The family guide to
Girl Scouts
Table of Contents 1 2 3 4-5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13-14 15 16 17 18 19
Welcome to Girl Scouts Levels in Girl Scouting The Four Pillars in Girl Scouting Membership and Other Costs Troops and Individually Registered Girl Scouts The Girl Scout Leadership Experience Fall Product Program, Treats & Reads The Girl Scout Cookie Program Get Outside at Camp Trips and Travel Highest Awards Girl and Co-leader Responsibility to the Troop Family Responsibility to the Troop GSOFCT Shop and Badges vs. Patches Important Dates and Resources Invest in Girls. Change the World. The Girl Scout Promise and Law
Welcome to Girl Scouts! In Girl Scouts, everything a girl does is girl-led. Girl Scouts unleashes the G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader) ™ in every girl, preparing her for a lifetime of leadership. From taking a hike and learning to save our environment; from viewing the night sky through a telescope to accepting a mission on the International Space Station; from running her own cookie business to starting her own business; from taking action in her community to running for office, Girl Scouts is the best leadership organization for girls, period.
Go Get ‘Em Like A Girl Scout
Girl Scouts dream big and take action. They set their own goals and create their own opportunities to learn, imagine, and make their dreams happen. Because those who step up now, stand out later.
Innovate Like A Girl Scout
Girl Scouts seek challenges, embrace problems, and find their own solutions. Girl Scouts think outside of the box and find solutions to real-world problems now, and later in life.
Take Risks Like A Girl Scout
Girl Scouts speak up and unleash their inner strength. They try new things with a can-do attitude. “I can’t” isn’t in her vocabulary. Because when taking on fears becomes fun, girls become unstoppable.
Lead Like A Girl Scout
Girl Scouts advocate for others in their community. They don’t say, “why me?” They say, “watch me!” Girl Scouts are courageous and work together to solve tough problems and make our world a better place.
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Levels in Girl Scouting
Ambassadors 11 & 12
Juniors 4&5 Daisies K&1 Daisies gain new friends as part of a troop, earn petals, badges, and Leadership Journey awards. They learn about protecting the environment, sell Girl Scout Cookies, help others, and have fun!
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Brownies 2&3 Brownies have fun learning all kinds of new skills and earn badges and Leadership Journey awards. They explore the outdoors, sell Girl Scout Cookies, and explore ways that they can make a difference in our world.
Juniors discover their power, earn even more badges and Leadership Journey awards, and explore the world of STEM, entrepreneurship in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, and more. Juniors can also earn the Bronze Award, one of Girl Scouts’ highest awards, and make a sustainable impact in their community.
Cadettes 6-8 Cadettes make forever friends and begin to choose issues they care about and take action. Cadettes earn badges and Leadership Journey awards, and gain valuable skills. They start to mentor younger girls and can earn awards in leadership. And, they can also earn the Silver Award, the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn.
Seniors 9 & 10 Seniors are ready to take the world by storm—they travel to amazing places around the country and globe with the money they earned selling Girl Scout Cookies, and earn badges and Leadership Journey awards. They are positive role models to younger girls and tackle important issues in their community and world. They start to explore exciting careers in STEM, government, or cybersecurity. They can also earn the Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn and a national honor.
Ambassadors continue to build skills they need to improve themselves and the world around them while earning badges and Leadership Journey awards. They raise their voices and advocate for issues they care about. They fight injustice, travel, and discover who they are and who they want to be. They can also earn the Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn and a national honor.
The Four Pillars in Girl Scouting
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The Girl Scout membership year runs annually from October 1 – September 30. Girls and adults may enroll as a member of Girl Scouts at any time. Memberships are valid for the year in which you enrolled. Co-leaders can renew their whole troop all at once, or families can renew individually by clicking on “MY GS” on gsofct.org.
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Activity supplies You may be asked to contribute supplies for activities or provide a small fee to cover the cost for the volunteers to buy supplies for your girl’s troop.
Badges and AWARDS These are the insignia girls earn for their hard work and display proudly on their uniform.
Books A variety of Girl Scout program handbooks are used by troops to facilitate the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. This is especially helpful for new troops and may be purchased at our GSOFCT Shops!
Camp/trips/ overnights The cost of these trips vary and may be covered all or in part by troop proceeds raised through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, Fall Product Program, Treats & Reads, or by family’s contribution.
Uniform Girl Scouts wear their uniform and earned badges with pride. A variety of uniform pieces are available at our GSOFCT Shops.
ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE, AND VALUABLE Annual membership for girls and adults is $25 and is paid directly to Girl Scouts of the USA to cover the cost of fundamental services supporting the Girl Scout Movement, including accident insurance for members participating in approved Girl Scout activities. All girls and adults are required to hold a membership in the national organization to participate in local Girl Scout programming such as camp and product sales programs. At Girl Scouts of Connecticut, girl members also pay an annual Council Service Fee of $15. This fee is necessary in order to provide more resources to serve our girls, provide more services and support to our volunteers, and to provide more local support to everyone in Girl Scouting. It also helps GSOFCT enhance our programming, properties, like our summer camps, and provide service to our volunteers to continue offering the best leadership experience to girls.
Financial Assistance
We’re committed to ensuring that all girls, regardless of financial means, can fully participate in our Girl Scout program. Financial assistance is available on a first-come, first-serve basis for membership registration, dues, uniform components, handbooks, troop, service unit, or council-sponsored events and programs, and summer camp.
Money Earning Activities (MEAs) & Product Sales Programs Local troops and service units can participate in council-approved Money Earning Activities (MEAs) to earn funds to help fund all of the exciting activities they have planned for the year. Girl Scouts can also participate in the Fall Product Program®, Treats & Reads, and the Girl Scout Cookie Programs to help offset supply and activity costs and learn five important skills. Troop funds are earned by the troops and are the property of the troop as a whole, not the individual members. Girls, with guidance from their leaders, will decide how they’ll use their funds.
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Troops
Troops are led by adult volunteers. If you are an adult and registered into a troop with existing co-leaders, please expect for your co-leader to contact you within one week after you complete your registration. Every troop experience is different. We encourage you to talk with your co-leader to understand what is offered throughout the year. If your girl’s troop does not have the required two leaders, please consider volunteering! In their troop, girls will have the chance to earn badges and patches throughout the year for their accomplishments. Co-leaders will guide girls through the badge program and journeys as girls accumulate skills and advance through each level. We strive to teach our girls real-world skills and more. We’re out to show them that it’s their inner strength that counts. From troop meetings to camp, our programs inspire girls to unleash their strength and spark innovation to solve everyday challenges.
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Individually Registered Girl Scouts
As an Individually Registered Girl Scout (also referred to as “Juliettes”), girls get to experience all the fun and amazing things Girl Scouts do but on their own schedule. A Girl Scout Juliette is a girl who participates in Girl Scouts as an individual member. It is named in honor of the founder of Girl Scouts, Juliette Gordon Low. Today’s girls may sometimes find it hard to fit all their desired activities into their busy schedule. If your girl does not wish to join a troop, or is unable to find a troop that meets at a convenient time or place, she can still be a Girl Scout! If she chooses to be a Girl Scout Juliette, she can participate in all Girl Scout programs and attend council and town events as her schedule permits—all while earning badges and awards with her family’s support!
The Girl Scout Leadership Experience
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We encourage girls to learn by doing. We ask them to take a risk – try it out and see how it works.
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Girls work together to achieve their goals.
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DISCOVER their passion CONNECT with others TAKE ACTION to create change
Decision making, compromise, and communication are essential elements to developing strong leaders.
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Keys to Leadership
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Our one-of-a-kind adventures empower every girl to try new things and take healthy risks. She will learn that she has everything it takes to solve her own challenges, now and later, to help her continue to be a leader throughout her life’s journey.
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We’re focused on observing the following outcomes through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE):
SENSE OF SELF: Girls have confidence in themselves and their abilities, and form positive identities.
POSITIVE VALUES: Girls act ethically, honestly, and responsibly, and show concern for others.
CHALLENGE SEEKING: Girls learn to take appropriate risks, try things even if they might fail, and learn from mistakes.
COMMUNITY PROBLEM SOLVING: Girls desire to contribute to the world in purposeful and meaningful ways, learn how to identify problems in the community, and create “action plans” to solve them.
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS: Girls develop and maintain healthy relationships by communicating their feelings directly and resolving conflicts constructively.
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Fall Product Program, Treats & Reads October-November
The Fall Product Program, Treats & Reads, is a sale of nuts, candy, and/or magazines primarily to family and friends. It’s a great way for troops to start earning funds for their next adventure right away! Girls will get to practice the Five Skills and earn fun rewards. Find out more at gsofct.org.
The Fall Product Care to Share program
The Care to Share program is a partnership between Girl Scouts of Connecticut and the American Red Cross, CT Chapter. For every $6 donation, the American Red Cross, CT Chapter will receive one can of honey roasted peanuts to be used in programs in our state including disaster relief and support for active military, veterans, and their families. 8
When a Girl Scout participates in the fall product program and cookie program, she’s building a lifetime of confidence as she learns five skills essential to leadership, success, and life.
