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Senior Program Ideas

Program Ideas and Adaptations for Seniors

Your Seniors are ready to take on new challenges! Spark their sense of adventure with these badges, Journeys, and activities, adapted for both virtual or safe in-person meetings. We’ll be adding content throughout the year, so bookmark this page and check back often! 

How to use these resources:
Eco Explorer Badge

Become an eco explorer as you get hands-on experience with environmental issues and help make positive changes to the environment.

WHAT THEY'LL LEARN:

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll have researched different environmental issues and taken at least one trip to see how an area is impacted.

 Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore Tips and Resources

National Service Project - Citizen Science: Curious about the Citizen Scientist National Service Project? Hear from GSMISTS Astronomy Club members Paris and Emma as they dive into what Citizen Science is and how you can participate!

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Meet an eco explorer
2. Explore biodiversity
3. Investigate a global ecosystem issue
4. Plan a trip to explore and work on an issue
5. Share what you learned

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

  • Video demonstration: Watch Step 3 of this badge.

 

Business Startup Badge

Seniors find out more about the entrepreneurial mindset and what it takes to start your own business. 

WHAT THEY'LL LEARN:

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll have the skills to come up with a business idea, design a prototype, solicit feedback, improve their idea, then create a business plan and pitch.

Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore ​Tips and Resources

Ask an Entrepreneur! Q&A with Wendy Winn of Elevated Grand Rapids: In this video, hear from Girl Scout alumna and businesswoman Wendy Winn. Learn about her experience as an entrepreneur, co-founding Elevated Grand Rapids, and share advice for learning business skills.

Business Etiquette with Stellaluna Events: Learn from an entrepreneur! In this video, Kalamazoo’s Stellaluna Events presents about modern day business skills. Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts are invited to hear Brooke’s experience as a businesswoman and learn business etiquette.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Come up with an idea you can turn into a business 
2. Design a prototype and get feedback 
3. Revise your prototype 
4. Create your business plan 
5. Make your pitch

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

Video demonstration: Watch Step 1 of this badge.

 
Democracy for Seniors Badge

Learn all about the three branches of government—and more. 

WHAT THEY'LL LEARN:
When girls have earned this badge, they’ll have expanded their knowledge about how their local, state, and national governments work

Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore Tips and Resources

Michigan 2020 Women's Right to Vote Centennial Patch Program: In 2020, Girl Scouts across Michigan will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment – the constitutional amendment that gave women the right to vote. GSMISTS honors this milestone with the Michigan 2020 Women’s Right to Vote Centennial Patch. Girls can earn this patch by learning about the suffragists who fought for years for the right to vote.

Democracy for Girl Scouts with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation: Learn about the different ways you can learn about our government and the opportunities provided to Girl Scouts. Not in the Grand Rapids area? No problem! We'll discuss virtual civic education programs for your troop!

A Message from Mayor Bliss: Hey there Girl Scouts! Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss has a message for you about civic engagement .

On-Demand Program with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation: Offers "Write Your Rep!" program for troops to schedule at a time that works best. Program is FREE.

REQUIREMENTS:

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

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

  • Video Demonstration: Watch Step 3 of this badge.
 
G-Team TV: By Girls, For Girls

Cadettes will tune in to G-Team TV and join Hangouts with girls across the country! 

WHAT THEY'LL LEARN:

Introducing G-Team TV! This new online show for middle and high school girls is run by a group of Girl Scouts called the G-Team. Each episode features special looks at key issues for girls and interviews with accomplished Girl Scout alums. A new episode airs every Thursday at 7:00 PM ET beginning 8/27 @Girl Scouts on IGTV. Plus, find every episode on Girl Scouts’ YouTube channel.

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

Global Action Award & Movie Night

Seniors find out what climate change means to them, their Girl Scout community, and the world.

WHAT THEY’LL LEARN: 

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll understand what climate change means and have completed a global action climate challenge.

REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Learn about the Global Goals and Global Action Award
  2. Find out about climate change
  3. Explore responses to climate change
  4. Focus on a climate change issue
  5. Explore action for climate change

PLAN YOUR MEETING​:

  • Watch a movie that showcases the dangers of climate change.
  • Challenge girls to film their own climate change story. Watch this video to find out how.
 
My Portfolio Badge

Seniors find out how they can use their cookie sales experience to stand out in the future. 

WHAT THEY’LL LEARN: 

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll be able to show college admissions officers and employers what they’ve learned from their cookie sales experience.

REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Create a cookie resume
  2. Put together a cookie portfolio 
  3. Get feedback about how to market yourself for a job or college interview
  4. Write an essay about what you learned from the cookie sale
  5. Learn how to ace an interview

PLAN YOUR MEETING​:

  • Video demonstration: Watch a volunteer lead Step 1 of this badge.

