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!

Sports

Sky Zone Daytona’s Exclusive Girl Scout Deal

Enjoy wall-to-wall trampolines or a foam pit for soft landings after huge air. Sky Zone Daytona is offering super-sweet discounts to Girl Scouts and friends or family at their entire indoor park.

Check out these TWO great ongoing offers from our friends at Sky Zone Daytona. With four high-flying attractions, your entire family or the whole troop will love the pure joy that comes with flying.

Girl Scouts and up to one friend or sibling can receive 10% off the price of admission anytime the park is open. OR, when you book as a troop, enjoy the discounted rate of $12 per girl for a 60-minute jump (that’s a $2.99 savings per girl).

Book directly with Sky Zone Daytona to utilize discounts.

Outdoor

Hosting Girl Scout Sisters: Troop 407

Ambassador Troop 407 rolled out the (outdoor) red carpet for 50 of their Brownie and Junior sister Girl Scouts for a weekend at camp.

When older girls lead the way for their younger Girl Scout sisters, it touches a special, deep place in our little Girl Scout hearts.

The Ambassadors of Troop 407 spared no detail when they planned badge activities, a bonfire with s’mores (YUM!), complete flag ceremony, and hot pancake breakfast at Riverpoint Program Center.

 

The group was especially excited to see improvements to the property, including new carpet and furniture, bigger beds on the upper floor, and new equipment in the kitchen.

Ready to book your weekend at camp? Find more information on reserving a special event at any of our locations online.

National

Get Girls Outdoors: A Beginner’s Guide

If you are just beginning to help girls get outdoors, we have some great tools to get started! The outdoors have always been a place where Girl Scouts naturally develop courage, confidence, and character. You’ll love watching them flourish in these girl-led experiences.

Girl Scouts have long been pioneers in encouraging outdoor exploration for girls, and we have never wavered in that tradition. Now, more than ever, girls need to spend time outside, but getting them there might be easier said than done.

If you’re struggling to introduce your girls to the outdoors, use this super-helpful Outdoor Progression Chart, developed by GSUSA, to slowly introduce these new experiences.

Our national girl experts have created three initial steps to take when introducing girls to the outdoors.

First, ensure that your outing is girl-led. This, of course, is the cornerstone of the entire Girl Scout experience, but it is especially important that girls can ask questions, lend ideas, and come up with a plan together.

Next, offer girls age-appropriate ways to engage in cooperative learning. The video above will point out that Daisies can plan which snacks to bring on a hike, while older girls can choose their destination and pack their own materials.

Finally, make sure that girls are learning by doing. There are so many opportunities during outdoor adventures for girls to take the lead, even if they make mistakes, such as preparing food, pitching tents, leading a hike, and reflecting on their trip.

For more tips and tricks, visit the GSUSA resource page.

National

World Thinking Day 2017: Let’s Grow!

On World Thinking Day, we rally with our global sisterhood to celebrate, connect, and inspire one another to be the best G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader) we can possibly be.

When you’re a Girl Scout, you’re part of so much more than one troop, one community, one geography, and that’s part of what makes this journey so unique and so life-changing. Because when you’re a Girl Scout, you’re part of a very special, very expansive network of extraordinary girls and women that spans all the way across the world. And every single one is a force to be reckoned with. Whether she’s in the United States, Italy, Japan, or anywhere in between, one thing’s for sure. She’s a G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ and she’s out to change the world—it’s in our DNA and it’s something to celebrate!

And celebrate we do—every year on February 22 Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from 146 countries (yes, 146!) observe World Thinking Day (WTD) by rallying our global sisterhood around a particular theme, and supporting girls as they travel internationally by donating to the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund. It’s a fantastic way to connect with sister Girl Guides and take action globally. World Thinking Day gives us the chance to honor the incredible depth of our Movement across borders and oceans in a big way.

The 2017 World Thinking Day theme is “grow”—inspiring girls to explore, stretch, and take on new challenges, while celebrating what it means to be part of the global sisterhood that is Girl Scouts and Girl Guides.

Here are three ideas to get you geared up for your most impactful World Thinking Day yet. Remember, this year, it’s all about stepping out of those comfort zones and finding new and unexpected ways to grow, grow, grow. But hey. You’re a Girl Scout, so you’ve got this

Earn your 2017 World Thinking Day badge!

