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Becoming a Troop Leader

New Leader Express Training Guide

7/17

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8383 Blue Parkway Drive Kansas City, MO 64133(800) 728-8750gsksmo.org

Building girls of courage,confidence, and character,who make the worlda better place.

Did you know? Girl Scouts is a not for profit 501 c 3 organization and receives important tax deductible donations from individuals, foundations, corporations, United Way and Combined Federal Campaigns?

Financial support from our volunteers and others who care about girls is very important. One easy way to give is through our monthly giving club, Daisy’s Circle, that helps to support the mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

Check it out at www.daisyscircle.org.

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Standards of Conduct for Volunteers

By accepting a volunteer position, you have a responsibility to Girl Scouts and to your fellow volunteers and girls to adhere to certain rules of behavior and conduct. The purpose of these standards is not to restrict your rights, but rather to be certain that you understand what conduct is expected and necessary. When each person is aware that he or she can fully depend upon fellow volunteers to follow the rules of conduct, then our organization will be a better place to volunteer for everyone.

Code of Conduct

• Respect the mission of Girl Scouts of NE Kansas & NW Missouri.

• Manage conflicts or difficulties in an appropriate manner. Contact your new leader consultant or service unit manager to voice your concern and receive support.

• Respect your meeting site and the properties of the council.

• Honor confidentiality of volunteers and girls. • Be willing to take part in orientation and training sessions

to enhance your leadership skills. • Demonstrate respect for the guidance, direction and

decisions staff and/or their designated appointee provided to support your role as a volunteer.

• Treat staff, volunteers, girls and members fairly and without discrimination.

• Dress appropriately for your volunteer position and/or activity girls will be taking part in. Hats and t-shirts with political views or harmful logos are not permitted during Girl Scout meetings and functions.

Grounds for Dismissal/Immediate Dismissal

• Willful violation of security or safety rules; negligence or any careless action, which endangers the life or safety of a girl or another adult.

• Being intoxicated or under the influence of controlled substance drugs while volunteering; use or possession or sale of controlled substance drugs in any quantity while on Girl Scout premises and/or while conducting volunteer activities except medications prescribed by a physician which do not impair volunteer performance.

• Unauthorized possession of firearms, weapons or explosives on Girl Scout property or while conducting volunteer activities.

• Engaging in criminal conduct or acts of violence, or making threats of violence toward anyone, fighting or provoking a fight or negligent damage of property when representing Girl Scouts.

• Insubordination or failing to obey instructions properly issued by your volunteer manager or staff advisor.

• Theft of agency property or the property of fellow volunteers and/or girls; unauthorized possession or removal of any agency property, including money and

documents from the premises without prior permission from management; unauthorized use of agency equipment or property for personal reasons; using agency equipment for personal gain.

• Dishonesty; willful falsification or misrepresentation on your application for volunteering or other volunteer records; alteration of agency records or other agency documents.

• Breach of confidentiality of personal or health information.

• Inappropriate conduct in a Girl Scout setting. • Inappropriate behavior toward girls as defined by abuse

or harassment policies or other organizational guidelines.

Immediate Dismissal or Dismissal at the End of the Appointment Period

• Refusal to participate in conflict resolution procedures with GSKSMO staff and another volunteer or parent.

• Refusal to abide by any restrictions placed on you by GSKSMO staff. (i.e., cannot drive girls; cannot be a signer on a bank account; cannot act in a volunteer capacity, etc.)

• Providing an unsatisfactory experience for the girl members of your troop.

• Continual refusal to communicate with GSKSMO membership staff assigned to your area.

• Failure to ask permission for additional money-earning events.

• Allowing an environment of bullying and exclusion at your troop meetings.

• Poor representation of GSKSMO at Girl Scout and community events.

• Not demonstrating the core values of the Girl Scout mission. This may include but is not limited to: speaking poorly of girls, parents, volunteers and council staff; posting negative comments on Facebook or other social media websites about girls, parents, volunteers and council staff; embarrassing girls, parents or other volunteers at events, activities, and camp; aggressive/antagonistic behavior toward GSKSMO program partners; frequent complaining of Girl Scout rules and regulations, and ignoring policies and procedures contained in Volunteer Essentials.

