What was the "old" Girl Scouts like?

[Jennifer3141]

You have obviously not run into people at Council who think they get to reinterpret the rules!  You've been very fortunate.

 

Print the GSA Bronze guidelines and send them to your council. If your council does not follow the rules, go up the chain. I would love to think that every council is fully and correctly trained but there are idiots everywhere. Do what you have to do to idiots, go over their heads and re-educate them.

[Jennifer3141]

 

I don't think this is true. All of the girls I have known who have done a Gold project (my kids are teens and all involved in scouting) have done something similar to an Eagle or Stars and Stripes project where they build a team that contributes. In fact, building a team is one of the steps on the Girls Scout website:

http://www.girlscouts.org/program/highest_awards/gold_award.asp

 

Or did you mean that they plan lead it alone?

 

 

Well...and to add to that, most of the kids I know who have achieved Gold, Eagle, etc have been military kids. They don't continue to live in the same place, so it's not something achievable.

 

 

You are incorrect, Mrs Mungo.

 

"The Gold Award is an individual girl's journey. The Gold Award process requires a girl to take control of her leadership development and grow in new ways that a group setting cannot provide. This is a commitment she makes and completes as an indiviudal."

 

The, "team" the GA girl builds includes her GS project advisor, possibly a GS GA committee member, etc. The GA girl may have help from her troop, friends, family, or community to get the project done but it is not a team project.

 

This information is available simply by googling, "Girl Scout Gold Award" or taking the awards training classes from your local council.

 

Might some councils screw it up? Sure. Re-educate them and force them to follow national guidleines.

[Jennifer3141]

Our local BSA council adds a couple of requirements/guidelines for Eagle Projects for boys because we do think sustainability should be considered, if at all possible. If a boy/man builds the sustainability concept into his project plan, he goes a long way towards showing the seriousness of the project itself. If a project is so necessary that it needs to be maintained, it is probably a good thing to have happen in the world. :)

 

One of our Eagles built a pavilion at one of our GS camps almost 20 years ago. He comes to the camp every spring and assesses the building and makes repairs as needed. The pavilion bears his name and his troop information. It's one of the projects we take potential Eagles to view if they are having a hard time coming up with a project.

 

And another GS camp here had a GS Gold Award project done about 10 years ago  (We open this camp up to not just scouts so this project got approval as a wider community initiative.) Anyway, this woman built and painted the platform and cabinets we use at the camp for outdoor art projects - so spray painting, anything excessively messy... She comes back annually to touch up her work and make repairs as needed. If anything major needs to be done, the camp director organizes a SU community service project so when half the floor started rotting away, we lined about 20 Cadettes to follow the GA's leadership in replacing those boards. The Gold woman is a fighter pilot in the USAF and her return to the camp every year results in a huge party. She comes in uniform and answers all the girls' questions about mach speed and working with 10,000 men and going to war, etc. etc. She lives in Texas now but she still has family up here so she comes up every summer. Not everyone is going to be able to do that but they should PLAN for sustainability. This is a woman who felt strongly about camp and tromping around in the woods and being a strong female. Her military accomplishments are zero surprise for anyone who knew her in high school. :)

[tabinfl]

IMO, the dumest thing these organizations have done is seemingly pull back from decent contact with each and every leader/volunteer. It's really easy to wander off if you have only ever eyeballed other leaders once, if that. And once the leader is gone... unless that leader leaves happily - the pack or troop collapses, leaving kids and their parents frustrated and angry.

 

You hit the nail on the head right there. Our council staff is all over recruitment events and signing up new volunteers, and then... nothing. Each and every leader, at least, should have an experienced individual mentor who can answer specific questions about the local council/community/SU policies and age ranges the new leader is working with. I have our council's "area association meeting" (business meeting) on my calendar, and I will bring this up at that time.

 

I don't want to derail the thread, but HOW do you do these things? My DD wants to join GS, and I am getting a brick wall there. Yesterday I talked to a woman at GS who told me there are no placements. None?? She suggested I start a troop and I am seriously not up for that right now. Even getting that answer took half a dozen phone calls and repeated messages. If I hadn't called, I would have heard nothing.

 

The organization is entirely opaque, and I can't find info about troops anywhere. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? (Pretty please? My DD will be so disappointed if it doesn't work out.)

 

The problem is that the troops are all volunteer-run, and a troop can't grow endlessly. Troop leader contact information is not given out because the troop leaders don't need to be bombarded with requests to join when they're already full. Your council may have a wait list where they will send your daughter's name to troop leaders as space opens up.

