Activities for Kids

Holidays Around the World

December marks a very festive time. A time in which families and friends gather to celebrate. It’s important to learn about the different holidays and cultural diversity in our world. While Christmas may be a big holiday for some families, Three Kings or Ramadan can be a bigger celebration for other families. Here’s a quick breakdown on the holidays and some interesting traditions.

 

Boxing Day

Boxing Day has nothing to do with the fighting sport of boxing, but rather is a day when gifts are given to people in the service industry like mail carriers, doormen, porters, and tradesmen. It is celebrated the day after Christmas, December 26th

This is a holiday in the United Kingdom and most other areas that were settled by the English except the United States. Other countries that celebrate the holiday include New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.

What do people do to celebrate?

The main thing people do to celebrate is to tip any service workers who have worked for them throughout the year such as postal workers, the paper boy, the milkman, and doormen. The holiday is also a day to give to the poor. Some people gather gifts in Christmas boxes to give to poor children throughout the world.

In many countries Boxing Day has become a large shopping day. Just like Black Friday after Thanksgiving, Boxing Day is a day of big markdowns on products that stores were not able to sell for Christmas.

Depending on which country you’re in, you may celebrate it a little differently. Read more

Fun Family Activity: 

  • Boxing Day football (soccer) is a great British tradition, so seize the opportunity to take your child to their first match – even if it’s the local non-league team.
  • A winter walk in the country is a great (and free!) Boxing Day tradition. Play ‘I spy’ as you go, or turn it into a treasure hunt and give your children a list of things they have to find or collect before the end of the walk to win a prize.
*source – https://www.netmums.com/christmas/12-ideas-for-a-brilliant-boxing-day

 

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is the most important of the Chinese holidays, and is a time of feasting with the family, celebration, fireworks and gift-giving. It is a 15-day holiday, beginning on the first day of a new moon and ending with the full moon on the day of the Lantern Festival.

The Chinese calendar is based on the lunar year, so the date of Chinese New Year changes every year. The Chinese calendar follows a 12-year pattern with each year named after an animal. There are various stories which explain this. The simplest is that Buddha (or the Jade Emperor) invited all of the animals to join him for a New Year celebration, but only 12 animals turned up. To reward the animals that did come, Buddha named a year after each of them in the order that they arrived, starting with the Rat, followed by the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep), Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. (Find another version of the story to print, below)

Depending on the year you are born, you are believed to have the various character traits of that year’s animal.

Fun Family Activity: 

  • Try expanding your palette and enjoy some traditional Chinese dumplings. Dumplings, represent reunion, harmony and wealth in Chinese culture. Generally, almost each family member helps to make dumplings together and talk with each other at the same time. Minced pork, fish, diced shrimp, tofu and vegetables are most popular stuffing. Traditional Dumpling Recipe
  • Red Envelopes will be given to younger generation: this is a monetary gift from parents, grandparents and other relatives. The money in red envelopes must be new bills. Many children use the money from their red envelopes to buy books and school supplies.

Diwali

Festival of Lights

Diwali, or Dipawali, is India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (or deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects us from spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians.

Diwali, celebrated in October or November each year, originated as a harvest festival that marked the last harvest of the year before winter. India was an agricultural society where people would seek the divine blessing of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, as they closed their accounting books and prayed for success at the outset of a new financial year. Today, this practice extends to businesses all over the Indian subcontinent, which mark the day after Diwali as the first day of the new financial year.

Indians celebrate with family gatherings, glittering clay lamps, festive fireworks, strings of electric lights, bonfires, flowers, sharing of sweets, and worship to Lakshmi. Some believe that Lakshmi wanders the Earth looking for homes where she will be welcomed. People open their doors and windows and light lamps to invite Lakshmi in.

Over the centuries, Diwali has become a national festival that is enjoyed by most Indians regardless of faith: Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs.

Fun Family Activity:

  • Create a ‘peda-making station’ for kids! Here is an easy recipe to make this Diwali favorite. Just be sure to have an adult present for the actual cooking and supervising part.
  • Or try your hand at making a Diwali Paper Lantern, and let your creativity and artistic skills shine. Tutorial Video
  • Here are a few more activities you can do at home Read More

 

 

Hanukkah

The eight-day Jewish celebration known as Hanukkah or Chanukah commemorates the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where according to legend Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt. Hanukkah, which means “dedication” in Hebrew, begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in November or December. Often called the Festival of Lights, the holiday is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, games and gifts.

