Helps & Hints
Tips for Dividing Girls Into Groups
Girl Scout Glossary
Below is an alphabetical list of words and terms you’ll hear at Neighborhood meetings. Some are unique to our Neighborhood, some are broad Girl Scout Terms…
Annual Meeting
A representative meeting of voting members of the council to elect officers, Board members and Nominating Committee members and to conduct other such council business as necessary. (See Bylaws)Annual Awards and Recognitions
A celebration of adults who have made a significant contribution to Girl Scouting on a local, council, and national level.Beaverton and Beyond
In order to encourage a well-rounded Girl Scout program, our neighborhood offers the Beaverton and Beyond Service Program. Look for the program requirements, distributed early in the scouting year. Each girl who completes the requirements will receive a patch.Bridging
The process of moving from one program level (age level) to another in Girl Scouting, e.g., from Junior to Cadette Girl Scouting.Bronze Award
The highest award a Junior Girl Scout can earn. This award requires a Junior to earn 2 Badges, Complete one Sign, The Junior Aid Patch or Junior Girl Scout Leadership Award or 2 of these badges: Girl Scouting in the USA, Girl Scouting Around the World, Girl Scouting in my Future or Lead On and design and plan a major service project which benefits her school, community, or religious institution.Brownie Ring
A form of troop government for Brownie Girl Scouts: a “conference circle or “talk about” ring in which all members of the Brownie Girl Scout troop do planning and deciding. Called Town Meeting at other program levels.Buddy System
A safety practice which requires two girls in an activity to keep watch over each other.Calendar Sales
Troops earn money for sale of calendars. The campaign runs in Oct/Nov. There is not a lot of pressure for calendar sales, but you can pick up some much-needed dollars for your troop! They are advertised for sale in the Summer Leader Magazines from national. This is not a neighborhood sponsored money earning opportunity. Remember, that you cannot make money off of other Girl Scouts when selling Girl Scout items.Cookie Program
Council-sponsored product program and money earning opportunity. Start recruiting a good Troop Cookie Manager (TCM) right away. The Neighborhood will train them in November; the campaign runs from the first part of January through the end of March. Troops can earn several hundred to over a thousand dollars in a well-run cookie sale. Daisy Girl Scouts and their parents do not take part in the Cookie Program.C.I.T. (Counselor-in-Training)
A Senior Girl Scout who is taking a course to learn camp counseling skills.Court of Awards
An occasion when Girl Scouts receive insignia for activities completed.Daisy Circle
An introduction to troop government. The place where Daisy Girl Scouts learn formal group decision- making processes and help plan activities.Family Giving
A fund raising campaign among Girl Scout families conducted annually.Fly-Up
The ceremony at which a Brownie Girl Scout receives her Brownie wings and her Girl Scout pin; it marks her “bridging” from Brownie to Junior Girl Scouting.Girl Scout Birthday
Happens the week surrounding March 12th, and includes “Girl Scout Birthday” and “Girl Scout Sunday”, when girls are encouraged to wear their uniform to their house of worship.Girl Scout Store
All official recognitions (Try Its, Proficiency Badges, etc.), as well as uniforms, Girl Scout publications and other Girl Scout related items may be purchased at the Girl Scout Store, located at Columbia River Girl Scout Council headquarters in Lake Oswego. Leader orders can be phoned in and either picked up or delivered.GSUSA
Initials for Girl Scouts of the United States of America.G.R.E.A.T. Guide
A catalog of council program events, activities, and trainings published annually.Gold Award
The highest award a Senior Girl Scout can earn. This award requires a Senior to earn 4 “IPAs” (interest project awards at the senior level), the Career Exploration pin, complete the Senior Challenge, learn about leadership and earn leadership hours and design and plan a major service project which benefits her school, community, or religious institution. Many compare it to the Eagle award in Boy Scouting. For those who were in scouting as a girl, it was previously called “First Class” or “Curved Bar”.Investiture/Rededication
A traditional Scout ceremony, normally held in September or October. A girl or adult is invested, and receives her Girl Scout pin, the first year she becomes a Scout. Each year after that, she is rededicated. Check out the Neighborhood Library for ceremonies you can use, or troop can make up their own ceremony. This is an excellent time to invite family members to a troop activity.Juliette Low’s Birthday
Juliette Gordon Low founded Girl Scouting in the US in March of 1912. She was quite a fascinating woman, and we celebrate her birthday, which falls on October 31st (yes, Halloween!). Sometimes the Neighborhood will have a birthday celebration, sometimes you can just do this in your troop. (See the Brownie Handbook for information on this). One suggestion: a birthday party for Juliette - have the girls bring “birthday gifts” for the troop based on a list you give the parents of stuff you may need for troop crafts or camping (e.g., glue, scissors, dishwashing buckets, etc).L.I.T. (Leader-in-Training)
A Senior Girl Scout (completed ninth grade) who is taking a course to learn troop leadership skills. She receives her LIT pin and is ready to work with a leader in assisting in planning meetings, field trips and camp outs. After 50 hours with a troop, she receives her LIT patch. This program provides not only invaluable leadership training for the Senior Girl Scout, but also much needed help to leaders.Kaper
A temporary job or responsibility.Kaper Chart
A chart showing what each girl’s or each patrol’s job is in any given project and providing for rotation of jobs.Motto
The Girl Scout Motto is “Be Prepared.”Neighborhood
A “Neighborhood” is a geographic subdivision of the Girl Scouts - Columbia River Council.Neighborhood Campout
Normally in the Spring, it’s a chance for the entire Neighborhood to camp together. When possible, a Council camp is chosen which allows camping for several hundred scouts in cabins. It’s a 2 night, 3 day structured camp, put on by a committee or a troop of young adults. Daisies normally only attend on Saturday, as they are not allowed to camp. This is the ideal environment for troops who have not built up their confidence in the out-of-doors!Neighborhood Newsletter