 

There are requirements for adult : girl ratios for safety reasons. A minimum of two (unrelated, adult) leaders is required for any troop activities, and additional background-checked adult volunteers are required as the number of girls increases. In many areas, troops are already at their limit, so can't take on any more girls. Even if you're willing to volunteer, the troop leader may have other limitations that prevent her from taking on more girls -- in my case, our meeting room is at capacity; others might be limited to girls who attend a particular school if the school provides the meeting space.

 

For those saying that you can't start a troop right now, think about what you're asking... for someone ELSE to find the time, energy, money, and everything else it takes to start a troop so that your daughter can join. GS could employ paid leaders, and add as many as necessary to accommodate the girls who want to join, but the price would be astronomical. If you don't feel that you can do the job yourself, get together with a couple of other moms and work out a way you could be co-leaders together. Someone still has to be the "leader", but you can (and should!) divide the work so that it's not overwhelming for any one person.

[unsinkable]

From FAQs on Girl Scouts website:

 

 

"Can a troop or group do their Gold Award together?

The Gold Award is an individual girls journey. The Gold Award process requires a girl to take control of her leadership development and grow in new ways that a group setting cannot provide. This is a commitment she makes and completes as an individual.

 

 

"Is sustainability differentiated at each grade level?

The guidelines give girls tools to examine the underlying root cause of issues, develop a sustainable project plan and measure the impact of their project on their community, the target audience and themselves. There is progression. While Girl Scout Juniors working on their Girl Scout Bronze Award will reflect on how the project could be kept going, Girl Scout Cadettes plan for sustainability. Seniors and Ambassadors work to ensure the sustainability of their project in order to meet the Gold Award standards of excellence.

 

While Juniors explore an issue that affects their Girl Scout community, Cadettes create a community map of their neighborhood or school. Meanwhile Seniors and Ambassadors earning the Gold Award assess an issue and its effect more broadly by interviewing community leaders, research using a variety of sources and investigate other community’s solutions to a similar problem."

 

My comments (as the mom of a DD who has earned all three awards):

 

IME, troops usually earn Bronze and Siver Awards together. So a junior troop works together to do a food and materials drive for a animal shelter OR a cadette troop works together to write and produce a play about bullying.

 

Gold Awards are individual projects but the girls need to build a team. The team can include other girls, but those girls aren't earning their Gold Award. They are assisting with ONE girl's project.

 

I have seen girls do gold awards "together" in a way that was acceptable to council bc they were able to clearly define their part. These were projects like putting on a Women's Health Fair where each girl scout focused on a different disease or health issue or developing a camping program for underprivileged girls where each Girl Scout was responsible for different parts of the program ( cooking, crafts, etc).

 

The sustainability portion of the Gold Award was the hardest part for my DD.

[Mrs Mungo]

You are incorrect, Mrs Mungo.

 

"The Gold Award is an individual girl's journey. The Gold Award process requires a girl to take control of her leadership development and grow in new ways that a group setting cannot provide. This is a commitment she makes and completes as an indiviudal."

 

The, "team" the GA girl builds includes her GS project advisor, possibly a GS GA committee member, etc. The GA girl may have help from her troop, friends, family, or community to get the project done but it is not a team project.

 

This information is available simply by googling, "Girl Scout Gold Award" or taking the awards training classes from your local council.

 

Might some councils screw it up? Sure. Re-educate them and force them to follow national guidleines.

We aren't involved in GSA. I volunteer with AHG and Boy Scouts. I grew up in Camp Fire. All of these programs require a volunteer project that requires multiple people. That is

 

Actually, the information I googled shows listing volunteers:

http://www.girlscouts.org/program/highest_awards/pdf/Girl_Scout_Gold_Award_Proposal.pdf

[unsinkable]

We aren't involved in GSA. I volunteer with AHG and Boy Scouts. I grew up in Camp Fire. All of these programs require a volunteer project that requires multiple people. That is

 

Actually, the information I googled shows listing volunteers:

http://www.girlscouts.org/program/highest_awards/pdf/Girl_Scout_Gold_Award_Proposal.pdf

The volunteers are part of the team that the girl leads.

 

The girl's project is individual in that she is not working on the project with other girls who are also earning their gold awards with the project.

 

Does that help?

[Mrs Mungo]

IME, troops usually earn Bronze and Siver Awards together. So a junior troop works together to do a food and materials drive for a animal shelter OR a cadette troop works together to write and produce a play about bullying.

 

Gold Awards are individual projects but the girls need to build a team. The team can include other girls, but those girls aren't earning their Gold Award. They are assisting with ONE girl's project.

