Programs & Activities

The 2010/2011 Fall/Winter Girl Scout Guide is now available online!

The 2010/2011 Fall/Winter Girl Scout Guide contains Girl Program – plan your journey month-by-month; Adult Learning – core trainings, conference calls, personal development and more; and a Community Resource Directory – a listing of community resources that offer special Girl Scout programs just for you!

CDMs will deliver an appropriate quantity of printed copies to each service unit meeting for distribution directly to troops. A limited number of printed 2010/2011 Fall/Winter Guides are available.

Requests for printed copies are now being accepted. Please click here to complete the request form.

Please allow ample time to process your request; you should receive your copy of the guide within two weeks from the date of your request.

Please do not request multiple copies of the 2010-2011 Fall/Winter Girl Scout Guide. In an effort to go green and reduce costs, we have made this request option available, but have a limited print quantity.

Remember – registration begins Saturday, September 11!

The Girl Scout program can change the way girls see their world and their place in it. Girls learn the importance of personal responsibility, the value of goal-setting, the spirit of teamwork and the thrill of accomplishment. The Girl Scout program encourages girls to discover, connect and take action concerning the world around them.

Girl Scouts are divided into the following interest groups:

• T – Troop/Groop
• I – Individual Girl
• F – Family
• D – Daisies (Kindergarten-1)
• B – Brownies (Grades 2-3)
• J – Juniors (Grades 4-5)
• C – Cadettes (Grades 6-8)
• S – Seniors (Grades 9-10)
• A – Ambassadors (Grades 11-12)

Many girls also participate on these grade levels as part of our Membership Extension efforts. Membership Extension provides Girl Scout programming to girls who might otherwise not be able to participate.

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Program Opportunities

What do Girl Scouts do? The answer is almost anything a girl would like to do!

The Girl Scout program is girl-driven, reflecting the ever-changing needs and interests of participating girls. It provides girls ages 5-17 with a wide variety of opportunities and activities available in Girl Scout handbooks, award books, the Girls Only and STUDIO 2B websites, and other program resources.

The program encourages increased skill-building and responsibility, and also promotes the development of strong leadership and decision-making skills. All program activities are age-appropriate.

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Program Resources

Resource Centers

The Resource Center is a place to call when you need one-to-one help from a qualified consultant available to help you in person, by phone, or e-mail. It has been developed for YOU, the Girl Scout volunteer! The Resource Centers lend everything from flags, Program on the Go Totes and Events in a Box to outdoor and sports equipment.

For more information on the Resource Centers, please contact Peg Johnson in Tampa (ext. 1824), or Kay Groth in Wildwood (ext. 1802).

Program on the Go Totes

Program on the Go Totes containing the materials and instructions to complete a topic can be used individually or by a troop. Reserve a tote using the Program Equipment Request Form. Totes can be picked up at the Tampa Service Center and Wildwood branch offices. Contact the Resource Centers in Tampa (ext. 1824, or pjohnson@gswcf.org, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.), or Wildwood (ext. 1802, or kgroth@gswcf.org, Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.) to reserve a tote. Delivery of totes for Polk County residents will be coordinated through their community development managers.

Totes are reserved for two consecutive meetings (Design Time, Make It Green and Power It Up can be kept longer), and there is a $5 fee plus deposit to check-out totes unless otherwise noted; this fee is applicable to all grade levels. Deposits vary according to the materials in the Tote. When the tote is returned on time and in good condition, deposits will be refunded.

destinations
Travel and Adventure for Girls 12 – 18

What is a destination?
Any experience that provides a girl with an opportunity to expand her personal experience beyond her everyday scope. destinations can be any length of time and may be far away or nearby.

Who can go on a destination?
Girls ages 12-18 at the time of travel

How do I find out about available destinations?
Attend a workshop listed in the fall guide or check out the website. destinations can be found at www.studio2b.org under the Escape Section. If you do not have access to a computer, please call the Resource Center to receive a printed packet.

How much money will I need?
The cost of each trip varies. Some are as little as $300 and others are as much as $2,400. The cost listed in the description on the website does NOT include airfare. Girls pay for destinations in a variety of ways: fundraising, personal income from a job, parents, troop contributions and contributions from the service unit. Some financial assistance may be available from the council.

When are destinations held?
destinations are held throughout the year.

Troop/Group Pen Pal Link U.S. Girl Scout Pen Pal

For Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior and Ambassador troops/groups
Pen pals are available throughout the country. The program is an opportunity to learn about Girl Scouting in other areas, share stories about interests, school, Girl Scout troops/groups and families. Girls should not plan to use pen pals just to complete badge or bridging activities or to provide input for a Thinking Day activity or project. Use the Pen Pal Link request form (to be completed by Girl Scout leader/advisor) to request pen pals. The more flexible you are on location of potential pen pals, the easier it will be to find a match. Please be patient keep in mind that it takes time and effort to establish a pen pal link, but when it happens, it is worth it! Many Girl Scouts keep their pen pals for years, even into adulthood! Keep in mind that the councils in Hawaii and Alaska receive numerous pen pal requests from the 50 states everyday.