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Program Goals
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The Girl Scout program can change the way girls see the world and their place in it. Girls learn the importance of personal responsibility, the value of goal-setting, the spirit of teamwork, and the thrill of accomplishment. The Girl Scout program is based on the Girl Scout Promise and Law and four fundamental goals that encourage girls to:
- Develop to their full potential.
- Relate to others with increasing understanding, skill, and respect.
- Develop a meaningful set of values to guide their actions and to provide for sound decision-making.
- Contribute to the improvement of society.
Girl Scouts are divided into Daisy Girl Scouts (ages 5-6), Brownie Girl Scouts (ages 6-8), Junior Girl Scouts (ages 8-11), and STUDIO 2BSM for girls ages 11-17.
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Promise and Law
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The Girl Scout Promise and Law are shared by every member of Girl Scouting. The Girl Scout Promise is the way Girl Scouts agree to act every day toward one another and other people, and the Law outlines a way to act towards one another and the world.
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.
* The word "God" can be interpreted in a number of ways, depending on one's spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, it is okay to replace the word "God" with whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate.
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Program Opportunities
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Want to be an adventurer, scientist, financial manager, athlete, environmentalist, or reader? From sports skill-building clinics to outdoor skills programs, travel opportunities to local community service projects, environmental stewardships to space science programs, the Girl Scout program enables you to be who you want to be. Find out more about what Girl Scouts visit our Web sites for girls: - Go to Girls Only to see what Girl Scouting offers online for girls ages 5-11. Play games, send e-cards, ask Dr. M questions, and more!
- Check out STUDIO 2B, the place where teens become, belong, believe, and build. Chill out in the Lounge, publish poems or stories, answer polls and quizzes, get advice, see what the "By Girls, For Girls" committee is up to. Also, find out how adult leaders, advisors, and parents can support girls in becoming the best they can be in the For Adults section.
- Take a peek at the Passport to Adventure, now available to download.
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Downloads
2007-2008 Programs
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Leadership and self-esteem
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Today's Girl Scouts are tomorrow's leaders. Through activities that build self-confidence, creative decision-making skills, and teamwork, girls develop real-world leadership abilities that will last them a lifetime. By working towards such earned age-level awards as the Lead On Badge or the Leadership Interest Project Award, girls can interview female leaders, set goals, build team spirit and communication skills, develop successful problem-solving techniques, and learn to trust themselves in any situation.
Here are just some of the many ways girls can build their leadership skills and self-esteem:
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Girl Scouts' Highest Awards
Girl Scout Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards
In 1980, Girls Scouts introduced the Girl Scout Gold Award® (for Girl Scouts 14-17) as its highest honor, along with the Girl Scout Silver Award® (for Girl Scouts 11-14). To receive these awards, girls must meet requirements that help them prepare for, and complete, a special project benefiting their communities. Based on requests from Junior Girl Scouts (ages 8-11), the Girl Scout Bronze Award® was introduced in 2001. Today these three awards are a highlight of the Girl Scout experience.
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The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouts, focuses on a 14- to 17-year-old Girl Scout's interests and personal journey through leadership skills, career explorations, self-improvement, and service.
Example of projects from girls in our Council:
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Collected legos for the local Boys and Girls Club
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Sewed blankets and donated them to the Battered Women’s Shelter
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Sewed pants and donated them to the Salvation Army
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Collected 1,000 books and donated them to a local non-profit
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Built Dog Houses for the local Humane Society
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Created a land lab at the local elementary school to enable them to conduct science classes in a natural environment |
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The Girl Scout Silver Award symbolizes an 11- to 14-year-old Girl Scout's accomplishments in Girl Scouting and community activities as she matures and works to better her life and the lives of others.
Example of projects from girls in our Council:
- Worked with a Brownie troop and provided programs to teach them about manners and games from around the world
- Collected Toiletry items to donate to the Battered Women’s Shelter
- Held a book drive and donated them to a local nursing home’s library
- Sponsored a Girl Scout Thinking Day program for all the troops in their District
- Built Shelves and toy boxes which were then donated to the local homeless shelter
- Collect school supplies for needy families
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The Girl Scout Bronze Award recognizes that a Junior Girl Scout has gained the leadership and planning skills required to follow through with a project that makes a positive difference in her community.
Example of projects from girls in our Council:
- Sewed blankets and donated them to the local Children’s hospital
- Made cat toys and dog biscuits and donated them to local animal shelter
- Helped plant and weed a garden at a local nursing home
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A Tradition of Honoring Girl Scouts
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The Golden Eagle of Merit, the highest award in Girl Scouting from 1916 to 1919, marked the beginning of a long tradition of using prestigious awards to recognize girls who make a difference in their communities and in their own lives. From 1940 to 1963, the Curved Bar Award was the highest honor in Girl Scouting. From 1963 to 1980, First Class was the highest award. To achieve First Class meant that a girl was an "all-around" person with some skills in many fields and a proficiency in one.
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