And this is pretty typical as far as what happens with the other organizations I mentioned in my other post.

[Mrs Mungo]

The volunteers are part of the team that the girl leads.

 

The girl's project is individual in that she is not working on the project with other girls who are also earning their gold awards with the project.

 

Does that help?

Right. That is how the Stars and Stripes Award works, and that is how an Eagle project works. That is what I meant. The girl does not do it alone, then, that is my understanding and why I asked when she said the girl must do it alone.

[Jennifer3141]

Right. That is how the Stars and Stripes Award works, and that is how an Eagle project works. That is what I meant. The girl does not do it alone, then, that is my understanding and why I asked when she said the girl must do it alone.

 

 

There are many Gold projects that girls do do alone, with their Gold advisor. I cannot think of one Eagle project that wouldn't involve some sort of moving of lumber or physical help that a boy may need in the short term. The one we just approved last week will need a tree digger. I guess you could consider the tree digging company part of his, "team" but that's silly.

 

Our next Gold award is a girl who developed materials for breast cancer screening in moderately young women. Her team was a physican who went over the disease education and such but this girl very clearly developed her own project materials all on her own.

[unsinkable]

So, a GA is focused on the final result and not on the leadership angle? t.

No. Leadership is part of it. Building a team and leading it is a part of the project.

[kiwik]

I haven't read through everything, I got to this post and had to stop.

If this actually happened, the leader could have (and should have) her leadership pulled and lose her troop. Girl Scouts are not allowed to do anything remotely political or controversial (no matter what end of the spectrum) while in uniform. If you want to do it on your own time, fine. NEVER in uniform, never as a troop.

I would not be happy with this either. I do not send my kids to outside activies or school to have them indoctrinated into political action (whether I agree with the political sentiment or not).

[Mrs Mungo]

There are many Gold projects that girls do do alone, with their Gold advisor. I cannot think of one Eagle project that wouldn't involve some sort of moving of lumber or physical help that a boy may need in the short term. The one we just approved last week will need a tree digger. I guess you could consider the tree digging company part of his, "team" but that's silly.

 

Our next Gold award is a girl who developed materials for breast cancer screening in moderately young women. Her team was a physican who went over the disease education and such but this girl very clearly developed her own project materials all on her own.

 

Why would it be silly for coordinating those people to be part of the team? I'm just trying to figure out what your take on this is, because it seems different from everyone else's take (including people whose kids have completed). I've never known anyone (GSA, BSA or AHG) to complete one of these projects alone because the leadership aspect of it is a big part of the project. In fact, it is a large part of the point as opposed to other types of service projects. So, I don't understand what you're trying to say at all.

 

No. Leadership is part of it. Building a team and leading it is a part of the project.

What is your take on Jennifer3141's posts then?

[unsinkable]

Why would it be silly for coordinating those people to be part of the team? I'm just trying to figure out what your take on this is, because it seems different from everyone else's take (including people whose kids have completed). I've never known anyone (GSA, BSA or AHG) to complete one of these projects alone because the leadership aspect of it is a big part of the project. In fact, it is a large part of the point as opposed to other types of service projects. So, I don't understand what you're trying to say at all.

 

 

What is your take on Jennifer3141's posts then?

I guess I'd want to hear more details of the project she's talking about. I'm trying to imagine a project about breast cancer screening where the only interaction would be between the GS and a doctor. *

 

I think maybe Jennifer is saying the intellectual product is the GS's alone but maybe I am misunderstanding that???

 

*edited to add bc in our council anyone the GS has meaningful interaction with to complete the project is potentially part of the girl's team.

[unsinkable]

Perhaps we're talking about how each GA is the individual girl's alone. Two girls do not work on the same GA (except as just being warm bodies as part of the troop). As part of that GA, the individual girl comes up with her project and then directs other folks in the grunt work of moving supplies, building or what have you. She has a team in that she's directing others, but it's HER GA project. Is that right?

Yes.

 

I was trying to say that in other posts.

 

But the troop isn't involved unless the GS wants them as part of her team. The GS can have friends and family help with the grunt work if she wants. And the team doesn't need to be made up of only grunt workers.

[Mrs Mungo]

Yes.

 

I was trying to say that in other posts.

 

But the troop isn't involved unless the GS wants them as part of her team. The GS can have friends and family help with the grunt work if she wants. And the team doesn't need to be made up of only grunt workers.

And that's similar to how these types of projects are set up with other scouting organizations in my experience. All I was saying was that I've never seen a girl work all alone and that (to me, based on my other experiences) it seems contrary to the purpose, if that was the case. That's all. I was just confused as to why it would be so different, but it's not. :)

[unsinkable]

Yeah, working on her own would sort of negate the leadership angle.