The Hanukkah “Miracle”

According to the Talmud, one of Judaism’s most central texts, Judah Maccabee and the other Jews who took part in the rededication of the Second Temple witnessed what they believed to be a miracle. Even though there was only enough untainted olive oil to keep the menorah’s candles burning for a single day, the flames continued flickering for eight nights, leaving them time to find a fresh supply. This wondrous event inspired the Jewish sages to proclaim a yearly eight-day festival. (The first Book of the Maccabees tells another version of the story, describing an eight-day celebration that followed the rededication but making no reference to the miracle of the oil.)

Hanukkah Traditions

The Hanukkah celebration revolves around the kindling of a nine-branched menorah, known in Hebrew as the hanukiah. On each of the holiday’s eight nights, another candle is added to the menorah after sundown; the ninth candle, called the shamash (“helper”), is used to light the others. Jews typically recite blessings during this ritual and display the menorah prominently in a window as a reminder to others of the miracle that inspired the holiday.

In another allusion to the Hanukkah miracle, traditional Hanukkah foods are fried in oil. Potato pancakes (known as latkes) and jam-filled donuts (sufganiyot) are particularly popular in many Jewish households. Other Hanukkah customs include playing with four-sided spinning tops called dreidels and exchanging gifts. In recent decades, particularly in North America, Hanukkah has exploded into a major commercial phenomenon, largely because it falls near or overlaps with Christmas. From a religious perspective, however, it remains a relatively minor holiday that places no restrictions on working, attending school or other activities.

 

Kwanzaa

The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili. Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in its own way, but celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large traditional meal. On each of the seven nights, the family gathers and a child lights one of the candles on the Kinara (candleholder), then one of the seven principles is discussed. The principles, called the Nguzo Saba (seven principles in Swahili) are values of African culture which contribute to building and reinforcing community among African-Americans. Kwanzaa also has seven basic symbols which represent values and concepts reflective of African culture.  An African feast, called a Karamu, is held on December 31.

The candle-lighting ceremony each evening provides the opportunity to gather and discuss the meaning of Kwanzaa. The first night, the black candle in the center is lit (and the principle of umoja/unity is discussed). One candle is lit each evening and the appropriate principle is discussed.

Seven Principles

Unity: Umoja (oo–MO–jah) – To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

Self-determination: Kujichagulia (koo–gee–cha–goo–LEE–yah) -To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.

Collective Work and Responsibility: Ujima (oo–GEE–mah) – To build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and to solve them together.

Cooperative Economics: Ujamaa (oo–JAH–mah) -To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

Purpose: Nia (nee–YAH) – To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

Creativity: Kuumba (koo–OOM–bah) – To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

Faith: Imani (ee–MAH–nee) -To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Lighting the Candles

The Kinara holds the seven candles of Kwanzaa, one for each day of the holiday and one for each principle. The trio of red, green, and black colors represents Africa, but each color also holds individual meaning:

  • The black candle represents the African people and corresponds to the principle of Unity.
  • The red candles represent struggle, with candles devoted to Self-Determination, Cooperative Economics, and Creativity.
  • The green candles represent the earth along with Purpose, Collective Work and Responsibility, and Faith.

The black candle is placed in the center of the Kinara, with the red candles to the left and the green candles to the right. On December 26, families light the black candle. On each following night, one additional candle is lit as the family reflects on the meaning of a specific principle.

Ramadan

Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. The term Ramadan literally means scorching in Arabic. It was established as a Holy Month for Muslims after the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in 610 CE on the occasion known as Laylat al-Qadr, frequently translated as “the Night of Power.  Observance of Ramadan is mandated in the Quran, Surah 2, Ayah 185: “The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.”

Because the cycle of the lunar calendar does not match the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan shift by approximately 11 days each year. The ending of Ramadan is marked by the holiday of Eid ul-Fitr, which takes place either 29 or 30 days after the beginning of the month. On Eid ul-Fitr, morning prayers are followed by feasting and celebration among family and friends.

What are the daily fasting requirements?

During the month of Ramadan, most Muslims fast from dawn to sunset with no food or water. Before sunrise many Muslims have the Suhur or predawn meal. At sunset families and friends gather for Iftar which is the meal eaten by Muslims to break the fast. Many Muslims begin the meal by eating dates as the Prophet used to do.

