GIRL SCOUT LINGO
Age Level: There are 5
age levels in Girl Scouting: Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette,
and Senior
Baden-Powell: Lord
Baden-Powell was the founder of the Boy Scout movement, Agnes Baden-Powell,
B-P's sister, was the founder of the Girl Guide movement.
Badge: Round embroidered recognition for Junior and Cadette
Girl Scouts to indicate increased knowledge and skill in a particular subject.
Bridging: The process
of moving from one age level of Girl Scouting to another (e.g., from Daisy to
Brownie, Brownie to Juniors, etc.)
Bronze Award: The highest award that a Junior
can earn.
Buddy System: A safety
system where two girls stay together and watch out for each other.
Core Camping:
Troop camping with some council provided staff
(e.g., cook, waterfront, program director) at a given campsite.
Counselor-in-Training (CIT): A
Senior Girl Scout who is taking a course to learn outdoor group leadership
skills as a camp counselor.
Court of Awards:
A ceremony that can be held any time during the year
at which badges, recognitions, and awards are presented
at
any level
Court of Honor: Committee made up of the leader, patrol leaders, troop secretary and
treasurer for decision making purposes.
Day Camp: Camping by the day for a minimum of four consecutive days
Fly-up: The ceremony in which a Brownie Girl Scout "graduates" to
Junior Girl Scouts.
Founder's Day: October 31,
the birthday of Juliette Low
Friendship Circle:
The friendship circle is often formed at the end of
meetings or campfires as a sort of closing ceremony. Everyone gathers in a
circle where they cross their right arm over their left in front of them and
hold hands with the people on either side. Once everyone is silent, the leader
starts the friendship squeeze which is passed from hand to hand. Often the
girls will make a wish after their hand has been squeezed before they pass the
squeeze along. Also, in some larger groups, the girls put their right foot out
into the circle when they receive the friendship squeeze, so that everyone can
see it travel along the circle.
Girl Guides:
The original name for Girl Scouts, still used in
many countries.
Girl Scout Birthday: March
12 is the Girl Scout birthday because it marks the first meeting of Girl Scouts
in the
Girl Scout Handshake: This
is the way many Girl Scouts and Girl Guides greet each other. They shake their
left hands while making the Girl Scout sign with their right hand. The left
handed handshake represents friendship because the left hand is closer to the
heart than the right.
Girl Scout Leader's Day: April 22, a special day to honor Girl Scout leaders
Girl Scout Motto: Be Prepared
Girl Scout Sign:
The official Girl Scout greeting. The right hand is
raised shoulder high with the three middle fingers extended and the thumb
crossing over the palm to hold down the little finger. These three fingers
represent the three parts of the Girl Scout Promise. This sign is given when saying the Promise.
Law, or when
doing the Girl Scout Handshake
Girl Scout Slogan: Do a good
turn daily.
Girl Scout's Own:
A quiet inspirational ceremony that has a theme and
is planned by Girl Scouts and their leaders.
Girl Scout
Week: An annual celebration during the week of March 12th, the Girl Scouts
birthday.
Gold Award: The highest
award a Girl Scout may earn (this is done as a Senior)
GSCI: Girl Scouts of
GSUSA: Girl Scouts
of the
Fly-Up: The ceremony
in which a Brownie becomes a Junior Girl Scout.
Interest Project:
Rectangular embroidered recognition for Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts.
Investiture: A special
ceremony to welcome new Girl Scouts. The
new Girl Scout makes/states her GS Promise and receives her GS pin for the
first time.
JLWFF: Juliette Low
world Friendship Fund, a voluntary fund that benefits guiding throughout the
world.
Juliette "Daisy" Low: Founder of
Girl Scouting in the
Kaper Chart: A chart
showing all jobs available and who is responsible for each job generally on a
rotating basis. This is used at meetings
or on camping trips.
Leader-In-Training (LIT): A Senior Girl Scout who is taking a course to learn leadership skills as
a troop leader.
Low, Juliette Gordon (nicknamed Daisy): Founder
of Girl Scouting in the
Patrol: A widely used form of troop government where the troop divides into
small groups. This is usually used with Juniors, Cadettes or Seniors.
Program Aide: Cadette and Senior
Girl Scouts who have been trained to assist younger Girl Scout groups with
songs games, crafts, ceremonies or skills.
Program Trail: A diagram for planning program activities in which one idea sparks
another.
Quiet Sign: The Girl Scout signal for silence in a group situation. In order to
maintain order at lively Girl Scout functions, the leader raises her right hand
with 3 fingers up to initiate silence. The girls follow in the motion; as their
hands go up, the conversation stops, until everyone has their hand up and the
room is silent.
Rededication: A formal
ceremony when Girl Scouts who have been through the investiture ceremony renews
their belief in the Promise and Law.
Resident Camp: A sustained camping experience for a minimum of six days, with overnight
sleeping at a council owned, leased, rented or borrowed facility.
Safety-Wise: The book put
out by GSUSA detailing the program’s safety standards and guidelines
Service Team: A group of adult volunteers responsible for organizing and delivering
service to Girl Scouts directed by service unit manager.
Service Unit
(CGSU) ; The chairman of the service unit conducts an
informative meeting of leaders, co-leaders, or representatives from each
troop in the local unit – Center Grove Service Unit. The meeting covers key information, event
news, council news, etc. needed to run your troop. These meetings are once a month (1st
Thurs of each month with exceptions for school calendars in which we meet the 2nd
Thurs). You can turn in forms, events
fees, etc. as well as share ideas and meet new friends. There are opportunities for free supplies and
mini workshops.
Silver Award: The highest
award that a Cadette Girl Scout may earn.
Sit Upon ; A "cushion" often made by Girl Scouts to use when the ground
is damp or to keep their clothes clean. Thinking Day: February 22; the
birthday of Lord and Lady Baden-Powell, designed as a day to think about scouts
and guides worldwide.
Thinking Day ; Celebrated by Girl Guides and Girl Scouts throughout the world, February
22 is the birthday of Lord Baden-Powell and lady Baden-Powell. This is the day
for Girl Scouts and Girl Guides to think about their sisters around the world,
through special projects, international program activities or pen pal
projects Center Grove Service Unit ; CGSU has
an event for this day. Each troop that
participates learns about a country then shares it with other Girl Scouts by
telling them facts, showing pictures, tasting food, making a craft (optional),
creating whatever you want to share.
There are patches that correspond with learning about a country (try-it,
badge, etc.).
Trefoil: The
international symbol of Girl Scouting. The three
leaves of the trefoil represent the three parts of the promise. Our pins are
in the shape of a trefoil.
Troop Committee: Adults who
assist the troop in some way either at the meetings or by taking on jobs such
as Telephone Chair, etc.
Try-it ; Triangular
embroidered recognition for Brownie Girl Scouts.
WAGGGS : World
Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, the worldwide organization to which
Girl Scouts belong.
Wide Game ; A game played by following a trail with stops at several stations
Wider
World Centers : Four program activity centers owned by WAGGGS. The centers are located
in
World Trefoil Pin: A pin worn by Girl Scouts and Girl Guides
indicating they are
members of WAGGGS. It is
nice to present this after completing an international learning try-it or badge
and/or participating in Thinking Day.