1 Goal Setting Set goals with your troop and create a plan to reach them.
2 Decision Making Think critically and solve problems.
THE GIRL SCOUT
3 Money Management Develop a budget, take orders, and handle customer money!
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People Skills Engage with members of the community and develop confidence.
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Business Ethics Act honestly and responsibly and form positive relationships.
Cookie Program
November ELECTION DAY BOOTH SALES: Girl Scouts can sell Girl Scout Cookies at Election Day Booth Sales! At different polling or community locations across the state, girls can ask customers to purchase Girl Scout Cookies and give them practice in their five skills.
January - April The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest financial literacy program in the world! When Girl Scouts participate in the cookie program, their troop earns proceeds from each package sold which funds field trips, troop supplies, programs, and community service projects. The Girl Scout Cookie Program is such an important (and fun!) part of the overall Girl Scout experience—tons of learning for her and beyonddelicious cookies for our awesome cookie customers! It’s a win-win. Girls learn to work as a team to accomplish common goals and solve problems, while building the confidence they need to shine as girls, as young women, and as future leaders. And did we mention fun? They have a ton of that along the way, too. Every year, Girl Scouts all over the country use their cookie earnings to do amazing things in their communities and beyond. From helping animal shelters and feeding the homeless to raising awareness about bullying, making public areas more accessible to people with disabilities, and tons more, Girl Scouts can and will do anything they put their hearts and minds to. And now with the Digital Cookie® platform, Girl Scouts can take their cookie-selling skills online and communicate with customers all over the country. For more information, visit gsofct.org.
Cookies for Heroes Program
During the cookie program, Girl Scouts can encourage customers to purchase cookies to be donated to active servicewomen and men overseas or at home, as well as veterans and local heroes. It’s a great way to say thank you for protecting our country and for their service.
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Get Outside AT CAMP!
Make new friends, build a campfire, hike the trails—adventures await at GSOFCT Summer Camps! With seven day camps and one resident camp to choose from, there is sure to be one just for you! At summer camp, girls take the lead in everything they do. Camping is a great way for girls to explore leadership, build skills, and develop a deep appreciation for nature. It’s also a great way for girls to be independent, try new things, and have a blast! All girls (grades K-12) can register for camp regardless if they are in a troop!
Summer Resident Camp GSOFCT has one resident camp, Camp Laurel in Lebanon, CT. At Camp Laurel, girls will explore their surroundings while hiking, swimming, boating, horseback riding, and challenging themselves to try new things. Our resident camp programs are designed to meet the various needs of the wide age range of girls. Girls can stay at camp for one week or two weeks, and living units are based on the grades girls will be going into for the fall. Girls love resident camp because that means the fun never ends! There is something for every girl at Camp Laurel!
Girl Scouts can experience the outdoors all year long! Throughout the year, she can camp with her troop and attend fun outdoor programs!
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Trips and Travel Girl Scouts love to travel—from the field trips they take as Brownies to the global adventures they go on as they grow in the organization. Girl Scouts of Connecticut also has a travel troop that girls can join in addition to their Girl Scout troop or as a Girl Scout Juliette! As a part of the travel troop, girls have the opportunity to explore the world around them! Check out Girl Scout Destinations (forgirls.girlscouts.org/travel), the ultimate adventure program for girls ages 11 and older. With lots of different trips to apply for every year—from surfing on the east coast and breathtaking hikes out west, to the crazy-cool wonder of new cultures abroad—there’s something amazing for everyone to experience. Local, regional, and national travel opportunities are also part of GSOFCT’s travel focus. These trips can include everything from an adventurous hike on the Appalachian Trail, a three-day canoe trip along the Connecticut River, to a visit to Savannah to explore the birthplace of Girl Scouts. How far will her Girl Scout experience take her?
Her next great adventure is just around the corner! 11
Highest Awards
Bronze. Silver. Gold.
The highest awards a Girl Scout can earn. All three awards give Girl Scouts the chance to do big things while making a sustainable impact on an issue they care about. Girls determine the project they will complete for their award based on award criteria. Whether she wants to plant a community garden at her school and inspire others to eat healthy for her Bronze, advocate for animal rights for her Silver, or build a career network that encourages girls to become scientists and engineers for her Gold, she will inspire others (and herself).