This ritual fast known as, Sawm, is one of the five pillars of Islam, and requires that individuals abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual intercourse.

To find the specific times for Ramadan fasting, click over to this helpful tool provided by IslamiCity that allows you to calculate prayer schedules — including sunup and sundown — by entering your city or zip code.

What is the ‘goal’ of Ramadan?

In general, the practices of Ramadan are meant to purify oneself from thoughts and deeds which are counter to Islam. By removing material desires, one is able to focus fully on devotion and service to God. Many Muslims go beyond the physical ritual of fasting and attempt to purge themselves of impure thoughts and motivations such as anger, cursing, and greed.

 

Three Kings

January 6th is Three Kings Day. It is a date celebrated throughout Latin America, Spain, and in Hispanic communities of the United States. This is the Epiphany of the church calendar, the 12th day after Christmas, when the Magi arrived bearing gifts for baby Jesus. Traditionally, children receive gifts on this day, brought by the three kings, Melchor, Gaspar and Baltazar. In Latin America, January 6th, and not necessarily Christmas, is the day that children receive their gifts.

In the days preceding Three Kings Day, children write letters to the Magi requesting a toy or gift that they would like. On the night of January 5th, the figures of the Wise Men are placed in the nativity scene. In Mexico, children would traditionally leave out their shoes with a bit of hay in them to feed the animals of the Magi (they are often shown with a camel.) When the children wake up in the morning, their gifts will have appeared in the place of the hay. Nowadays, like Santa Clause, the Kings tend to place their gifts under the Christmas tree instead of in a shoe.

The most iconic tradition associated with Three Kings Day is the customary eating of a Rosca de Reyes (King’s Ring), a sweet bread shaped like a wreath, with candied fruit on top, and a figurine of a baby Jesus baked inside. The person who finds the figurine is expected to host a party on Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas), celebrated on February 2nd.

Here in the United States, the tradition of the Three Kings Day has carried on. Hispanic bakeries throughout the country typically sell hundreds of Roscas de Reyes during the day, and children patiently wait for their second gift of the holiday season.

Featured

Episode 9 – Join the AtGS Movement

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We’re gearing up for BIG things in 2020! And we need your help.

Every month, we’ll be opening up guest blog submissions and podcast guest applications to plan all the All Things Girl Scouts goodness for the following month. Our listeners and readers have so much knowledge and experience to share, and we’re ready to help even more Troop Leaders and parents make Girl Scouts AWESOME for girls in their troop.

Be a Guest Blogger

There are 3 types of articles you can submit:

  1. Share Your Story: Something AWESOME your troop or Service Unit has done in Girl Scouts. What are your successes that others could gain inspiration from?
  2. How-To: Share the step-by-step of how to earn a specific girl award, qualify for a volunteer recognition, or host a bridging ceremony (for example).
  3. Expert Resources: Do you have a super-cool day job with expertise to share? Maybe you can help girls earn a badge by sharing resources.

To get started, submit your interest form here.
The deadline to submit is the 10th of each month, for content to be published the following month.

Be a Podcast Guest Host

There are 3 types of Podcast Guest Hosts:

  1. Girl Scout Experts – If you have a special skill, experience, or knowledge related to Girl Scouts, join us on an episode to share it! Are you really good at Dutch oven cooking? Love the STEM badges? Let’s chat.
  2. Professional Experts – If you’ve got a cool day job that girls or troop leaders might be interested in learning more about, let’s chat.
  3. Council Celebrity – How fun would it be to interview council CEOs, Board chairs, and Camp Directors?! Let’s highlight your Council’s celebrities with exclusive interviews!

Want to be a Podcast Guest Host? Submit your interest form here.
Know someone who would be an awesome guest? Suggest a guest here.

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Flag Ceremonies on a Stage

Flag ceremonies are often part of a larger ceremony or event. Some troops host a flag ceremony at every troop meeting. Others troops reserve ceremonies for big days like bridging or end of year celebrations. At camp, a flag ceremony often starts and ends each day. Most of our flag ceremonies aren’t perfect, and that’s ok. Girls are learning and practicing how things are done, which means mistakes will be made. Your goal as a volunteer is to set the tone and provide guidance to complete the ceremony.

Our flag ceremony reminders in this article are for ones taking places on stage or with a stage area at the front of the room where flags on poles are placed in stands up front.

