troop, Young Entrepreneur, and Future STEM Leader.

Introducing, the Council Award winners and 2017 Gold Award Recipients!

Elizabeth Abel
Room Redo at Women’s Shelter

Rebuilt a room at the Women’s Residential and Counseling Center, including new lighting, air conditioner, paint, and furniture.

Morgan Benson
Math Locker

Constructed a Math Coach Locker for Kid’s Place Day Care Center at Indian River City Church, complete with games, lessons, supplies, and activities, including teacher materials.

Samantha Brewer
Signage for Stone Mountain Chimneys

Designed signage and landscape features around two historical chimneys at Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta to teach visitors about local flora and legacy of Stone Mountain.

Sarah Brouillard
Tying Lesson Wooden Shoes

Created over one thousands wooden shoes to donate to local schools, daycares, and other organizations that assist kids in learning to tie their shoes.

Caroline Carlton
Non-Profit For Coins Collected at MCO

Partnered with Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Foundation to place donation bins outside TSA checkpoints to collect loose change for a charitable foundation.

Ashley Chase
Hands On Curriculum for Preschool

Collaborated with Firm Foundation Preschool to create a curriculum with hands-on activities for kids, including a health unit that explains the importance of healthy living and exercise.

Maggie Decoursey
Anti-Bullying Summit

Held an anti-bullying summit for girls ages 11-15 with guest speakers; created YouTube video with anti-bullying message to increase awareness.

Francesa DeVito
STEMology

Created a STEM Portal (thestemportal.com) to inspire students to enter STEM fields; created learning resources and a sustainable week-long STEM camp.

Michaela Issacs
East Wing Rehab at Retirement Home

Re-landscaped the yard at Tuskawilla Nursing and Rehab Center using drought-resistant and butterfly-attracting plants.

Samantha Krell
Recycling at CFLA

Placed recycling bins in each classroom of her high school and educated the school’s teachers and students to increase recycling; received commitment from administration to continue efforts.

Katie Lange
Yellowbrick Road at Clay Springs Elementary

Collaborated with the Physical Education department at her elementary school to create a new activity that teaches children K-5 seven locomotive skills (run, walk, skip, slide, gallop, leap, hop).

Madison Love
Camp Boggy Creek Cabin Family Journals

Created journals for campers at Camp Boggy Creek to reflect on their experiences at camp; journals presented at banquet events to encourage an increase in donations.

Elizabeth Marvin
You Are Beautiful Murals

Collaborated with Hagerty High School to create murals addressing women’s positivity and self-love.

Tess Marvin
Spanish Library at Hagerty High School

Created a Spanish library with fiction and non-fiction books at Hagerty High School.

Annaliese Poliner
Appreciation Workshop and Mural

Held a series of Art Appreciation Workshops for children in grades K-8; created comprehensive guides for all of her workshops for future use; painted a mural on the outside wall of the church.

Judith Wages
Bat Houses at Moss Park

Constructed 12 bat houses and placed them around Moss Park to improve the park’s ecosystem.

Ciara Watkins
Spaying and Neutering Animals

Collaborated with Seminole County Animal Services to spay and neuter 28 animals.

Elizabeth Williams
United Nations Game

Created an activity to supplement geography classes which were removed from Florida’s middle school curriculum; teaches students territorial geography.

Emily Worthington
Emily Cares – Change Florida Statutes Regarding Foster Kids

Advocated for the rights of foster kids through Florida Statute Chapter 39, Paragraph 3 which only requires foster families to provide trash bags for foster children to keep their belongings in.

 

Interested in earning your Gold Award? View the Gold Award guidelines and start the process now!

Badges and Patches

Cadettes: Are you looking toward the Silver Award?

It’s that time in your Girl Scout career to look toward earning the Silver Award. But what is it? What do you have to do? When are trainings?

Great questions. Let’s start with the basics:

What is the Silver Award?

The Silver Award is the highest award that a Cadette can earn. Through about 50 hours of service to the community, you define a Take Action Project that will have a positive impact on the world around you. These hours are just a guideline, though. Read the Silver Award Guidelines for all the must-knows.

What do I need to do?

In general, this is how it breaks down:

  1. Go on a Cadette Journey.
  2. Identify issues you care about.
  3. Build your Girl Scout Silver Award team or decide to go solo.
  4. Explore your community.
  5. Pick your Take Action project.
  6. Develop your project.
  7. Make a plan and put it into motion.
  8. Reflect, share your story, and celebrate.

But first, it really starts with training. That’s the key right now:

When are trainings?

We schedule these often. Here are the two upcoming trainings scheduled at this time.

Lake County
May 22, 2017
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Orange County
May 23, 2017
6:45 PM – 8:15 PM

Badges and Patches

Did you know? We have Bridging Kits!

Graduation. Summer break. Year-end tests. It’s that time of year, but it also means it’s Bridging Season!

And we have the perfect thing! Check out Bridging Kits that contain everything you need to give a girl who bridges to the next Girl Scout program grade level!

