Girls On The Go
I
have compiled a list of trip ideas and planning tips that might be of interest
to our local middle and high school girls. Note that many of the local trips
referenced through the links provided may also be appropriate for our younger troops.
To
help get started, review the GSUSA Travel article,
Trip Planning
from Scottyıs Leaderıs Landing, or Planning Trips with Girl
Scouts from GSCNC. Car Trip
Safety (pdf file) from Liz Ripke in Oregon and 1000 Travel Tips offers help for
traveling.
Another
great resource is the Tripping
Girl Scouts Yahoo Group, ³a forum for Girl Scout volunteers to learn about
fundraising and taking their girls on trips². The file section of this group
has information about trips to such places as Savannah, Washington DC, New York
City, Alaska & Paris; plus suggestions on how to handle finances and much
more.
But, of course, FIRST refer to Chapter 5,
³Planning Trips With Girl Scouts², in Safety Wise, GSCC travel procedures
as well as local procedures in your Managing the GS Troop booklet (pg 57-62)
including information about additional insurance for trips extending beyond two
consecutive nights (pg 19-20). Additional information and forms for Girl Scouts
are also available on the Mutual of
Omaha website.
If
interested in earning Council-Own awards during your travels, check my Road Trip page
where I have compiled a variety of programs for girls traveling up the East
Coast.
$$$$$
Participating
in Council-sponsored Fall Products and Cookie Sales gives the girls a start
towards earning their way, but big trips will require multi-year budgeting and
supplemental troop money-earning projects. Try some new sales
techniques to expand your traditional GS cookie sale and plan separate
events to raise funds. Troop money-earning and adult fundraising ideas have
been compiled on Leaderıs
Landing and on Senior
Troop 2099ıs website, or download the booklet Show Me the
Money by Pamela Sharpe from Michigan.
Please
note that GSCC troops may not plan troop money-earning activities during Fall
Product Sales and Cookie Sales. Refer to the section on Money-Earning
Projects (pg 25-29) in the GSCC Money Management
Guide, GSUSAıs Money
Earning Guidelines, and to Safety Wise (pg 29, & 74-77) for more
details. Suggestions on how to finance Destinations are addressed under Money
Management and Older Girl Scout Troops (pg 32) in the Money Management
Guide.
Lee
from Maryland shares her thoughts about how to impartially disperse the money
that is earned for a trip. Perhaps this will help in a discussion with your
girls as you decide what will work best for your troop.
Money-earning for Girl Scout events for
trips is a long and hard process.
But it also needs to be a fair process. In the current Safety Wise on
pages 74 and 75 it talks about the fact that income from these money-earning
activities does not belong to an individual girl or adult. Many long-standing leaders understand
that it means no girl accounts, but I think it means more! Don't keep an accounting of the time or
effort of a girl, but the fact that she participated in the money-earning
event.
One thing to remember is that these girls
are children. Their parents are
responsible for their time and priorities. We all know that for many families, Girl Scouts is at the
bottom of the list. First are
family, then school, church, sports, and then maybe Girl Scouts if time permits. Do not penalize the girl for the
decisions of the parents.
Let's look at GS cookie sales. It is the policy that a Girl Scout
participates in the cookie sale if she sells one box or 1 thousand boxes of cookies. And the profit money from that one box
goes into the troop treasury just like the money from the 1 thousand boxes.
When the troop decides to go on a camping trip and the cost for the trip is
$10, the troop Leader doesn't say, ³You only sold 1 box of cookies, so the trip
will cost you $9.50.² And to the
other girl that sold the 1 thousand boxes the Leader would say, ³You sold 1
thousand boxes of cookies, so the trip will cost you $1.² Or if a girl joins the troop after
cookies sales have ended, the Leader wouldn't make her pay the complete amount
because she didn't sell any cookies.
If the troop has a booth sale and no
cookies are sold, does that mean that the girls did not participate in a booth
sale, because it did not generate any cookies profits? The profit money from
cookies sales is shared equally by all the girls in the troop and the same
should be done with profit money from money-earning events. Any girl that participates in a
money-earning event should get an equal share. And this should be true even if an event doesn't turn a
profit. It did create a lesson
learned. This should be especially true if your money-earning events span a
number of years.