Make a plan

There are a few decisions you will want to make before the ceremony. You’ll want to select which flags you’ll be using and make sure each has a working pole and stand. You also want to decide what you want to include during the ceremony. For instance, determine whether you want to add the Girl Scout Promise or Law after the Pledge of Allegiance, or include a poem or song.

Prepare the Girls

Girls have different roles to fill during the ceremony. Each girl needs to know what she is responsible for doing, and what her cues are. You’ll want to save time to practice ahead of time. Let’s look at the roles.

The color bearer (or flag bearer) is the person who carries the flag. There is one color bearer for each flag used in the ceremony.

The color guard is a team that guards the flags. Any even number of guards may be used, but usually four or six girls are sufficient.

The Girl Scout in charge (or caller) is a designated Girl Scout who announces or calls each part of the ceremony. You’ll find an example of ceremony commands at GSUSA’s website.

Get to Know the United States Flag Code

Display of the American flag is governed by law to ensure that it will be treated with the respect due the flag of a great nation. This is known as the United States Flag Code. Some of the rules most useful for Girl Scouts posting the flags on a stage are:

  • When the flags are posted in stands or raised on a pole, the American flag is always kept higher than other flags.
  • The American flag is placed in its stand after other flags are lowered into their standards.
  • When it’s time to retire the colors, the American flag is taken out of its stand first.
  • The flag, when carried in a procession with other flags, should be either on the marching right or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line.
  • The flag should never be allowed to touch anything beneath it, nor should it ever be carried flat or horizontally—always aloft and free.
  • When displayed on a stage where a speaker will be or action is taking place, the flag is placed on the speaker’s right as they look out to the audience. All other flags can be displayed on the speaker’s left.


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Travel Opportunities for Girl Scouts

Who’s ready for an adventure?! Girl Scouts are! Travel is a common troop experience in Girl Scouts. Girls often plan field trips, overnights, weekend-long trips, and even more. Sometimes these trips are a fun excursion, or the celebration of cookie program goal achievement, or related to a Take Action project. GSUSA’s Travel Progression Chart shows the recommended path for girls to practice travel skills early in an age-appropriate way with increased leadership and length of stay as they age.

If you are a troop leader for girls with the travel bug, take a look at resources for girls interested in larger (either in distance or time) travel opportunities. These trips might take multiple years to plan and save for, so even if the girls aren’t quite ready yet, it’s worth checking out adventures that could be in their future.

Place of Girl Scout Interest – Juliette Low Birthplace

The Juliette Low Birthplace in Savannah, Georgia is a very popular destination for Girl Scouts around the country. Depending on how far you live from Savannah, the preparation needed and the age in which girls are ready for this trip might change. You can learn more about planning a visit on their website.

The World Centres

The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) has 5 world centres, which girls around the world love to visit. Girls can choose from Our Cabaña in Mexico, Pax Lodge in London, Our Chalet in Switzerland, Sangam in India, or Kusafiri which is a centre that itself travels around Africa. A big highlight for traveling to a World Centre is getting to meeting Girl Scouts or Guides from other countries.

Getaways

Getaways are travel programs designed for your troop. They are exciting events or locations with pre-planned itineraries in most cases, often hosted by other councils. It’s a fun way to travel, meet other Girl Scouts from around the country, and take some stress out of planning the WHOLE trip yourself.

Destinations

Destinations are travel experiences for an individual girl. To attend, girls submit an application and are accepted into the program. New Destinations are added each year, usually in late summer. The first round of applications is typically due around November. Some Destinations fill up quick, but many still accept applications through April. These trips can be a fantastic adventure for independent girls (sometimes called “Juliettes”), since they go alone, without troop sisters or leaders.

International Events

Girl Scouts also has the details for international events, like international campouts. You can see the options here. These are fun options for your troop and, like Getaways, you’ll already have your itinerary planned, so you can focus your energy on having a blast.

Planning an Adventure

You might feel a bit uneasy when starting to plan a long trip. Girl Scouts has the perfect resources for you. A guide to U.S. travel and a guide to global travel. These resources take you step by step though not only the planning process, but also the girl-planning process of bringing the dream trip into reality. It even includes recommended timelines. Whether the troop is planning the entire trip, or your group is traveling with a larger group, this packet will help girls prepare for their big adventure.

