Scoutmaster Faces the Ultimate Test

Article in the Acorn (Oct 2017)


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jr. PA's (Program Aid)

Image
Anyone who has a Girl Scout or leads Girl Scouts will eventually hear about PA's. What is a PA? The PA is a Program Aid who receives leadership training which teaches them to assist younger scouts at events and at camp. What age level can girls attend PA training and become PA's? Girls in 7th grade and older are qualified to become PA's, according to GSUSA. However, girls can attend PA training toward the end of 6th grade, since many Girl Scout summer camps need PA's to assist with their programs. The camps are also a great opportunity for the PA girls to begin their leadership experience actually leading younger scouts. I have a pilot program idea however, that addresses the needs of today's girls and could help our tween girls stay in scouting. In 2014, GSUSA reported that there was a decline in membership of over 400,000 girls and adults. The result equates to a 6% decline in girl members in 2014.     As a service unit manager, I have watched as area service u...
Read more

The Unlikely GS Service Unit Manager

Image
I am an unlikely Girl Scout Service Unit Manager, or so I thought. I didn't beg for the job, nor did I ever aspire to be a free employee leading hundreds of girls and leaders. I loved running my daughters troop, but went to the monthly service unit meetings as my obligation and thought that you must be a little bit wise and a little bit crazy to be a service unit manager. As I've now learned, it's really more like a lot crazy and the wise part will come, only after becoming a service unit manager. I accepted the position when nobody else would. The competitor in me just didn't want to see my local service unit go down in flames. All of the parents claimed they were too busy and too tapped out juggling kids and responsibilities, to assume the responsibility. I had those excuses (or reasons) too, but luckily, I had no idea what I was signing on for, so I said "Ummmmm, okay...I'll do it." That first service unit meeting as service unit manager was a bit...
Read more