Silver Award - Adult Perspective

Happy New Year!  And what do I start thinking about this New Year?   The Silver Award, of course, but this time from the adult perspective….

What is your adult role?  What should you be doing to support your girls as they get ready for their Silver Award work?

First, take the Silver Award Training Class offered by Council.  This will provide you with some great information as well as a chance to chat with some other advisors.

Encourage the girl to think critically and outside the box.  Binkys for babies, neo-natal caps for preemies and Daisy Play Days are not sufficient projects on their own!  Work with the girls to start on page one of the new Silver Guidelines (in their NEW Cadette Girl Guide).  Don’t start with the end, start with identifying the issue and working from there.

Cheerlead!  Support her work.  Encourage her thought process.  Provide assistance as asked, but really put it back on the girl to go find the answers.  You can help locate the resources, but then back away, and let the girls do the exploring.

She might get stuck!  Answer her questions or help her find those who can provide the information.  You might suggest avenues that she might not be aware of, and you can help her to access these new pathways.

You are her troop leader, and while you can certainly take the training and act as her advisor, I would also encourage her to identify an advisor for her project.  Perhaps there is a troop parent who can take the training and act as the advisor?  Or perhaps this is something that your co-leader would want to take on as her job?  And truly, if only a few of your girls want to earn the Silver, having an outside advisor could work really well.

Juniors - Keeping their interest for Cadettes - Part IV

(This is the last of a four-part series about keeping girls interested in Scouting as they bridge to Cadettes.  This series was inspired by a couple leaders who were looking for help with their girls, and spawned a 5-way email chain that had some great ideas.  Thanks again to Barb Christensen and Tara Offenberger for their help:  I tried to give them the credit they deserve!)


We've talked about keeping Juniors interested in Scouting as they bridge up.  We're going to end by talking about leaders and parents. 

 Tara Offenberger had a great comment:  "...what should a leader do if she feels more comfy with the younger girls than the older?  Perhaps there are teachers who are much better at teaching elementary school than middle school and for very definite reasons.  The leaders who are excellent at corralling a dozen girls who are 7, 8 or 9 years old, teaching them crafts, small service projects and the 6 out of 10 step badge work are not necessarily going to be excellent at working with older girls.  These girls are transitioning to young women - who need a real shoulder to cry on at times, who need someone to help them work out conflicts with friends, who are dealing with divorce in their family or even in choosing the right high school to attend.  Cadette thru Ambassador aged girls need ADVISORS who are comfortable with these kinds of issues and who can let go of controlling the meetings and simply GUIDE them in the right directions. If their leader can transition to a new style, those girls are very lucky." 

Well, these leaders are probably going to own a Cadette aged girl, whether they're ready or not!  And isn't Girl Scouting a safe environment for the leader to take the opportunity to learn with the girl?  How about suggesting they all take the Amaze Journey?  This is a great tool to use with 1st year Cadettes who are just starting middle school.  These girls are going to be living the peer pressure, betrayal, bullying, jealousy, cliques and frememies issues that Amaze takes up.  How about the not-comfy-as-a-Cadette-leader working with girls thru that Journey and supporting their girl-led efforts?  


This is also a transition year for girl planning, where the girls learn to run their own meetings (if they haven't already), be responsible for their own troop money, and start working on the Silver award.  As Barb says, make it look different!  Move the meeting time and place  - let the girls vote on the choices.  I'd say, make it different for you, too!  Maybe get a new co-leader?  Maybe merge with another troop and get the best Camping Mom in the council!  Learn to let go of the old and embrace the new.  Your daughter has to, and you want to support her, right?  Maybe you can do it together?!

One of the comments from before, was that the parents see Girl Scouting as a little girl activity, not an older girl one.  Time to tell the parents what the girls are learning!  Start now, in Juniors, so that when you get to Cadettes, the parents are seeing more of the changes that you're talking about.  I liked a comment in training, where a Dad watched his 7th grade daughter helped to set up a family reunion weekend.  He was amazed, and asked where she learned how to do all that organizing. Her response, (thank goodness was not a shrug of the shoulders!) "in Girl Scouts, of course!  We do this all the time."  The Dad got a refreshing glimpse into what his daughter had learned.  


We need to show this value to parents all the time!  Another leader said that in Cadettes, every quarter, one girl was responsible for taking notes of the meeting.  The leader took the girl's notes, and typed them in an email to all the parents, giving credit to the girl.  Another said she had girls doing a quarterly newsletter in powerpoint with photos and words talking about what they were doing/learning.  We need to keep that info flow moving!  It can only benefit the girls!


