Unlock a World of Possibilities: Your Guide to Troop Year Planning!

 

Back to troop season is HERE! Are you ready to take your troop on a journey filled with endless possibilities, growth, and unforgettable experiences? Look no further because we have an exciting announcement that will simplify the way you plan out your year: Troop Year Plans, now include plans for multi-level troops!

From Daisies to Ambassadors, our customizable, turnkey plans are designed to meet the needs of every troop, ensuring that each Girl Scout can explore, have fun, thrive, and lead the way.

So, what exactly are Troop Year Plans, and how can they benefit you and your troop? Let's dive in:

1. Comprehensive Planning Made Easy: Our Troop Year Plans offer a curated selection of our most popular activities, organized for two meetings per month. Whether your troop wants to explore the outdoors, dive into STEM, or engage in community service, these plans have everything you need to keep the girls excited and engaged all year long.

2. Badge-Earning Opportunities: With our Troop Year Plans, earning badges has never been simpler or more enjoyable! Each month, you'll find a variety of badge-earning activities that align with the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, empowering girls to develop essential skills and knowledge while earning recognition for their achievements.

3. Customizable and Flexible: We understand that every troop is unique, which is why our Troop Year Plans are fully customizable to suit your troop's interests, schedule, and needs. Whether you're organizing a weekend camping trip or a virtual meeting, these plans offer a variety of activities that can be adapted to fit your troop’s needs. Plus, if the girls want to swap an activity for something they enjoy more, they can! It’s all about making the experience fun and tailored to them.

4. Print-Friendly and Online Versions: Whether you prefer to flip through pages or access resources digitally, our Troop Year Plans are available in both print-friendly and online formats, making them a convenient companion on all your Girl Scouting adventures.

What sets our Multi-Level Troop Year Plans apart is their inclusivity and flexibility. For troops with girls spanning multiple age levels, this tool is an absolute game-changer. No more struggling to find activities that cater to everyone's needs – our plan seamlessly integrates themes that are suitable for troops with Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors as well as troops with Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors. This will help ensure that every girl in your troop feels valued and included.

With our Troop Year Plans and Multi-Level Troop Year Plans as your guide, you'll be amazed at how simple and rewarding it can be to make a difference in the lives of your Girl Scouts. Whether you're a seasoned volunteer or new to Girl Scouting, our plans provide the support and guidance you need to make a meaningful difference in the lives of your Girl Scouts.

Together, let's embark on a journey of exploration, growth, and friendship as we guide our Girl Scouts to become their best selves.

Are you actively using Troop Year Plans and want to share your experience with us and others? Let us know on social media by tagging @girlscouts.

Here's to a great year of adventures ahead!

¡Chicas al Poder! Celebrating the Impact of Hispanic Girl Scouts

 

Hispanic Heritage Month is all about recognizing the vibrant cultures and powerful contributions of Hispanic communities. To celebrate, we’re shining a spotlight on some amazing Hispanic Girl Scouts who are turning their passions into positive change. These stories are proof that when corazón (heart) meets action, incredible things happen.

Girl Scout Solana - Elevating Latinx Voices (Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles)

“As a Latina and first-generation American, I have always felt a disconnect when it comes to my culture and the lack of representation in South Pasadena,” shared Solana. Determined to change this, Solana dedicated her Gold Award project, “Gracias a la Vida: Latina Voices of South Pasadena,” to uplifting Latinx stories and voices. Through her project, she created a powerful gallery exhibit at the South Pasadena Library, featuring photographic and biographical portraits of twelve Latinas who have made significant contributions to the community. Solana’s work not only celebrated these women but also ensured their stories would continue to educate and inspire through a dedicated website.


Girl Scout Allison - Recycling for a Better Planet and a Brighter (Girl Scouts of San Jacinto)

Girl Scout Allison from Troop 136351 is making waves with her Girl Scout Bronze Award project, "Recycle and Help the Earth." In her local area, where green recycling bins are lacking, Allison organized a recycling drive and created flyers with recycling tips to educate her community, including the Hispanic community. Her dedication doesn't stop there; for the past three years, she and her family have cleaned a river in their Mexican hometown, collecting bottle caps to donate for free chemotherapy treatments. As Allison shares, "I am not just saving my planet but also saving someone’s life."

