Journey to the Past -- 1948

This summer I earned two 1948 Girl Scout badges for fun. They were both extremely difficult, but they were what I would think of as a traditional Girl Scout badge. Because they are. The two badges I earned were the Conservation badge, and the Tree badge. Both of which were from the 1948 Girl Scout handbook.   You might be wondering why I chose to earn badges from this handbook.  This is the handbook my grandmother had when she was a Girl Scout.  I am working on some badges that she earned as well.

            In 1948 to earn these badges you had to do a number of things from a list of somewhere between 10 or more things. For the conservation badge I had to do eight items from a list of 16. Two of my favorite things I did for this badge was visit a Wildlife Sanctuary; I did bird watching and identified different fish and macro invertebrates. I learned that Wildlife Sanctuary’s are Federally Protected, that it is illegal to fish or hunt in a Wildlife Sanctuary. My second thing I did that I enjoyed when earning this badge was explaining how plants and animals are dependent o each other. They are dependent on each other because the plants provide food for animals, and animals provide a way to transport seeds.

            The second badge I earned was the Tree badge. This was probably the easier of the two that I earned. I had to complete 10 of the skills out of 19. I had one required skill that I had to do, which was be able to identify 15 different trees. I learned to take care of a young tree and learned how to properly cut a branch from a tree. I also learned to identify by sight five trees that bear edible fruits and nuts. One of the other skills I completed was research the same 15 trees and look up which ones were hardwood and softwood. These were just some of the skill I completed and use.

            These badges were difficult to earn, but it was nice to earn them and experience how Girl Scouts from 1948 earned badges. I am going to be earning more this year, I am currently working on the 1948 reading badge and sewing badge.

           

Why Stay in Girl Scouting!

Why stay?

            Girl Scouting is a great way to learn new skills and meet new people all in a safe and exciting environment. And the older you get in Girl Scouts, the more the skills become challenging and the more people you get to meet.

            Why stay? Why stay in Girl Scouts? I stayed because I wanted to make a lasting difference in this organization. I stayed because of the things Girl Scouts has to offer me. Traveling to foreign places, to meet new people and to learn new skills. Girl Scouts is a great organization that empowers girls to be themselves and to learn about the world around them.

            Staying in Girl Scouts is also a good thing because the higher awards can earn you scholarships for college. It can also, if you’re interested, get you good recognition in the Military. I learned that earning your Girl Scout Gold Award can earn you an advance in ranking if you join the Military.

            I don’t understand why anyone would want to leave Girl Scouts. It’s such a wonderful program and it’s a great way to learn new skills, and to find your interests. It has helped me immensely, find what I’m passionate about and has helped me learn more about it. I stayed in Girl Scouts and I hope that other girls my age will too.     

This Summer as a Girl Scout -- Part 1

Summer Girl Scout experiences

            This summer has been busy and full of great Girl Scout experiences. Before the summer started I worked on ideas for my Gold Award and sent in my paperwork. During the summer I worked on my Gold. I sent in a grant for trees, but still have not heard back.

            I had the opportunity to attend the state wide Gold Award Ceremony at the Texas State Capitol. I had an even greater experience being part of the Color Guard for the ceremony. This was my first time bearing a flag in such a ceremony and I think we did a great job. I am glad that my mom is going to be putting Flag ceremony’s into the Service Unit Meetings. Because I feel that learning this is important.

            I also went to Wisconsin and took part in a Girl Scout Fourth of July Parade with a Girl Scout troop from that area. As well as did a service project with them. We weeded a public garden and planted other native plants. -- See more about Boyd Family Girl Scouts - This Summer as a Girl Scout - Part 2.

            One of my favorite Girl Scout experiences for this summer was traveling around the world with five other Girl Scouts my age to Ghana, Africa, to attend an International Scouting Jamboree. It was a wonderful experience and I hope that I can attend more in the future. One thing that I did in Africa though, that stood out above the rest, was planting 80 trees with the Ghana Girl Guides. This was my Take Action project for my Girltopia Journey I had been working on prior to the trip.

