Busy Brownies

Hiking during a camping trip.

I am a leader for a group of 18 Girl Scout Brownies (second and third grade), and I work very hard to plan and help them plan activities. Some things like outdoor and art activities are by their request. Sometimes I plan activities based on what I think they need, but they never knew it. This is why when I started to see some cliques forming, I planned some some fun cooperative games.

This year alone, my girls have been very busy.

They had a chance to earn 11 badges, one Journey and one award:

I have two girls who have earned the Summit Award, the highest award a Brownie can earn. To get this award, a girl has to complete three Journeys. Journeys usually take 10 hours or more to complete and include a Take Action Project, which is a step up from basic community service. For a girl to earn a Summit Award is a big deal because it takes so much time.

Helping at a Veteran's Day ceremony.

Some girls attended the Girl Scout Convention in Columbus, Ohio, where they got to connect with Girl Scouts from all over the country. We went to MedExpress as part of the First Aid Badge, Field & Stream as part of the Cabin Camper Badge and Apple Store to earn the Computer Expert Badge. We are using our cookie money for an overnight at the science center in the next month where they will earn two robotics badges. We had girls participate in a Veteran’s Day ceremony and a Christmas parade. We went camping and have another camping trip planned for June. I plan on taking the Citizen Scientist Journey out-of-doors at camp.

My daughter showing off her catch during one of our outdoor activities.

My Brownies have learned about Leave No Trace. They have learned how to identify trees. They know how to treat basic outdoor injuries. They learned what to do in case of a disaster and planned a meeting place in case of a fire at our meeting location. They learned knots. They know how to safely use a knife. Instead of just playing with computers, they learned how to create with computers. They will be learning how to build and program robots. They had fun with science. They learned how to be more independent in the kitchen, making small meals. Some girls washed dishes for the first time during our camping trip. They learned how small changes can affect the entire world and that Girl Scouts and Girl Guides are a worldwide sisterhood.

Notice I’ve only mentioned cookies once and only in regards to money for an activity. Girl Scouts are more than just cookies. We create strong women in a no-pressure environment. That is what our founder, Juliette Low, did. That is what we did when I was a girl in scouting in the 1980s and 1990s. That is what we do now. That is what we will continue to do.