Bronze Award
Juniors (grades 4-5)
Silver Award
Cadettes (grades 6-8)
Gold Award
Seniors and Ambassadors (grades 9-12) 12
Find out more: gsofct.org
GIRL’S RESPONSIBILITY TO THE TROOP • To follow the Girl Scout Promise and Law • To be willing to take risks, be confident, and supportive towards her troop peers • To attend and participate in meetings and events • To listen to others in the troop and show respect for what they are saying • To be prepared and conduct herself in a safe manner • To respect co-leaders and other volunteers 13
CO-LEADER’S RESPONSIBILITY TO THE TROOP • To follow the Girl Scout Promise & Law • To let girls lead – ensure girls of every age take an active and grade-appropriate role in deciding the what, where, when, why, and how of what they do • To create an inclusive environment where girls and families feel welcome and connected to the troop • To provide a well-rounded and safe program following Girl Scout guidelines • To listen to and respect every participant and serve as a role model • To use volunteer resources such as the Volunteer Toolkit and to contact my troop or GSOFCT when I need support 14
We need you!
Parents and guardians of our girl members make a difference and impact the quality of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Together, we are building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place!
FAMILY’S RESPONSIBILITY TO THE TROOP • Support your Girl Scout through all facets of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience • Encourage her to take risks and try new things • Be a cheerleader and allow her to take the lead • Volunteer with your troop in any capacity – your co-leader cannot do it alone • Complete any necessary paperwork and help her fulfill responsibilities to the troop • Attend council events with your Girl Scout and encourage active participation in troop meetings • Stay connected through our social media channels, monthly council emails, and our website • Ask questions – start with your troop co-leaders. We’re also here to help! For inquiries, call the GSOFCT Council at (800) 922-2770 or email customercare@gsofct.org • Stay current – Once you’ve become a member, log in to MY GS found at the top of our website gsofct.org. This is where you can update your contact information, renew your membership(s), add volunteer roles and see troop information when populated by your troop co-leader 15
Girl Scouts can visit any of our Girl Scout shops for their uniforms, Girl Scout swag, and more! North Haven 20 Washington Avenue, North Haven, CT 06473 (800) 922-2770 ext. 3330 (203) 234-6253
Lebanon 175C Clubhouse Road, Lebanon, CT 06249 (800) 922-2770 ext. 3730
Wilton 529 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897 (800) 922-2770 ext. 3818
Hartford 340 Washington Street, Hartford, CT 06106 (800) 922-2770 ext. 3240
BADGES
Are symbols that indicate an increase in knowledge or skill in a particular subject. Badges can be earned at every age level. Both badges and awards should be placed on the front of the sash or vest.
PATCHES
Are emblems signifying participation in a Girl Scout activity. Patches are placed on the back of the sash or vest.
Find out where to place badges, awards, patches, and insignias at girlscouts.org>Our Program> Uniforms–Where to Place
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Important Dates October 31:
February 22:
January
Girl Scout Cookie Program begins! Girls can start approaching customers via in-person and online and ask them to support the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world!
On this day, we celebrate the birthday of Girl Scout Founder Juliette Gordon Low! Members across the country find fun ways to celebrate!
April 22:
National Volunteer Month and Leader’s Day, April 22: Girl Scout Leader’s Day, April 22, honors all the volunteers who work as leaders and mentors in partnership with girls. On this day, girls, their families, and communities find special ways to thank their adult Girl Scout volunteers.
March
World Thinking Day: On this day, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from 146 countries celebrate the day’s theme by doing the same activities.
JuneAugust
Girls can attend our day and resident camp throughout the summer and explore the outdoors, build skills, and make memories to last a lifetime.
Girl Scout Week: Girl Scout Week is celebrated each March, starting with Girl Scout Sunday and ending with Girl Scout Sabbath on a Saturday, and it always includes Girl Scouts’ birthday, March 12.
September
Girl Scouts across the country get excited to start a new year in Girl Scouting!
GSOFCT.ORG Our website is full of the most up-to-date, helpful resources, and information on upcoming activities and programs, latest news, forms, the cookie program and Treats & Reads, forms, camp, and much more!
GSOFCT FAMILY E-NEWSLETTER All registered members (unless opted out) will receive our monthly email newsletter filled with the most important news, upcoming events, and more.
SOCIAL MEDIA Search for Girl Scouts of Connecticut on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest and follow us for news and to stay connected.
Questions? Can’t find the info you need? The GSOFCT Staff are here to help! Contact us at customercare@gsofct.org or call (800) 922-2770.
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Invest in girls. Change the world. As a Girl Scout family, you know girls are our community leaders, entrepreneurs, and change agents – they’re discovering their passions, following their dreams, and building a better world for all of us. But did you know there are girls right here in our community, who need your help to be a Girl Scout? We could serve girls who live in city-subsidized housing, homeless shelters, and who attend low-income schools. YOU can make sure every girl has access to the amazing opportunities available to her through Girl Scouts. 100% of every dollar donated stays local.
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Together, we can get her there:
gsofct.org/ donate
The Girl Scout Promise On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
The Girl Scout Law
I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout. 19
customercare@gsofct.org