• Every volunteer is entitled to the ongoing support of a supervisor and regular, periodic evaluations of her or his performance based on the requirements of the written position description, including goals and objectives, expectations and time commitments. An annual reappointment must occur for a volunteer to continue in a position.

• Volunteer positions with GSKSMO are 12 month appointed positions. GSKSMO reserves the right to dismiss or refuse appointment of any volunteer.

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Let’s Take the Lead Like a Girl ScoutWhile some people still think of us as just cookies, campfires, and friendship bracelets, Girl Scouts are so much more. Girl Scouts are big thinkers, groundbreakers, and role models. When she’s a Girl Scout, she’s also a G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™. Thank you for being a G.I.R.L. too! You are an extraordinary role model as you help girls practice their leadership skills.

Go-getterShe’s bold, honest, and determined to succeed. In her mind failure is no reason not to get back up and try again, and again, and again. That explains why half of all U.S. businesswomen were Girl Scouts.

InnovatorThinking outside the box is her specialty, so she’s always looking for a creative way to take action. A clear correlation: 75 percent of current female senators were Girl Scouts.

Risk-takerCourageous and strong, she’s keen to try new things and embrace the unfamiliar. It’s no wonder that nearly all of the 40 women who have flown in space were Girl Scouts.

LeaderShe’s confident, responsible, and committed to changing the world. Here’s proof: Every year, Girl Scouts across our council collectively spend more than 690,000 hours per year improving their communities.

These traits define girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. This is the Girl Scout DNA. Learn more at girlscouts.org/likeagirlscout.

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Leading girls takes a unique set of qualities. You need to have a lot of energy, a lot of empathy and be able to relate to girls while maintaining their respect.

*FunGirls can be a tough crowd. To really be engaged, they need to be having fun; they do not force themselves to pay attention like adults do. So, to lead girls you need to be a fun person. Everyone’s definition of fun is different, but the key aspect is being yourself. If you’re not very interested in Journeys and Badges, they will take on the same behavior.

*EnergeticA leader also needs to be energetic girls naturally gravitate toward their leader and take on her/his emotions. So, if you are not prepared, non-smiling, yawning or sighing to punctuate every sentence girls will do the same. They’ll figure that if you won’t put energy into the task at hand then they don’t need to either. The converse is equally true -- if you are excited and energized they will take on your traits.

*Firm and FairWhile you can interact with girls and be their friend to some extent there must be a balance between friendship and a clear understanding you’re in charge. This means with girls you set clear, realistic boundaries and always enforce them. This will help you management your troop meetings more effectively.

*IntentionalWhen you lead girls you’re not really just hanging out with them. Rather, your actions need to have a clear intent – you must implement activities that are girl-led, even if that purpose includes, learning a Girl Scout song or playing a game. Girls will take ownership in their troop meetings and begin to suggest ideas that are fun to them, while you maintain structure. Girls need some structure to maintain order in their troop meetings. However if you don’t implement the processes, girl-led, learn by going, and cooperative learning, into your troop meetings girls will become bored and possibly act out or leave.

*See yourself as a coach…Not as a teacher with a canned lesson or activity or as someone who has to perform for the girls each week. As a troop leader your responsibility is to guide the girls through their Girl Scout experience. You should advise them and offer them the opportunity to discuss the goals and activities of the troop. You should allow the girls the opportunity to carry our responsibilities within the troop.

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Fast Track to Feeling ReadyInspire a Girl….Going for the GoldAsk a woman to reminisce about the biggest influencers (outside of her family) in her childhood; a favorite teacher, an enthusiastic coach or their Girl Scout leader. Many of us carry lasting memories of Girl Scouting. We remember a bridging ceremony or a patch-filled sash. We remember fellowship with other girls, exploring new worlds, a certain confidence growing every day.

These are the kind of memories you will create in your troop members. Becoming a Girl Scout troop leader is an awesome responsibility that’s filled with possibility. Thank you for your commitment. It means so much to the Girl Scouts, an organization sustained by its volunteers. And it means so much to these girls.

