Tag Archives: Civics

Archive

Get Engaged with Civics in October

 

Girl Scouts – let’s hear those voices and make them louder! In October, Girl Scouts of Colorado has several programs focused around understanding our government, how to make change, and how to elevate your voice!

GSCO on the Go! Programming (virtual)

Badge Series Kick Off,  October 4:

  • Daisies – Democracy for Daisies and Good Neighbor
  • Brownies – Democracy for Brownies and Celebrating Community
  • Juniors – Democracy for Juniors and Inside Government
  • Cadettes – Democracy for Cadettes and Finding Common Ground
  • Seniors – Democracy for Seniors and Behind the Ballot
  • Ambassadors – Democracy for Ambassadors and Public Policy

Asserting Your Power as a Changemaker, October 7

International Day of the Girl, October 11

Pitch Perfect, October 18

National Events

Girl Scouts Change the World, October 9

Bystander Intervention Training, October 16

Awesome Girls: Tackling Global Public Health Challenges, October 21

Archive

Election 2020: Pizza, Cupcakes, and Badges

Submitted by Nancy Mucklow

Mountain Communities

Steamboat Springs

Election season has been a learning opportunity for Girl Scouts in Steamboat Springs! Senior Troop 54538 has been using election season to discover more about the process. From a visit to the County Clerk’s Elections Office to researching how other countries vote, to creating our own campaigns, these innovative Girl Scouts have been finding out more about voting. Along with that, while learning more about various offices and running effective meetings, we recently created a pizza using parliamentary procedure ~ the Parli Pro Pizza!

The Behind the Ballot badge is a perfect way to educate future voters AND have fun too!  We ended our campaign season with an election-themed cupcake challenge. Tayla’s and Aylen’s creations represented the bipartisan system. Jacey’s cupcakes represented the Green party and the multi-layered nature of a political campaign. Catherine’s creation reminded us to think outside the box and do your homework when voting. Elizabeth got right to the point with the vote-themed cupcake!

These go-getters are finding out more about our election system, how the mail-in ballots work, and how accountable our counties are when it comes to voting. There are lots of checks and balances and safety nets to be sure all of our votes are counted! They realized that sometimes it takes being a risk-taker to get your voice heard.

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.

Archive

I earned the Democracy in Action Badge

Submitted by Clemmer H., GSCO Media Star

Metro Dever

Highlands Ranch

Hi, my name is Clemmer! I earned the Democracy in Action badge. To receive this badge, there are five steps.

  1. Find out about local government
  2. Find out about state government
  3. Find out about the federal legislative branch
  4. Find out about the federal executive branch
  5. Find out about the federal judicial branch

The first project I did was listen to a town hall meeting. Our county lets us call into the county commissioner’s meetings. This represents the first choice under Step One, Go to a city or town hall meeting.

For Step Two, I visited the state capitol. This represents option one, visit your state capitol building. I took a field trip with my friends and classmates and learned about the state’s history, so I was able to go back to the capitol with other friends and tell them what I learned.

Research representation. With help from an adult, I found out how many women are currently serving in the United States Senate and House of Representatives. There aren’t that many. We need more!!

I created a presidential trivia contest. How many presidents have won Grammy Awards? Which president was known for his love of jelly beans?

I talked to a judge. Find out everything you can about what they do. I found out why she choose her profession. I found out how the state courts work with the other two branches of government.

If you are a Girl Scout Cadette and want to do this badge, go for it! There are so many options to choose from!

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.

Archive

October 2020 is Civics Month at GSCO

At our core, Girl Scouts aims to inspire girls to be leaders in their own lives by building the courage, confidence, and character to raise their voices and be advocates for the issues and ideas important to them. While we hope Girl Scouts are civically engaged throughout the year, Girl Scouts of Colorado is excited to focus our virtual program offerings in October 2020 on civics, citizenship, and democracy!

Our virtual badge series will provide opportunities for Girl Scouts of all ages to earn their citizenship or democracy badges. We will provide all Colorado Girl Scouts who complete the virtual badge series in October with their citizenship or democracy badge at no cost. Badges will be mailed out to Girl Scouts in November 2020.

We have also organized several opportunities for girls to learn about women in government in Colorado, women who advocate for living for Girl Scouts nationally, and women who work tirelessly to keep everyone civically engaged and vote at every opportunity.

Please review all the awesome virtual program opportunities below for Civics Month!

Badge Series – October 5 Kick Off

Additional Civics Programs

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.

Archive

October 2020 Badge Series: Civics

Sign up for our Badge Series program in October 2020 to earn badges related to civics. Girls will have the chance to earn two civics badges that encourage them to explore the structure of our democracy, learn about voting, and how they can be an active member of their community.

We will kick-off the month on October 5, with leaders receiving their content in gsLearn and girls accessing the courses on our new gscoHQ! Login information for girls will be emailed on October 5.

Badges for this month are:

Questions? Email GirlExperience@gscolorado.org.

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.

