Fulfills Step 4 of GSUSA Outside the Mirror badge requirements.
Info Needed: Media images often use lighting, makeup, angles, and editing to change how someone looks, sometimes dramatically.
Items Needed:
- Smartphone or camera for photos.
- (Optional) Makeover supplies such as costume accessories, makeup, wigs, or props.
- (Optional) Printed examples or discussion prompts for media makeovers.
Instructions (Estimated Total Time: 25–30 min):
- Take “before” photos of each scout. (Estimated Time: 5 min)
- Scouts pose in their natural look, without added styling or accessories.
- Each scout or buddy team takes a simple, straightforward photo.
- Have scouts help each other create outrageous makeovers. (Estimated Time: 10–12 min)
- The goal is not typical beauty, but an extreme or totally different look.
- Scouts may use hair accessories, wild makeup, clothing layers, silly poses, or props.
- Take “after” photos. (Estimated Time: 3 min)
- Compare these with the “before” images to see how different someone can look.
- (Optional) Display photos side-by-side for group discussion.
- Reflect together. (Estimated Time: 5–10 min)
- Talk about how lighting, styling, and camera angles affect what we see.
- Scouts consider how media makeovers can exaggerate or misrepresent reality.
- (Optional) Ask if they would recognize their “after” version in everyday life.
The Badge Archive 