I know my DD's advisor emphasized working with the community and the project making an impact on the community. For DD, the act of reaching out to others and asking for assistance was a big part of her growth doing her project.

[pitterpatter]

Quick question...how often does your DD actually receive the patches (in hand) that she earns?

 

My troop leader says she hands them out twice a year and that makes absolutely no sense to me. I mean, what's the point of getting a handful of patches at the end of the year that DD can't wear because she'll be bridging in a month. Where's the fun and motivation in that?

[unsinkable]

Quick question...how often does your DD actually receive the patches (in hand) that she earns?

 

My troop leader says she hands them out twice a year and that makes absolutely no sense to me. I mean, what's the point of getting a handful of patches at the end of the year that DD can't wear because she'll be bridging in a month. Where's the fun and motivation in that?

For Brownies, I passed them out as they were earned. I also made sure the girls knew the name of the Try-it and what they did to earn it.

 

For Juniors, I handed them out monthly. The badges at that level took a bit longer to earn.

 

When my DD moved to a Cadette/senior troop (ambassador level didnt exist, ha-ha) the leaders handed them IPPs out at the end of the year.

[Caroline]

Quick question...how often does your DD actually receive the patches (in hand) that she earns?

 

My troop leader says she hands them out twice a year and that makes absolutely no sense to me. I mean, what's the point of getting a handful of patches at the end of the year that DD can't wear because she'll be bridging in a month. Where's the fun and motivation in that?

In our brownie troop, we hand them out as the girls earn them. Now how fast to I get them on the vest? Well, not very.

[unsinkable]

Does GSA not have immediate recognition? It's part of one of the methods of BSA under Advancement. A boy makes rank, he's honored that night at circle time and then the rank badge gets handed to him just as soon as possible. Many long-term troops have some in their patch boxes. Same way with merit badges--they're handed out just as soon as they can be and then the boy is recognized again at the Court of Honor. I would think getting recognized months later would rather spoil it.

It is up to the individual leaders.

 

I whole heartedly agree with your last line.

[MollyAnn]

Quick question...how often does your DD actually receive the patches (in hand) that she earns?

 

My troop leader says she hands them out twice a year and that makes absolutely no sense to me. I mean, what's the point of getting a handful of patches at the end of the year that DD can't wear because she'll be bridging in a month. Where's the fun and motivation in that?

She may do it because she likes to make a big deal of handing them out and have a ceremony. I can understand this, but it can be frustrating when the girls are bridging like you said. When DD was a bridging from Brownies to Juniors the girls did a bunch of Try-its right before so I decided to hand out the badges at the bridging. Big mistake. DD never got to wear the badges, plus I never got around to sewing those badges on. In a box is DD's Brownie vest with 4 badges wrapped up in it.

 

She may do it because she doesn't want to go up to the council shop after every meeting to pick up badges. If this is the case, talk to the leader and volunteer to be the shopper.

 

DD is now a Cadette, I hand out the badges as they earn them. Actually, one of the girls is responsible for handing out the badges.

[Jennifer3141]

 

Why would it be silly for coordinating those people to be part of the team? I'm just trying to figure out what your take on this is, because it seems different from everyone else's take (including people whose kids have completed). I've never known anyone (GSA, BSA or AHG) to complete one of these projects alone because the leadership aspect of it is a big part of the project. In fact, it is a large part of the point as opposed to other types of service projects. So, I don't understand what you're trying to say at all.

 

 

 

 

It would be silly to consider a company that comes in for half an hour and digs 20 holes to be part of a cohesive team a boy leads. Basically, he put 20 flags in the ground and paid them dig holes. There were 30 minutes of "team work" involved. You don't learn many leadership skills in a one time 30 minute interaction with someone.

 

The breast cancer screening GS project was a year long process where the girl involved in that developed a screening brochure for low income, high risk families and then coordinated the dissemination of that information. So she took the brochures to doctor's offices, low income housing offices, county health departments, etc. Beyond the doctor, her "team" was Kinko's and people she interacted with long enough to explain who she was and that she wanted to drop off brochures. She then delevoped an algorithm to track how many women received free screenings through the county program she designed. Again, not much "leadership" involved in steps of her process and I doubt she considers the Kinko's staff part of her team. She did jump through hurdles with county and federal governmental agencies as well and that wasn't an easy process.

 

Again, all of this is explained in the GSA handbook online and at GSA trainings on the Gold Award. It's nowhere near as complicated as you are trying to make it.