If you’re a Daisy, Brownie, or Junior, you can earn your 2017 World Thinking Day badge by growing in “shine” and friendship, or by taking action to address something that’s important to you, like making your very own badge or planting a “worldly” garden.

And if you’re a Cadette, Senior, or Ambassador, you can earn your award by growing in storytelling, adventure, service, self-awareness, and reflection, or by making your very own badge.

Get the full scoop and list of activities by grade level, and let’s get to growin‘ and earnin‘!

Make your environment bloom! Plant a tree as part of the 2017 World Thinking Day challenge.

As Girl Scouts and Girl Guides, building a better world through environmental stewardship has always been close to our hearts. This World Thinking Day gather your troop and your gardening supplies and get outside to plant a tree, or two, or three! Then snap some fun photos of the activity and post them to your social media with the hashtags #LetsGrow and #WTD2017. Let’s show the world how Girl Scouts are taking the lead to make the environment bloom! It will be fun to see how your fellow Girl Scouts around the world stepped up to the challenge.

Decide on three new things to try with your Girl Scout friends in 2017 and map out your plan of action!

At Girl Scouts, growing is all about trying new things, challenging yourself to embark on adventures, and learning from those experiences to create meaningful change in yourself and in the world.

What better way to celebrate World Thinking Day this year than to gather around with your Girl Scout friends and decide on three new things you will commit to trying together? Whether it’s getting involved in a service project you’ve never done before, visiting a park you’re not familiar with, taking a big trip, learning a new skill, or just challenging yourselves to try a sport you haven’t played yet—there’s so much to choose from.

Once you pick three things, spend some time mapping out a plan of action along with a timeline to make sure you try all three things before 2017 is over. Now, that’s a year full of growth to look forward to!

Have your own fun plans to celebrate World Thinking Day in 2017? Make sure to inspire your fellow Girl Scouts by sharing your plans on social media with the hashtag #WTD2017. We can’t wait to see what you’ve got in store!

This article originally appeared on blog.girlscouts.org. 

Troop Tips

Disney VolunteEARS Program!

Girl Scout volunteers who are employed at Disney are eligible to apply for an Ears to You Grant, which opens in January.

Ears to You is a “dollars for doers” program where Disney Cast Members can earn a grant check for a nonprofit of their choice based on the number of hours they volunteer in a year.

Hours must be logged and verified by March 31, 2017 in order to be eligible towards a 2017 Ears To You grant. Girl Scout volunteers – including troop leaders, parent helpers, committee members, and Service Community volunteers – are encouraged to submit their hours as soon as possible to allow proper time to verify and process the request!

Depending on the number of VoluntEARS hours you have logged in the system, you could be eligible for a grant to your chosen charity anywhere from $100 to $2,000! Girl Scouts of Citrus will need to verify your hours, so getting your hours in is critical for you to qualify for a grant based on your 2016 hours.

For more information including how to enter your hours, please visit disneyvoluntears.com.

National

Invite a Friend to Start a Troop

You’re a Girl Scout Troop Co-Leader. You live for the sound of the Girl Scout Promise recited in unison on Tuesday nights. Your email inbox is full of coupons from Michaels and notes from troop parents. January – March is reserved for one thing, and one thing only: Cookie Time.

So share the fun! Nominate a parent in your troop or a friend (from outside your Girl Scout circle) to start a new Girl Scout troop and you’ll BOTH earn awesome gifts!

Invite your friend to volunteer, and once they’ve formed a Girl Scout Daisy, Brownie, or Junior troop…

  • You get $50 to spend at Girl Scouts’ official online store—sweet!
  • Your friend gets awesome resources (a $50 value!) to help them get their troop up and running—so cool!
  • Plus, when you double the friends, you double your prize…
    $100 for you and a Volunteer Resource Pack for each friend—awesome.

The best part? A toss up between having another friend to help with hauls from the Girl Scout shop or knowing you just made a great match between girls eager to start their adventure and an awesome role model. #winning

Claim your prize

Once your friend joins as a Girl Scout and starts a new troop, you’re ready to redeem your reward. 

