|
 |
| Ceremonies |
| Flag Ceremonies |
| Bridging Ceremonies |
| Investiture & Rededication Ceremonies |
| Poems to Use in Ceremonies |
| Bronze, Silver & Gold Awards |
| Ceremonies - Scouting Web |
| |
|
A ceremony can be an observance of tradition with a symbolic meaning, an expression of deep feeling or conviction and a means of stressing beauty and instilling ideas. It should be simple and dignified, appropriate to the occasion and easily understood by the girls who take part in it. It should never be too sentimental or solemn.
A celebration is a time for sharing such things as sisterhood, fun, food, dances, songs, talents, etc. over a longer period of time than that given to a ceremony. An example would be an international celebration in observance of World Thinking Day. It could include customs, food, songs and dances from other countries. A ceremony can be part of a celebration.
Note: Many ceremonies and celebrations suggest the lighting of candles. For our younger Girl Scouts, lighting candles can be dangerous. Make paper candles.
Mount them on a poster. To "light" the candle, have the girls tape a paper flame in place. Flashlights work well, too. If older girls are going to be holding candles, be sure there are collars of foil or heavy paper around them to catch the wax drips. Hot wax burns. You can also use light sticks or flashlights.
lNVESTITURE - a ceremony to welcome new girls and adults into the Girl Scouting program. It is held anytime a person joins the Movement as a new member. Note: A person is invested only once in their lifetime.
REDEDICATION - a ceremony for girls and adults who have already been invested at some time in their life. It is a time for them to reaffirm their belief in the Promise and Law and to reflect upon the meaning of Girl Scouting in their lives. It is usually held at the beginning of each Girl Scout year.
Note: If a person rejoins the Movement after a period of absence, they are welcomed back at a rededication ceremony.
FOUNDER'S DAY (Juliette Low's Birthday) - a ceremony and/or celebration held on or about October 31st of each year. It is a program to recognize the important role that Juliette Gordon Low played in the development of the Girl Scouting program in the
U.S.
PATROL LEADER INSTALLATION - a ceremony at which time patrol leaders receive the double gold cords of their position. It is held each time new patrol leaders are selected.
TROOP BIRTHDAY PARTY - a ceremony and/or celebration recognizing the anniversary date of the beginning of the troop.
WORLD THINKING DAY - a ceremony and/or celebration held on or about February 22nd of each year. New members can receive the World Trefoil Pin and all Girl Scouts observe the international aspects of the Movement.
GIRL SCOUT'S BIRTHDAY - a ceremony and/or celebration to mark the beginning of Girl Scouting in the United States - March 12, 1912.
GIRL SCOUT SUNDAY/SABBATH/SHABBAT
- a ceremony held each year during Girl Scout Week…the week of March 12th. It is a time for Girl Scouts to reflect upon the importance of the words, "to serve God", in the Girl Scout Promise. Some religions observe Girl Scout Sunday on the Sunday beginning GS Week while other religions observe the Girl Scout Sabbath on the Saturday ending Girl Scout week. People of the Jewish faith call it Shabbat.
GIRL SCOUT WEEK - ceremonies and celebrations are held throughout the week of March 12th each year.
COURT OF AWARDS - a ceremony to recognize the achievements of the Girl Scouts. It is on this occasion that girls receive the insignia they have earned. This ceremony can be held any time during the Girl Scouting year. At the last Court of Awards of the year, members can receive their membership stars.
FLY-UP - a ceremony held at the end of the Girl Scouting year for Brownie Girl Scouts bridging into Junior Girl Scouts. It is at this time the girls receive their Brownie Girl Scout wings.
BRIDGING - a ceremony held for any Girl Scout moving up to a new level in the program. Daisy Girl Scouts to Brownie Girl Scouts, Brownie Girl Scouts to Junior Girl Scouts, and Junior Girl Scouts to Girls Scouts 11 – 17.
CAMPFIRE - a ceremony and/or celebration held around a fire. The meaning of a campfire lies in the spirit of the program. It can unlock the spirit of mystery, romance, sisterhood, humor, and magic within the heart of each participant.
ADULT RECOGNITION - an occasion at any time of the year when adults are recognized for their service to Girl Scouting.
GIRL SCOUT'S OWN - not a ceremony in the strict sense of the word but a time for Girl Scouts to reflect upon their feelings about Girl Scouting and the world around them. It is a solemn time given over to the girls themselves to create a moment of their very own. A Girl Scouts' Own can be held at any time and can take place at a troop meeting, an inter-troop gathering or camp.