Archive

Meet an Expert: Women of Denver City Government

 

Girl Scouts of all ages are invited to special webinars to meet key women in Denver city government. Experts include:

  • Denver City Council President Stacie Gilmore
  • Presiding Denver County Court Judge Theresa Spahn
  • Executive Director of the Office of Children’s Affairs Dionne Williams
  • Deputy Police Chief Barb Archer

Daisy, Brownie, Junior: October 22, 2020 at 4 p.m. – https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/events-repository/2020/meet_an_expert_speci_670654444.html

Cadette, Senior, Ambassador: October 14, 2020 at 4 p.m. – https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/events-repository/2020/meet_an_expert_speci_1809709739.html

Registration closes one business day prior to the program date.

Each panelist will explain their role, how their office functions, and a little bit about themselves and their background and education. Girls will also be taken on a virtual tour of Denver Mayor Hancock’s office. Girls will gain an understanding of what it means to work in local government as a woman and be able to envision themselves in one of these roles if they are interested in government as a career.

You can read biographies for each panelist here.

After the presentation, the women will answer questions submitted by Girl Scouts! Use the online registration form to submit your questions in advance.

Participating in this webinar will fulfill Step One of the new Democracy Badges for all levels, find out about local government.

We will use Zoom to host this webinar. All information on how to join online or via phone will be emailed to registrants the day before the webinar. Each individual participant should be registered so we can track participation. Please do not share the information on how to join with others who have not registered. The webinar will be recorded and posted to the GSCO YouTube Channel for girls to access in the future.

Non-Girl Scouts and adults are welcome to register and participate.

Questions? Email aimee.artzer@gscolorado.org.

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.

Archive

24 New Badges Designed to Help Girls Lead in a Time of Unprecedented Global Change

From Girl Scouts of the USA

Drumroll, please! Girl Scouts of the USA has 24 new badges designed to help girls practice some serious leadership skills in civics, entrepreneurship, STEM career exploration, and automotive engineering.

In a year of unprecedented global change, our country’s need for strong, broad-minded, and decisive leadership has never been greater. Girl Scouts equips the next generation of female change-makers with the breadth of knowledge, skills, and experiences they need to take action on issues they believe in.

Here’s everything you need to know about the NEW Girl Scout badges:

 

Civics (grades K–12). Be prepared to lead the change in your town, state, and country! Start with the Civics badges and gain an in-depth understanding of how local, state, and federal government works. Get ready to be a voter, an activist, or a political leader. Research laws and understand how they’re created. Explore how the electoral college works. Learn about the representation of women in government, and so much more. You will also research your own government officials and make plans to meet them. (Funded by the Citi Foundation). Start with your FREE new badge activity samplers.

“There is a huge need for leaders who will advocate for the voiceless and the disadvantaged. As young women in America, we have the ability and the responsibility to create the world we want our own daughters to grow up in.” —Gold Award Girl Scout Julia

Entrepreneurship (grades K–12). Dreaming about creating a business that can make a difference? With the Entrepreneurship badges, you will create and pitch a product or service that solves a real-life problem. Then, you’ll build a business plan and think about topics like production, cost, profit, marketing, and competition. (Funded by Susan Bulkeley Butler and designed in collaboration with VentureLab). Start with your FREE new badge activity samplers.

“Girl Scouts should give this badge a chance because developing your hobby to an income or creating your own business is a way to control your future. You get to be the boss!” —Girl Scout Marie

 

STEM Career Exploration (grades 2–8). Thinking about a career path that’s right for you? Discover the STEM Career badges and make a difference about a pressing issue in your community. Explore computer science, nature/environmental science, engineering, design, health, and agriculture. You will also make a career plan that will help you fuel your passion into action. (Funded by IF/THEN, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies). Start with your FREE new badge activity samplers.

“The STEM Career badges are really fun and show you a range of jobs I didn’t even know existed!” —Girl Scout Bridget

 

Automotive Engineering (grades K–5). Buckle up and earn about designing, engineering, and manufacturing vehicles, as well as the future of mobility. Design your own vehicle, test prototypes, and see what it’s like to think like an engineer! You’ll even learn how to manage your own assembly line manufacturing process! (funded by General Motors). Start with your FREE new badge activity samplers.

“My favorite part about this badge was being able to design and create my own car. It made me feel like an engineer. I learned that engineering is something I love and want to explore it further.” —Girl Scout Julia

“The world has changed drastically this year, and now more than ever, it’s imperative to have strong leaders who can make informed decisions,” said GSUSA CEO Sylvia Acevedo. Our new badges will continue to build the world-changing female leaders of today and the future, particularly in key industries that propel our country forward: automotive engineering, entrepreneurship, civics, and STEM.

In addition, beginning this summer, all councils will also have the opportunity to host their own Girl Scout Cyber Challenge sponsored by Raytheon Technologies, enabling middle and high school girls to learn crucial cybersecurity skills as they compete in challenges such as running traceroutes and identifying phishing schemes. The Cyber Challenge prepares girls to pursue careers in computer science and cybersecurity.