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Did You Know?
Women & Girls
- Seventy percent of the world‘s
1 billion people living in poverty are estimated to be
women. (Global
Fund for Women)
- Of the world’s 774 million
illiterate adults, 64% are women. There are more girls
in school today than ever before, but of the 72 million
children worldwide who are not in school, 57% are girls.
(UNESCO)
- When a country educates its girls, its
mortality rates usually fall, fertility rates decline,
and the health and education prospects of the next generation
improve. (World
Bank)
- Women work two-thirds of the world‘s working
hours, produce half of the world‘s food, yet earn
only 10% of the world‘s income and own less than
1% of the world‘s property. (United
Nations Association of the United States of America)
- Although data varies between countries,
around the world women earn on average 20% less than men.
(UNICEF)
- Many women around the world suffer
from low self-esteem. In the U.S., 80% of women are dissatisfied
with their appearance and more than 80% of 10-year-old
girls have been on a diet, responding to pressure from
the fashion industry to look a certain way. Only 8% of
women in the U.S. naturally possess the body shape defined
by the fashion industry as “ideal.” (Social
Issues Research Centre, National
Organization for Women)
- While women’s political
representation is increasing in all regions, women still
hold only 16% of parliamentary seats worldwide. (United
Nations Development Fund for Women)
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Value of A Volunteer Hour
The Independent Sector recently announced that the 2007
estimate for the value of a volunteer hour has reached $19.51
per hour. Nevada: $17.98
The estimate helps acknowledge the millions of individuals
who dedicate their time, talents, and energy to making a
difference. Charitable organizations can use this estimate
to quantify the enormous value volunteers provide.
The 2007 estimate
increased from $18.77 per hour in 2006.
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Honorary Congressional
Girl Scout Troop
Collaborations and partnerships with leaders
in the federal government offer the Girl Scouts enormous
opportunities to create public policies benefiting girls,
expand effective programs, and bring Girl Scouting to underserved
communities. To further these joint efforts, the Public Policy
and Advocacy office established the Honorary Congressional
Girl Scout Troop. Troop Capitol Hill, a bipartisan delegation
of women members of Congress, to substantively address issues
affecting girls and young women in partnership with Congress.
Troop Capitol Hill co-leaders include: Debbie Wasserman
Schultz (D-FL) and Kay Granger (R-TX) in the House of Representatives
and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Susan Collins (R-ME) in the
Senate. These women are strong leaders in Congress with a
steadfast commitment to our purpose. All members of Troop
Capitol Hill are inspiring role models for Girl Scouting’s
nearly 3 million girl members nationwide, and help us gain
national visibility on girl issues.
Troop Capitol Hill has assisted Girl Scouts of the USA
in an impressive array of activities, including sponsoring
special events to introduce more members of Congress to the
benefits of Girl Scouting, developing policy ideas and holding
congressional briefings to address key issues facing girls
and young women, and identifying funding opportunities to
support these issues.
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American Flag Etiquette
Federal law stipulates many aspects of flag etiquette.
The section of law dealing with American Flag etiquette is
generally referred to as the Flag Code. Some general guidelines
from the Flag Code answer many of the most common questions:
- The flag should be lighted at all times, either by sunlight
or by an appropriate light source.
- The flag should be flown in fair weather, unless the
flag is designed for inclement weather use.
- The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing.
It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.
- The flag should not be used for any decoration in general.
Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for
these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be
on the top.
- The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose.
It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed
on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes,
or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use.
Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or
halyard.
- The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic
uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform
of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of
patriotic organizations.
- The flag should never have any mark, insignia, letter,
word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind placed on
it, or attached to it.
- The flag should never be used for receiving, holding,
carrying, or delivering anything.
- When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch
the ground or any other object; it should be received by
waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be
folded neatly and ceremoniously.
- The flag should be cleaned and mended when necessary.
- When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as
a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed preferably
by burning in a dignified manner.