[In The Great White North]

 

The breast cancer screening GS project was a year long process where the girl involved in that developed a screening brochure for low income, high risk families and then coordinated the dissemination of that information. So she took the brochures to doctor's offices, low income housing offices, county health departments, etc. Beyond the doctor, her "team" was Kinko's and people she interacted with long enough to explain who she was and that she wanted to drop off brochures. She then delevoped an algorithm to track how many women received free screenings through the county program she designed. Again, not much "leadership" involved in steps of her process and I doubt she considers the Kinko's staff part of her team. She did jump through hurdles with county and federal governmental agencies as well and that wasn't an easy process.

 

Again, all of this is explained in the GSA handbook online and at GSA trainings on the Gold Award. It's nowhere near as complicated as you are trying to make it.

 

 

My council would not have approved this project.  Have you looked at any of the Gold Award Packets or Gold Award Proposal forms? Here's one:

http://girlscoutsgwm.org/Forms/2012_Forms/Gold%20Award%20Information%20Packet.pdf

 

Look at page 3 and 11 (the breast cancer project did not extend past her one year so was not sustainable and did not have a global link) and the bottom of page 13 (she didn't use any leadership skills on this project).  They would probably also had issues with her going to the doctor's offices, low income housing offices, county health departments, etc alone (SafetyWise).

[In The Great White North]

 

 

eta: that's a problem with death-bed Eagles--if they have their EBoR AFTER their 18th birthday, they never get to wear that nifty patch!

 

I could have sworn I saw adult leaders with the "nifty patch".  Do none of your death-bed Eagles age up and hang around?

[MollyAnn]

My council would not have approved this project. Have you looked at any of the Gold Award Packets or Gold Award Proposal forms? Here's one:

http://girlscoutsgwm.org/Forms/2012_Forms/Gold%20Award%20Information%20Packet.pdf

 

Look at page 3 and 11 (the breast cancer project did not extend past her one year so was not sustainable and did not have a global link) and the bottom of page 13 (she didn't use any leadership skills on this project). They would probably also had issues with her going to the doctor's offices, low income housing offices, county health departments, etc alone (SafetyWise).

Now look at page 5, especially the example about the global link. Gold Award is not expected to affect globally, just be linked. Women and men everywhere deal with breast cancer, there is the link.

Sustainability is in the brochures that can be reprinted over and over, shared to other hospitals, and used by professionals in support groups, counseling sessions, and outreach programs.

Leadership is not only demonstrated by being in charge of a group of people and telling them what to do. Everything about the Gold Award demonstrates leadership; coming up with the idea, making the phone calls, inspiring those around her to want to help with the project, coordinating efforts of others, putting it all together.

 

I really don't like how you made it sound that this project wasn't good enough for your council's approval. If your council would not have approved this, then your Gold Award board is short sighted and being ignorant.

Google Gold Award recipients, read through the projects. Very few of them have what you are expecting. These are teens, they are not expected to solve the worlds problems, just contribute something to make it a little better.

[tabinfl]

Quick question...how often does your DD actually receive the patches (in hand) that she earns?

 

My troop leader says she hands them out twice a year and that makes absolutely no sense to me. I mean, what's the point of getting a handful of patches at the end of the year that DD can't wear because she'll be bridging in a month. Where's the fun and motivation in that?

 

I'm handing mine out as soon as the girls earn them (if I've planned ahead well enough to purchase them ahead of time, like the Daisy petals), or as soon as one of us can get to the council store to buy them.

 

For older girls, I don't think it's unreasonable to have awards ceremonies spread a little farther apart, but twice a year doesn't seem like much fun to me. Bridging girls would end up with a bunch that they don't even get a chance to wear!

[unsinkable]

Now look at page 5, especially the example about the global link. Gold Award is not expected to affect globally, just be linked. Women and men everywhere deal with breast cancer, there is the link.

Sustainability is in the brochures that can be reprinted over and over, shared to other hospitals, and used by professionals in support groups, counseling sessions, and outreach programs.

Leadership is not only demonstrated by being in charge of a group of people and telling them what to do. Everything about the Gold Award demonstrates leadership; coming up with the idea, making the phone calls, inspiring those around her to want to help with the project, coordinating efforts of others, putting it all together.

 

I really don't like how you made it sound that this project wasn't good enough for your council's approval. If your council would not have approved this, then your Gold Award board is short sighted and being ignorant.

Google Gold Award recipients, read through the projects. Very few of them have what you are expecting. These are teens, they are not expected to solve the worlds problems, just contribute something to make it a little better.