 

Holiday Party and National Service Project

Seniors combine a holiday party with a service project of their choice.

WHAT THEY’LL LEARN: 

When girls have completed this activity, they’ll have worked together to help a cause that they care about.

PLAN YOUR MEETING​:

New Year, New You

Seniors develop a plan for starting the New Year off strong, including the Financing My Future badge.

Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore Tips and Resources

VicTreeFi Program on Demand - VicTreeFi is a female-founded education tech company, dedicated to promoting financial literacy. Girl Scouts can complete financial literacy badges online with VicTreeFi courses. Financing My Future is a three-session, self-paced module. The module takes appx. 120 minutes and contains written, video and quiz-based content.

WHAT THEY’LL LEARN: 

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll have declared their dreams for their educational future and figured out how to finance them so they can start planning thoughtfully for their future.

REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Declare your dreams 
  2. Decide what you need and want 
  3. Go comparison shopping 
  4. Explore your financial aid options 
  5. Build a blueprint for your future 

PLAN YOUR MEETING​:

  • Volunteer demonstration: Watch a volunteer lead Step 1 of this badge.
 
Think Like an Engineer Journey

Seniors find out how engineers solve problems and do a hands-on design challenge.

Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore Resources

Think Like and Engineer with Katy - Think Like an Engineer! Join Toyota engineer Katy as she discusses different types of engineering, how to use design thinking to solve problems, and what a career as an engineer looks like.

WHAT THEY’LL LEARN: 

When girls have earned this award, they’ll know how engineers use the Design Thinking Process to solve problems and will have completed a Take Action project.

REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Find out how engineers use the Design Thinking Process to solve problems.
  2. Do 3 design thinking activities: design and build prototypes of a can holder that isn't harmful to animals, a kinetic sculpture, and an assistive device for the elderly.
  3. Plan a Take Action project that helps others. If you're a Girl Scout volunteer, go to Volunteer Toolkit for complete meeting plans and activity instructions.

PLAN YOUR MEETING​:

World Thinking Day Award

Every year, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world celebrate February 22 as a day of international friendship called World Thinking Day. The 2021 theme for World Thinking Day is "Peacebuilding." To earn this award, Seniors will explore the theme’s meaning, practice the skills to resolve conflict in peaceful ways, and Take Action to make our world and communities more peaceful places. 

PURPOSE: 

When girls have earned this award, they’ll understand what peacebuilding means and will have made a peace pledge for World Thinking Day. 

REQUIREMENTS

  1. Explore World Thinking Day
  2. Explore peacebuilding
  3. Find peace inside
  4. Find out what peacebuilding means
  5. Put peace into action: create a peace pledge

PLAN YOUR MEETING​

Trail Adventure Badge

Seniors will choose their adventure: Compete in a trail race or take a backpacking trip.

PURPOSE: 

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll have planned and learned the skills to compete in a trail race or to take a three-day, two-night backpacking trip. 

Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore Tips and Resources

Learn the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace - Interested in working on an outdoor badge this summer? An important step found in nearly all outdoor badges is learning how to minimize your impact on nature. Learn the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace through this video. 

Cadette & Senior Trail Adventure Badges: Learn from an outdoor pro! - Tune in to learn about hiking and backpacking from outdoor pro, Mary! Cadettes will learn all about what it takes to prepare for a day hike and Seniors can discover what goes into planning an overnight backpacking trip.

REQUIREMENTS

  1. Choose your outdoor adventure
  2. Plan and prepare
  3. Gather your gear
  4. Set a goal and train for your adventure
  5. Go on your outdoor adventure

PLAN YOUR MEETING​

Watch a volunteer lead Step 4 of this badge.

 
Think like a Citizen Scientist Journey

Seniors learn how citizen scientists make observations, collect data, and help scientists conduct scientific research.

PURPOSE: 

When girls have earned this award, they will have sharpened their observation and data collection skills through three citizen science activities. Seniors will also have put their skills into practice through a Take Action project.

Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore Tips and Resources

National Service Project: Citizen Science - Curious about the Citizen Scientist National Service Project? Hear from GSMISTS Astronomy Club members Paris and Emma as they dive into what Citizen Science is and how you can participate! 

REQUIREMENTS

  1. Find out how citizen scientists make observations, collect data, and help scientists conduct scientific research
  2. Do three citizen science activities: make observations about your environment, design a way to test a hypothesis, and participate in a SciStarter project
  3. Plan a Take Action project that helps others 

PLAN YOUR MEETING​

Watch a volunteer lead Part 1 of this Journey.