It will be important that no one person
dominates the events either as an Event Director or as a worker. Our council has a policy against anyone
being an Event Director of the same event more than twice if it spans multiple
communities/service units. Many of
your events probably will go outside your service unit for a number of reasons. One being, you do not want your service
unit to feel as though they are paying for your trip by being the only ones
attending your events like Bag-A-Badge, Mother and Daughter Tea, etc. Plus you'll want the added
possibilities of increased attendance if you open your event to outside your service
unit.
It is also important that Leader(s) to
make sure that everyone is given the opportunity to participate in an event at
their own skill level. The Leader(s) should make sure that the troop as a whole
agrees that the events are do-able for their skill level and environment. Every event should have the hopes of
making money for the troop.
The point is: in the end, the total amount
of money-earning profits should be divided equally among the girls (and
probably the adults needed to chaperone) going on the trip no matter what level
of time or effect each one devoted.
If you only need 5 adult chaperones and one mom just wants to come
along, she should probably pay for her own trip. But this is a sticky point . . .
(One example) The troop is given the opportunity to sell drinks at a Gospel tent revival. The organization holding the revival will be selling the refreshments, but they offered the troop to sell the drinks. Majority of the troop voted ³yes² to the event, but there is one girl whose parents don't want her to participate. Have the girl work on the budget - the cans of soda can be brought here for the best price. We need to sell them for $XX in order to make a profit of $XXX. Have her go to the store to buy the sodas. Have her work to make signs/posters for the day of the event. Now she has participated to the best of her ability. The time she spent on the prep work may be equal to a shift another girl works at the event. The levels of effort are the same and everyone will share in the profits . . .
(Money earning event suggestion) Don't forget to plan some events for adults; everything doesn't have to be just for the girls. Many service units would benefit from a Leader day of activities including skills workshops and roundtables. If your troop is made up of older Girl Scouts and many new Leaders would love to attend an event covering camping and your troop may have the experience to teach . . .
Traveling (or trekking) troops looking for places
to stay might like to look into other council camps. ³In 1990, GSUSA set up a trekking
network -
a list of councils that are willing to host traveling Girl Scout troops on
their camp properties. The network has expanded to 127 councils offering 228 sites
in 38 states. These councils offer many options for program activities as well
as a wide variety of sleeping accommodations for traveling troops. If you are
just looking for a campsite to spend the night, or if your troop would like to
participate in a Resident Camp Program offering swimming, horseback riding and
sailing, you will find many different options available. In addition, several
councils have also offered the program trails they have developed for
trek groups interested in sightseeing. For a current listing of participating
councils, available sites and proper trekking procedures, contact² your council
office. (from GSNCC website)
Jan McKinney from Savannah has compiled a complete
list Girl Scout Camps
by state (scroll down to locate link). You could also browse the council websites for the
area that you are traveling to.
When considering inexpensive lodging
options other than tent camping, consider inquiring at the local council about a
Girl Scout house or contact churches, military
installations, and Veteranıs Posts who sometimes are able to provide a hall
or gym where your troop can roll out sleeping bags.
Hosteling
International-USA (HI-USA) offers free membership to Girl Scout Troops and
is another option. A number of youth hostels provide GS programs, such as Boston, Eastern New England, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
GSCNC
offers some guidance for girls interested in High Adventure and
Outdoor Programs, including: an Introduction, Planning High Adventure, and
Prohibited GS Activities. Also refer to Safety Wise (high risk activities are
covered on pages 79-80). Check with council for local policy prior to planning
a high adventure activity with your troop and attach a copy of any required
Release of Liability form to your Troop Activity: Request For Approval form.
Some
GS Program links include the High Adventure IPA, B Extreme IPA,
Backpacking IPA, Outdoor Survival IPA, Paddle Pole & Roll IPA, and Smooth
Sailing IPA. In addition, contact GS
of Virginia Skyline Council if interested in their Basics of Rock Climbing
IPA, Climbing Badge, Appalachain Trail IPA,
Appalachain Trail Badge or Caving Badge.
We
are fortunate to live where there are many opportunities right in our own
backyard! Check out my Girl Scout
Adventures and Disney
Cool School Days (exclusively for Florida groups) webpages for some popular
options to consider. Additional resource lists include:
"The Tampa Bay area is rich in
opportunities to explore, have fun and learn." GS of Suncoast Council has
highlighted a number of venues in their area that welcome Girl Scouts, which I
have made available on a special Girls Go Tampa
webpage. Take a day-trip to Florida's west coast to "experience the
adventure of science, math and technology; enjoy health and safety programs;
or develop multicultural appreciation."
