Girl
Scouts of the USA adopted an updated mission statement at our
National Council Session in 2005: Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character who
make the world a better place.
To fulfill this mission and their commitment to girls, they are
renewing the Girl Scout experience by making it compelling,
relevant and impact-driven for 21st-century girls. Thousands of
members around the country have contributed ideas and
perspectives, culminating in decisions by the National
Board of Directors in August 2006.
Girl Scouts of the USA
will phase in some exciting program changes beginning fall of 2008.
Program activities are organized around the Girl Scout three keys to
leadership and are based on the values of the Girl Scout Promise and
Law.
-
Discover
activities engage girls in exploring
their values, skills and world. Girls develop a strong sense of
self, positive values, gain practical skills, develop critical
thinking and seek challenges in the world.
-
Connect
activities engage girls in teaming up and
relating with others in a multicultural world. Girls develop
healthy relationships, learn to resolve conflicts, feel
connected to their communities, locally and globally, help
advance diversity in a multicultural world and promote
cooperation and team building.
-
Take Action
activities engage girls in making a
difference in the world. Girls identify community needs, become
resourceful problem solvers, learn to advocate for themselves
and others, locally and globally, educate and inspire others to
act and feel empowered to make a difference in the world.
What's Changing
Now
Beginning in the Summer of 2008 GSUSA will begin to phase in it's
program changes. Those areas affected first will be the girl levels,
new program materials, and training modules.
-
Girl Levels -
Levels
are now set by grades instead of ages. Grouping by grade
allows girls to be with peers who share a closer level of
emotional and social maturity. Girls have said that it’s
important to be with other girls their age, and currently,
they get bored by too much repetition. As one 13-year old
Girl Scout wrote in, “It makes us more comfortable to be
with the same age group as ourselves.” GSUSA research found
that girls learn best and have the most fun when they are with
the right developmental/social grouping. The new grade-level
groups are:
|
Grades K-1
|
Grades 2-3 |
Grades 4-5
|
Grades 6-8 |
Grades 9-10 |
Grades 11-12 |
|
Daisies
|
Brownies |
Juniors
|
Cadettes
|
Seniors |
Ambassadors |
-
New Program
Materials
- Due out in August of 2008 is the "It's Your World,
Change It" Journeys for Daisys through Ambassadors.
These initial journeys invite girls to explore a specific
leadership theme for their level. Cost will be $7 for the
girl's book and $15 for the adult facilitator guide which
consists of two books.
-
Training
Modules
- The current New Leader Orientations, Girl Scout Basics and
Age Level trainings have been replaced with a three part
Volunteer Training module:
-
Volunteer Orientation e-Learning module
-
Leadership Essentials course
-
Troop (and other Pathways) packets
(Spring 2009)
In the
Green Oaks Service Unit
there will be a "Journey Travel Guide" for each grade level who will have
trained in that specific area and will be able to help leaders at
that level. The "Travel Guides" are:
Please
also see "Five Tips
for a Great Trip"
In the Future
For the next three years GSUSA will continue to
add new journeys and update current materials until 2011 when
everything is scheduled to be completed. Program schedule is:
|
2008 |
First
journey series introduced, girl levels change and
training module modified
|
|
2009 |
Second
journey series introduced, badges are updated and the
Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards are updated, Uniforms
will begin to modify. Troop and other pathways packets
released.
|
|
2010 |
Third
journey series introduced along with more updated
badges. Uniforms will continue to modify.
|
By 2012 when GSUSA
celebrates it 100th birthday the New Leadership Model will be
completely phased in. The three new Journeys will have been
introduced. Current program materials will have been updated to
reflect the three keys to leadership: Discover, Connect and Take
Action. Girls
at each of the six grades levels will have one official uniform item (e.g.
tunic, vest and sash) for the display of official pins and
awards. Girls will be required to wear this item with their own
white shirts and khaki pants or skirts when they participate in
ceremonies or officially represent the Girl Scout Movement. Teen
girls will also have the option of wearing a scarf connecting us
to our global sisterhood, WAGGGS.
|