And to Barb's point, we need to stress to the parents (and girls) the flexibility of the program. It's not like Brownies, this is something bigger and better.  Girls can choose what to do. Girls can choose how to participate. And girls can decide what they want.  Okay, not all in one day. It's a process!


I'll end the series by saying thank you, to all you leaders out there!  What you do is so valuable to the council, the girls and the world.  You make a difference in a girl's life everyday.  I hope you want to continue to do that for your lifetime.  Old Girl Scouts never die, because what we have done for the girls who follow us, and who follow them, lives forever.

Juniors - Keeping their interest for Cadettes - part III

But what if YOU've had enough?  What if the thought of taking these happy Juniors to Cadettes and having to deal with those  hormonal, moody, enthusiastic, know-it-all girls to the next level is overwhelming?  What if your daughter is gung-ho and you aren't?  How can Cadettes keep your interest and keep you in Scouting with a happy heart.....


What if you've had enough of the same old thing?  I'd say this is a great opportunity for you to MAKE A CHANGE as well.  Turn it over to the girls, and let them do it.  Instead of worrying all the details, let them.  Let them make safe mistakes in a safe environment.  Let them take charge of their own Girl Scouting experience.  


Yes, I know, this won't happen overnight!  But you have 3 years of Cadettes, so start now!  As a 4th quarter Junior, give those girls some reins.  Use language that lets them know they've earned the opportunity to lead meetings, if they aren't already.  Let them make choices, and emphasize that they get to do it all in Cadettes.  The girl chooses how she would like to participate in Scouting.


One of the things we talk about in the Cadette training is, how to make it more girl led?  How to have the leaders (now advisors) sit back and let the girls figure out what they want to do. This is a HUGE step for many, and they are often just amazed at how much the girls WANT to have the girl led experience. One leader said her daughter was so excited, that after the first girl/parent meeting, she took her new Cadette Guide Book to bed with her, so she could write down more ideas of what she wanted to do for the year.  Another leader said it was scary!  This leader wanted to be in control and determine what was going to happen.  She vowed to change, because she understood that the more the girls became engaged in doing it themselves, the more they would want to stay in Girl Scouting.


How about combining with another troop?  Instead of being the 01 for 8, become the 02 for 15 or more.  Work with the 01 to find the place that fits you and how you want to participate.  One leader talked about how after two troops merged, she didn't need to be an 01 or 02, but still wanted to participate.  So she became the Silver Award Advisor for all the girls in the troop. What a great way to still be involved!  That way, if not every girl was working on the Silver, there was an adult who could host meetings outside the regular troop meetings and work with the Silver girls.  


Maybe you want to be the camping Mom?  So get trained!  Only take on the 2 or 3 camping trips a year.  Perhaps you're the one who can work out a training schedule for skills the interested girls will need to do the camping AND participate in Cadette O Rama.

How else could you support the troop without burnout?  Or perhaps a better question is, how can you step away for a while or forever, and keep your daughter involved?  Are there other adults that you can ask to help?  Is there training you can take to teach you some new skills?  Or can you participate within your service unit to do some "group think".  Instead of each Cadette troop doing the same thing separately, partner up!  Have the 3 troops work together.  Encourage the girls to work cooperatively, taking leadership pieces as they learn by doing to accomplish their task.  This could be for one event or activity a year, or for more.

Girl Scouting offers all sorts of opportunities for leadership for the girls AND the adults.  Sometimes we have to ask for help, and sometimes we just have to go out and find it.  


Stay tuned for the last post of this series....

Juniors - keeping their interest for Cadettes - part II

Our last post left off with the question, "What else could you do to keep the girls engaged in Cadettes?"  

You're a Junior leader, and you're looking forward, to when the girls bridge into Cadetttes.  Perhaps you're asking yourself if you've done Juniors right!?  Have the girls made steps to lead the meetings?  Plan the overnights? Make their own decisions?  Choose their service projects? Execute a Bronze Award Project?  If your answer is "yes" to all those questions, kudos to you and your adult leadership for bringing the girls along so well in the GS Leadership Essentials Program!!!  Your girls are prime for Cadettes.  They might just not know it yet!

One of the best things about Cadettes for the girls is that THEY MAKE THE CHOICES!  They get to use the leadership skills that they've been developing all these years and steer their own course.  The girls need to know this, and you need to tell them AND their parents.  The girls take in the money, write the checks and keep tabs on the budget, with adult supervision, assuredly.  The girl gets to have her own ledger account of cookie money to fund her GS experience.  That's music to the ears of the high achievers, to be sure!  