 
  • Understanding Take Action Activity: Watch this video to understand the difference between taking action and community service.
  • Patch Opportunity: The Girl Scout Tree Promise
  • Awesome Girls: Protect the Planet Event: Check out this exciting, hands-on event with three environmental scientists from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)! You’ll hear directly from these accomplished women about how they got their start and the issues that matter to them. They’ll tell you what they do at the EPA, why it’s important, and how you can help. And, as a super-special way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the EPA, every girl who registers to view this event (either live or recorded) will be able to receive a free EPA patch!
  • Senior Take Action Guide
  • Leading an engaging meeting: Recommendations for facilitating group conversations, handling supplies, and organizing your meeting   
  • Digital games and ice breakers  
  • Virtual meeting agenda (PDF): Use this resource to help you adapt the meeting plans found in the Volunteer Toolkit.
  • Virtual Events Calendar : Search for other events that support this Journey and tune in as a troop!
  • Girl Scout Camp: Find in-person and virtual camp opportunities.
  • Step-by-step planner: Sign in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more for Meetings 1–6 of the Think Like a Citizen Scientist Journey.  
Go Gold: Preparing for the Gold Award

Seniors will explore the Gold Award.

PURPOSE: 

Gold Award Girl Scouts are the dreamers and the doers who take “make the world a better place” to the next level.  To earn the Gold Award, high school Girl Scouts research the root cause of a community issue they are passionate about, then lead a team to tackle it, planning and implementing a project that has tangible and lasting impact on their communities and beyond.

Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore Tips and Resources

GSMISTS Gold Award Training - Find out what girls need to do to earn their Girl Scout Gold Award. Check out our Event Calendar for an upcoming opportunity. 

PLAN YOUR MEETING​

  • Go for the Gold – Tips from Gold Award Girl Scouts YouTube Playlist: Learn the five elements of a successful Gold Award.   
  • Gold Award overview (webpage)
  • Gold Award Guidelines 
  • Make the World a Better Place activity: Prepare for the Gold Award. 
  • Understanding Take Action activity: Explore the difference between community service and Take Action Projects.  
  • Girl Scouts Change the World: Meet the 2020 National Gold Award Girl Scouts—ten girls just like you and who’ve changed the world while still in high school. Find out how they earned the top award in Girl Scouting and the $20,000 college scholarship that goes along with it. This event was recorded during the 2020 National Gold Award Girl Scout celebration. 
  • Go for the Gold: Get inspired to earn the greatest honor in Girl Scouting by tackling issues in your communities and making the world a better place. Hear how two National Gold Award Girl Scouts—Alex and Kiara—chose their focus, planned their projects, and made an impact. This conversation was recorded during the 2020 Girl Scouts Change the World celebration 

When a girl is ready to be a Gold Award Girl Scout, your council needs to be the first to know! Contact them now so they can hook you up with everything you’ll need before getting started. Find your local Girl Scout council. 

Becoming Me Program Series

Who am I? Who do I want to become?

Welcome to the Becoming Me program series! Developed especially for Girl Scouts and inspired by former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama’s book Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers, this special program series takes 6 – 8 sessions to complete. Girls explore their own story as they participate in a National Service Project, read the interactive Becoming Me journal, earn three Girl Scout badges and receive the Becoming Me patch! Find all you need to complete this special program series, with items available individually or bundled by grade level for your convenience.

Senior Becoming Me Digital Download Guide and Requirements

Becoming Me Journal Digital Download

Girl Scouts Give Back: Honoring our Everyday Changemakers – National Service Project

Purchase Becoming Me Patch and Badges

D.I.V.E.R.S.I.T.Y from GSMISTS Troop 4287

Created by GSMISTS Troop 4287 as part of their Silver Award. 

The purpose of this patch is to help girls to learn about D.I.V.E.R.S.I.T.Y.. D.I.V.E.R.S.I.T.Y. is the main theme of our patch, and it stands for Different Individuals Valuing Each other Regardless of Skin, Intellect, Talents, or Years. With this patch, girls will have the opportunity to learn about various cultures and interact with the diversity in their communities. They will be able to expand their circle by interacting with new people while learning to appreciate their distinct customs. The participants will become more understanding of other backgrounds and become more culturally sensitive. 

Visit their Silver Award website, https://sites.google.com/view/d-i-v-e-r-s-i-t-y-patch-forms/home, for details on earning the patch. Patches can also be ordered for $0.50 each plus $3 shipping per order through the website.


 

Find even more adapted activities in the Volunteer Toolkit—just look for the “Virtual” icon! Browse Award and Badge Explorer to see all of the badges, Journeys, and awards that will excite your Seniors!

Introducing the new Daisy, Brownie & Junior Collection. Shop Now.
Introducing the new Daisy, Brownie & Junior Collection. Shop Now.
Play. Grow. Explore. Girl Scouts. Learn More.
Play. Grow. Explore. Girl Scouts. Learn More.