The kit includes a bridging kit, certificate, membership star and disc, and pencil! Contact the Council Shop at shop@citrus-gs.org or 407-895-7467 to order yours!

Badges and Patches

Derby Day for Girl Scouts of All Ages!

Due to popular demand, we have opened up a second session for this program! The morning session is completely full. This session starts at 1PM.

Celebrate and join in on the fanfare of the Kentucky Derby by creating your own wooden race car and festive derby hat at Factur on May 6th! Register now!

You’ll create your own fascinator or Debry hat with help from designer, Melissa Cantrell, VP of Product Design for Scala headwear, which is an official headwear brand sold at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day! All participants will also have the opportunity build a wooden car and test it out in a race, just like the girls in this awesome STEAM partnership between Girl Scouts and Ford!

You’ll also be invited to take a tour of Factur, which is a one-of-a-kind fabrication laboratory and makers space in Orlando. Factur serves as a creative home in which people work, learn and build a community rooted in science, art and technology.

This is an exclusive event for Girl Scouts – you must be a registered Girl Scout member to participate. Kindly note, you must arrive promptly at 1:00pm for check-in to begin the activities.

Cost includes materials needed to design and make your fabulous creations. Each participant will be able to take home their hats and race cars and will also earn a fun patch for the day.

Feel free to come dressed in your best derby attire!

The last day to register for this program is May 1st, however if a minimum of 25 people are not registered by Tuesday, April 25th, this program may be subject to cancellation.

Badges and Patches

Sports Fans, Listen Up!

Girl Scout sports fans! This is our time! Take a look at the exclusive Girl Scout events that are a perfect combination of our love for local athletic teams and a great time with Girl Scout sisters. You can’t get this anywhere else!

Everyone knows that Central Florida has an impressive lineup of athletic teams to support. Thankfully, those teams also love supporting Girl Scouts, which is why when we offer tickets to a game, it’s not just a game: we’re talking exclusive patches, on-field experiences, meet and greets, and even BALLFIELD SLEEPOVERS!

We grow this list of sports programs all the time. Check back often.

Girl Scout Sleepover with the Florida Fire Frogs
May 19, 2017
Includes a cookout on the concourse, movie on the jumbotron with popcorn, inflatables, badge work, AND a free ticket to the upcoming June 3 game!

Girl Scout Night at the Jack with the Daytona Tortugas [REGISTRATION CLOSED]
May 6, 2017
Includes a ticket to the game and a pre-game Girl Scout parade beginning at 6:30 PM!

Bowl for Mah-Kah-Wee
May 27, May 28, May 29
Let’s celebrate the end of a great Girl Scout year and help to support the revision and revitalization of Camp Mah-Kah-Wee.

Soccer Time with the Orlando Pride!
June 24, 2017
Includes a Girl Scout patch.

 

Badges and Patches

Celebrate the 2017 Cookie Program with Event Discounts!

[Updated!] The LAST event of the Cookies2017 event discounts is here! The first 250 girls to register for Girl Scout Weekend at Universal Orlando will receive over a 50% discount with promo code COOKIES2017!

The girls of Citrus Council have done it again. Congratulations on a remarkable Cookie Program that allowed troops to meet or exceed their goals and deliver over 1.7 million boxes of cookies to customers in Central Florida!

Now, let’s celebrate! Use promo code COOKIES2017 to register for the following events at a special reduced rate. That includes $2 TICKET programs designed to let troops experience a great Girl Scout event in a cost-efficient way. Additional programs will be added so check back if your favorite is full!

As you plan exciting adventures with your Cookie Program funds, don’t forget to share the story with us! It’s a great time to be a Girl Scout!

COOKIE2017 Discounted Programs

Celebrate National Girl Scout Day at FUN SPOT! [Event Full]

March 11, 2017
Original Price: $35
Discounted Price: $10

Earn Your Cadettes Secret Agent Badge at Mad Science [Event Full]

March 14, 2017
Original Price: $16
Discounted Price: $2

Earn Your Junior Detectives Badge at Mad Science [Event Complete]

March 14, 2017
Original Price: $16
Discounted Price: $2

Earn Your Junior Entertainment Technology Badge at Mad Science [Event Full]

March 19, 2017
Original Price: $16
Discounted Price: $2

Earn Your Brownie Inventors Badge at Mad Science [Event Full]

April 9, 2017
Original Price: $16
Discounted Price: $2

Earn Your Brownie Home Scientist Badge at Mad Science [Event Full]

April 11, 2017
Original Price: $16
Discounted Price: $2

Not Your Mother’s Career Fair and Overnight at Holiday Inn Waterpark (BOTH)  [Event Full]

April 22, 2017
Original Price: $70
Discounted Price: $20

Time to Fly High at iFly! [Event Full]

April 30, 2017
Original Price: $38.99
Discounted Price: $9.99

2017 Girl Scout Night at the Jack with the Daytona Tortugas! [Event Full]

May 6, 2017
Original Price: $8
Discounted Price: $2

Earn Your Brownie Bug Badge at Mad Science [Event Full]

May 9, 2017
Original Price: $16
Discounted Price: $2

Girl Scout Sleepover with the Florida Fire Frogs! [Space still available]

May 19, 2017
Original Price: $40
Discounted Price: $10

Earn Your Junior Animal Habitats Badge at Mad Science! [Registration Full]

May 21, 2017
Original Price: $16
Discounted Price: $2

Girl Scout Day at Daytona Lagoon! [Registration Closed]

June 25, 2017
Original Price: $15.99
Discounted Price: $1.99

Girl Scout Weekend at Universal Orlando [NEW!] 