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Episode 1 – Group Decision-Making

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One of the best things about Girl Scouts is that it’s girl-led, which means girls have a lot of decisions to make, both as an individual and as a group.  

Common decisions troops need to make:

  • Which badges, patches, awards or journeys to earn
  • What to do for a Take Action Project, or a Girl Scout Bronze/Silver Award project
  • How to spend troop funds
  • How high to set troop goals during the Cookie program

How to decide

  • Majority Rule/Voting
  • Consensus Building (a.k.a. Stacie’s favorite)
  • Divide and Enjoy

Checkout our downloadable Consensus Building Worksheet. Write in your troop’s options and photocopy for each girl, or print it big and decide together.

Get the Downloadable Resource:



Mentioned in this episode – Adventure Camp Overnight – www.adventurecampovernight.com/april2019

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Letter From the *NEW* Editor: What Girl Scouts Has…

Hi Everyone!

I am so excited to announce that Stacie Simpson Consulting is partnering with Girl Scout of Citrus council to bring you All Things Girl Scouts – A blog and podcast designed to help troop leaders, volunteers, families, and anyone looking to learn more about Girl Scouts. We focus on sharing useful insight and practical tips, plus Girl Scout news updates. We’ll be releasing two articles each week, plus two podcasts each month, and each podcast always has a free downloadable resource to go along.

Some of you may know, I recently was hosting the Silver & Gold podcast, also on Girl Scout topics. Now, Girl Scouts of Citrus and I are teaming up to bring you this blog and podcast super duo. I wanted to take the opportunity with our first article to introduce myself and share my own Girl Scout journey with you all.

I joined Girl Scouts as a Daisy, way back in Kindergarten, and participated all the way though the end of high school and beyond. I earned my Girl Scout Silver and Gold Awards, and I spent a lot of time as a Program Aide, especially at our local camp.

When earning my Junior Aide, I was planning an event with my troop for younger girls and it started to become clear to the amazing adults around me, that event planning and hosting really brought out my leadership skills. I continued to build those skills by volunteering at, and later working at our summer camp, and I loved every minute of it.  

Girl Scouts has been guiding my career path ever since. In college, while earning my degree in Youth Programming and Camp Management, I worked for Girl Scouts of Northwestern Great Lakes hosting girl programs on the weekends and I served on the Board of Directors. Since then, I’ve worked in full-time roles at 4 more councils in membership, program and camp, and went on to serve as Vice President of Membership, Volunteerism, and Program, Senior Vice President of Girl Experience, and finally  VP of Membership and Marketing at Girl Scouts of Citrus.

Since then, I have left my full-time staff roles in Girl Scout to build my own business, as a consultant for nonprofits, small businesses, and entrepreneurs in areas like volunteer management, training development, project management, program development, and marketing/communications. But I have never truly left Girl Scouts. Many of my clients are Girl Scout councils, and the values and skills I have learned, both as a girl and an adult in the movement, have impacted all of my choices.

The Girl Scout movement has been so much more to me than an extracurricular activity. Through Girl Scouts, I discovered my talents and interests, connected with the most supportive groups of women you could imagine, and became the go-getter and change-maker I am today.

Thank you so much for continuing to join us, and for everything you do for your girls.

Keep in touch!

–Subscribe to All Things Girls Scouts Blog

–Subscribe to All Things Girl Scouts Podcast

-Follow us on Facebook

-View our Pinterest Board

Leadership

CIT and VIT…what you’ll need to know to earn…

Counselor-in-Training (CIT) I (must be currently enrolled in 9th grade)

Mentor younger girls in a camp setting as you build skills toward becoming a camp counselor. To earn this award, complete these steps:

  1. Take a leadership course designed by your council on outdoor experiences.
  2. Work with younger girls over the course of a camp session.

 

Counselor-in-Training (CIT) II (must be currently enrolled in 10th grade and earned your CIT I)

To earn this award:

  1. Earn your CIT I award
  2. Work with younger girls over the course of at least one camp session while focused on increasing your skills in one specific area- such as riding instruction, lifeguarding, or the arts.

 

Volunteer-in-Training (VIT) (must be currently enrolled in 10th grade)

This award is for girls who’d like to mentor a Girl Scout Daisy, Brownie, or Cadette group outside of the camp experience. If you’ve completed 9th grade, you’re eligible to earn this award. Your VIT project should span 3-6 month period.

