Check out Girl Scouts this spring and summer with starter troops forming now and summer camp opportunities.
Editors Note: Thanks to Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan for providing this article. My daughter has been a Girl Scout since Kindergarten and I have been a volunteer through the years
Why Girl Scouts
The mission of Girl Scouts is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls, and with programs from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success.
At Girl Scouts, girls are our first priority. Girl Scouts is one of a kind because every girl, whether age 5 or 15, is given the power to craft her own experience from the very beginning of her Girl Scouting journey. Being a girl-led organization means including girls in decision making at every step of the way, in age appropriate ways. At Girl Scouts we believe that if you give your girl the opportunity to take the lead that she will rise to the expectation – and often exceed it!
Girl Scout Opportunities
It is well known that the Girl Scouts sell cookies and earn badges, but Girl Scouts is about so much more! Girl Scouts have opportunities to travel with their troops, go to camp, learn about STEAM, and gain leadership skills.
Camp
Girl Scouts also offers summer camps for all girls – even girls who are not currently Girl Scouts! There are many summer and overnight camp options for girls ages 5-18 to participate in. At Girl Scout camp, girls can learn how to shoot a bow and arrow, tie knots, kayak, rock climb, and ride horses. Other than summer camps, Girl Scouts can go camping and enjoy the outdoors as a troop. They can camp on Girl Scout campsites and go hiking, learn to make fire, and roast s’mores!
Higher Awards
As your girl goes through Girl Scouts, she can earn her Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards. These awards are projects that troops or individual girls address a need they see in a community and create a sustainable, long-term solution. The Gold Award is the highest award that a Girl Scout can earn, where she will lead a community project that creates a sustainable solution to a problem that she has identified in her community.
Events from our Sponsors
 Future Innovators Academy Break CampsDays Off From School |  Nightmare on Cross StWeekends in October |
Girl Scout Cookies
Everyone knows and loves Girl Scout cookies, but not a lot of people know the skills that girls gain when they are selling them. Selling Girl Scout cookies is a girl’s first business and it teaches them about money management, goal setting, people skills, business ethics, and decision making. Selling cookies also allows Girl Scouts to raise money that they can use to go camping, or buy new uniforms, or donate to a local organization.
Leadership
Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan works to help our Girl Scouts be the leaders of tomorrow. Our girl-led approach lets girls learn how to be a leader from a young age when they learn to discover, connect, and take action. Every activity done in Girl Scouts works to build one of these skills for girls to learn to be a leader in life.
Programs
Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan offers many programs for Girl Scouts ages 5-18 throughout the year. Your girl will earn a patch for each program she participates in, and she will gain life skills while having tons of fun! Some examples of programs that girls can participate in are a day trip to Frankenmuth where she will learn about German culture, Spooky Science projects where she will learn about STEAM, and attending a Detroit Lions football game that the whole family can enjoy.
How to Join Girl Scouts
You can register your girl for Girl Scouts at any time throughout the year, so she never has to wait to become a Girl Scout! If you want your girl to make lifelong friendships, learn about STEM, become an entrepreneur, and learn how to be a leader, then Girl Scouts is the place for her.
Join now: https://www.gshom.org/join.html
Starter Troops in Ann Arbor Area
Several schools in Ann Arbor are offering starter troops this spring for girls and caregivers looking for help to start a troop. Starter Troops are led by a GSHOM staff member who will help train parent volunteers to take over as troop leaders.
Even if your daughter doesn’t fit one of these starter troops (wrong school or age level), be sure to reach out to check out the GSHOM website to find a troop for your daughter.
