A productive meeting is key to empowering the girls in your troop.
What sets Girl Scout Cadettes apart is their age and ability to commit to larger ideas and goals. This prime age in adolescence is a perfect time for the girls to learn about planning events, such as service projects, and managing them in all aspects. Their meetings are an important time for the girls to work as a team to take on large tasks and carefully carry out each step along the way.
Financial Literacy
Selling Girl Scout cookies serves as more than a fundraiser. It is a learning opportunity for the girls to develop a fiscal plan for their troop. Use a meeting to explore the troop's options for what they can do with their cookie money and how they will accomplish their goals. Girl Scouts of America have developed the cookie program such that it teaches the girls about leadership and organization as well as financial literacy.
Girl Scout Journey
aMaze! is the book that coordinates the Cadette-level Journey. The Girl Scout Journeys are meant to be completed in about six to eight sessions, so a troop can complete a journey in two to three months worth of meetings. aMaze takes on the importance of developing healthy relationships and includes awards for the girls to work toward: The Interact Award, The Diplomat Award and the Peacemaker Award. Cadettes can also work with a younger troop of Brownies as leaders to earn the Leader in Action Award.
Interest Projects
Interest Projects are commonly known as "badges" because of the round badges received when a girl completes an Interest Project. These projects can be completed on an individual basis or as a group in the troop meetings. Consider having the girls divide into groups which each chooses an Interest Project and plans meetings to coordinate how the troop as a whole can complete the Interest Project.
Gold Award
The Gold Award is the Eagle Award of the Girl Scouts. It is a long-term project which requires a tremendous amount of commitment from each girl who pursues it. The majority of the activities and projects involved in attaining the Gold Award are completed on an individual basis, but you can use meeting time for support. The girls can take time to present what they have accomplished so far and how they will continue while receiving feedback from their peers and adult advisers. This forum style is an excellent way to keep up morale and think of solutions to obstacles along the way.
Tags: Girl Scout, Gold Award, Interest Project, completed individual, completed individual basis