We know you’re eager to get started. We’re here to start you on that path feeling prepared and ready!

The Girl Scout MissionGirl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. As a leader, you’ll instill values and skills that will serve these girls well throughout their lives—qualities such as leadership, confidence, curiosity, determination and social confidence.

Girl Scouts from around the United States say the Girl Scout Promise and Law, which represent the Girl Scout code of ethics. One of your first tasks as a leader might be to commit the Promise to memory. Trust us, you’ll be saying it a lot over the next year!

The Girl Scout PromiseOn my honor, I will tryTo serve God, and my countryTo help people at all times,And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

The traditions of Girl Scouts are fascinating to a new member, and are used at every troop meeting. After all, who doesn’t love a special handshake? Learn about these Girl Scout traditions:

• The Girl Scout Sign • The Girl Scout Handshake • The Girl Scout Quiet Sign (sometimes works at home too!) • Friendship Circle

The Girl Scout LawI will do my best to behonest and fair,friendly and helpful,considerate and caring,courageous and strong, andresponsible for what I say and do,and torespect myself and others,respect authority,use resources wisely,make the world a better place, andbe a sister to every Girl Scout.

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New Leader Checklist

New Leader Express: Fast Track to Feeling Ready

Become a Girl Scout Leader in 10 Steps

Step 1: Sign Up to be a troop leader (Thanks!!)

Step 2: Schedule New Leader Express Training (We’re so glad you’re here!)

Step 3: Get Your Troop Started

Step 4: Receive troop number and confirmation email

Step 5: Host first troop meeting-include both girls and parents/caregivers

Step 6: Connect with your service unit and troop support staff member

Step 7: Set up your troop bank account

Step 8: Check out the Volunteer Toolkit

Step 9: Get to know your resources

Step 10: Connect with GSKSMO

Welcome! You’re about to make a huge difference in the lives of girls.Your first step? Pat yourself on the back. Becoming a GS troop leader is a special commitment. Your efforts will help build girls of courage, confidence and character. Our thanks for everything you do!

Your First 30 Days

We’re here to help you feel confident and ready to lead your troop. But first, we’ll tackle the basics—administration, steps to ensure the safety of all our members and some important orientation sessions.

Step 1: Sign up to be a troop leader.

• Go to www.gsksmo.org/volunteer (our main volunteer page).

• Go to the middle of the page and click the green “Volunteer Today” button.

• You will then complete a form including your first name, last name, email, phone and zip.

• Be sure that “I want to join as a volunteer” is highlighted.

• You’ll be taken to a page where you can search for your troop. Since your troop may be forming, there may not be a troop number. Enter the name of the school or the name your recruiter provides you. This will open opportunities that you can select. All positions are in alpha order. To find the troop leader position scroll past troop helper.

• If your school or troop does not come up in the search, don’t worry. Just select “Unsure” and be sure to add a note in the pop-up box with the school and grade level you wish to volunteer. Our staff will catch this and connect back to set you up correctly.

• Following these steps, you will be able to continue to finishing your adult membership and completing the background check.

Step 2: Get the full picture at your New Leader Express Training. In two hours, you’ll learn more about beinga Girl Scout leader then you ever could have imagined. We’ll give you pragmatic, useful information about howto run meetings, guide your troop and find the resources you need. When your application and backgroundcheck are complete, we’ll send you an email with a link to register for training. You won’t want to miss it!

Steps 3 & 4: Receive your troop number and get troop started. It’s time to market your troop and help girls get registered. Membership in the national Girl Scout organization is a requirement with benefits! Basic insurance coverage and membership in the world’s largest leadership development organization for girls is $25 per year (just $2 per month). Membership assistance is available through our Opportunity Fund; an application is required. As a troop leader, you can register girls or ask parents/caregivers to do it. After they’ve registered, girls will appear on your Volunteer Toolkit roster. You will be able to check their membership status and track participation in the troop. (continued on next page)

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Your Next 30 DaysYou’ve hit the ground rolling. After one more preparation detail (opening a bank account), it’s time for the fun stuff: planning your year with your girls.