Coming up with an idea and making phone calls are part of a project but that does not demonstrate leadership. The first is creative and the second is organizational.

 

As for coordinating the efforts of others...I don't see that listed in this project. It might be there, but it hasn't been specified.

 

In regard to your last paragraph, IIRC, In the Great white North has experience with GS and Gold Awards. She's not being disparaging to the project nor is she unfamiliar with the rules.

 

My feeling is we did not see this girl's paperwork so we are only going by what was written here and it's difficult to understand all that is involved and that she did. By simply going by what is written here, some of us think our councils would have not approved them.

[Jennifer3141]

My council would not have approved this project.  Have you looked at any of the Gold Award Packets or Gold Award Proposal forms? Here's one:

http://girlscoutsgwm.org/Forms/2012_Forms/Gold%20Award%20Information%20Packet.pdf

 

Look at page 3 and 11 (the breast cancer project did not extend past her one year so was not sustainable and did not have a global link) and the bottom of page 13 (she didn't use any leadership skills on this project).  They would probably also had issues with her going to the doctor's offices, low income housing offices, county health departments, etc alone (SafetyWise).

 

 

 

There were other components to the GS project. It's a ten PAGE project. And as you've said before, your council doesn't know/follow the award rules anyway so I wouldn't expect your council to get it right.

 

But you're cute for trying to be, "tricky." lol

[pitterpatter]

That's what I think. I can tell our troop leader doesn't care much about patch-earning.

 

 

I'm handing mine out as soon as the girls earn them (if I've planned ahead well enough to purchase them ahead of time, like the Daisy petals), or as soon as one of us can get to the council store to buy them.

 

For older girls, I don't think it's unreasonable to have awards ceremonies spread a little farther apart, but twice a year doesn't seem like much fun to me. Bridging girls would end up with a bunch that they don't even get a chance to wear!

 

[My3girls]

Quick question...how often does your DD actually receive the patches (in hand) that she earns?

 

My troop leader says she hands them out twice a year and that makes absolutely no sense to me. I mean, what's the point of getting a handful of patches at the end of the year that DD can't wear because she'll be bridging in a month. Where's the fun and motivation in that?

We hand out the badges twice a year as well. The badges are something fun to have to remember what you did. The fun isn't the wearing of the badge but the earning of one. We have a ceremony and a party to hand them out to make it an occassion where they can invite family to see them receive their awards. We cannot do that every time they complete requirements for a badge or we wouldn't have time to actually earn very many. And we don't want to just say here's your badge without a ceremony because that seems awfully anticlimactic, doesn't it? I mean you do all this work then someone just says here and hand you $1.50 badge?

[MollyAnn]

Coming up with an idea and making phone calls are part of a project but that does not demonstrate leadership. The first is creative and the second is organizational.

 

As for coordinating the efforts of others...I don't see that listed in this project. It might be there, but it hasn't been specified.

 

In regard to your last paragraph, IIRC, In the Great white North has experience with GS and Gold Awards. She's not being disparaging to the project nor is she unfamiliar with the rules.

 

My feeling is we did not see this girl's paperwork so we are only going by what was written here and it's difficult to understand all that is involved and that she did. By simply going by what is written here, some of us think our councils would have not approved them.

Coming up with the idea and implementing it is taking charge in itself. The phone calls and visits to people are made to get people to help, again taking charge. Coordinating efforts is a part of all projects, there is no project without coordinating; that is leadership.

 

I do find the comments made about the project disparaging. She said her council would not have approved the project and listed reasons that did not exist. It was a year long project and she said it wasn't enough because there was no sustainability when the sustainability was right there.

[MollyAnn]

That's what I think. I can tell our troop leader doesn't care much about patch-earning.

Before you get upset about this, I don't much care about badge earning either. At least not with the new badge books. The badges are dumbed down and an insult to current Girl Scouts.

Everyone likes candy and badges are vest candy. Do not fall into the thinking that your daughter isn't doing anything because she isn't earning badges. What your leader may be providing might be 10 times better than whatever is on the badge books.

 

My girls do earn badges, they choose to and they earn the badges they implement from the older books. I feel my job is to provide experience and to keep them on track for Silver and Gold.

[unsinkable]

Coming up with the idea and implementing it is taking charge in itself. The phone calls and visits to people are made to get people to help, again taking charge. Coordinating efforts is a part of all projects, there is no project without coordinating; that is leadership.

 

I do find the comments made about the project disparaging. She said her council would not have approved the project and listed reasons that did not exist. It was a year long project and she said it wasn't enough because there was no sustainability when the sustainability was right there.