OPENING - a ceremony to begin a meeting or event.
CLOSING - a ceremony to end a meeting or event.
FLAG - a ceremony to recognize our allegiance to our nation or discard a worn flag. A flag ceremony can be held as part of a celebration. It can also be used to open a troop meeting as well as on a separate occasion. |
| |
Supplies: 1. patrol cords
2. one candle for each patrol
3. one taller candle to represent the troop.
Arrange smaller candles around the larger one.
Preparations: The newly elected patrol leaders meet to prepare a list of the ways they can be good patrol leaders. They choose one patrol leader to represent them. The rest of the troop meets to list the ways they can improve as patrol members. They choose one girl to represent them.
Formation: Horseshoe, table in center holding candles and cords.
LEADER: A troop is only as strong as its weakest patrol.
GIRL CHOSEN TO REPRESENT TROOP:
We, the members of Troop # , can do our part at patrol and troop meetings by (She reads troop list, eg: being prepared for troop meetings, doing our patrol kapers as best we can, helping plan activities).
GIRL CHOSEN TO REPRESENT PATROL LEADERS:
We, the patrol leaders of Troop # ______,can do our part by ____________. (She reads list, e.g. helping newcomers get acquainted, bringing ideas for troop activities, improving communications in our patrol).
LEADER: Will the patrol leaders step forward, please. (Assistant patrol leaders pin on cords).
LEADER: The larger cord represents your duty to the troop. Light the larger candle to signify your service to the troop.
(Patrol Leader lights candle)
LEADER: The smaller cord represents your duty to your patrol. Light the smaller candles to signify your service to the patrols.
(Patrol Leader lights candles)
LEADER: (speaking to patrol leaders) May your duty to your troop and patrol shine as brightly as these candles.
TROOP MEMBER: As patrol leaders, you must try to keep your patrol well informed and share your patrol's ideas at troop meetings.
TROOP MEMBER: You must try to help make this the best troop possible by keeping your patrol strong and seeing to it that they do their share in planning and carrying out troop activities.
LEADER: We will close our ceremony by singing (choose a song).
|
|
Girl Scout Leaders’ Day is April 22.
ADULT CARRYING U.S. FLAG (advances): "I am the United States flag. I can hold my head high when I am with all Girl Scouts. I am proud of my daughters."
ADULT CARRYING WORLD ASSOCIATION FLAG (advances): "I am the World Association flag. I have watched over the Girl Scouts and Girl Guides throughout the world. I have seen them grow in friendship and sisterhood."
ADULT CARRYING THE GIRL SCOUT FLAG (advances): "I am the Girl Scout flag. I protect all Girl Scouts. As my blue, green, and white colors blow in the wind, all Girl Scouts across the country can take pride in me"
HONOR GUARD: Please stand. Girl Scouts, the Pledge of Allegiance (audience recites pledge)
HONOR GUARD: Color guard, post your colors, (post colors)
HONOR GUARD: Color guard dismissed. Please be seated.
SPEAKER #1: "I have something for the girls of Savannah and the nation, and we are starting tonight!' In these words, full of promise, Juliette Low called the first Girl Scout troop meeting in the United States of America. Today we assemble to renew the promise we make to girls and to ourselves. Let us join together to reaffirm our principles & beliefs as written in the Blue Book of Basic Documents."
SPEAKER #2 We, the members of Girl Scouts of the United States of America, united by a belief in God, hold that the Girl Scout Promise and Law is the cornerstone of our Movement, And inspired by the Founder of the Girl Scout Movement in the United States, Juliette Low, and by the aims of the Founder of the Scout Movement, Lord Baden-Powell, attest to the following:
SPEAKER # 3 Mission
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
SPEAKER #4 Spiritual Force
The motivating force in Girl Scouting is spiritual. The ways in which members identify and fulfill their spiritual beliefs are personal and private.
SPEAKER #5 Open Membership
The Girl Scout Movement is open to all girls and adults who accept the Girl Scout Promise and Law and meet membership requirements.
SPEAKER #6 Patriotism, Citizenship, and Community Service
Local, national, and global service and action are core elements of the Girl Scout experience.
SPEAKER #8 Diversity and Pluralism
Girl Scouts advance diversity and pluralism in our Movement and in the communities in which we live.
SPEAKER #9 Responsibility for the Movement and the Democratic Process
The ultimate responsibility for the Girl Scout Movement rests with its members. We govern by an efficient and effective democratic process that demonstrates our leadership in a fast-changing world.