            This summer has been eventful and experience filled. I hope that this coming semester will bring new skills and new fun activities. And I hope that next summer with be just as wonderful as this one.   

Senior Journey Summit Award

The Senior Journey Summit Award is a new "award" in Girl Scouting.  It came out last fall (2011) with the new handbook.  According to the handbook it is awarded if you complete all three Senior Journeys, you'll earn the Leadership Journey Summit award.     

I did it - I earned my Summit Pin and have learned numerous skills. Earning this Summit Pin has made me feel accomplished. By myself I have done three journeys, the Sow what agriculture journey. The Mission Sisterhood communications journey and the Girltopia journey.

             I think other Girl Scouts should go for the Summit Pin. I loved learning, through these journeys, things I couldn’t have through the badges. Girls who love a challenge and extra GS work should try to earn Summit Pin. It was a great experience, challenging and fun and other older Girl Scouts should try to earn it.  

Girl Topia - Take Action Project

I have finished my Girltopia journey. The take action project for this journey was by far the hardest, yet the greatest project I have ever helped put together. For this journey I was supposed to put together and implement a take action project to better someone’s lifestyle.

            So I took the trip to Ghana to its highest and planted trees with the Ghana Girl Guides. Planting trees was a great experience but putting together the project was an experience in itself as well.

            I contacted the various contacts at the World Association Girl Guides and Girl Scouting to get a contact in Ghana – the first was in March.  It was very frustrating over the next few months trying to get the Ghana Girl Guides and then to get a contact in the area of the country that we would be located. I didn’t know that it would be close to four months before I be able to actually get the plan in place. We emailed a little back and forth and found a date for the planting that worked. That’s when I wrote a grant from WAGGGS and a mini grant from Discover Green. As part of my application process – I was asking about the budget – what were going to be the cost.  I got deeply discouraged by the numbers I received from my Ghana contact.  To the point I was sure the project wasn’t going to happen.

            I let the adult who was leading my trip know and she got a hold of Mr. Gordon, our transportation connection and a great communicator.   He  was willing to check on the numbers and to contact our contact and see if we could make it work  He gave us reasonable numbers and even ordered trees. I was so glad that I asked for help and that the project was a success!

            We planted our trees within grounds of a small school center. 80 trees planted with 40 girls from the US, Ghana and Hong Kong .  This tree planting helped with the ecological development as well as provide homes for native wildlife and food for the people.  “We cannot trust that the adults alone will save our future. We have to take our future in our own hands.”

            Felix Finkbeiner

Why Journeys? -- A Senior Girl Scout perspective

Why Journeys? I know that a lot of Girl Scouts and Leaders aren’t sure if they like Journeys.  And honestly before my recent trip to Ghana Africa – I was wondering what benefit (other than earning the awards) was there to doing all the journeys?

 For the last year I have been working on three Senior Girl Scout Journeys, working towards my summit pin, by myself. The Sow What Journey, on agriculture, green living and healthy living. Mission Sisterhood, on understanding yourself and others, and Girltopia, looking at the world around you and understanding the way others live and work.

            All of these journeys came into play on this Ghana trip. I traveled with five other girls my age who are also Girl Scouts. And without noticing I used different aspects from each journey on this trip.

            I implemented communication and teamwork skills with my group in patrol games during the camping Jamboree. Teamwork skills and communication skills from which I learned and practiced while doing Mission Sisterhood. As well as reading body language of my friends to learn how they where feeling.

            The Sow What journey I saw a lot in the villages. They were using their resources wisely, using what they had instead bringing in more waste. There were people there that had very little but used all of their resources to create something they could use.

            I looked around and took in how the girls and women of Ghana lived and worked everyday while I was there. To me it looked somewhat difficult to live a life style with very little.

For more information on my Journey to visit --