Step 6: Connect with your local service unit and troop support staff.

A service unit is comprised of many troops in a specified area and meets on a monthly basis. These meetings build a community of support, promote activities, and provide a time to share and learn. Each troop should have a representative at these meetings.

Step 7: Set up your troop bank account.

GSKSMO has partnered with Bank of America to make this task ridiculously convenient for you. You don’t even have to leave your house! Just fill out a few forms, email them our way and your new account banking ATM and Visadebit card will be mailed to you. Find the forms and more information at gsksmo.org/banking. (Not in the Bank of America service area? You can also use this link to find out how to secure a local bank account.)

Step 8: Check out the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) and start planning your year.

Access the toolkit by clicking the “MY GS” link at the top right of www.gsksmo.org. VTK is our national comprehensive, online digital tool accessible on your computer, smartphone or tablet. You’ll be able to manage your troop contacts, track awards communicate with caregivers/parents, troop activities, customize activities, find additional resources, add meeting aids to specific meetings in your year plan, including sharing financial information with caregivers/parents and the council.

Step 9: Get to know your resources:

• Find important forms and other helpful tips in Troop Leader Central at www.gsksmo.org/troopleader

• New Leader Express 2.0 (www.gsksmo.org/training)

• Community Partners (www.gsksmo.org/community)

• Pinterest (pinterest.com/gprograms)

• Outdoor Experiences (www.gsksmo.org/outdoors)

• STEM Programs (www.gsksmo.org/STEM)

Step 10: Connect with GSKSMO.

Have questions? ? If you don’t right now, you probably will at sometime within the next few months. We can answer them. The Girl Scout network is robust and far-reaching. Bounce some ideas off your service unit peer. Browse the Pinterest page for inspiration or subscribe to our blog. Most importantly, connect with us on Facebook and sign up for the S’More, our e-newsletter sent every other week.

• Visit the shop (in person or online at gsksmo.org/shop)

• Follow our council on social media

Facebook.com/gsksmo

Instagram.com/gsksmo

Twitter.com/gsksmo

Pinterest.com/gprograms

• Read our blog! www.gsksmoblog.org

Step 5: Host first troop meeting and include parents/caregivers. It takes a village, right?These adults are your support team. Schedule a meeting kid-free or where girls can get started and at the same time you can spend time with these adults to review plans for the year, how they can help and how you will communicate with them. Find all the parent/caregiver meeting support materials at www.gsksmo.org/troopleader.

Your First 30 Days (continued)

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A Safe EnvironmentYou’re probably anxious to jump right in and start meeting with your troop. After all, you have a gaggle of girls to manage and inspire—and keep safe and secure. To help ensure that last part, the Girl Scouts sets forth some administrative tasks and guidelines. It’s not the most exciting part of Girl Scouts, we admit, but it’s necessary. These activities are in service of protecting the girls (and you) in any situation.

Safety PlanThe health and safety of girls is our most vital priority. Every adult in Girl Scouting is responsible for the physical and emotional safety of girls. We take that responsibility very seriously, which is why you’ll see several guidelines within this area. The bullets below represent a selection of safety procedures. We encourage you to read Chapter Four in Volunteer Essentials in detail for more information.

Emergencies: Be prepared for emergencies related to weather, fire, lost girls and accidents. Keep a first-aid kid and parent contact information handy.

Keep girls safe: Report abuse of any kind immediately to Girl Scout Headquarters 800 number or our 24 hour emergency hotline (816) 759-3040. Create a safe space for all girls, emotionally and physically. Bullying and discrimination are not tolerated in any form.

Emergency Response: GSKSMO has a 24-hour emergency answering service if a serious emergency or accident occurs. The direct number is (816) 759-3040. A card with emergency steps is included in your troop packet each year. (If you didn’t get one, ask your service unit or give us a call.) You can also activate the emergency service by calling GSKSMO headquarters and following the prompts after hours.