- The flag, when carried in a procession with another flag,
or flags, should be either on the marching right; that
is, the flag's own right, or, if there is a line of other
flags, in front of the center of that line.
- The flag of the United States
of America should hold the position of superior prominence,
in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor
at the speaker's right as she/he faces the audience.
Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left
of the speaker (to the right of the audience).
- The only time a flag can be carried flat is when it is
draped over a casket at a funeral.
In Parades
- In a parade or procession with other flags, the American
Flag should be located to the flag's own right. In a line
of flags, the American Flag should be in the front and
center of the other flags. These are both positions of
prominence.
- As the flag passes in a parade, you should face the flag
and place your right hand over your heart. Men and women
in uniform should perform a military salute to the flag.
- The flag shouldn't be draped over a vehicle or float.
- It can be secured to a float or slow-moving vehicle on
a staff. The flag must be far enough away that it can fly
freely.
References
U.S.
Code, Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 7, Section
8 & Section
9.
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Explanation of the
Pledge Ceremony
We often recite the Pledge
of Allegiance without really listening to or understanding
the meaning of the words we are saying. You can have
each girl recite a portion, then the explanation. You
can also have the girls put the meaning into their
own words.
I - Me, an individual, a committee of one
Pledge - Dedicate all of my worldly possessions
to give without self pity
Allegiance - My love and devotion
To the Flag - Our standard - Old Glory - a symbol
of freedom. Wherever she aves there is respect because
your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts "Freedom
is everybody's job!"
Of the United - United - that means we have all
come together
States Of America - States - individual communities
that have united into fifty great states - fifty individual
communities with pride and dignity and purpose; all divided
with imaginary boundaries, yet united in a common purpose
- love for country.
And to the Republic - Republic, a state in which
power in given to representatives chosen by the people
to govern; and the government is the people; and it's from
the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the
people.
For Which it Stands - This is what our Flag stands
for - Our United States
One Nation Under God - meaning so blessed by God
Indivisible - Incapable of being divided
With Liberty - Which is freedom - the right to live
one's own life without threats or fear of retaliation.
And Justice - The principle or qualities of dealing
fairly with others.
For All - For all - which means, boys and girls,
ladies and gentlemen, it's as much your country as it is
mine.
- adapted from a recording by Red Skelton
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Little Known "Truths" About How to Wear the GS Uniform
Wearing the Membership and World Trefoil Pins does NOT constitute wearing a uniform.
Girl Scout members may always wear the Girl Scout Membership and World Trefoil pins when not wearing uniform components. Miniature Girl Scout Pind and World Trefoil Pins may not be worn on the uniform.
All uniforms are considered official, regardless of change of style. Current and past styles, however, may not be mixed at any age level.
All insignia must be removed from any part of an official uniform worn by a non-member.
Brownie Try-Its can be continued from the front of the vest, so that the bottom rows on the front would become rows six or seven, etc., extending around the back in as many rows as needed. The same is true for JGS badges and GS 11-17 IPAs.
Try-Its earned as a BGS can be worn on the back of the JGS vest or sash.
Awards earned as a BGS or JGS can be worn on the back of the GS 11-17 vest or sash.
No corsages or other such ornaments are worn with a uniform.
Watches, rings, religious medals, medical tags, and simple jewelry may be worn with a uniform.
In a camp or other outdoor setting adults can wear the embroidered GSUSA and council ID strips on shirts or jackets.
Adults: a maximum of two position pins my be worn at any one time.
If an adult has received more than one special recognition (e.g. Appreciation Pin, Honor Pin), the last one received is generally the one worn on the uniform.
The lifetime membership pin is not to be worn in place of the GS Membership Pin.
(From " GS Uniforms, Insignia, and Recognitions"...currently out of print)
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Nevada Fun Facts
- Carson City, the capital of Nevada
since 1870, is one of the smallest capital cities in
the United States!
- Nevada was admitted to the union on October 31,
1864.
- Nevada is the driest state in the Union, and its driest
region receives less than 4 inches of precipitation per
year.