Offer ends December 15, 2016 January 31, 2017.
Please review official Terms and Conditions

Cookies

10 Tips for Your First Cookie Season

Being a first-time troop leader can be incredibly rewarding. On the one hand, you’re responsible for this wonderful group of girls who you are helping to become strong young ladies of courage, confidence, and character. But that’s just part of the equation.

Add your very first cookie season to the mix, and the words of the late, great David Bowie (with Queen) come to mind: “Under Pressure.”

But don’t fret! We asked our experienced troop leaders for their best cookie season tips, and we’re bringing you our favorites. Read on to ensure your girls—and YOU—enjoy the ride!

  1. Stay organized. Use receipts, create logs for financial information, make copies, and keep track of those IOUs. —Jen W. & Leah Q.
  2. Keep your girls and their parents informed. Provide detailed schedules, tell them exactly what you need from them, and let them know how they can help. The more they know, the easier it’ll be for you. —Meagan W.
  3. You’ll be shocked at how many cookies your girls will sell, but don’t go overboard when you place your first order. You can always order more if needed. Connect with a fellow leader about which cookies are popular in your area so you can gauge a better estimate. —Rachel D.
  4. We encourage you to use online tools like Pinterest for booth inspiration. And do you know about our Cookie Troop 100 Challenge?
  5. Get your girls excited about cookie sales! Set up fun activities at meetings, guide them in setting realistic goals, and celebrate with them as they progress along the way. —Michelle M.
  6. Limit the number of girls at booth sales. Sometimes more isn’t merrier, especially if girls are younger and distractions are more common. If you can, partner your younger girls with older Girl Scouts to help guide the sales. —Jennifer L.
  7. Set a fun goal with your troop. Ask them what they want to do with their cookie proceeds: go on a special outing? Donate the money to a charity? The options are endless and it will give them something to look forward to. —Stacy R.
  8. Practice makes perfect! Set up a fake booth at a troop meeting, have the girls practice their sales pitches, and remind them about the 5 Skills. —Nicole P.
  9. Even young girls can lead their peers in a discussion about how they are making progress toward their team goal. Let girls lead and they will take ownership and grow their skills!
  10. Finally, don’t hesitate to ask for help—you’re not alone in this adventure so reach out to parents, other troop leaders, and anyone else at your council. One extra for good luck: keep calm and lead on! —Rebekah

This article originally appeared on GirlScouts.org.

Troop Tips

Making Friends: 7 Simple Icebreakers Even Shy Girls Will…

Being reserved or even shy shouldn’t stop your girl from having a super fun social life! If she’s having trouble making friends, suggest some of these oh-so-simple ice breakers that will help her meet new kids and hopefully form lifelong friendships!

  1. “The cat on your shirt is so cute! I love cats, too—do you have one?”
    Teach her to look for cues that she and the other person have something in common, like a character that might be on her clothing or lunch bag.
  2. “Have you read anything cool lately?”
    Asking about something particular, like a book she may have read or a movie she may have seen, gives them a clear subject to talk about and can lead to plenty of other topics. Just make sure she has a book in mind to talk about in case the girl wants to know what she’s been reading, too!
  3. “I thought the story you wrote was awesome! What made you write about outer space?”
    Everyone loves a sincere compliment, and following it up with a question about what she’s accomplished will show a genuine curiosity and hopefully lead to a great discussion!
  4. “I’m signing up for Girl Scouts this year—are you?”
    Bringing up a potential shared experience will get the girls talking, even if they’re not both doing the same activities.
  5. “Do you want to share my orange?”
    Being generous with toys or snacks is a universal offering of friendship, and will likely spark a conversation between the two girls.
  6. “How did you feel about today’s game?”
    If the girls are on the same soccer team, or even in the same classroom in school, they’ll have plenty of shared experiences they can discuss. All it takes is your daughter to bring one of them up!
  7. “Want to study for the vocab quiz together?”
    Suggesting tackling an activity that both girls have to do anyway will make the task easier on both of them, and give them a chance to get to know each other better.

Having to make new friends might be intimidting to your child, so go over these ideas and see if she can come up with more on her own. Of course not every person your girl wants to be friends with will feel the same way, and that’s OK, but the more she puts herself out there and connects with other kids, the more opportunities she’ll have to grow her social circle.

This article originally appeared on GirlScouts.org.