FaithManor Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Color me confused. So, are they leaving just because they are mad about the decision? They do realize that 4-H is a co-ed organization, don't they? They do realize that 4-H values equality. What are they running away from? Mad about the decision I would imagine. I think they figure if they are going Co Ed, they will go with one that has operated that way for a while. I guess. I am not certain though because the email did not say. It is possible there are a lot of knee jerk reactions out there, or these are families that already had a beef and are using this as an excuse to leave, or.... I did not explore the topic with the program director since we are laying low in order to not get roped into conversations about 2018/19 planning. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Mad about the decision I would imagine. I think they figure if they are going Co Ed, they will go with one that has operated that way for a while. I guess. I am not certain though because the email did not say. It is possible there are a lot of knee jerk reactions out there, or these are families that already had a beef and are using this as an excuse to leave, or.... I did not explore the topic with the program director since we are laying low in order to not get roped into conversations about 2018/19 planning. 🔠Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 The GS gold award is intended to be a "service project." A service project is specifically intended to be something benefits the community. A Service to the community. Girl Scouts should be doing service projects throughout their time in scouts. Few are gold level worthy. But when a troop collects books to donate to an underserved library, that's a service project. When they hold a rummage sale to donate all the proceeds to a homeless shelter, that's a service project. When they go read to seniors who all alone in a nursing home, that's a service project. All those things are just mentioned were service projects I participated in in the various troops I was in. The troops I was in believed in the "to help people at all times" portion of the promise. A Gold Award project is intended to be those things.....researched, created, and led by the individual Senior level scout. And that's on top of the other badges etc. And it kind of makes me sad that people don't think that's good enough....or at least not as good the Eagle award, which according to others, the primary goal is leadership, not service. I've never actually seen a side-by-side comparison of the two programs, but it wouldn't shock me to find that the Gold Award is as rigorous (or more) than Eagle and still be undervalued. Those Gold award projects take a great deal of time and coordination from these girls in a relatively short time. Never mind that she had to complete Bronze and a Silver to get there. Still, people think they've knitted some scarves (or something else crafty) and dropped them at a nursing home. It can be hard and impressive and serve a community long after the girl has moved on and she has to do it herself and STILL be undervalued by the general public and those who grant scholarships. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Just checked our council website. There are 10 Venture Crews within 10 miles of my house! :D Some will have meeting nights/times we can't do and we prefer some chartering organizations over others, but nice to know dd will have lots of choices when she gets to that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Don't know yet. My older two have their Eagle Scout awards and are out already. Youngest had to change troops when he went to school last year. I haven't heard anything from them, but I would be surprised if they let girls join. Our old troop has already said they aren't changing and that the mandates are "up to the local units." They have a girls group (non-BSA) that goes through age 12, and then there is a Venture Crew for co-ed. There aren't enough leaders and there aren't enough kids to make it work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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