- Las Vegas has more hotel rooms than any other place
in the world.
- Locals use terms like The Sagebrush State,
The Silver State, and The Battle Born State as nicknames
for Nevada.
- The phrase "Battle Born" appears
on the State Flag as a memorial to its entry into the
Civil War on the Union side.
- The Kangaroo Rat in Death Valley
can survive without ever drinking water or other liquids.
- Nevada
joined the Union on Halloween of 1864. This made it the
34th state to join. A bit of quick maths,
- Nevada will be
celebrating belonging to the Union for 143 years this coming
Halloween.
- The Comstock lode was the first major US silver
deposit to be discovered. It is situated under what is
now Virginia City.
- Gambling has been legal in the state
since 1931.
- Nevada's official state fossil is the ichthyosaur.
- The
official state flower is the Sagebrush.
- Nevada's motto is "All
For Our Country".
- 86 percent on Nevadan land is controlled
by the US Federal Government
- About 150 couples get married
in Las Vegas, Nevada each day.
- Nevada was the 36th state
to be admitted to the union.
- On the 11th January 1951 the
'Nevada Test Site' was founded to test nuclear weapons.
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Outdoor Education in Girl
Scouting
This is a great resource for outdoor adventure and camping.
In my council, it is given out as part of our camp certification
training. I think every troop that enjoys the outdoors should
own a copy. You can get it at your council
shop or from the
Girl Scout Online Shopping Mall.
This is for leaders of all age levels, whether taking girls
on their first outing, preparing girls for overnights or
extended trips. Information on progressive outdoor activities,
environmental exploration, outdoor skills, minimal impact
camping, orienteering, safety and teamwork.
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Adult Girl Scout Position
Pins
Are you wearing the correct position pin(s)?
An adult position bar indicates the present position of
a volunteer in the Girl Scout organization. Worn centered
between membership pin and World Trefoil Pin. A maximum of
two position pins may be worn on the uniform
jacket or blouse, side by side, centered between pins
above and below. On adult insignia tab, place pins one above
the other. Senior girls serving as leaders wear the yellow
pin between the World Trefoil pin and the membership pin.
Choose from this list for your position pin(s)
by color:
- Red = Volunteers Serving Troops/Groups (Neighbohood/Association chair; Troop/Group Consultant; Troop/Group Organizer; Program Consultant; Service Team Chair)
- Maroon = Nat'l
Operational Volunteers/Nat'l Board Committee Members
- Gray= Council Board Member/ Council Board Committee Member
- Orange
= Group Coordinator
- Yellow = Leader/Ass't Leader
- Dark Green
= Nat'l Board of Directors and Nat'l Board Liaison
- Chartreuse
= Council Trainer
- Light Blue = Other Volunteers
- Beige =
Staff
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Advantages of
a Large Troop
- Can break into patrols or work groups
and rotate their membership to provide a variety of peer
leadership and peer role modeling opportunities
- Qualify for group rates
- Have more potential drivers and program
consultants
- More people from which to form a Troop
Committee
- Have more opinions and ideas for discussions
- More people to drive and send in snacks
- A bigger pool of people from which to
get donated/recycled supplies
- Networking possibilities within the
community are expanded...more people who know people who
know others and so on
- Enhances inclusion and diversity by
helping girls learn to work with a variety of personalities
and backgrounds
- Dilute the influence of a girl whose
behavior causes problems by being able to pair her with
more girls
- Have more girls available for given
activity...things are rarely cancelled for lack of participation
- Have more girls’ talent from which
to draw– planners, artists, record keepers, thinkers,
etc.