Volunteer Essentials: This document is overview of the Girl Scout program and requirements for troops. It can be found at www.gksmo.org/essentials. It is meant to serve as a reference for you regarding the Girl Scout program and procedures. Topically highlights include:• Quick Start – Basic safety including girl/adult ratios• Chapter 1 - Understanding your roles

as a Girl Scout volunteer• Chapter 2 – The Girl Scout program• Chapter 3 – Girl development and engaging girls• Chapter 4 – Safety overview• Chapter 5 – Troop finances, banking and money earning• Appendix: General Volunteer Policies – Code

of conduct and other volunteer policies• Appendix: For Troop Volunteers – sample troop

year and forming a troop committee• Appendix: For Travel Volunteers – planning

field trips and troop travel

Volunteers/Girl and Adult Rations: Your group must have at least two unrelated adult volunteers present at all times, plus additional volunteers as necessary. (See ratios for adults to girls in the “Quick

Parent/Caregiver MeetingManaging a Girl Scout troop can be a big job, so it’s a great opportunity to call your village. Schedule a mandatory parent/caregiver meeting to set expectations and identify how parents/caregivers will provide support a treasurer, cookie coordinator and other volunteer opportunities.

HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit gsksmo.org/troopleader for Parent meeting resources, forms and other important support materials.

• Online registration or paper forms to download at gsksmo.org/join.

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Start” chapter of Volunteer Essentials at gsksmo.org/essentials.) Every volunteer working directly with girls must purchase a membership and get a free background check through the Girl Scouts.One lead volunteer in every group must be female.

Meeting Locations: Meetings should not be held in private homes. Schools, churches and community centers are good options.

Parent Permissions: For activities that take place outside your normal meeting place and time, request a permission form for each parent or guardian. (Find a fillable PDF Parent Permission form at gsksmo.org/forms.)

Transportation: Every driver must be an approved adult volunteer (who has completed membership registration/background check) with a good driving record, valid license and registered/insured vehicle. Seatbelts are a must, as are booster seats when state laws require.

Health Forms: Before you engage in any activity involving risk, collect a copy of each girl’s Health History/Emergency Medical Authorization Form found at gsksmo.org/forms.

Safety Activity Checkpoints: Going swimming or thinking about a hayride? Safety Activity Checkpoints at gsksmo.org/besafe explain how to keep your troop safe in almost any activity. Be sure to read up before you take your girls on an adventure outside of your regular troop meeting.

Activity Insurance: All our registered GS members are covered with activity insurance. Non-registered parents/caregivers are not covered, and must have supplemental insurance each time they attend GS activities. Troops handle the insurance requirement in different ways:

• Purchasing insurance per volunteer for each event (11 cents per person per day)

• Purchasing a pack of supplemental insurance to cover regularly scheduled meetings for the year (11 cents per person per day)

• Requiring all volunteers to join Girl Scouts ($25 per member)

Council Approval: Troops must have approval to: go camping or hold overnights not on GS property, take a trip outside council boundaries, discuss sensitive issues or participate in high adventure activities. Review the Activity and Trip Planning

Guide at gsksmo.org/trooptravel, then complete an activity approval application and our staff will help make sure you have all of the details covered.

Money Earning: The best way Brownie through Ambassador Girl Scouts can earn money for troop activities and build girls’ financial skills is the Girl Scout Cookie Program and Candy, Nut and Magazine Program. Money earning beyond these programs requires an application and approval. Note: Daisy Girl Scouts earn money through the Cookie Program and Candy, Nut and Magazine Program.

Safety-Wise—Chapter 4 of Volunteer Essentials at gsksmo.org/essentials

Safety Activity Checkpoints at gsksmo.org/besafe

Activity and Trip Planning Guide at gsksmo.org/trooptravel

Forms used by troops at gsksmo.org/forms

Learn more about ensuring the safety and security of your troop:

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Behavior ModelingBehavior modeling is a fancy term for encouraging good behavior and discouraging bad behavior. Most of our new troop leaders have children, so this is nothing new for you! Girl Scouts offers wonderful general resources for behavior management, including some advice on how to handle your own kid as a troop member.

During the year, you may find yourself wondering how to best meet the needs of individual girls in your troop. You may have a troop member with ADHD or an autism spectrum disorder. Maybe you’ll interact with a parent/caregiver who is deaf. Your local service unit is your first resource for finding support and best practices, and additional support is always available by contacting GS Headquarters and asking to speak with your membership manager.