As we say in training, these Cadette girls want to be in charge, and they want to be told the sky's the limit!  If they work hard, do their due diligence, they can achieve anything!!  Small steps to take in Cadettes include leadership in Day Camps, participating in destinations, being a Lookie Lou at GAM, and then completing a Journey and determining their own Silver Award Projects.  Plus having the opportunity to have a leadership role with in the troop is a big deal.  If your troop is large enough, the girls can experience troop government in patrols or with a Court of Honor.  All these great things are in front of them, and they need to know it!

But what if they "know it" or at least have been exposed to it, but are still thinking they might not have time for Girl Scout's monthly meetings or camping or Award and Journey work?  Well, Barb Christenson rightfully says, this is the time to be flexible!

"I think the key word for working with older Girl Scouts is flexibility.  We advisors need to be able to change how we run meetings to fit what the girls want.  We need to make the meetings look different from what they have been doing for the past six years.  (I often compare Daisy and Brownie meetings to birthday parties – craft, song or game, activity and a snack and also planned by the adults.)  We changed our meeting date, place and time to give it a different feel; instead of Friday afternoons right after school, which everyone knows isn’t going to work once they get to high school, we started meeting on Sunday evenings and included dinner.  I do know that half our Cadette meetings the first year looked a lot like an evening at the nail salon with a lot of chit chat, nail painting, and not a lot of anything going on.  But, that may be exactly what the girls need their first year!  Many of these girls are over-programmed with sports, church/temple, homework, and whatever else they participate in.  Granted, their parents may not see the value in that, but the bonding between the girls is priceless!

Because of the girls’ busy schedules and their many interests, advisors need to be willing to be flexible about how girls participate in the troop.  Establish what this flexibility looks like.  For example, I had girls who only wanted to participate in day camp; I never saw them at troop meetings so I didn’t charge them any dues and I kept them informed about day camp meetings and annual renewal dates.  I also had a couple of girls who only wanted to earn their higher awards; they would come to meetings when we worked on pre-requisites, and once those were completed, I would only see them at Silver/Gold meetings.  I did charge them dues for the years that they were attending the troop meetings.  Lastly, I had girls who only wanted to travel so they would come to the travel meetings.  Did that take more time for us, the advisors?  Absolutely, because we were basically running meetings every week (two troop meetings, a travel meeting, and a Silver/Gold meeting) but it was well worth it and it only happened one year in Cadettes and one year in Seniors.

Girl Role in the Silver Award Project

We talked about the Adult Role last post, so for this one, we'll talk about the girl role.  Again, Karin and Lesley's role description is coming in handy!  Commercial plug:  if you haven't taken the Silver Award Training yet, and your girls are getting ready for this step, DO IT!  It's a couple hours, but truly worth it!

The girls need to.....

Hear the Take Action message; take responsibility for the quality of her project.  Be sure the girls understand that this is not about running a day camp!  This is about identifying an issue in the community that they care about and addressing that need.

Ask for help when needed.  If she's stuck, the girl needs to know that you are a resource for her. You're not there to solve her problem, but to give her clues/leads on where she can look.

Be willing to make mistakes. That's a hard one for many A-type personalities!  But an important skill to learn.  It could be that the girl has found her issue, but missed the mark on how to address it.  Admitting the error, then going back to the central issue and re-thinking it takes support from you.

Educate herself and others on current issues.  As you've heard me say before, start with the ISSUE not the project!  Be a resource for the girl as she examines local issues and picks the one that resonates with her.

Practice public speaking.  Role playing in a safe environment, like Girl Scouts, is a great tool.  Maybe you've already practiced this in your Breathe Journey?  Or maybe the girls have had some practice at school?  Build on what they know, and let them practice.  On whom?  Maybe each other? Maybe a sister Brownie or Daisy troop?  Or maybe with a Senior/Ambassador troop who can make suggestions on ways to improve.  Use your leadership role here to have it be a good experience all around!

Define what leadership means to her.  That's a big one!  Management of time and resources is not the same as leadership, and the girls need to (start) learn that.  They need to learn that leadership is about the big idea, gathering others of a like mind, educating them, and empowering everyone to take action.  Management is about the schedule, agendas and divvying up the work load.  A tough concept for many girls (and adults).  It would be great if they learned it here, so that when they interview with us for their Gold Award Projects, they'll be clear in explaining how they will lead and who they will lead.

Have fun!  This whole Silver Award process needs to be engaging and fun.  I think it helps if the girl is passionate about the issue and project, and while there's work to be done, she's excited and enthusiastic about getting it done.

Let the Girl Lead!

I was thinking about the last Silver Award Training I was a part of, and it was a great session!  Great conversation and really good questions for the training team.