- Able to work on several awards at the
same time...if some girls aren’t interested in one,
they have the choice of another....you would still have
enough girls to work on each and make it worthwhile
- There are many forms of leadership and
larger troops can allow more than one or two forms to flourish
- Everybody doesn't have to do everything
for something to happen and be a success
- Many like spending time with girls they
normally don't spend time with at school
- If they are not getting along at one
meeting they have many others with which they can work
- Songs can be more fun with more girls
and you have more options with games. It's difficult to
team games or sing songs in rounds with only 5 girls
- Makes it easier to split girls up and
discourage cliques
- If girls are ill or away, you still
have enough to hold a meeting and accomplish things
- More money in the troop treasury because
more girls are participating in product sales
- Grow in your personal life by taking
on the challenge and making it a success
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SWAPS
What Are Swaps And Why Are They So Important???
Author: Amanda Sass, the Nation's Capitol Council, January
1995
S - Special
W - Whatchamacallits
A - Affectionately
P - Pinned
S - Somewhere
The idea of swaps was started at the original National
Roundup Conferences. At that time, a swap was a little remembrance
that one Girl Scout gave to another. Swaps are hand made,
thus the girl is giving a part of herself to show friendship.
Swapping is a good way of starting correspondence and for
this reason usually have your name and address attached.
It is not necessary to spend a lot of money on swaps. Many
swaps are made with pins attached so they can be pinned onto
a camp shirt or hat. Most people make them out of scraps
or natural materials. First of all, swaps are little things
the girls and leaders make to trade with each other. They
may be simple, complex, expensive or inexpensive, whatever
the maker desires. Each girl should decide how many swaps
she wants to make. This is the same number that she will
receive. She may make them all the same, or make every one
different. If you want to make some swaps for a camping unit,
then each troop should make different swaps so the girls
are not limited in trading. If you are making swaps in your
troop, give the girls an assortment of beads, small wooden
shapes, paints, markers, ribbons, felt, chenille stems, etc.
and let their imaginations go wild. Swaps are usually only
an inch or two in size. Instruct the girls to create their
swaps with a safety pin attached. Swaps are traditionally
pinned on a swap hat. This hat could be part of your troop
identification. Perhaps painters caps in your troop color.
Remember that swaps are made as tokens of friendship. The
girls are suppose to swap these tokens with new friends they
make. Its important to stress that they are tokens, and not "oh
that's ugly I don't want to swap". Swaps are made with
love and are given with love. Its always nice to put your
troop number and name and the date of the event on the back
of the swap to recall wonderful memories.
Ideas for 70 swaps:
- Little creatures made out of smooth stones or nuts with
painted or felt features
- Bunnies made from a clothespin; wiggle eyes and pom poms
- Cloth trefoils: green material cut into trefoils; write
troop # and event name on the trefoil
- Needlepoint designs on plastic canvas cut into various
shapes
- Bookmarks made of clear contact paper over pictures,
or colorful contact paper/felt
- Felt animal shapes
- Caterpillars-rubber band, pipe cleaner, wiggle eyes;
wrap pipe cleaner around rubber band and pencil. Attach
one end of rubber band to pipe cleaner, pull off pencil.
Add eyes
- Shell jewelry or shell animals
- Wood or ceramic shapes with troop or event information
- Pin eye; take pierced earring back, glue on pony bead
and wiggle eyes
- Packing bead creatures: decorate packing beads with sequins
and paint
- Tongue depressor and plastic spoons can be made into
people or decorated with potpourri
- Noodles can be painted and strung together put onto large
safety pins
- Origami animals
- Creatures made from pom poms and wiggle eyes
- Small wallpaper fans
- Write haiku poems on small squares of paper, cover in
clear contact paper, punch hole in corner and attach a
ribbon
- Make designs from perler beads, add string or pin