There's
more in Tampa than Bush Gardens. . . See the Florida Aquarium, one of the top
aquariums in the world, for just $6. Talk with the animals at the Lowry Park
Zoo, rated the #1 family-friendly zoo in the US. Learn about Juliette's time
while planning your Savannah trip by visiting one of their Victorian-era
historical museums. Expand your girlsı experiences by stepping outside the box.
Check
outSue Wichersı website where she has compiled a list of Places to Go in Florida
by region. Iıve added some
additional resources below.
There
are many adventures to be found in the Southeast. Iıve compiled a selection for
you below. Kathy has compiled links on her Scouting Web for traveling in
the U.S. For fun, girls might like to collect patches from Advantage
Emblem for each state that they travel to.
Various councils and Girl Scout groups
periodically offer programs to Girl Scouts across the country. These are
sometimes listed as a STUDIO 2B Getaway.
There are also a variety of popular annual events sponsored by private parks
available. Some opportunities include:
³Opportunities
for girls to explore new places and interests while connecting with their peers
around the state, country or world are an exceptional part of what makes Girl
Scouting for teens so unique and valuable!² Destinations (formerly
called Wider-Ops) are the Ultimate
Girl Scout Experience for GS 11-17. A new listing is available each August.
Girls can view all
destinations by category or search events by age, location, date, or
keyword. Additional options are added
throughout the year, so check back periodically. Destinations
fall into 6 categories:
1- International:
events outside of the U.S.
2- Outdoors:
events ranging from learning outdoor skills to Outward Bound challenges on land
or sea.
3- Science: events
that take science to a new level. Learn animal behavior or what a doctor's life
is like.
4- People: events
that visit cities and countrysides so you can experience the culture of new
places.
5- Apprenticeships:
events that give you hands-on, real-life experience in a potential career
field. (Special application form is used)
6- Getaways: Two
to four-day events all over the country, that DO NOT require the standard
destinations application.
Interested
girls should sign up for the GSCC workshop normally offered in the fall, review
the Destination
Basics, check the Process
for Applying, and read GSUSAıs Tips
for Applying (pdf) on the first page of the application. Our GSCC
application deadline usually falls in early November (Nov 16, 2006) for
Destinations scheduled the following summer, but some deadlines may be earlier.
Also note that girls may apply later for unfilled events and those events added
after the application process. ³The application
and reference forms (pdf) can be downloaded from the Web site.
Girls
will complete an application for each event she applies to. Up to FOUR events
may be chosen. Girls may attend as many destinations as they can. Upon
acceptance to an event, a deposit will be immediately due to the sponsor, which
will confirm her acceptance as well as assure her place in the event.
Application results for summer events are normally available in January. Those
events which do not fill up, remain open and accept late applications beyond
the normally set deadlines (check with council for updates.)
The GSCC
Money Management Guide offers guidelines on how girls might finance their
Destination. ³There is funding available for girls attending each destination
(excluding Getaways) through the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund or through
GSUSA. Councils will be able to apply for grant funding [D-Pass Council Grants]
through GSUSA in order to support underserved girlsı participation in a
destination. Girls attending a WAGGGS sponsored event will receive funding
through the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund. In addition to the grant opportunity
from GSUSA, girls receive subsidies from our non-Girl Scout collaborations: the
US Space and Rocket Center reduces the fee for girls and Outward Bound USA
waives the application fee and the transportation fee for each girl.²
Carol
Lee, Adult Development Director and Special Programs Manager from Girl Scouts
Lenni-Lenape Council in New Jersey shares her words of wisdom on how to
complete the Destination application. . .
Having my daughter be
accepted to five Wider-Ops, seeing so many other girls not being accepted for
even one, having run a Wider-Op myself and sitting on a selections task group
for two days to pick our participants, I feel I have some insight into the
process.
First, for a trip taking only a limited
number of girls, the individual's application must really stand out. For a
destination, the selection group is going to look for the following
qualifications among others: travel away from home without the family, an
intermediate level of camping experience (if it's an outdoor adventure),
indications of the ability to acclimate to a group of strangers and be
inclusive, a keen interest in the place she will be visiting, and a willingness
to try new things. Describe these things in the essays in detail.