Initiative is different than leadership.

 

Have you been involved with Gold Projects? Almost no project is accepted as originally proposed. There are criteria that need to be met and if they aren't met, the girls can adjust their projects until they are met.

 

Like I said, I don't know what the breast cancer project entailed. But in our council, the idea that a girl can do her project alone just wouldn't be approved. It's not an insult. The girl would not be allowed to even begin a project that she plans on doing alone. She would need to revise her proposal to meet the criteria.

[Mrs Mungo]

Like I said, I don't know what the breast cancer project entailed. But in our council, the idea that a girl can do her project alone just wouldn't be approved. It's not an insult. The girl would not be allowed to even begin a project that she plans on doing alone. She would need to revise her proposal to meet the criteria.

Which is not unreasonable and is part of the criteria for similar projects in other scouting groups.

[Jennifer3141]

I find it odd how many people are particpating in this thread who aren't actually in GS. Why do people invest so much time in stuff they aren't a part of?

[Catwoman]

I find it odd how many people are particpating in this thread who aren't actually in GS. Why do people invest so much time in stuff they aren't a part of?

I haven't been participating, but I have been following along. I saw that the thread was getting long, and I didn't want to miss the excitement, and then I got caught up in it once I started reading. :)

 

I don't have any opinions on this topic, though, because I'm admittedly clueless about scouting, so I wouldn't have anything useful to add.

 

Well, OK, I am posting just this once... :D

[unsinkable]

I find it odd how many people are particpating in this thread who aren't actually in GS. Why do people invest so much time in stuff they aren't a part of?

I like teaching people about Girl Scouts.

 

I'm happy to share what I did as a leader and what DD has done as a scout.

[unsinkable]

I haven't been participating, but I have been following along. I saw that the thread was getting long, and I didn't want to miss the excitement, and then I got caught up in it once I started reading. :)

 

I don't have any opinions on this topic, though, because I'm admittedly clueless about scouting, so I wouldn't have anything useful to add.

 

Well, OK, I am posting just this once... :D

Welcome!

[Catwoman]

Welcome!

Thanks!

 

I'm learning a lot from this thread. I'm probably in the minority, but I had no idea that Girl Scouts did such amazing projects.

[Mrs Mungo]

I find it odd how many people are particpating in this thread who aren't actually in GS. Why do people invest so much time in stuff they aren't a part of?

I don't find it odd to be curious about how the various groups (and the various awards) compare.

[unsinkable]

Thanks!

 

I'm learning a lot from this thread. I'm probably in the minority, but I had no idea that Girl Scouts did such amazing projects.

They are amazing projects! And sustainable, :lol:

[pitterpatter]

Maybe DH and I are the only ones who care about badges, I don't know. To me, Girl Scouts have a uniform for a reason. With Daisies and Brownies, the girls only have two years each to proudly display what they've worked to achieve. We think it's more motivating to receive the badges as they're earned. I remember my track days. We were always disappointed when there was a delay in receiving our medals due to whatever reason. I find it hard to believe that any child would rather wait months to receive their badges rather than receive them as earned. As a parent who paid a good bit for a uniform, it's important to me that it gets worn and that money isn't wasted because we have no badges to put on it.

 

We understand that Girl Scouts isn't all about the badges. We get that, we really do. But, to us, it's a good chunk of it. We don't see Girl Scouts as primarily being a social club. It's about learning new skills to grow the girl. Those skills come in the form of badges. We want our DD to care about the badges...whether we personally like the curriculum or not. We want her vested in the program...not laughing at it.

 

Another reason why we care about badges is because we homeschool. One day, DD is going to need things to put on her college application that set her apart. Being able to put that she earned 100 percent (hopefully) of all major badges available at each level of Girl Scouts shows dedication, work ethic and so much more.

 

Also, if we can get DD interested enough in earning those badges, she will have a hobby to keep her busy. Hopefully, that will help keep her out of trouble when she's older.

[daijobu]

This was disappointing to me too, and here comes my rant about the GS organization...

 

I would LOVE to have an outdoorsy troop, but what's stopping me right now are all of the safety rules and procedures.

 

What always ticked me off about GS was their threat that if we didn't follow all procedures, we wouldn't qualify for their insurance which protects us from lawsuits.  

 

Really?  Exactly how many lawsuits are being filed over GS-related injuries?  

 

It seems to me GS has so many rules to follow, precisely so they CAN exclude you from coverage from all these "lawsuits" that we never seem to hear about.  

