Spring Bridging Ceremony Ideas We Can’t Stop Thinking About

For moms, dads, grads, and beyond, spring celebrations are starting to pop up everywhere this time of year, especially in the world of Girl Scouts. As the troop year ends and summer camp season is on the horizon, Girl Scouts of all ages look back on a great year of adventures and look forward to endless opportunities. For many troops, this means it’s time for a bridging ceremony!

Most popularly celebrated in the spring, bridging in the Girl Scout world is a fabulous reason to celebrate your Girl Scout troop’s achievements and look forward to the new adventures, discoveries, and, yes, badges that await at the next level. A bridging ceremony usually has an opening ceremony that includes reading the Girl Scout Promise and Law, a literal or figurative crossing of a bridge, and a friendship circle closing. But the experience is totally dependent on what is important to the bridging Girl Scouts.

Many troops choose to combine their bridging ceremonies with other exciting milestones like investiture (welcoming new Girl Scouts) or rededications (committing to another year of Girl Scouting at the same level) so everyone can celebrate together. It’s also a great time to recognize Girl Scouts who have earned one of the Highest Awards: the Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award.

No matter what you’re celebrating this spring, the Girl Scout Shop has what you need to mark the occasion. Leveling up? Check out bridging kits, including certificates and all the new patches, badges, and membership pieces you’ll need for your new uniform.

Speaking of that new uniform, did you know you can order that fresh vest or sash already customized for your Girl Scout? One less thing to worry about before the big day!

Don’t forget your number one celebration accessory...your Girl Scout membership! Renew or join today to take part in the festivities near you and get ready for your next year of adventure.

Bridging Celebration Ideas

No one throws a party like a Girl Scout troop! As with most things in the Girl Scout world, being girl-led is key, and we are 100 percent here for self-expression. Here are a few party tricks developed by troops and volunteers that live in our minds rent free.

Girl Scout Glow Up

Opting for a nighttime ceremony, Troop 723 from Girl Scouts of Caribe in Puerto Rico celebrated their bridging and rededication in neon style to reflect their bright future as they continue their Girl Scout journey.

Haunted House Bridging...Wait, WHAT?

Really putting the ‘fearless’ in fearless leaders, Troop 4357 from Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri visited one of the oldest haunted houses in the country to conduct their bridging ceremony on the spookiest bridge they could find.

Flying Onward and Upward

Leveling up with a touch of whimsy, this troop’s matching wings have our hearts totally fluttering.

Iconic (Literal) Bridging

Some troops think BIG when it comes to bridging by incorporating major landmarks into their celebration, like these NYC Girl Scouts crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. Many councils plan similar events this time of year; be sure to check out opportunities in your area.

Say It with Sweets

Fact: You don’t have to be a master baker to make a truly memorable bridging treat. Getting creative with candy, cakes, and (of course) brownies adds an especially sweet touch to your gathering.

Crossing the Ultimate Bridge: Becoming a Volunteer

For graduating Girl Scouts, the fun doesn’t have to stop! There are so many ways to stay involved. You can support your favorite camp in the summers, start a Campus Girl Scouts club at your college or level up to the navy blue vest and become a volunteer or troop leader!

 
Don’t forget, as a recent graduate, you can get a major discount on a Girl Scout lifetime membership so you can stay connected for life! (Pro tip for parents: it makes a great graduation gift!)

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.