Girl Scout Sandra - Creating a Mobile Library (Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida)

Sandra’s journey from Spanish-speaking countries to the United States inspired her Gold Award project, which focused on the importance of preserving cultural heritage. Collaborating with the Mexican Consulate in Miami, Sandra created a mobile library filled with Spanish-language children’s books. This library is a beacon of learning and cultural connection, traveling to local immigrant communities during consulate visits and providing access to books that reflect the children’s heritage. Sandra also worked with a local Mexican Women's Book Club to keep the library stocked and engaged the community through the consulate’s bulletin board and newsletter.

These incredible stories from Solana, Allison, and Sandra highlight the strength and impact of our Hispanic Girl Scouts. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, let's continue to uplift and celebrate these amazing girls. Use #GirlScoutsRock and #HispanicHeritageMonth, tag us at @girlscouts, and let's shine a spotlight on these changemakers who are making the world a better place.

¡A celebrar!

Friendship Matters: How We Can Tackle Loneliness to Boost Confidence Among Girls

Did you know that as girls grow older, they often start to feel lonelier and less confident? Yup! It’s true. Experts have long discussed the impact of loneliness and social isolation on peoples’ well-being, including mental, emotional, and physical health. The U.S. Surgeon General has even called loneliness an epidemic. In recent years, girls have been disproportionately affected by mental health issues—it’s no wonder they’re not immune to the loneliness epidemic, either. It’s time we dive into this.

We set out to learn more about loneliness and how it affects girls by sending out a survey. And guess what? The results were eye-opening. Nearly 70 percent of girls ages five through 13 experience loneliness. And, as feelings of loneliness increase, self-confidence decreases.

But there was a bit of encouraging news, and it has to do with the power of friendship.

Here’s what we learned:

• Loneliness Increases with Age: Survey results show that loneliness escalates as girls get older. 64 percent of girls ages five through seven, 67 percent of girls ages eight through ten, and 73 percent of girls ages 11 through 13 reported feelings of loneliness.
• As Loneliness Grows, Confidence Drops: While 86 percent of girls ages five through seven expressed beliefs in their ability to tackle challenges, this figure drops to 80 percent among girls ages eight through ten and even down to 73 percent among 11 through 13-year-old girls.
• Friendship Is a Confidence Booster: Companionship helps girls try things they wouldn’t otherwise do alone. For more than half of the girls surveyed, having a friend by their side encourages them to try new things (52 percent) like talk to a new kid (52 percent); 50 percent would join a new group with a friend.
• Girls Prefer Real Interactions to Screen Time: Most girls would prefer to be creative (63 percent), go outside and play (59 percent), or spend time with their family (59 percent) rather than spend all their time on screens. Despite the ubiquity of digital devices, these results point to girls’ desires for a range of authentic experiences and interpersonal connections.

These findings highlight the importance of supporting young girls in building meaningful connections and boosting their confidence. With that in mind, Girl Scouts has programming meant to tackle the specific issues today’s girls face, thanks in part to amazing partners like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

Our amazing mental wellness resources and programming were specifically developed to support girls, Girl Scout council staff, and adult volunteers as they learn about mental wellness, behavioral issues, and healthy habits. Through our mental wellness programming, girls across the country are given the tools to effectively identify and communicate their emotions, offer support to their friends, and seek help from trusted adults in their community.

And we know a thing or two about helping girls build lasting friendships and their self-confidence!

Girl Scouts offers programming that can help all of us address the loneliness epidemic.

Girl Scouts Mental Wellness Programs for Girls:

• Resilient. Ready. Strong. Patch Program
• Have you heard about the awesome Resilient. Ready. Strong patch program designed for ALL grade levels? Launched in 2021, this program is all about boosting confidence and tackling challenges heads-on with easy and fun activities and help girls boost their resilience and learn skills to lift their moods when they need it.
• Mental Wellness Patch Program
• Picture this: A special program for Girl Scout Juniors through Ambassadors (grades 4–12), packed with practical tips for handling tricky emotions. We’re talking about helping girls identify and tackle their feelings while encouraging help-seeking behavior through the “Finding My Voice,” “Showing Up for Me and You,” and “Knowing My Emotions” patches.
• Making Friends
• Brownie troop leaders and caregivers, listen up! Our Making Friends badge program is your Brownies’ ticket to friendship success. From mastering introductions to showing the people in their lives they care and, of course, having a blast together, we’ve got Brownies covered!