- Paper snowflakes covered in clear contact paper
- Friendship knots
- Ribbon bows with pin attached
- Birthday candles tied with ribbon and pin attached
- Gods eyes made with toothpicks and embroidery floss
- Finger puppets
- Tissue paper flowers
- Paper beads strung on a string
- Pony beads on a large safety pin, attached to a small
safety pin
- Small macrame or crocheted items
- Caterpillars: place two different colored halves of pipe
cleaners side by side. Wind around pencil. Slide off and
glue small wiggle eyes to one end. Safety pin should be
put in between the coils. You can turn this into a bee
by adding wings
- Rainbows: use red, yellow, blue & green pipe cleaners
cut into thirds. Place in rainbow order then twist the
ends together. Curve into rainbow shape. Glue a cotton
ball to each end as a cloud
- Candy cane: use red and white pipe cleaners cut into
thirds. Twist together into candy cane swirl. Curve the
top. Add tiny ribbon bow
- Butterflies: accordion fold rectangles of pretty paper(gift
wrap is great) Pinch paper in the middle, bend one third
of a pipe cleaner around a give a twist at the top. Curve
the ends of the pipe cleaner around a pencil point for
a nice touch. Fluff out the wings
- Peanuts sprayed by leader with polyurethane, glue on
wiggle eyes and pinto beans for nose. Glue colored pom
pom on for wig
- Teddy Graham cookies: spray with metallic paint, glue
on felt tabs to look like medals
- Plastic canvas cut into rainbow shapes. Weave lanyard
lacing through holes
- Make magic wands out of popsicle sticks
- Wallpaper fans with rosettes from fabric store and ribbon
glued on
- Plastic canvas cut into rectangles; make flags by weaving
yarn of different colors
- Bracelets made from pony beads threaded onto pipe cleaners.
Twist ends together to conceal in bead
- M&M candies wrapped in colored cellophane and tied
with ribbon
- Hersheys kisses made from foil, with troop # written
on paper tag
- Take a plastic spoon, put a chocolate kiss in each, wrap
in plastic and tie with ribbon. Attach a note: Here's a
spoonful of love and kisses for you
- Make Oscar the Grouch: glue wiggle eyes to a green pom
pom glued to top of film can
- Flashlight made of aluminum foil
- Pizza slice of tan felt with colored scraps glued on
- Beads on a piece of plastic lacing
- Shrink art pieces
- Pennants with troop #
- Miniature camp items
- Worry dolls
- Miniature campfires small twigs, twist together with
red and yellow pipe cleaners for flames
- Lanyards from plastic lacing
- Mayflower ship; walnut shell half with small piece of
playdough inside; toothpick and small paper for sail
- Warm fuzzy pom pom with wiggle eyes glued on, they glue
pom pom to felt feet
- Miniature tomahawks; 4 sticks, yarn, feathers, sponge;
cut damp sponge into rectangle, wrap yarn in a criss cross
fashion, tie off in back. Glue feathers so they hang down.
Sponge will harden when it dries
- WOPAT bookmark: cut a felt strip of felt and glue dots
of felt the colors of each world down the strip; W (red-Well
being), O (yellow-Out of Doors, P (blue-People), A (purple-Arts),
and T (orange Today and tomorrow). Or make a WOPAT creature
using pom poms
- Five facet beads, one of each of the above colors with
a green tri-bead at the bottom. Make the girls name the
worlds before swapping
- 35mm film container turned into first aid kit with band
aid, etc, in it
- Scraps of paper with stickers and plastic to make them
waterproof
- Butterfly made of bow tie noodle
- Cute pins
- Ribbon with your troop number on it
- Scraps of string tied in different knots
- Styrofoam cup melted in oven turns into hat
- Felt pieces in brown , tan & white to make mini smore
- Bottle cap painted black with brown, yellow and white
felt cut to look like bacon and eggs cooking in a frying
pan
- Small spools of thread, with a tag that says 'We are
SEW lucky to be Girl Scouts!' add ribbon
- Orange pom pom with green leaf-shaped fabric glued on;
note says ' Orange you glad to be a Girl Scout?' Can use
larger pom-poms and make jack-o-lanterns
- Make a leader swap by cutting 4x4 pieces of fabric. Put
a couple tsp. of bath salts in and tie with green and white
ribbon. Attach note that says Calgon...take me away Great
swap after a long weekend
- Take mini-clothespins, paint with acrylic paints to look
like Girl Scouts; drill through the sides where the arms
should be and string them on a ribbon or lanyard lacing.
