The Badge Archive

1. Friendship and Social Connection: Scouts enjoy spending time with their peers in a supportive, safe space.
2. Travel and Exploration: Opportunities to visit new places, meet diverse people, and gain unique experiences.
3. Service and Leadership: Earning patches for service hours, mentoring younger scouts, or participating in VIT programs.
4. New Experiences: Exploring new hobbies, such as cooking, crafting, or cultural traditions.
5. Life Skills: Learning practical knowledge, like financial literacy or career readiness.
6. Fun and Flexible Activities: Creative projects and troop-led events that feel exciting and engaging.
7. Recognition and Incentives: Patches and awards celebrating accomplishments and milestones.
8. Supportive Environment: A safe space where scouts can learn, grow, and express themselves.
9. Flexible Scheduling: Balancing low-pressure meetings with exciting, big events throughout the year.
10. Resume and Scholarship Benefits: Participation looks great on resumes, applications, and for earning volunteer hours.
11. Role Models and Inspiration: Hearing from Ambassadors about their Girl Scout journeys can open younger scouts’ eyes to exciting opportunities.
12. Access to Unique Opportunities: Council events, community partnerships, and exclusive activities give scouts experiences they wouldn’t have otherwise.
13. Encouragement for Individual Interests: Support for scouts’ personal endeavors, such as swim meets, theater, or sports, demonstrates the troop’s investment in their growth.
14. Stress-Free Participation: Providing low-pressure, optional attendance encourages scouts to stay engaged without feeling overwhelmed.
15. Long-Term Goals: Whether it’s earning Silver and Gold Awards or planning trips, investing in meaningful aspirations can keep scouts motivated over the years.
16. Leader-Led Enthusiasm: Leaders sharing their passions through tailored badges or activities adds an exciting, personal touch.

Suggestions from Leaders and Scouts’ “Why”

Dive a little deeper into specific suggestions for those top reasons.

Fostering Connection and Fun:

• Friendship: Many middle school scouts stay in Girl Scouts because it provides a safe place to connect with friends outside of school. For some troops, the bonds formed over years are enough to keep scouts engaged, as they enjoy the unique opportunity to be themselves and build lasting relationships.
• Safe Space Community: For some troops, the “why” isn’t tied to badges or traditions but emerges as a safe, supportive community where scouts can navigate life’s challenges together. Leaders highlight the importance of being a trusted adult who isn’t a parent and providing a space for scouts to succeed, fail, and grow.
• Energy from New Members: Welcoming new scouts can refresh troop dynamics, bringing fresh enthusiasm and making connections stronger.

Travel Opportunities:

• Big Travel as a Goal: Travel is a significant motivator for older scouts. By planning year-to-two-year-out trips, leaders can create a sense of excitement and purpose, even tying in badges or activities that align with travel themes. Trips to places like Iceland or Puerto Rico inspire scouts to stay engaged while working on money-earning.
• Girl Scout Destinations: Individual travel programs allow scouts to participate in unique experiences like horseback riding, cultural exchanges, and Space Camp. Ambassadors can help promote these programs by sharing their experiences and photos, sparking interest among younger scouts.
• Troop Camping and Trips: Flexible camping experiences—such as staying in lodges with heat and running water—offer older scouts comfort while preserving the essence of outdoor adventures. Low-pressure activities like roasting marshmallows, preparing meals, and socializing make camping enjoyable for teens.
• Community Tours and Behind-the-Scenes Activities: Scheduling tours of places like pet shops, stores, and businesses ties well into cookie sales and offers scouts real-world context for their skills.

Introducing Service and Leadership:

• Silver and Gold Awards: Completing meaningful Silver Award projects often inspires scouts to continue their Girl Scout journey to pursue Gold Awards. Discussing what is needed to achieve these high awards can spark long-term investment.
• Service Hour Incentives: Implement a program where scouts earn patches for completing service hours, encouraging engagement and pride in giving back.
• Helping Younger Scouts: Volunteering to assist younger troops or run events can foster leadership and build connections. Scouts with specific skills—such as sports or dance—might enjoy teaching younger girls one-on-one, especially when approached individually.
• Volunteer in Training (VIT): Programs like VIT provide structured leadership opportunities and help scouts feel accomplished.
• Recurring Service Projects: Volunteering monthly at local organizations, such as food banks, creates a routine of giving back and strengthens bonds among troop members.
• Annual Fundraiser with Purpose: Hosting a consistent fundraiser, like a Daddy-Daughter dance, can help fund unique trips and activities while providing fun for the larger scouting community.

Exploring New Interests and Life Skills:

• Job Exploration: Scouts can learn about careers in male-dominated fields by meeting professionals, such as mechanics or congressmen, and exploring topics like car maintenance, resume writing, and mock interviews.
• Financial Literacy: Activities like meetings with bankers and financial planning workshops prepare scouts for real-world responsibilities.
• Cooking and Cultural Experiences: Scouts who enjoy cooking can explore other cultures through activities like making sushi, baking themed breads, or sharing recipes. Cooking often leads to lively, enjoyable meetings that feel rewarding for everyone involved.
• Custom and Leader-Led Badges: Leaders can introduce unique badges inspired by their own interests, such as Bauhaus color theory or other creative topics, to keep scouts engaged even if they aren’t invested in traditional badges.

Practical Benefits:

• Resume Building and Volunteer Hours: Highlighting the impact Girl Scouts can have on resumes and applications for scholarships, high schools, or special programs can motivate scouts to stay involved. Scouts may also value the volunteer hours they earn through their participation.
• Exclusive Opportunities: Access to unique events, activities, and community partnerships often keeps scouts engaged, as these opportunities may not be available elsewhere. Examples like fencing, glassblowing, and self-defense add novelty to programming and give scouts something truly memorable.

Flexible Meetings and Scheduling:

• Adapting to Scouts’ Needs: Leaders emphasize the importance of flexibility and evolution. By asking scouts what they want and structuring the troop around their ideas, they build engagement even if it means pausing traditional activities.
• Optional Attendance: Allowing scouts to attend only when they can reduces pressure, especially during busy school years. Leaders suggest maintaining communication and adjusting plans based on attendance.
• Supporting Individual Interests: Attending swim meets, theater productions, or other events where scouts are trying new activities shows that their personal growth matters to the troop.
• Small-Scale Planning: Asking scouts to plan smaller activities, like camp meals or supplies for outings, can maintain engagement without overwhelming them.
• Monthly Group Meetings: Alternating fun activities—like scavenger hunts or swimming—and service projects can create balance and accommodate various interests.
• Older Girl Pathway Group: A structured collaboration between troops to focus on camping, events, badge work, and service. This approach lightens the load on individual troop leaders while fostering bonds across different communities

Takeaway

Middle school scouting is a time of transition, and keeping scouts engaged requires flexibility, creativity, and a willingness to adapt. By focusing on what brings them joy, offering a variety of experiences, and providing a supportive environment, leaders can help scouts find their own “why” for staying involved.

Remember to check out Middle School Challenges with helpful ideas for what Middle School Scouts like, also taken from our 75 leaders who were asked.