Sometimes, what’s happening at school (like bullying or relationship difficulties) will have an impact on the girls in your troop. Building an emotionally safe GS troop is important. We have resources at every age level to help you show girls what supportive peer relationships and friendship looks and feels like.

At some point in your GS experience, you may suspect that a girl in your troop is experiencing child abuse. Our staff is here to assist you and additional information is available in Volunteer Essentials. If you ever suspect or witness child abuse, contact GS Headquarters immediately and we’ll walk you through what to do.

Be a Friend First (national program resources about bullying) found at girlscouts.org/bff

Chapter 3 in Volunteer Essentials at gsksmo.org/essentials

GSKSMO Pinterest Page: Bullying pinterest.com/gprograms/bullying

Learn more about behavior modeling:

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Building Leadership

If you’ve scanned the news, you’ve probably heard the terms “lean in” or “ban bossy.” Whatever terminology you use, the message is clear—building leadership skills in girls is vital. It’s an essential part of the Girl Scout mission. You’ll show your girls what leadership looks like through your own example. You can also teach leadership skills through the Girl Scout program processes.

Girl Scout Keys to Leadership• Discover: Helping girls develop a strong sense of help, positive

values and critical thinking skills, then encouraging them to use their knowledge and skills in the world.

• Connect: Encouraging girls to care about and collaborate with others, learn to resolve conflicts and connect to their local and global communities.

• Take Action: Spurring girls to act to make the world a better place, problem-solving and advocating for themselves and others.

Girl Scout Processes• Girl Led: Teaching girls that they can do anything by empowering

them with the power to plan, manage and implement meetings and other activities.

• Learning by Doing: Encouraging experiential learning by letting them independently engage in an activity, reflect upon it and draw their own conclusions.

• Cooperative Learning: Challenging girls to work in pairs and small groups, developing their cooperative and problem-solving skills.

The Girl Scout Leadership Experience (video): girlscouts.org/gsle

Volunteer Essentials: Chapter 2 at gsksmo.org/essentials

Learn more about building leadership skills:

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Planning Activities/Earning Petals and BadgesFirst things first—let’s eliminate the word MUST from this conversation. There is no perfect solution to building an activity calendar. As a leader, you have your own strengths and preferences. Your girls have their own ideas about what activities they’d like to pursue.

Your troop may choose to focus on fellowship, community service, camping or STEM education. You may choose a Journey and follow it to the letter, or you may pick and choose elements to serve your specific needs. You may strive to earn every petal, badge and pin. Great! You may get most of the way to earning all your petals, but not quite. Awesome!

Are you serving the Girl Scout mission? Are you striving to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who will make the world a better place? Are you doing so within the safety guidelines? Perfect. We’re usually hard enough on ourselves as it is; we certainly don’t need another reason to feel like we’re not doing enough! Your best effort is enough for us, and it’s enough for your girls.

That said, the Girl Scouts offers a mountain of resources for activity planning. The hard part is narrowing down your goals! We’ll outline your options and show you where to find them.

The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting: This binder is stuffed full of information about how to be a Girl Scout. Through various engaging activities, girls can earn petals or badges to build skills and gain confidence. They can even design and execute activities to make their own badge. The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting complements the Leadership Journeys. Every girl in your troop deserves to have her own book. Some financial assistance is available for girls who cannot afford books, uniforms, etc. … just contact your membership manager.

Leadership Journeys: Journeys are grouped along a theme: It’s Your World—Change It, It’s Your Planet—Love It, It’s Your Story—Tell It and STEM. Girls follow the Journey by using the leadership keys of Discover, Connect and Take Action to make the world a better place. Girls earn badges unique to completing the Journey activities.

Each Journey comes with a girl book and an adult facilitator guide. The facilitator guide provides sample sessions to assist you in planning your meetings. Please note that these are just sample session and you are encouraged to customize the experience for your troop. This could include adding badges, changing/adding/skipping an activity, changing the timeline and more.