  1. Find a mentor volunteer who is currently the adult volunteer for a group of girls at the level you’d like to work with. This volunteer will help you through your training and internship, and you’ll help the volunteer with her group of girls for the 3-6 month period.
  2. Complete a council-designed leadership course
  3. Create and implement a thoughtful program based on a Journey or badge that lasts over 4 or more sessions. Be responsible for designing, planning, and evaluating the activities. If you’re passionate about a topic like art or technology, you could design the activities around the area you love or in which you have expertise.
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¡CRECE TU TROPA!

¿Buscando crecer tu tropa?! ¿Sabes de niñas que quieren ser parte de Girl Scouts?

¿Sabías que el promedio de una tropa de Girl Scouts solo tiene ocho niñas? Sin embargo, nuestras investigaciónes demuestran que las tropas más exitosas y duraderas tienen 12 niñas. Solo imagine lo que podría suceder si los líderes de las tropas agregan al menos una nueva niña a su tropa. No solo más niñas podrían participar en Girl Scouts, sino que tambien la introducción de nuevas amigas a Girl Scouting les permite a los miembros existentes usar sus habilidades de liderazgo y generar confianza. Básicamente, ¡todos ganan!

Es por eso que estamos lanzando nuestra nueva campaña: Aumenta el tamaño de la tropa. ¿Qué es aún más divertido que un año nuevo de Girl Scouts? ¡Darle la bienvenida a nuevas chicas a tu tropa! Después de todo, los nuevos miembros traen nuevas ideas, diferentes formas de ver las cosas y emoción que pueden despertar la creatividad y energizar a todos.

¡Girl Scouts de Citrus le ofrece a su tropa la oportunidad de participar en una rifa para ganar premios!

Las tropas que aumenten su tamaño de niñas registradas serán inscritas en una rifa para lo siguiente:

  • Parche especial
  • $ 100 por cada co-líder a nuestra tienda en concilio (hasta 3 co-líderes)
  • Bono de $ 350 para un programa de Citrus de su selección
  • 2 noches de estadía en Camp Mah-Kah-Wee (hasta 4 cabañas en el campamento durante una época seleccionada del año)
  • Cupón de comida por $ 100 con tarjeta de regalo para Wal-Mart
  • $ 700 para un programa de Citrus de su selección

*** TODAS LAS TROPAS DAISY que aumenten su tropa por 4 o más niñas registradas entre el 1 de enero de 2018 y el 28 de febrero de 2018 participarán en una rifa para ganar:

  • Almuerzo con la CEO de Girl Scouts de Citrus
  • Una visita a la Oficina de Girl Scouts de Citrus
  • Obtener el Parche CEO

Se seleccionará un ganador de cada nivel en función del número de nuevas niñas registradas. (1-3 niñas, 4-6 niñas, 6+ y niñas)

 

3 CONSEJOS PARA AYUDAR A RECLUTAR A LAS NIÑAS PARA TU TROPA

  1. ¡Muestre lo que su tropa ama hacer más!
  •  Actualice la descripción de la tropa en el catálogo de oportunidades. Visite Update My Troop y agregue su tropa al catálogo e incluya una descripción de la tropa. Puede ser las actividades preferidas de la tropa como el servicio comunitario, las aventuras al aire libre, la fotografía o los experimentos científicos. ¿Qué mejor manera de unir a las familias con una tropa que hacen actividades que aman, y darle una nueva experiencia de Girl Scouts con un inicio emocionante y memorable, que para ir directamente a la acción?
  1. Entregue este formulario:Invitaciones de la Tropa GSC
  • Nuestras chicas son, nuestras mejores reclutadoras. Haga fácil que sus amigas se unan a la diversión mandando un manojo de invitaciones impresas para que sus niñas las distribuyan en sus escuelas, en la comunidad, en los clubes, en sus organizaciones extracurriculares, en la iglesia, en sus prácticas deportivas, clases de baile, noche de regreso a la escuela, reuniones de gobierno estudiantil, y, bueno, ¡entiende la idea! No se olvide de motivar a sus niñas que se pongan el uniforme de Girl Scouts en la escuela y en eventos.
  1. Entre el 50 y el 55 por ciento de los miembros nuevos aprenden sobre Girl Scouts de una amiga o familiar, comparta estos artículos relevantes en las redes sociales.