[Seasider]

I was a GS back when it was still earning Badges, more like boy scouts, where there were a series of activities that earned a specific badge. What I didn't like was the focus on crafts and homemaking and so on that my troop seemed to do, so I did all the math, computer, and science-related stuff at home. I ended up earning a TON of badges. In retrospect, I think my mom used the GS badges as a way to afterschool ;).

 

Same here! I remember my GS handbook looking very much like my son's BSA handbook. I liked the crafty stuff (somewhat), but I didn't want to be slowed down by conforming to a meeting schedule.

[Tammi K]

I would have been a Brownie in 71-72, with orange paperback manual and the dark brown dress. There were no badges. When you got close to Juniors, you could work on getting your "flying up" wings. That was it.

 

Me too!!!  (Except I was a Brownie about 5-6 years earlier that you.)

 

I read the post where someone mentioned being a Daisy Scout and I wondered, "How is that possible? It wasn't that long ago that the Daisy Scouts started." The I remembered that MY daughter was a Daisy Scout and she's almost 28.

 

Gad, I'm old!

 

[Santi]

I hate the Journey books and new badges because /everything/ is focused on friendship and teamwork and whatever other group thing. My dd is a Juliette, and helps with a troop of younger girls. Every single badge/journey activity says go do something and then share it with your troop. Dd can't do this, so we tweak it, but I know it saddens her. Even the older girls I know who do have troops don't want to do the oh make a card and give it to your school friends thing. They were obviously all made by adults who apparently don't remember how hard high school is already without asking your friends to stop talking about boys so you can do some weird trust activity for your Girl Scout journey. I still have her brownie vest with so many badges that we had to put them on a separate thing, and I miss that considering now each one is a struggle for her.

 

To the Gold Award thing- I don't understand the comparisons to Eagle projects. Every Eagle Scout I know has done something like building a few wooden things in a park. That honestly is nice, but I don't want my dd to spend 100+ hours planning something unique and sustainable to make a big impact on the community, and then have people say it's the equivalent of some boy's eagle project where he built a picnic table. I suppose it's possible we've been surrounded by Boy Scouts that aren't the norm, this is just what I've experienced.

[momofkhm]

I was a GS back when it was still earning Badges, more like boy scouts, where there were a series of activities that earned a specific badge. What I didn't like was the focus on crafts and homemaking and so on that my troop seemed to do, so I did all the math, computer, and science-related stuff at home. I ended up earning a TON of badges. In retrospect, I think my mom used the GS badges as a way to afterschool ;).

 

 

This was me too.  Well, I didn't do the same badges, but badges was the thing.  I remember when they changed the badge system in the middle of "juniors".  Mom was troop leader and didn't like it one bit.  Then we graduated to cadettes/seniors.  To get one badge was huge.  To earn one badge, auto maintenance maybe, I had to earn and entire boy scout badge.  Mom went to the boy scout council and bought it.  I'd earned it.  I wore it on the back of my sash.

[vonfirmath]

Oh, and SWAPS.  We see and do these mostly at Council sponsored events like camps and recruiting events.  They are fun to make, but you can't put your own on you.  You have to swap them with another troop to be official.

 

I think this is the only part of Girl Scouts I remember. We did crafts for many weeks, making many copies of stuff. Then went to a swap meet with other girl scouts and traded what we had made for what they had made.

 

As a grown up -- we ended up with bags of junk. But I have nothing but fond memories of these events.

 

Oh and a little song about silver and gold friendships

[KungFuPanda]

DD's council went all out on a humongous five-section patch for the 100th anniversary. Pretty nifty.

 

I'd also recommend the GS HQ in NYC as a good trip. Excellent GS museum there, plus one-on-one sessions about silver/gold awards, and a product focus group. You can get special patches from the president and the CEO ("Eagle One"), plus patches that international visitors have left -- DD scored one from Girl Guides Australia. All back-of-the-vest stuff, but very unique.

 

I'm thinking I may have to start sewing some on the inside of the vest soon, as there is little real estate left on back, and I'm contemplating a zip-in lining of some sort to hide the stitching. The vest has to be double it's original weight already.

 

Our council just set up a program to earn two UK Girl Guide badges, which sounds interesting. I think those might be considered front of the vest.

I know this is an old thread, and you didn't hear this from me, but back when my DD was a Brownie she was too tiny for a larger vest. Once hers got full, I just lengthened it. I found matching fabric, removed the trim, and added about six inches to the bottom of the vest. I then replaced the trim (you have to make a few extra inches to cover the increased length) and covered the seams with badges and patches. We managed to get everything on the vest that way.