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Welcome to Girl Scouts!
Common
Questions
New!
Patches and Badges
New!
Programs &
Events
The New Face of Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts is the pre-eminent leadership development organization for
girls in grades K-12. In Girl Scouts, girls learn valuable
leadership skills, courage, confidence, and character. Through Girl
Scouting, your daughter will discover herself, connect with other Girl
Scouts, and take action to make the world a better place.
In August 2008, Girl Scouts of the USA unveiled the new
Girl Scout Leadership Experience Model. Girl Scouts has always
been about leadership, so this is not a new focus, but a more deliberate
one. In Girl Scouting, leadership is not about power over others.
Instead, Girl Scouting teaches girls that they can be leaders in their
own lives, able to achieve their short and long term goals, follow their
dreams, and enact positive change in their communities and the world.
Contact the Council to enroll your girl in Girl Scouts today!
Role of adults volunteers
Adult volunteers are role models for the girls. In partnership with
parents and staff, volunteers ensure every girl benefits from the Girl
Scout program. We are fully committed to fully preparing and supporting
adult volunteers in their roles. There are a broad array of volunteer
opportunities available to adults with even the busiest of schedules.
Click here to learn
how you can help.
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Some commonly asked questions: |
How can I get my daughter in Girl
Scouting?
Girls can join Girl Scouts via six Pathways (girls can participate
through one, or several):
-
Camp
(residential and day, year-round)
-
Special Interest (i.e. community service projects, sports,
science & technology, advocacy, etc.)
-
Special Events (140 Council-led events and hundreds more
Service Unit-led events)
-
Travel (nationally & internationally through the Studio 2B
Destinations Program)
-
Troop
- Virtual (online)
Our Council also has a
Juliette, or independent Girl Scout, program. This program
offers girls flexibility and allows them to be involved in all aspects
of Girl Scouting without having to join a traditional troop.
For girls interested in joining troops,
volunteers
and staff work hard to place every girl as quickly as possible. Sometimes we don’t have enough
adults to lead troops - click here to find out how you can help out.
Why should my daughter become or stay involved
with Girl Scouts?
With many competing activities vying for your daughter’s time, we are
glad that your family has chosen to be a part of Girl Scouts. Think of
Girl Scouts as the jewel in the crown of your daughter’s activities.
This is an organization by girls, for girls, and of girls, devoted to
building self-esteem, strong values, and a social conscience. The inner
strength and self-confidence she gains through Girl Scouts will last a
lifetime.
Does my Girl Scout need a handbook and an awards book?
Girl Scouts recommends having a handbook because it contains many
activities that girls will be participating in as troop/group members,
as well as great activities for girls to do at home, by themselves, or
with friends and family.
Where can I get a Girl Scout handbook?
You buy handbooks from the
Bay Shop. Sometimes, troops use their funds to purchase books
for members, or girls who have moved up in age level pass their books
down to younger members.
Do I have to buy a uniform
for my Girl Scout?
No, girls are not required to purchase a uniform. Wearing the Girl Scout
Membership Pin shows that you are a Girl Scout. Girls, however, can
only display insignia on sashes or vests. When asked to represent Girl
Scouts in public, girls should be in uniform or dress for the occasion
with something that identifies them as a Girl Scout. Both Bay Shops have
a uniform recycling closet.
Where do I place pins and badges
on the uniform?
Please visit the Patches & More!
section of our site for pin/badge placement. Review the handbook for
additional information.
A couple of hints:
• Sew patches on; do not try to iron them on. The plastic backing is not
iron-on material; it will melt, sometimes with disastrous results.
• Use a thread the color of the clothing fabric.
• The insignia tab is a great time-saver and makes it simple to place
the membership pins on easily.
What is the difference between the
membership fee and troop dues?
The $10.00 membership fee goes directly to Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. (the
mother organization of the Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay) to cover
for support and training of volunteers, production of program materials,
and insurance coverage for members. The Chesapeake Bay Council cannot
retain National Membership Dues.
Troop dues are set by the troop to cover costs crafts, snacks, trips,
etc. Troop dues can be collected weekly, monthly, or be made in a lump
sum once a year. Dues can vary in amount, it is up the troop.
Is there financial assistance
available for girls?
YES! Financial assistance is available for girls to participate in Girl
Scouts. Talk to your troop leaders about getting financial aid… there is
a simple form. The Chesapeake Bay Council provides monies for membership
dues and girl program events. Click here for the
Financial Assistance Application
that you can mail in.
How can I help
with the troop?
As parents, you can support your daughter’s troop leaders by helping out
during troop meetings, driving during trips, taking care of snack,
making phone calls, managing troop finances, filling out paperwork,
taking outdoor training or First Aid/CPR training… don’t be afraid to
ask and don’t be afraid to ask more than once! Your troop leader will
appreciate your help. We have
Adult Enrichment Opportunities.