Girl Scouts Mental Wellness Programs for Adults:

• Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA)
• Created for council staff, troop leaders, and volunteers, YMHFA delivers vital information to better support youth mental well-being and address common mental health and substance use challenges. Don’t miss out on this amazing resource!
• Mental Wellness 101
• Attention troop leaders and adult volunteers! This training program equips you with the knowledge and tools to promote mental wellness within the Girl Scout community. So important!

To learn more about our programs, this data, or to sign up for Girl Scouts, head to girlscouts.org. Join the conversation on social media. Tag us @girlscouts.

Girl Scout Cookies: Unboxing the Girl Powered Future

The sweetest time of year is here! Girl Scout Cookies® are more than delicious treats—they’re building blocks for Girl Scouts to create a more equitable future for themselves and the world. Did you know the proceeds from each purchase stay local and fund Girl Scouts’ ambitions? Whether it's embarking on cross-country trips or supporting local communities, there's no limit to Unboxing the Future.

We asked our community on social how they’ve used past cookie funds, and their answers showed the impactful power of the Girl Scout Cookie Program®! Let’s take a look at how REAL Girl Scout troops have used their cookie money!

Giving Back

Girl Scouts are always looking for ways to make a positive impact in their communities. Many troops use their cookie funds to give back and help others. From donating toys and food to animal shelters to providing household products and food to local families, and bringing holiday cheer to fellow kids, cookie packages are a powerful tool for helping those in need! Moreover, cookie proceeds play a role in supporting Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award projects, which inspiring Girl Scouts use to make a difference by identifying and addressing challenges in their communities.

Badges and Activities

Girl Scouts are the champions our communities crave! Beyond selling cookies and mastering incredible skills, they channel their profits into further learning and adventure. They're shaping the future as leaders, problem-solvers, innovators, and their authentic selves, embodying the spirit of courage, confidence, and character. With each badge earned and every community project undertaken, they're building a brighter tomorrow—one step—and one cookie—at a time. Over the years, cookies have fueled pottery projects, STEM experiments, and even overnight adventures at the zoo and the aquarium!

 

Trailblazing Adventures

Have cookies, will travel! Every year, Girl Scouts across the country turn their cookie money into unforgettable trips, where they forge strong friendships and create lasting memories. Some Girl Scouts have gone on adventures in nature by embarking on weekend camping trips or traveling all the way to Yosemite National Park. Talk about taking a hike! Other Girl Scouts have explored our Movement’s history in Savannah, Georgia. More into thrill-seeking? We’ve had troops take their money to sunny California and Florida to enjoy fun-filled theme parks, and some have even traveled abroad to Europe.

Troop 70643 took two years to save and plan a week-long trip abroad, visiting London and Paris! These Girl Scouts got to see things such as the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and the Eiffel Tower.

These journeys truly give Girl Scouts new perspectives of the world they contribute to!

Entrepreneurship Endeavors

From humble beginnings to remarkable success, the journey of Girl Scout alums Taylor and Sydney Davis traces its roots back to the invaluable lessons learned during their cookie-selling days. Crediting their start-up skills to those early entrepreneurial experiences, they have nurtured the growth of their size-inclusive boutique from the ground up. When you buy a box of Girl Scout Cookies, you are directly investing in the world’s largest girl-run business. Girl Scouts everywhere are developing valuable entrepreneurial talents, just like Taylor and Sydney.

Embrace the sweetness of empowerment this cookie season by supporting local troops. Head over to girlscoutcookies.org to discover your nearest cookie booth and play a part in helping Girl Scouts in your area 'Unbox the Future.' And remember! You can always text "Cookies" to 59618 to stay up to date on all things Girl Scout Cookie.

We can’t wait to see how Girl Scouts will unbox their future this year! Make sure to tag @GirlScouts and use #GirlScoutCookieSeason in all your amazing stories on social media.