A few years ago, the River Valleys council published a great matrix of GSUSA’s national programming with information on where to find the various requirements. As a leader mentor for my service unit, I found it to be a great resource — especially for overwhelmed new leaders. Since we don’t have a traditional badge book anymore, it’s confusing for leaders who come in expecting to be able to find national programming in one place but instead hear about Volunteer Toolkit (VTK), Journey books, and badge pamphlets. However, River Valleys never updated their resource beyond that year, so I took it upon myself to do it and added a few features. Continue reading

Updated UNOFFICIAL Memory Books for 2023-24

Troop Leader Resources 11 Comments ambassadors, badges we don't need no stinkin badges, brownies, cadettes, daisies, juniors, memory books, seniors, troop stuff

As promised, here are updated versions for 2023-24 of the UNOFFICIAL Memory Books. In case you’re wondering what these are, they are a (sort of) recreation of the Memory Books that GSUSA published a few years ago. The concept was nice, but the execution was a little lacking due to the way our national programming rolls out new content every year. These UNOFFICIAL memory books can be printed onto 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper and placed in a 3 ring binder so that pages can be added (or removed) as the leader or girl sees fit. You can read more about the concept on the original blog post. Note that these only provide badge requirement summaries. Requirements can be found in the badge booklets or VTK. Continue reading

August 13 2023

The Delegate Formula Proposal Revisited

National Governance 3 Comments 2023 NCS, 2026 NCS, delegate, farthest north council, governance, gsusa, national board, national delegate

A month has almost passed since the NCS, and I wanted to circle back to the delegate formula proposal that was voted down and review a few points. In case you missed it, I had the honor of serving on the resource team for the Farthest North council who sponsored the proposal. In this post however, I am NOT speaking for Farthest North in ANY capacity but only sharing my own personal thoughts. I’m not rehashing this out of any sort of sour grapes but because I’m a governance nerd, and I like talking about this kind of thing. I hope you other governance nerds out there will enjoy the discussion from my point of view.

Personally, I feel like I did my best within the framework and circumstances that I was handed. It wasn’t the easiest proposal to wrap your mind around. It involved everybody’s favorite subject — math — and it also asked delegates to revisit a decision made by the National Council back in 2008. Some of the delegates weren’t even born then as one pointed out rather bluntly during the NCS. I could read the room before I even got to the NCS, and the voting went the way I thought it would go (Yes: 228 | No: 650 | Votes cast: 878), although I also wouldn’t have been surprised if a motion had been made to send the proposal to a committee (aka the Movement Governance Task Group). Continue reading

August 6 2023

Updated Badge, Journey, and Award Summaries for 2023-24

Troop Leader Resources 5 Comments ambassadors, badges we don't need no stinkin badges, brownies, cadettes, daisies, juniors, seniors, troop stuff

You can tell it’s a new year, because I’m publishing updated Badge, Journey, and Award Summaries!

I’ve been asked why I publish these since they similar to GSUSA’s Badge Explorer. My summaries streamline the design and therefore save paper since I can fit more badge summaries onto one sheet of paper. I also include awards (and their requirements) that aren’t included in the Badge Explorer (especially older girl awards). They are kind of a cross between Badge Explorer’s printouts and the Handbook.

Addendum 8/1/24: You can find 2024-25’s files here.

August 2 2023

My Scarfitude is Slipping

Random Things That Don't Fit Anywhere Else Kinda Like Me 6 Comments 2023 NCS, OFFICIAL scarf

So in all of the excitement and stress of the recent National Council Session and Phenom, I completely forgot to include the BIGGEST news of all. Even bigger than Janet Garretson’s retirement.

And that is… an OFFICIAL scarf designed just for the Convention was released and available for purchase down in Orlando!!

I should have included this update in my report about the NCS and Phenom, but it got lost in the shuffle. I hang my head in shame and promise it will not happen again.