Does my Girl Scout have to participate in the Cookie or Fall Product
Sales/QSP programs?
Participation in these Girl Scout program activities is voluntary.
However, girls tell us selling Girl Scout cookies and QSP products is
fun. Girls practice life skills, such as teamwork, money management and
entrepreneurship. This activity provides funds for troops to do
activities, go on field trips, and even travel abroad!
Still have questions?
Contact
Us.
Badges & Patches – Parent’s FAQs
Badges and patches and try-its, oh my! What’s a parent to do? If the
world of awards has you confused, take comfort in a few of the basic
truths of becoming a new Girl Scout parent:
- the fact that you are not alone;
- help is available;
- there are no silly questions!
Below are the answers to the most frequently asked questions:
1. What’s the difference between badges, patches and try-its?
The main difference in what we call those small fabric “thingys” that
girls earn by completing a list of requirements is related to the age
level of the girls.
- Daisies (Gr. K-1) – earn petals and patches
- Brownies (Gr. 2-3) – earn try-its (triangular shapes) and patches
- Junior Girl Scouts (Gr. 4,5,6) – earn badges (round) and patches
- Teen Girl Scouts (Gr. 7 and up) earn interest project patches
(rectangles), charms, silver award and the gold award and patches
Petals, try-its, badges, charms, etc…are official GSUSA awards available
to all girls of a certain age level in all councils across the United
States. The requirements are found in your daughter’s Girl Scout age
level books.
Patches are different and more loosely defined. Patches are also fabric
“thingys” that come in many different shapes and sizes, but they don’t
all come from our national organization. Some come from GSUSA for
special projects, some patches are created by our local council, your
daughter’s service unit or a local vendor such as a state park or
museum. There are two types of patches –
- fun patches for any age level for attending a special event like a
council or service unit event, holiday parade, hay ride or movie night
and
- earned patches that have a set of requirements like a badge or try-it
except that patches are for more than one age level. For instance,
GSCB’s Junior Ranger Patch, can be earned by Daisies, Brownies, Juniors
or Teens.
2. Are girls required to earn awards to be a Girl Scout?
No. Girls are not required to earn awards (badges, patches, etc.)
Awards are a tangible reminder of your daughter’s accomplishments. They
give her bragging rights. It’s like wearing her scrapbook on her back.
You’ll see girls at events checking out each other’s patches to see who
has done the same things, who has different ones, swapping stories,
etc.. Many girls enjoy wearing their badges and patches to show what
they have done, but it is not required. If your daughter only wants to
participate in activities and has no interest in collecting the awards,
don’t push it. She will not be the only one.
3. Where can we find a list of the awards and the requirements?
You will find most of the awards in your daughter’s age level books. If
your daughter does not have the books for her age level, you may
purchase them through our Bay Shop. If you feel that you cannot afford
to purchase both books for her level, choose the book that lists the
awards and wait to purchase the handbook later. You can shop online at
www.girlscoutbayshop.org or you can visit the Bay Shop in person at our
offices in Newark and Salisbury.
Daisy Girl Scouts have 2 books – a leader’s guide for the adult in
charge and a girl’s activity book. The leader’s guide explains what
Daisy Girl Scouts need to learn to earn a petal.
Brownie Girl Scouts have 2 books – a handbook and a try-it book. The
try-it book has 57 try-its on a wide variety of topics that your
daughter can earn. She will need to complete 4 out of six activities to
earn the try-it. She can choose which ones.
Junior Girl Scouts have 2 books – a handbook and a badge book. The badge
book has 104 badges on a wide range of topics that your daughter can
earn. She will need to complete 6 activities to complete each badge. She
can choose which ones, unless one is *starred. *Starred activities are
required.
Teen Girl Scouts have many resource books available to them. There are
several of what we call focus books that deal with a specific topic like
health, entrepreneurship, the environment, etc.. Girls completing one of
these booklets earn a charm. There is also an Interest Project Book. The
Interest Project book has 78 interest project patches that your daughter
can earn. She will need to complete 7 activities to complete each IPP.
She can choose which ones, unless one is *starred. *Starred activities
are required. However, IPPs are a little different, the activities must
be selected from specific categories – 2 skill builder activities, 1
technology activity, 1 service project activity, 1 career exploration
activity and 2 from any category.
Patches for all age levels are found in various locations. Some are
online. You can find our
council’s own patches on our website under “Resources” and “Patches
and More.”.
4. My daughter wants to earn an award and her troop is not interested in
doing it as a group. Can she earn it on her own?
Yes she can, with your guidance and supervision. If your daughter has an
interest in a topic that her troop does not wish to pursue, by all means
encourage her to complete the activities on her own or with a friend.
