Nothing makes me smile more than seeing a troop stay together through the years. In January 2012, I had my first guest post from Girl Scout troop 3763. In two different parts, they shared how they earned the Bronze Award.
Imagine my surprise when early this summer, their troop leader contacted me again to ask if I would share their Silver Award project on my blog.
I was thrilled not only to help, but to see that they were all still together.
Here is their write-up in the troop’s own words.
Troop 3763 Silver Award Project
To begin our Silver Award project, our troop worked through the Media Journey book, which we finished in the fall of the girls’ seventh grade year. During the journey, the girls saw how media portrays unrealistic and stereotypical ideas of beauty, and decided that for their Take Action project, they wanted to address that issue. They wanted to show other girls that even though the influence of media is powerful and widespread, every girl has the power to define her own beauty.
As a troop, we discussed several options of how to go about this Take Action project. One idea was to create our own magazine. Another idea was to set up a Girl Scout workshop on beauty. In the end, the girls decided to create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) video that would make a statement about the true meaning of beauty.
We started with intense research, pouring over dozens of magazines, articles, songs, and current events that represented media’s influence on perception of beauty. Then we broke up into smaller groups, and each group brainstormed over storyboard ideas for the video. Then the groups came back together and as a troop, we decided which scene ideas to use for the video and which order the scenes should follow. Finally, we got to work creating the video.
This project required lots of different jobs, like research, writing script, interviewing the public, documenting data, filming, lighting, creating and setting up props, and of course, creating and editing the video in iMovie. This diversity of tasks provided an opportunity for each girl’s individual talent and leadership ability to shine
Our PSA was finished in the spring of the girls’ eighth grade year, which means it took about one full school-year of meetings to create and complete the PSA. The girls of Troop 3763 learned a lot about beauty during the making of their video. I don’t think their perceptions of beauty will ever be the same. They also learned about teamwork, leadership, and all the little details involved in the making of a PSA.
The process of this project was as rewarding for the leaders as it was for the girls. For all Cadettes and future Cadettes out there who are thinking about going on a journey and doing a Take Action project for their Silver Award, I say go for it, and stick with it. You’ll be glad you did.
Hi Hannah! Thanks for the opportunity to share this project and video on you blog 🙂
Theresa, it was my absolute pleasure! I hope to see what your girls do in the future!
This Troop did not fulfill all the requirements for the Silver Award per their description. They never actually did a Silver Award Project. What they did was a Take Action Project which is required to complete a Journey. Only after a Cadette has completed a Journey, can she begin working on her Silver Award. (The same is true with the Bronze Award, which they did not do either!) Using the same project for two requirements is called double dipping and especially for a high award, it is not allowed. The Silver Award team is to be a team of 1-3 girls (not a whole Troop) and the project done can only count towards the Silver Award, not other badges or journeys. For more information, here is information from National: https://www.girlscouts.org/en/our-program/highest-awards/silver-award.html
https://www.girlscouts.org/en/our-program/highest-awards/bronze-award.html
It is because of Troops that do things like this, that Girl Scout’s Highest Awards do not get respect.
Thank you for your response, Allison. This blog post is over four years old and over the course of time, requirements do change. While my troop did not earn their Silver Award, they did earn the Bronze. All kinds of paperwork had to be submitted to Council before I could order Bronze Award pins from my local Girl Scout shop. I am sure the same was done for this troop. If their Council did not have an issue with this, I certainly do not.
And I totally disagree with your comment about “Troops that do things like this…”. Girl Scout Awards do not get the respect they deserve because older girls are overlooked and ignored by GSUSA. Instead of focusing on retention, the focus is on recruiting little girls and selling cookies. Support and programming for older girls is lacking. Why are people unaware of the Gold Award, but are fully aware of Eagle Scouts? Marketing and promotion. If the organization does not promote, who is supposed to do that? There are significantly fewer leaders at the older levels. There needs to be a branch of the GSUSA organization that is fully focused on Cadettes and upward.
Thank you Hannah!
I wanted to add that I was a Co-Leader and Mom of Troop 3765, and I can tell you that this is a great group of girls, each who worked hard on these projects, and each who are now entering college, and becoming amazing young women who care immensely about our planet and all of the people on it.
We filled out lots of paperwork and had to navigate lots of hoops (and yes, we did get special accommodation to use entire troop instead of 1-3 girls). Each of these projects was approved, with careful consideration. During each of these projects, the purpose and intent of the projects were fulfilled, and each troop member learned and grew from them.
And yes, Hannah is right, the rules are not static. I forget for which project, but I remember the rules changing right in the middle of the project.
I am proud of the girls of Troop 3763, and YES, they did earn bronze and silver medals.
Theresa, thank you for stopping by and commenting and clarifying. I am happy to hear that your girls are all now productive and caring young adults about to make a difference in the world.