Put on faces with a Sharpie Marker.. make a necklace by
string with a bead in between the clothespins. Nice to
make for leaders by making them the age level they are
leading.
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Daisy Learning Petals 
Some suggestions to help a Daisy learn the parts of the
Girl Scout Law and what they mean.
- Honest and Fair- (light blue)- group activities; if
apple picking, the girls could learn how to divide the
apples evenly among themselves.
- Friendly and Helpful- (yellow)- have Daisy cut out or
draw pictures of people they think are friendly and helpful.
Then she explains why she chose her picture.
- Considerate and Caring- (spring green)- girls can help
prepare food baskets for the needy on Thanksgiving, or
make holiday decorations for children in homeless shelters.
- Courageous and Strong- (Rust)- have girls create lists
of things they have never done, but would like to do. They
can vote and carry out activities.
- Responsible for What I Say and Do- (orange)- ask girls
to remember when their actions caused a problem, and a
time when their actions caused good things to happen. Discuss
how they felt each time.
- Respect Myself and Others- (purple)- have girls think
of all the ways we can show respect (shake hands, give
up seat to elderly, not interrupting, etc.). Role-play
situations where one can show respect.
- Respect Authority- (pink)- have girls draw pictures of
people in the communities who use authority to help others-
police officers, crossing guards, teachers, firefighters,
etc. Talk about what would happen if we didn't respect
authority.
- Use Resources Wisely- (grass green)- set up recycling
bins at meeting site. Teach the recycling symbols on packaging,
and which items may be recycled.
- Make the World a Better Place- (tan)- show how even small
people can do service projects that have an impact on their
community (visit nursing homes, small homemade gifts, etc).
- Be a Sister to Every Girl Scout-(lilac)- get acquainted
to each other by pairing off. Take the letters of your
partners name and think of words beginning with those letters
to describe your partner. Have the girls work together
on both their names.
Reprinted from "Girl Scout Leader", Fall 2001,
Toni Eubanks, pg.12.
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Fun Facts About Girl Scouts
Did you know that:
- 53% of Women Business owners were Girl
Scouts
- 66% of women of professional achievement
were Girl Scouts
- 8% entered a vocation learned through
a badge or patch program
- Two-thirds of the women in the House
and Senate were Girl Scouts
- At least 2% will use their skills to
save the life of another person.
- Sixty-four percent of the women listed
in Who's Who of American Women are Girl Scout Alumnae?
- Participation in Girl Scouting has grown
from 18 girls in 1912, to approximately 3.7 million members
today, making it the largest organization for girls in
the world.
- The first Girl Scout troops began before
women were given the right to vote. Today, 90 years later,
there is a "Troop Capitol Hill" made up entirely
of Congresswomen who are Honorary Girl Scouts.
- As far back as 1912, girls earned badges
in such things as electrical work, farming, telegraphy,
sports and engineering.
- Today, girls meet in diverse places
as homeless shelters, migrant farm camps, and in prisons
where their mothers are incarcerated. Some girls even meet
online, via the internet.
- In 1912, all Girl Scouts made their
uniforms of middy blouses and long skirts out of blue indigo
cotton. Today, Girl Scouts wear an assortment of uniform
components, from stylish cargo pants and T-shirts to bucket
hats and backpacks.
- Girl Scouts nationwide have joined together
to actively participate in environmental protection, anti-drug
abuse education, literacy awareness, anti-violence initiatives,
and after-school safety projects for latchkey kids.
- There are 22,000 American Girl Scouts
living in over 79 countries outside the United States.
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Freecycle
If you have not heard of Freecycle, it's a
great way to give away things you are no longer using and
to also get things for your use for free. Many GS leaders
use Freecycle to get supplies for their troops. Check
it out. http://www.freecyclefinder.org
The FreecycleFinder is a tool to help people
browse Freecycle Posts. In order to post an item or respond
to a post, you must be a member of a local Freecycle group.
If you aren't yet a member of a Freecycle Group, go to Freecycle
and find the group nearest you.
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