June 10-11, 2017
Original Price: $88
Discounted Price: $40 (For first 250 girls only)

Details

  • Discounted events are for members and families of Girl Scouts of Citrus only. Discounts are not available for members of neighboring councils.
  • Participants who have previously registered for any of the discounted events listed above will receive a refund for the difference in the original and discounted price automatically. Refunds will be sent via check.
  • Discounted rates are available until the event capacity is reached or the registration deadline has passed, whichever comes first.
  • Discount is available on the purchase price of the event only, not additional purchases such as t-shirts or food vouchers.
  • Discount cannot be applied to events not mentioned above. Continue to check back for updates and additions.
Badges and Patches

Girl’s Choice Badge 2017

Girls have spoken! The winning Girls’ Choice badge topic for 2017 is in. So, without further ado, we’re pleased to announce . . .

The next Girls’ Choice badge will be Troop Camping! What a great way to build go-get-‘em problem-solvers, encourage challenge-seeking, and expose girls to new experiences as they grow their skills, confidence, and character. After all, camp life is the best life!

[Updated 2/28/17] Between February 13-17, girls across the country selected the design of the new badges!

Many thanks to everyone who voted and shared the poll with girls. That’s how we keep this process girl-led, which is so important!

We can’t wait to roll up our sleeves and get started on these badges. Daisies will get a first taste of the camping fun and excitement in their first-ever Girls’ Choice badge, and then the Brownie Ambassador badges will build on that foundation.

Badge requirements will be available for download on June 15, 2017; badges and printed requirements will be in council shops by August. Keep an eye out for the badge design poll, which will be open from February 13 to 17. We will share that link in February.

In the meantime, start thinking about where this adventure will take you: Troop Camping awaits!

And girls, always remember, it’s your world.

This article originally appeared on blog.girlscouts.org.

Badges and Patches

Shutting It Down: ‘Make Your Own Badge’ Site

In 2011, Girl Scouts of the USA rolled out a new national program – Journeys. At that same time, a great tool that provides girls the opportunity to create their own badge was released, but since the Girls’ Choice Badge voting process was released in 2013, the use of the tool has been declining.

The Make Your Own Badge site will be shut down on June 30, 2017. Effective on June 1, 2017, the design tool for creating badges will be shut down, so all badge designs must be submitted by this date. 

If girls are interested in pursuing a badge that is not currently available, they are encouraged to use another avenue to explore an area of interest, such as a Take Action project or a Destination trip!

Badges and Patches

Exclusive Girl Scout-Only Events for Older Girls

Have you ever been behind-the-scenes at the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye? No, you haven’t, because nobody is allowed! Until now…

This spring, it is a great time to be a Girl Scout – especially for Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors. A lineup of events just for you are truly exclusive experiences not available anywhere else. Take a look:

Ambassadors: Earn the Water Badge!

Nearly a dozen women working in the STEM field are lining up to talk to Ambassador Girl Scouts about their interests in STEM careers. Girls will visit Shingle Creek to see how a wastewater facility can impact the Everglades and beyond in a one-of-a-kind experience through the City of Orlando.

Saturday, March 11 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Registration ends March 1 or when event is full
City of Orlando Water Reclamation Facility
$5 per person
Ambassadors

Behind the Scenes at the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye

Not only will you ride the iconic 400-foot observation wheel, but Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts (as well as tagalongs of the same age) will have an exclusive, Girl Scout-only behind the scenes tour. Learn the physics, engineering, and technology behind one of Orlando’s newest attractions.

Saturday, April 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Registeration ends March 20 or when event is full
I-Drive 360 Entertainment Complex
$25 per person
Seniors and Ambassadors

Not Your Mother’s Career Fair & Overnight at Holiday Inn Waterpark

Cadettes, Seniors, Ambassadors. Let’s get a handle on #adulting in a way that works for us. This is not your mother’s career fair. This is college + career + party. Meet with companies to discuss career. Talk to professionals from universities to discuss college. Then party all night with your friends with a laser maze, arcade games, 4D theater, and much more.

Saturday, April 22 from 10:30 a.m. to Sunday, April 23 at 6:00 a.m.
Registration ends April 14 or when event is full
Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites and Waterpark
$15 – $70 per person
Cadettes, Seniors, Ambassadors