SPEAKER #10 Girl/Adult Partnership
Adults partner with girls to guide and inspire growth and achievement. Volunteers are essential to the strength and capacity of our Movement.
SPEAKER #11 World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
We are active partners in a worldwide sisterhood through our affiliation with WAGGGS. We work with WAGGGS to address the needs of girls and to build a network of global citizens.
SPEAKER #2: Each Girl Scout adult here has committed herself to leadership--- with girls or for girls. As these adults come forward to make their special promise for all troop leaders, let us
respond together."
A DAISY GIRL SCOUT LEADER: "I promise to try to help each girl discover the joy and fun of being a Girl Scout."
AUDIENCE RESPONSE: "I will help Daisy Girl Scouts begin to see they have the ability to make good things happen in their lives and the world around them."
A BROWNIE GIRL SCOUT LEADER: "I promise to help each girl do her best."
AUDIENCE RESPONSE: “I will help Brownie Girl Scouts to discover the wonders and beauty of the world, to find true companionship in their troops, to know the joy of sharing with others."
A JUNIOR GIRL SCOUT LEADER: "I promise to try to help each girl find meaning for herself in her Girl Scout Promise."
AUDIENCE RESPONSE: "I will help Junior Girl Scouts learn the satisfactions of accepting responsibility to know and follow the truth that is within them, and to appreciate the differences in people.
A GIRL SCOUT 11-17 ADVISOR:
"I will help Girl Scouts 11 - 17 have the opportunity to know themselves, to stretch their knowledge and imagination and to envision their place in their communities.
AUDIENCE RESPONSE: "I will help Girl Scouts 11 – 17 to find and develop their own special abilities, to know that the world is their community, to face the future eagerly and confidently, with faith and love for all people."
SPEAKER #3: "As we return to our homes, we accept with humility our opportunity to work for the youth of our country. We stand firm in our conviction that through our attitudes, our actions, and our leadership, our communities will be stronger. We promise to give of ourselves, because we believe in Girl Scouting: we accept its ideals as our own."
SPEAKER #4: "The green candle stands for our Girl Scout program reminding us that we have a mission - to instill in our girls the practice of the Girl Scout Promise and Law. It
also means we are not to lose sight of these principles when emotions run high. If problems arise, we go back and review the purpose and ideals of Girl Scouting, for, above all, our thoughts and actions must be for the girls we are serving."
SPEAKER #5: "The red candle stands for fire, one of humanity's greatest blessing, but fire can also destroy. We can use fire for good or evil. We can be kind and considerate or we can hurt each other if our fires are uncontrolled.
SPEAKER #6: "The blue candle stands for faith and loyalty, our faith in each other and our loyalty to our beliefs - our love of God, home, and country.
SPEAKER #7: "The white candle stands for honesty towards ourselves and others in thought, word, and deed."
SPEAKER #8: "The yellow candle stands for sunshine, the sun that warms us all. Just as the sun warms us, may we in turn spread warmth and friendship to those we meet. Let's make Girl Scouting fun for our girls but at the same time not lose sight of the Promise and Law."
SPEAKER #9: Let us stand and join together to repeat the Girl Scout Promise:
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
SPEAKER #10: I will do my best to be
SPEAKER #11: honest and fair,
SPEAKER #12: friendly and helpful,
SPEAKER #13: considerate and caring,
SPEAKER #14: courageous and strong, and
SPEAKER #15: responsible for what I say and do,
SPEAKER #11: and to
respect myself and others,
SPEAKER #17: respect authority,
SPEAKER #18: use resources wisely,
SPEAKER #19: make the world a better place, and
SPEAKER #20: be a sister to every Girl Scout.
SPEAKER #12: Please be seated. |
|
Salt is essential to life; without it we would die. But salt also changes things. Food can be flat, tasteless and boring, but with a little salt it becomes good. Salt sort of hides in the pot, changes everything and brings food to life. Now, the salt doesn’t become the food, in fact we usually forget it’s there. It more or less hides in the pot, changes everything and pushes out the flavor.
And that’s why salt is about you. Our organization depends on volunteers to do things for others, because they want to. You help these volunteers want to do that
- by providing encouragement
- by providing help and support
- by helping them feel appreciated and self-confident
In your area, you’re like a pinch of salt, someone who hides in the pot and pushes out the flavor of our organization. You help people discover its potential . . . help them want to be part of it. If you try to attract excessive attention to yourself by being the whole show, the taste will be bitter and people will push away. Nobody likes to eat pure salt. But if you can be just a pinch, the taste will be good, people will sense their potential and you will succeed.
Author Unknown
|
|
|
|
|
|