The monthly Neighborhood newsletter for troops and volunteers. Articles and notices for the newsletter must be turned in on the last Thursday of every month to make the next edition.Neighborhood Service Team
The “team” is made up of those troop leaders and adults who have raised their hand (or otherwise been begged) to serve in a leadership role in the Neighborhood. We always have room for more…please volunteer! The Team normally includes the SU manager, registrar, treasurer, newsletter editor, troop level consultants, encampment coordinator, school organizers, and fund raising chairs. (Note: some of our leaders hold 2 or more of these jobs, so there really are plenty to go around!)Opportunity Fund
Financial assistance available upon application for membership dues, uniforms, hand books, camping, and other Girl Scout activities for girls or adults who could otherwise not afford to participate.Patrol
A group of 5 to 8 girls with a girl leader a representative form of troop government distinctive to Girl Scouting.Program Aide
A Cadette or Senior Girl Scout who is trained to share her program skills with younger girls in troops, at events, or at day camp. A wonderful help for troops - especially to young troop or to new leaders!Some guidelines: Aides are Cadettes or Seniors who have been trained to help with GS events and/or troops. They should NOT be left alone with the girls while the leaders are off doing something else. They can help in planning games, songs or program for troop and then present what they have planned. Some Aides have taken additional training and can also 'teach" outdoor skills, science activities, etc. Aides are NOT maids! Don't take them to camp and use them as 'gophers' or to do the kapers the scouts should be doing. This is not why they are there! Leaders need to be careful when using Aides and keep in mind that they are GIRLS - not short adults! Sometimes, they will make mistakes (Don't we all!!!) But keep in mind that Aides are at an age when 'words' can be especially harmful! Aides and Leaders can work together to plan - they still need some guidance. As a rule here, Aides DO NOT pay to accompany troops at meeting or camping trips - they are there to help you out. Brownies especially love having an Aide around - it's an older girl to look up to. It's important for Juniors. It's a great retention tool -- girls will stay in Scouts because they want to be an Aide.
Program Event
A council-sponsored event for girls and adults.Safety-Wise
A publication of Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. which is a guide to safe and healthful practices for program. Standards for program and camping and activity check points are included. Should be your constant companion, and first point of reference when planning any and all Girl Scout activities!Scouts’ Own
A special, girl-planned, inspirational occasion created by a troop or group around a theme; not a religious service. A ceremony, most often associated with the end of a camping event, where the girls design the ceremony, say a poem or something that ties in with the weekend, and often each Scout shares what she has gained. Always conducted with quiet dignity; almost always a moving ceremony.Sit-Upon
A lightweight pad or mat to “sit upon” when the ground is damp or dusty.Service Project
An integral part of the Girl Scout Program, service to the community can take many forms: local to global, simple to complex. Choose projects that suit your troop's interests and abilities. Service opportunities are published at the Neighborhood meetings and troops are encouraged to develop their own service projects. We normally also have one to two Neighborhood Service Projects each year.Silver Award
The highest award a Cadette Scout can earn. She must earn three Interest Project Awards (IPA) related to the project she’ll do for the Silver Award, earn the Dreams to Reality Patch OR complete any five career activities, in any IP. She must also earn the Cadette Girl Scout Leadership Award or the Leadership IP, earn the Cadette Girl Scout Challenge, and then design and carry out a Girl Scout Silver Award Project (requiring a minimum of 30 hours.)Slogan
The Girl Scout Slogan is “Do a good turn daily.”Summer Camps and Resident Camps Booklet
A schedule of summer opportunities.SWAPS
A Girl Scout tradition, some say it stands for “Share With A Pal”. They are small items you trade with or give to other scouts. Sometimes they are theme-based, sometimes it’s just whatever you have on hand. They almost always have a safety pin or jewelry pin so they can be attached to a hat or shirt. The idea is that they should be VERY inexpensive, and made by the girls where possible. (Often made from felt, fun foam, stickers, pompoms, etc.)Thanks Badge
The highest award available to adults in Girl Scouting given to recognize outstanding service to Girl Scouting.Thinking Day
February 22, the birthday of both Lord and Lady Baden-Powell, celebrated by Girl Guides and Girl Scouts all over the world as a day of remembrance and exchange of greetings.Thinking Day - Neighborhood Event
A date close to February 22nd, the official Thinking Day around the world. Each troop chooses a country that has Girl Scouts and/or Girl Guides and we all meet as a Neighborhood, giving girls a chance to show off what they’ve learned. Typically, a troop prepares a table or poster display and offers either food or swaps that represent that country. Brownie Leaders can easily tie this into several Try-it activities! Troops also normally make a flag of their selected country on a poster, try to learn a song or dance, and often come up with make shift costumes to represent their country.Uniforms
Uniforms are not required to be a Girl Scout. In lieu of a uniform, a girl may wear her membership pin to be recognized as a member of the Girl Scout organization. Complete uniforms may be purchased at the discretion of the parents. Uniforms can be purchased at the Girl Scout Store 503-598-6550 at 15171 SW Bangy Road, through the JCPenney catalog, or through the Girl Scout catalog.WAGGGS
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. GSUSA is a member country of WAGGGS, which is why we wear the WAGGGS pin as part of our uniform. Traditionally, a Scout receives her WAGGGS pin after she attends Thinking Day, which is a function that celebrates the international world of Girl Scouting.Next: Field Trips