Many resources have been developed to help you with the Journeys. Visit the Journey specific resource page to find a 2-page summary, link to a Pinterest board with ideas you can add to your Journey experience and ideas for field trips. We also have many community partners that offer programs to enhance your Journey experience. New this year we will be offering a Journey training if you would like more assistance.

(more activity planning info on next page)

Peruse the GSKSMO Interactive Calendar at gsksmo.org

gsksmo.org/program

gsksmo.org/camp

gsksmo.org/stem

gsksmo.org/community A list of community partners who offer Girl Scouts activities

pinterest.com/gprograms

Learn more about planning activities and earning petals/badges:

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STEM: Science, Math, Engineering and Technology program are an important aspect of our Girl Scout program. Our world would not advance if it wasn’t for STEM. Industries and universities are very vocal about the need for more STEM graduates. If girls can learn STEM through Girl Scouts, they will have more opportunities to see the myriad of career options with a STEM education.Troops are encouraged to add STEM activities to their troop meetings or visit a STEM community partner. Visit the STEM page of our website to learn more.

Community Partners: Our website is full of community partners. These businesses and organization have worked with our staff to create program opportunities for girls. Some are connected to Journeys or badges while others are great opportunities for girls. Some are even discounts to events for girls and their families. Each partner has their own page with information on price and how to register. Take note that we are constantly adding more partners. Continue to visit these pages to learn more. Camping and Outdoor: We want girls to experience the outdoors. That could be taking girls to a local park, visiting one of our local camps or going to a Service Unit Day Camp. Through our adventure program, we offer horseback riding, archery, team building, zipline, and rappelling. Visit our website for available dates and to reserve a camp property. Please note if you are camping, an adult in the troop is required to complete Camping 101 and 102.

Other Resources: The GSKSMO website (gsksmo.org), blog (blog.girlscouts.org) and Pinterest page (pinterest.com/gprograms) offer many resources for activity planning, from programs offered by community partners to STEM opportunities across the metro area. The activities calendar on our website (gsksmo.org/calendar)shows the dates of most STEM programs, community partners, trainings and adventure programs. GSKSMO (facebook.com/gsksmo) and most service units maintain Facebook pages where leaders can share advice and ideas.

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Planning Meetings with the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK)The democratic process and five to 10 year olds doesn’t necessarily sound compatible. But meetings are an opportunity to introduce troop government, encourage your girls to build their confidence, communication skills and decision-making ability. Girl-led rules the day. Utilizing the Girl Scout Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) will certainly make it easier, faster and fun as you watch girls build their leadership development.

To log in to the VTK, click the “MY GS” tab found in the top navigation bar of www.gsksmo.org

Volunteer Essentials: Chapter 1 at gsksmo.org/essentials

Find meeting plans to get you started at gsksmo.org/troopleader

Learn more about planning your first (and subsequent) meetings:

Typical Troop Meeting Components

Pre-Meeting Activity: Something to keep girls’ hands busy while they wait for their peers to arrive.

Opening Ceremony: The Girl Scout Promise, the Pledge of Allegiance, a group song from Frozen…whatever works for your troop.

Daisy Circle, Brownie Ring or Junior Town Meeting: Attendance, brainstorming, any necessary decision making. (All girl led, ideally.)

Sharing: Consider this (voluntary) open mic time for the girls. When girls feel they are heard, their confidence grows.

Snack: Not strictly necessary and, depending on your locale and schedule, may be improbable. But it’s a nice element, especially for girls with small tummies.

Activity: This is the real meat of the meeting, so to speak. It could be a craft, field trip, community service or an outdoor activity. It could also be an activity from one of the Journey books. Often, these activities help the girls work towards a Daisy Petal or a badge.

Clean-Up: Girl Scouts always leave a location cleaner than they found it.

Closing Ceremony: The official signal that the meeting is over; the Friendship Circle and a short Girl Scouts song are crowd pleasers.

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FinancesIf a girl hasn’t started receiving allowance at home, Girl Scouts may be her first exposure to earning and managing money. With your (considerable) guidance, your troop members can begin to set financial goals, manage a budget, spend responsibly and develop math and entrepreneurial skills. Your troop members can even earn badges for financial literacy.

