- What is the Girl Scout Leadership Development Program?
The leadership model is the new design for what girls do in Girl Scouting and how adult support can strengthen their experience. It is the road map for determining what a girl will learn and how she will be impacted. The model defines and displays all the elements that must be in place to positively impact girls’ lives. The Girl Scout Leadership Development Program, then, is the model in action.
- What is the Girl Scout approach to leadership?
The Girl Scout approach to leadership is based on the three pillars—Discover, Connect, and Take Action.
Discover
As a Girl Scout discovers her world, she:
- Develops a strong sense of self
- Gains practical and healthy life skills
- Strengthens her values
Connect
As a Girl Scout connects with others in a global community, she:
- Forms caring relationships
- Promotes cooperation and team building
- Embraces diversity
Take Action
As a Girl Scout takes action in the world, she:
- Feels empowered to make a difference
- Identifies and solves problems she cares about
- Advocates for herself and others
The Girl Scout leadership development pillars represent cycles of activities that engage girls in practicing leadership skills, based on the values of the Girl Scout Promise and Law. Girl Scouting will redefine with girls and the nation what it means to be a leader.
- Why change age groups?
Girls have told us that it’s important to be with others 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.”
Our 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
Major Changes
Kindergarten and grade 1 girls will have the opportunity to share fun experiences and learn from each other. Girl Scouts of the USA will be designing new program resources especially for this level.
Middle School (6th-8th grade in many parts of the country) can be a difficult time in girls’ lives. New program resources will address their progression through the early stages of adolescence, ultimately preparing them for the next phase of life and Girl Scouting.
Girls in 9th and 10th grade will have their own unique program resources making leadership relevant to their lives as they seek healthy relationships, deal with the pressures of high school, and figure out who they are. While girls in 11th and 12th grade have expressed interest and focus more on preparing for their futures, and demonstrating leadership skills.
- Why group by grade? Can other grades still go together?
Girls identify with social groups based on grades. Grouping by grade allows girls to be with peers who share a closer level of emotional and social maturity.
Older and younger girls can continue to interact—in fact, that's a great way for girls to practice leadership! As the new Girl Scout Leadership Development Program materials begin rolling out in October, 2008, Girl Scouts will establish a national curriculum offering age-appropriate, differentiated activities at each level.
- We heard that level names were changing? Why didn't they?
Throughout work on the Girl Scout leadership development model, GSUSA continually asked members of the Girl Scout community about changing level names—and if so, to what? GSUSA received thousands of ideas ranging from names that sound more current to names that speak more clearly to leadership to names that honor tradition in Girl Scout history. As GSUSA tested many of these possibilities, a common theme arose to place emphasis on strengthening the existing Girl Scout brand rather than focusing energy on new level names.
The level names effective October 2008 are:
Girl Scout Daisy
Girl Scout Brownie
Girl Scout Junior
Girl Scout Cadette
Girl Scout Senior
Girl Scout Ambassador*
*The grade-level name Girl Scout Ambassador was added to adjust the newly-separated 11th -12th grade level. The word ambassador represents young women leaders, paving the way in a global world.
- Will Girl Scout Daisies be able to participate in the product sale?
Beginning in October 2008, GSUSA will provide age-appropriate guidelines for girls in K-1st grade on participating in the cookie sale.
- What about the four program goals?
The values underlying the four program goals are integrated into the new Girl Scout Leadership Development Program and its activity cycles of Discover, Connect, and Take Action. The four program goals, however did not tie to a compelling end result for girls. The Girl Scout leadership model clearly defines the impact of Girl Scouting on girls’ lives: leadership!
- What about the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards?
Don’t worry! The Girl Scout Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards remain vital awards in Girl Scouting, and they are great awards to teach girls how to Discover, Connect, and Take Action as leaders. The Girl Scout Gold Award will remain the highest award. Over the next few years, as the new program materials are developed, the awards will be updated based on the leadership model.
- Will patches, badges, and charms still exist?
Yes! They will remain important symbols of achievement in Girl Scouting. We will also add other fun items as girls say they want them.
- What about the uniforms?
Girl Scouting will balance our tradition of unity with practicality to meet the needs of today’s girls and their families.
- Girls at each age level 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
- The adult uniform will be the membership pins worn with a scarf for women and a tie for men coordinated with navy blue business attire
- Girl Scouts of the USA will continue to evolve and offer a range of appealing casual wear for girls and adults
- Where can I learn more about the Core Business Strategy?
You can stay up-to-date on the Core Business Strategy and learn about opportunities to get involved by regularly checking the Core Business Strategy Website at http://strategy.girlscouts.org.