Karin and Lesley handed out a page that talked about the Volunteer Silver Award Advisor's Role, and I thought I'd share some of that here.  As you all know, with the Journey requirements, the Silver Award Take Action Project is limited to not more than 3 or 4 girls working together.  That is part of the "raising of the bar" to give each girl the opportunity to have a leadership role in her project.  So how do you help the girls do this?

Be open to change and present the changes positively. "Oh no, we HAVE to do it this way," is not the same as,  "what a great opportunity to look at the issue this way."  We're the models for these girls on how they're going to move through not only this project, but life itself!

Let the girl lead.  Easier said than done, I know!!!  As we say in training, how do you know you're letting it be girl led?  It's sloooow in the beginning!  But be patient, both you and the girls will reap the rewards in the end. Be sure that each girl is clear on what her responsibilities are, and when she is due to have them done.

Share the girls' stories; teach girls to be proud of their successes.  Absolutely!  The pride in your voice as you tell others about how well the girls are doing is palpable.  And in seeing how you share their trials, tribulations and successes, the girls will each learn to step up and talk with pride about their Silver Award Projects.

Stay up-to-date with resources.   These are middle school girls, and they are really learning how to look for information.  You can help them with potential resources, but they need to be the ones to follow up on the lead.  They need to use the skills they've developed in Scouting and on the Journeys to interview resources, ask questions, and then synthesize the information together.

Help girls evaluate and measure progress.  I doubt that this is the first time the girls have had to create a timeline, assign duties and work together! (Pretty much all of you have done overnight camping!)   But if you (or past leaders/adults) have not yet fully embraced the Leadership Essentials Program, now is the time to do it!  The GIRLS need to discover, connect and take action, and they need to do it in a girl led, cooperative learning, learn by doing environment.  And they can do it!  You may need to prod a bit, or haul out the timeline/goal list for them in the beginning, but once it becomes the norm, they can do it on their own.

Expect quality Take Action Projects.  Don't you OR the girls settle for ho-hum.  This should be a challenge for the girls. There needs to be a reach, achievable, but not a walk in the park.

And celebrate successes!  Attagirls and warm fuzzies go a long way to encourage girls.  Plus it shows that you recognize that they've done a good job.  And there's nothing wrong with that!  Let them figure out ways to celebrate their successes with each other.

Never forget to have fun! 

Scouts Own

I was reading the NEW Cadette Girl Guide, and there's a section about a Scout's Own.  And I got to thinking, I haven't seen one of these at the Cadette level in a long time!  When we talked about it at our Breathe Journey this past summer, the adults said they used a Roses and Thorns theme to talk about the highs and lows of the just completed event/camping trip/program.  While I think that kind of recap is great, it doesn't quite fit in with my perception or the Girl Guide's perception of a Scout's Own.


"...a special ceremony created around a theme." is how it's described in the Girl Guide.  So, using my resources wisely, I pull out the Ceremonies in Girl Scouting book c. 1990 I borrowed from Theresa Green a while ago.  And sure enough, back on pages 59-63 there was info about a Scout's Own.  


"A Girl Scouts' Own should be all that its name implies.  The main purpose...is to elaborate on a theme...  It allows girls to express their thoughts and feelings in a truly meaningful way."  This can mean a GS theme, something from nature, badge experience, Silver Award experiences, etc. It can happen anywhere!  Outside under the trees at twilight.  After a campfire has burned down to embers, sending the girls off in the quiet glow to their tents or home.  Or at Camp Scherman where the girls can send their wishes out on the lake with a candle. OR in the Anaheim Service Center!  Outside in the middle of the day on the grass!


It can be inspirational, about the promise and law, or reaffirming.  But above all, it's girl led!  2 or 3 girls could get together ahead of time and talk about what the theme would be.  And they could get help from adults on any pieces they might need. At this age, they could also be given the ceremonies book and use that as a reference.  And then come up with what to say, who to involve and how it's all going to come together.

Breathe Journey Series 2011

That's what we did at the Breathe Journey Series Closing Ceremony. We had three 7th grade girls who barely knew each other put it together.  And they did it!  A first for some, but old hat for others.  Was it perfect?  No, but it was GREAT to view.  The theme was the promise and law, and they used my Twiggy log and candles from Jim and Ginger Kleerup as the basis for the ceremony. The candles never got lit, but everyone expressed themselves and participated.  


It was great!  And I bet those newbie 6th grade Cadette girls want to have a chance to lead it themselves in the future.  They saw the older girl-led leadership, and they had a chance to work cooperatively with that team to say their pieces in turn. There was little pressure, no right/wrong.  Just 25 girls coming together for the last time before they went their separate ways.


What a great thing for these Cadettes to know how to do!  Plus, a great skill that they can provide/teach to younger girls.  I'd love to see what other Scout's Own ideas your girls come up with!