But before that learning can begin, your troop needs a checking account. Happily, it’s easier to open one without needing to set foot in a bank. GSKSMO has partnered with Bank of America to make this task as convenient as possible. Just go on the council website, fill out a few forms, and click ‘submit’. Your new council bank account will be established , your Visa debit card and ATM deposit cards will be mailed to you. Find the forms and more information at gsksmo.org/banking.

If your troop is not in the Bank of America service area, you will utilize your local banking institution of your choice. The necessary paperwork can be obtained in your New Leader Packet or your council staff representative. You’ll find the information about how to set up a local bank account at the same link.

Your Girl Scout troop can be funded through additional troop dues (the $25 registration fee supports the national organization); parent support and, most importantly, our two council sponsored programs— the GS Cookie Program and the GS Candy, Nuts and Magazine Program. If your Brownie or above level troop needs to earn money beyond these opportunities (a longer trip, for instance) you can submit an application for approval to conduct additional money earning activities. We’ll make sure your idea is okay by tax and liability standards, and work with you to provide information you need as you plan the activity with your girls.

There’s more to share in this area, of course, but you’re just getting started. Getting your troop bank account open is a great start.

Girl Scouts is a tax exempt organization. Troop leaders are able to request a tax exempt letter for Missouri and Kansas from their council staff member that can be used when making purchases for your troop. Please note that there might be a few taxes you still have to pay.

gsksmo.org/banking

gsksmo.org/moneyearning

Volunteer Essentials: Chapter 5 at gsksmo.org/essentials

Learn more about troop finances:

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Uniforms

Uniforms

Our Girl Scout shop is a great place to purchase uniforms, books, t-shirts and other fun Girl Scout stuff. Visit in person at our Kansas City office or shop online at gsksmo.org/shop.

For more information regarding uniforms, including sash insignia placement for all age levels, visit gksmo.org/troopleader and select “Uniforms” in the “Other Resources” section.

DAISIES

BROWNIES

JUNIORS

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Girl Scout Jargon Alert & TraditionsWe use a lot of funny terms in Girl Scouting. Here are some definitions:

Juliette Gordon Low (nickname: Daisy):Founder of the Girl Scout movement in the US in 1912. Born October 31, 1860 in Savannah, GA

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA):The corporation chartered by the US Congress to direct and coordinate the Girl Scout movement

Girl Scout Promise and Law:Principles of conduct to which Girl Scouts subscribe

Girl Scout Week and Birthday:Celebrated each year during the week of March 12th, the Girl Scout birthday. March 12 marks the anniversary of the first troop meeting of Girl Scouts in the US in Savannah, GA in 1912. The Sunday of that week is Girl Scout Sunday.

Troop Government:Daisy Girl Scout Circle, Brownie Ring or Junior Patrol System: a form of troop government that encourages girls to share ideas, plan activities, listen to one another and helps make troop decisions

Girl Scout Sign:The official Girl Scout greeting. It is always used when the promise is made or repeated. The right hand is raised shoulder high, palm forward, with the three middle fingers extended and the thumb holding down the little finger

Quiet Sign:Raising the right hand over the head is a traditional means of obtaining silence at Girl Scout meetings. As other see a raised hand, they raise theirs and become quiet.

Girl Scout handshake:A handshake made with the left hands while making the Girl Scout sign with the right hand

Friendship Circle:A symbolic gesture often used as a closing ceremony, in which girls from a circle by clasping each other’s hands right over left and passing a gentle squeeze around the circle.

Insignia:Emblem, buttons, badges, pins and other official forms of recognition that may be worn on the uniform by registered members of the Girl Scout movement

World Thinking Day:February 22, the birthday of both Lord and Lady Baden-Powell the founders of the Scouting movement, celebrated as the day in which Girl Guides and Girl Scouts all over the world think of each other and exchange greetings.

Investiture:A special ceremony that welcomes new members, girls or adults, into the Girl Scout family

Court of Awards:A troop ceremony where girls receive recognition for their accomplishments in the form of patches, badges, pins and certificates.