And so, without further ado, I present to you: Continue reading

July 26 2023

2023 NCS and Phenom Review

National Governance 7 Comments 2023 NCS, bonnie b, democratic process, farthest north council, girl scout universe, governance, gsusa, national convention, national council, national delegate, noorain, roberts rules

Well, that’s a wrap on the 56th National Council Session (NCS) and Phenom Girl Scout Convention. Where to even begin? There’s a lot to unpack, but I’ll go through it as best as possible. Buckle up!

My favorite part of the convention was finally meeting up with friends that I have made through online networking channels. Some folks I’ve known for years, but this was the first time we’ve ever met in-person. It’s really neat how you instantly click with them. It had also been almost six years since I had seen some other friends at the Convention in Columbus. That’s too long of a wait!

I want to thank those of you I spoke to in Orlando who gave me supportive comments about the work I do in Girl Scouting. It has been like a ride on a rickety wooden roller coaster for the past however many years since I started delving into deeper waters, but hearing from you really does make the journey smoother. It was a great pick-me-up at just the right time. Continue reading

July 12 2023

Can You Keep a NCS Secret?

National Governance 7 Comments 2023 NCS, democratic process, gsusa, national delegate

We’re down to single digit days before it’s time for the 56th National Council Session (NCS) to commence, and GSUSA has finally — FINALLY — sent out a “What You Need to Know” email for all of us guests. My travel anxiety kicked into high gear a few days ago, and I had been forced to find out things piecemeal from friends who are delegates and Facebook groups which wasn’t helping matters. Lots of rumors about security and water bottles and social media guidelines were swirling around, but now GSUSA has OFFICIALLY published a guide (and an app!). But there’s something weird right at the very end of the guide.

The very last page of the 15 page document details the social media and communication guidelines that attendees of Phenom and the NCS are supposed to follow. Most of it is pretty standard, but there is one thing that strikes me as odd. The document states that attendees aren’t allowed to share “National Council Session voting outcomes.” What? Continue reading

June 30 2023

My Concerns about the 2023 NCS

National Governance 5 Comments 2023 NCS, blue book, gsusa, national council, national delegate, OFFICIAL scarf, roberts rules

Is this me, perhaps? Is the NCS falling?

We’re a little over two weeks away to the start of the 2023 National Council Session, and I’m trying to get these SWAPs made in time. It’s slow going. But I’ll get there. Look for me. I’ll be the one in navy and wearing an OFFICIAL scarf.

I have to admit I’ve had some very, very wild mood swings over the past few months when it comes to this NCS. I’ve experienced a different perspective this time around since I’m serving on a council resource team for a proposal. I’m going to keep the specifics to myself, but it has been very disappointing and discouraging to see how things have been handled. I feel that councils who have proposals that GSUSA doesn’t support are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to trying to rally support. I’m saying this ahead of time so that it doesn’t come across as sour grapes depending on what happens with the proposal. Continue reading

June 18 2023

Personal Updates

Experiences as a Leader 1 Comment 2023 NCS, ambassadors, blue book, gsg, leader issues, OFFICIAL scarf, swaps, trailblazers, troop 2562

Hello readers. I am still in the midst of a pretty bad case of writer’s block, so bear with me if things sound stilted and awkward and updates are few and far between. I have an idea of what’s causing it, but time will tell if or when I will ever snap out of it. It was a miracle that I was actually able to scratch out this post. Continue reading

June 11 2023

Kindness for Kelaia

Experiences as a Leader No Comments

Normally, I keep things such as GoFundMe campaigns private, but I felt called to publicize this one, and I received permission to do so. This is something that has hit my local service unit very hard on multiple levels. I’ll let Tracey, Kelaia’s leader, explain in the GoFundMe campaign directly:

She is getting close to her goal. Some of the other healthcare items the family is looking for include these things specifically: a Hoya electric lift, a tilt in space wheelchair (customized for a child), and a Raz tilt shower commode chair.

As a service unit, we made a commitment to bringing back programming that will focus on bullying and mental health as we feel we had gotten away from it the past few years. It’s too important to not do it. I am just heartbroken over this.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

Girl Scout with a Cause

Where to Find National Programming 2023-24