 

LISTO PARA CRECER TU TROPA? ¡Póngase en contacto con el servicio de atención al cliente para saber cuántas aperturas desea mostrar en el catálogo de oportunidades!

 

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Citrus Council Launches ‘Citrus Scouterships’ as Part of a…

The month of November is widely regarded as the start of the “giving” season. Many use this time to reflect on the situation of others and donate their time, money and gifts throughout the community. The efforts are recognized globally and in social media, on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving as #GivingTuesday.

This year, Citrus Council will be making a direct investment in the development and growth of the Central Florida community. The council will be covering the membership fee of any girl looking to join or renew in the Girl Scouts, through Citrus Scouterships. The Scouterships will conclude on November 28, as part of Citrus Council’s culminating effort for #GivingTuesday.

In October, the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council launched their Hurricane Irma Relief initiative, providing Scouterships to girls in Central Florida for the month of October. Although this came about in the wake of Hurricane Irma, it quickly expanded to include those affected by Hurricane Maria. Many were able to take advantage of the Scouterships, but still many more were left out.

In an effort to include as many of the local community as possible and embrace the many families transitioning into Central Florida, Citrus Council has relaunched the Scouterships initiative, open to all girls during this month. For many girls, the Girl Scout experience provides an incredible leadership opportunity and for others a sense of normalcy during difficult times.

To apply…

New Girl Scouts:

  • Visit www.citrus-gs.org
  • Click JOIN NOW
  • Fill out your information & click Continue
  • Select a troop OR choose UNSURE, entering ‘Scouterships’ in the comment box
  • Select Financial Aid as the payment method

Renewing Girl Scouts:

  • Visit MY GS
  • Click RENEW
  • Select Financial Aid as the payment method

*Does not apply to memberships purchased prior to launch of campaign. Does not apply to adult memberships.

Girls participating in these Scouterships are encouraged to participate in the cookie program and fall product program in order to have a financially sustainable troop. This will allow them to earn enough funds to maintain their membership for years to come. Girls are also encouraged to partake in the ‘Do Anything’ program series, where they will experience and learn about a range of applicable life skills for their continued development.

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Welcoming New Girls to Your Troop

Your troop may already be up and running, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to welcome new members! Adding new girls to your troop—even midyear—can help energize your group, showcase the Girl Scout spirit of sisterhood and inclusion, and demonstrate by example how Girl Scouts is the best leadership development experience for girls in the world. Period.

After all, Girl Scouts is all about trying new things, building new skills, and getting to know new friends in a safe and supportive all-girl environment—with guidance from caring troop leaders like you, of course!

To smooth the transition for your newbies, incorporate these fun activities into your meetings, and new girls will feel at home in no time at all!

1. Set up a storytelling meet-and-greet!
One of the absolute best ways to connect with others is by swapping stories. Introduce newcomers at their first meeting, then have everyone else introduce themselves, covering the basics, like their first name, age, and years in Girl Scouts. Encourage your seasoned Girl Scouts to go a little more in-depth by sharing something about their families, pets, or interests. Maybe each girl can pick three things about herself she’d like her new Girl Scout sisters to know. Once all troop members have introduced themselves, ask new girls to share some of their own stories.

Be sure to build in time for questions so the girls have even more opportunities to connect and share. Make it super interactive and fun by finishing up the meeting with a cool trivia game to see how much they remember about one another!

2. Showcase what your troop loves to do most! 
At a new girl’s first or second meeting, work with the other girls to plan an activity around things the troop loves to do most, whether that be community service, outdoor adventure, photography, or science experiments. What better way to get a new Girl Scout’s experience off to an exciting and memorable start than to head straight into the action?

At the beginning of the meeting, have a couple girls take the lead and explain the activity and why they love it so much. For subsequent meetings, give new girls the opportunity to choose activities they love most and help them plan something special to share with the troop!

3. Encourage her to take the lead!

Girl Scouting is all about taking the lead and making things happen, so let newcomers do so early and often. You can start small, having them lead a simple activity, or go big by encouraging them to teach their Girl Scout sisters about an issue that really matters to them. You might also go around the room and have everyone share what taking the lead like a Girl Scout means to them, complete with real-life examples to help new girls really get a grasp of leadership and everything they have the power to accomplish as Girl Scouts. Allow them time to ask questions, too. Learning and leading, that’s how we Girl Scouts do it!