Any parent, relative or adult friend can act as the leader to provide
guidance and supervision. When your daughter completes the badge
requirements she has selected, you will “sign off” that it has been
earned. Simply sign and date the page in the badge book or on the record
sheet in the back of the book. Then you can purchase the award for your
daughter.
Note: we do not recommend that Daisy Girl Scouts complete petal
activities on their own. Those are best completed in a troop setting.
If, for some reason, your daughter’s troop decides not to earn the
petals, they can be done individually. However, almost all troops earn
the petals and it would be repetitive to complete them separately at
home. Instead, talk to your leader and ask which petals the girls are
presently working on and how you can reinforce those lessons at home.
5. Once we earn the awards, where do we get them?
Badges, Try-its, IPP’s and other awards can be purchased through our Bay
Shop in our offices in Newark and Salisbury or online at
www.girlscoutsbayshop.org.
6. Can my daughter count her other classes and activities such as dance,
softball, theater, hiking at the state park, swim classes, etc… toward
requirements for Girl Scout awards?
Absolutely! Girl Scouts are often very active. The activities that your
daughter does outside of Girl Scouting can be used to earn awards. But,
she can’t do the same exact project to earn two different awards. A
healthy snack that she creates to meet a requirement for one award
cannot fulfill a requirement to create a recipe for another. She would
need to create a new healthy snack or dish for the second award.
7. Where do the awards go on the vest or sash?
You can find a placement diagram in your daughter’s age level handbook
or online under “Resources”, then “Patches & More” then “Placement
Guide.”
8. I am still confused or have more questions, how do I get help?
Contact us and we will route your question to the appropriate staff
member:
Programs & Events
1. What
program events can my daughter attend and how do I find
out about them?
Your daughter may attend any council program event for
which she meets the attendance requirements (generally
age specific). You will find some events listed in this
issue of the Bay Window and you will find LOTS of events
on our web site from the
Program section.
To find events that are right for your daughter, just
click on “Programs” and then “Search
by age level.” A few program events of particular
interest are listed below this article.
To stay up to date on what’s happening in the council,
sign up for our
eNews. It comes out
once a week or once every two weeks and is chock full of
information about council happenings. To sign up to receive the
eNews, email Deb Mackie at
dmackie@cbgsc.org and use “Sign up for eNews” in the
subject line.
2. What if
her troop is not planning to come to an event, can my
daughter come anyway?
Certainly! Unless the event description specifically
states that it is for troops only, individual girls may
attend with an adult caregiver. (see #3 below)
3. Do I
have to attend the event with her?
Yes and no. Unless stated otherwise, an adult (parent,
other family member or friend) must accompany individual
girls when they are attending without their troop
leaders. The general exceptions are some teen events and
resident or day camps that do not require parent
chaperones because the event is fully staffed.
4. How do
we register for an event?
Registration is easy! You can do it by phone, fax, mail,
internet or in person at our Newark office.
- By Phone (302) 456-7182 ext. — Taunja Limberry
- By Fax (302) 456-7188 — Attn: Taunja Limberry (call to
confirm receipt of the fax)
- By Internet - If an event listing shows 'REGISTER
ONLINE' you can register using a credit card online, as
long as the program is open for registrations.
- By Mail - Download the Event Registration Form (Word|PDF)
and mail to GSCB, 501 South College Ave., Newark, DE
19713
All registrations must be paid in full at the time of
registration unless a deposit / payment description is
listed in the event copy. Payment may be made by check,
cash, credit card or cookie credits.
5. Can my daughter bring a friend to an event who is not
a Girl Scout?
If your daughter is attending a program event without
her troop and would like to bring a friend of the same
age who is not a Girl Scout, she may do so. Simply
indicate that on the event registration form and pay an
additional $10 the first time the friend attends during
each school year. That will register her friend as a
Girl Scout and ensure that she is covered by activity
insurance during the event. If the friend comes to
another event during the same school year, she will not
have to pay the $10 additional fee again during that
school year.
If your daughter is attending an event with her troop,
you will need to ask the permission of your troop leader
to bring a friend.
6. Can siblings attend a program event?
We are a family friendly organization and occasionally
we have events that are designed for families. Siblings
that attend council events are called tag-alongs. At
girl events, while we do not encourage tag-alongs, we do
recognize that it is sometimes necessary for a sibling
to attend when a parent is present. In those instances,
tag-alongs are welcome. Please remember that tag-alongs
must not disrupt the event and parents are responsible
for providing something for them to do to keep them
happy. If the tag-along is of the appropriate age and
sufficient supplies are available, it is acceptable for
them to join in the activity, provided they have paid
the fee to attend. To minimize confusion, please
indicate on your event registrations, the name, age and
sex of any sibling that must accompany you. Please
remember that there may at times be situations where it
is simply not appropriate for a sibling to attend a
program event. For clarification about a particular
event, please contact the staff person responsible.
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