Why did my daughter get picked for
everyone to which she applied? She took the time to think about where she
wanted to go and made her essay answers really fit what she thought people
would be looking for. That's the key. If the trip is about science, the
applicant should detail everything she has ever done to pursue science topics
including all the school, extra-curricular and GS awards and program events
that would tie in. If it's an outdoor one, list all camping experiences and
skills that were learned. For each one, tell how it made you feel to do the
things you did, what you learned, and how it has affected future plans for
education and career development. Describe the impact the destination will have
on the individual; list desired outcomes and future plans to keep the experience
"going" back home by sharing with others what was learned.
When the task group for the Wider-Op I ran
had to pick 42 applicants from 432 applications, it was a daunting experience.
Why some people got selected and some didn't became a subjective process based
on what the particular group of reviewers was looking for in the applications.
The first thing we did was to sort the applications by state. We wanted a broad
representation of participants. Next we looked at their expressed interest in the
topic of the event. How did they tell us this was what they really wanted to
do? What had their past experiences been to show they were serious in pursuing
their interest further? Then we resorted by state and kept those girls who
indicated a high level of sincerity in their essay. Next we looked for other
qualifications including involvement in GS. Girls with the GS Silver & Gold
Awards went to the top of the pile. Humor helps. I can still remember on
application from a girl that was so funny, she got picked because she made us
laugh after a long hard day. We sorted by race, ethnic background and
considered any noted disabilities. We wanted to ensure a diverse group of
girls. Does every task group use similar criteria in selecting participants?
All I can say is, probably. From talking to people involved in other selection
processes, they pretty much look for the same things.
The thing to remember is there is no cut
and dry reasons for being picked or not. It is a very subjective process.
Because we decided we wanted as many states represented as possible, a girl
applying from a state where she was the only applicant had a much better chance
of being picked than a more highly qualified girl from a state with five
applicants. Sometimes groups will pick GS Silver and Gold applicants first and
then sort them out. Who knows, sometimes it might be whether the application is
written neatly or sloppy. We had one application that was so hard to read, we
did not even try. It was rejected...so, yes neatness counts.
Any girl applying for a destination with a
very limited number of girls is going to be up against a lot of applicants. Her
form must "jump out" at the readers and say, "Pick ME, I am
unique!" One girl wrote her essay in the form of a poem...she was
selected. Our event topic was the fashion industry...one girl told us how she
made her accessories out of duct tape...she was picked.
Be sure the people who are picked for
references are very aware of what the destinations are about and why the person
is applying to go. They need to tout skills, interests and personal attributes
as they apply to the topics of the destinations. Be sure to tell the people why
they are being asked to write a reference. Do they know of specific abilities
and skills that would directly relate to the destination topics? Have they seen
positive interaction with a diverse group of people? Can they describe
leadership abilities? Have they traveled with the applicant when she was not
with family members? Be sure the people asked for references are skilled
somewhat in writing references. Some of the ones we received were pathetic.
They did not highlight anything. Generalizations on a poorly written reference
did little towards helping a girl get selected.
Hope this helped and good luck to all the
girls who apply. To get selected is a most wonderful experience.
Carol
Lee also offers a neat hostess gift idea for those girls who head out on a
Destination:
When my daughter went on Wider-Ops (now known
as destinations), she always brought her host family a NJ Brag Bag. We would make a drawstring sack and
fill it with products made in NJ, like Polaner jelly, Campbell soup, Lipton
tea, etc. The people loved them.
Tracie and I had more fun the first time going around the supermarket
reading labels to find out what was made here. We were amazed...the bag was stuffed with things.
One year my council had several girls
going on a Wider-Op and I made Brag Bags for all of them. I wrote to companies in
NJ asking for donations and they came through. Wow, did we have lots of stuff! It was a lot of fun to do. The girls learned a lot about their state in the process.
Girls
Around The World
International
opportunities for girls are not limited to the ones listed on the STUDIO 2B
site. Download the GS Guide for
International Travel brochure (scroll down) and check GSUSAıs International
Travel Safety webpage. Notify council prior to making plans for a trip
outside the U.S. with your girls. A special section in Safety Wise addresses international
travel on pages 59-60 and some Travel Forms are
provided by GSUSA. Iıve provided a few travel ideas below.
·
Visit
a WAGGGS World
Centre in Mexico, England, Switzerland, or India.
·
Visit
one of the Caribbean Islands near Florida that is
a member of WAGGGS to learn about their
culture and the Girl Guide movement.
· Check Events listed on the WAGGGS website as well as International Scouting Events listed on the WOSM website. (These events are normally Boy Scout and Girl Guide combined camping events.) Some examples: