Beyond
Ziplock Baggies……
Creative Ceremonies – Beyond the Ziploc Bag
Leaderfest
2004
Trainers:
Barb Hunter Mahan - bdhunter@aol.com
Gretchen Thompson - gretchenthompson@yahoo.com
Mary Horvath - horvatmr@aol.com
We gathered these ideas
from leaders across the U.S….and put in a few of our own ideas, too. The key is to allow yourself to be inspired
from these ideas and go off in your own direction that works with the theme,
the season, or the décor of your Court of Awards ceremony. The girls love pomp and circumstance, they
love momentos, they love to be showered with attention, and the parents love
seeing their little darling honored, too.
Making their achievements special goes a long way to our ultimate goals
of retention and helping our girls grow strong…
We've left in the email
addresses of those who submitted ideas.
If their instructions are hazy to you, feel free to contact them for an
additional explanation!
Enjoy
celebrating the achievements of your girls!
Mary,
Gretchen and Barb
************************************************
From: sisblh@gwunix5.gwu.edu (Barbara Harner)
My two favorite (though probably not very original)
ways are to (1) staple them all onto a wide ribbon with a pin at the top so the
ribbon can be fastened to the vest/sash, and (2) stapled directly onto the
vest/sash so parent knows exactly where to sew it! The latter takes a good stapler (one of those little wimpy ones
won't work) but the girls liked it the last time we did it this way. Barbara
***********************************************
From: pepper_49@hotmail.com (joyce aldred)
Here is an idea I have used to present badges to a
troop of Junior Girl Scouts. Get one of
those straw wreaths (one for each girl) wrap the wreath in fabric, you can have
the girls bring in fabric they like. It
takes about 1/2 yard. If there is
material left over a bow can be added.
Use straight pins to attach the badges to the wreath. The size of the wreath depends on how many
badges they have earned. Also, cut out
of poster board a sash the correct color and attach the patches/badges on
them. Joyce
***********************************************
From: time4you_time4me@hotmail.com (Cynthia
Sattizahn)
We made trefoil shapes out of poster board as a
troop - tied it into GS traditions.
Each girl made one. At a C of A,
the patches were attached with double-stick tape. Simple, but eye catching.
YSIS, Cindy S. Downingtown, PA
***********************************************
From: saschneider@cmsu1.cmsu.edu (SHELIA
SCHNEIDER)
Last year I did several great ideas for handing out
patches and badges to my Junior troop.
We studied Egypt all year as our country for Thinking Day so I made
pyramids with posterboard and had the badges and patches inside of it. At our year end bridging/court of awards we
had earned our Sign of the Satellite so I did a shooting star. The star part had everything that went on
the front of the vest/sash and the shooting part had all of their patches. Our girls loved neon green and yellow so I
did the stars in those colors.
Shelia Schneider, Jr Leader, Council Trainer,
Whiteman AFB, MO, Mid-Continent Council
***********************************************
From:
JFGman
We
always give out try its earned the first half of the year at our annual
Christmas Party. In the past I have put
them little stockings, and last year I put them in a Christmas card. Diane/Florida Brownie Troop 3rd year
***********************************************
From: kyoho@greenbelt.com (Karen Lee Yoho)
When I was a Junior Leader, I tried to theme my
end-of-the-year recognitions. One year
it was gardening and I gave girls small bags of potpourri and the adults these
real neat garden glove memo pads for lending me a hand with our garden! (ha-ha)
I stapled the girls recognitions they earned since the last presentation on a
themed cotton ribbon 3-4 inches wide (the kind you use for wreath bows) and cut
nice on the bottom. I know many parents
don't get around to sewing the badges and patches for a few months, so this
long ribbon was sure not to get lost in the shuffle during the summer months. I
guess you could even put a magnetic strip on it so it could be hung on the
fridge! I have used sunflower, daisy (always appropriate), hats, etc., ribbon.
Frank's usually has it on sale, so I just bought a few bolts.
Karen Yoho, Nation's Capital
***********************************************
From: gscritter@mediaone.net (ann)
One of the girl’s favorites when they were brownies
- I got pinwheels and attached streamers too it and on each streamer was a try
it or patch. I have also made
chocolate kiss roses and attached to each leaf a JR badge. I bought needlework ornament start frames
and last year when my girls earned their leadership pin I covered the cardboard
with fabric and put the leadership in the center and then from the junior green
and cadette blue ribbons I attached badges and patches. When Walgreen’s had their sidewalk sale I
picked up 10 for a $1 little crystal plastic boxes - they are all different
shapes and I put their badges in that one year. This year I was thinking of using those big balloons and putting
the badges inside of the balloon then blowing them up with a helium tank. Should be a hoot watching those girls try
and figure out how to get the badges out!
Ann
***********************************************
From: EMRoyer
I used to present the badges to the girls (Juniors)
during their meeting time a couple of times a year. I found that this was much more tangible to the girls -- they
didn't earn something in Sept and not have it to wear until May. Also, helped to make other girls more aware
of things they had "almost" completed and encouraged them to get the
final requirement done.
At the end of the year during our "awards
program," I would present each girl a ribbon with small cards attached
saying the name of the badge or patch the girl had received and verbally
acknowledge her accomplishments. Some
ribbons were quite long! Elaine Royer,
Trainer, Hemlock Girl Scout Council, Harrisburg, PA
***********************************************
From: rutledge@intrepid.net (earlene garnitz)
One thing we did last year at our Bridging ceremony
was to make paper flowers with a cardboard backing in the shape of the trefoil
behind, with streamers in the colors of the world hanging from it. We had little wooden pieces for the girls to
hold on to. The badges and pins were
then put on the streamers and given to the girls as they crossed the
bridge. This went over very well. The year before we had large trefoils in
plastic with the badges stapled on and the girls names on them. Of course we are looking for another
different idea for this years bridging.
Earlene Garnitz, Shawnee Council trainer, leader,
SUM, etc
***********************************************
From: nicki@navicom.com (Nicki Merrell)
I had a leader make a necklace of the Try-Its and
patches her Brownies were receiving.
Tape on curly ribbon if I remember rightly. YIGGGS, Nicki Merrell, Santiam, Salem, OR nicki@navicom.com
***********************************************
From: J ARTSKYD
How about stapling the badges/try-its to a thin ribbon
and then tying the ribbon very tightly to a lollipop stick? Take assorted lollipops and stick them in
Styrofoam and then have the Styrofoam spray painted brown already and precut to
fit small clay flowerpots. Now you have
a flowerpot full of flower- lollipops!!
You could do one of the flower ceremonies and then hand these out as
each girl says her part or at the end of the ceremony!!!
YIS, Kathy Dykstra, Freedom Valley Girl Scout
Council, Valley Forge, PA
***********************************************
From: Speckles2
One of the neatest ideas I've seen is to take those
small clay flowerpots and fill with Styrofoam.
Hot glue your patches, badges, etc., to pipe cleaners and arrange with
silk leaves or flowers as an arrangement.
You can paint the girl's name on the pot and hand out as a bouquet of
flowers. Lynn, Deep South Council,
Mobile
***********************************************
From: TAG7079 How about making a blue ribbon with a gold seal and attach
the badges to it?
***********************************************
From: turningrn@aol.com (TurninGrn)
Have you done the paperbag vest yet? We did this for our Bridging to Brownie,
Daisies ... who weren't sure if they would continue so didn't make the vest
with the rest of the troop. We cut the
vest from a plane brown grocery bag, then attached the one year star, Try-It, and Bridging patch, they had earned during Bridging steps then
traced and colored on the Strips and such.
Just thought as typing
this, that with TryIts you could make a mini Pizza Pan and mount them with a
dab of hot glue on the back, to form a portion or whole Pizza. With Junior Badges perhaps a mounted on a
funfoam Ice Cream dish, like scoops of Ice cream (if that is not too
childish). Then for the IPP's you could
build a Pyramid, as they are the 'Building Blocks of Life'. Mary, Pacific Peaks Council, Tumwater WA
**************************************************
From: SWAPSALOT
We made Daisies out of construction or poster
board. Attached badges to petals, also
attached to ribbons that can be pinned onto the girl's uniform during
ceremony. Kathy
***********************************************
From: Chieflyme
My best idea was to staple patches/badges to a strip
of wide, kind of stiff ribbon. I also
attached a sticker/label to top of ribbon with girl's name so I knew whose was
what. When I presented it to the Scout,
I pinned it to her sash/shirt. Looked
kind of impressive. Have also seen them
attached/stapled to an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of stiff paper. Judi Fulbright, Tarheel Triad GS Council
(central Piedmont area of NC)
***********************************************
From: tgjgjgjg@aol.com (TGJGJGJG)
Take a small terra cotta pot and paint it
(we used silver and blue since several of the girls earned their silver
award).
Put Styrofoam into each pot. Take pieces of coated
floral wire in varying lengths (4" up to 10")
Wrap one end of the wire tightly around
the end of a pencil, then slide the wire off the pencil. You should have something that looks like
this O--------- Be sure the coil of wire is coiled
tightly.
Take each piece of wire and stick it in
the Styrofoam in the pot. These will be standing up looking like flower stems.
Take the badge or patch and wedge it into
the coil. Now you have a pot full of
patches and IP's.
Once the girls take the patches out to be
sewn on their vests, they can still use the pot and wire to display their
favorite pictures.
Jan, Junior #519, Cadette/Senior
#2146
*****************************************
From: rutledge@intrepid.net (earlene garnitz)
At bridging last year, we had silver and gold
ribbons tied to the flowers and silver and gold rings (found in the wedding
section of our local craft store). They
represented the make new friends but keep the old... This worked because some girls were bridging away from girls they
had been with for awhile. Earlene
Garnitz, Shawnee Council
***********************************************
From:
Sandj324
For our holiday themed ceremony, I made wreaths out
of construction paper (all I had to work with, although I would've preferred
felt or something) and I taped the girls try-its and patches around the wreath
and I put a red bow at the top with their names on it. Jen, Brownie Troop #633, Kapolei, HI
**********************************************
From:
JTHeidrick
I use Microsoft Greetings Workshop to make up
presentation certificates. I use the
borders option to border the certificate.
For the space explorer try-it, I used little planets. For the Christmas Parade patch, I used
Christmas trees. Then, I type the
try-it or patch name, the date, a Congratulations, and the girls name. I make the certificate about 3 inches by 8
inches, so I can get about 3 or 4 on a page.
I print out about 4 pages, cut them out with pinking shears and staple
the patch or try-it to the certificate.
We have not lost a try-it yet!
Char
***********************************************
From:
GuthLaura
We just had our first Court of Awards for this year
at our Christmas Mother/Daughter Tea and used candy canes - double-sided sticky
tape (make your own) with one try-it on one side and one on the other - we used
small canes because of just 2 try-its, but if more, then could use larger,
longer canes and attach down stem - we stuck to curve of cane, both sides. Make sense? Laura - Troop 446, Olympia, WA, GuthLaura@aol.com
***********************************************
From:
JCGRANT I made each girl a snowman
using paper plates. I used try-its for
the eyes and nose. I used a half circle
patch for the mouth. Other try-its and patches decorated the snowman.
***********************************************
From: momscout@aol.com (MomScout)
Have the leaders write down something ahead of time
to say about each girl, something fun-outstanding memory of the activities,
etc. This keeps the ceremonies from
being dry no matter what props are used in handing the girls their badges,
patches, and other awards.
Tell them to invite parents and relatives, having
the girls make invitations each time.
The leaders should pencil in prospective dates on their troop planning
calendars so they and the parents are not caught off guard. Parents deserve plenty of notice and troop
information in a timely manner. This
keeps them on your side, no matter what mistakes happen during the year.
Too many leaders view parents as the enemy when they
should be treated as allies of the troop.
They can easily transfer their girls to other troops or out of Girl
Scouting altogether.
Another
idea is varying the location of the ceremonies from time to time. Having a lawn party where everyone brings
their own blankets or chairs would be a nice change of pace, esp. for younger
siblings. Have parents in charge of
getting refreshments.
Put a notice in the newspaper afterward. Try to include a group picture.
A way to thank troop parent volunteers is to give
each one a small plant for their garden.
The girls can decorate Styrofoam cups or small pots. Baskets can be made of paper. Or the girls can present their parents with
a flower- live or homemade.
Have the girls take turn with parts or running the
ceremony. The busier they are, the less
fidgety they are during the ceremony.
Start and end on time! Everyone's time is valuable!
Do not wait until the last minute to plan the
meeting or buy the supplies. A rushed
leader takes a while to settle down and everyone wants the leader's attention
as soon as she gets there.
Keep a notebook of ceremonies and evaluate them. Keep notes on each one you have used.
Jan
Brewington, Fredericksburg, VA
***********************************************
From: Ledbeth
One of the ideas we used was to make
"Brownie" angels - our Court of Awards was in December (I think this
idea came from Pack-O-Fun ) - the
leaders cut and glued the angel and the girls decorated them -
Materials: Brown grocery bags toilet paper tube doll hair in various shades
markers or crayons 1/4" or 1/2" wide
ribbon hot glue
Using brown grocery bags - cut out 2 angel shapes
for each angel using "pinking shears" ( they looked like paper dolls with long skirts ) - the leaders cut and glued the angel except
for the bottom of the skirt. cut a
toilet tube in half and glue into opening of shirt to make it stand up.
Girls added details like doll hair, faces and
decorations on dress area with markers.
We
took them home and then glued a piece of ribbon between the angels hands and
stapled the Try-Its and other awards to it.
At our COA they were all lined up on a table looking so festive. The girls later got to put them on their
Christmas tree as a decoration.
Our latest COA we cut green trefoils - about 4"
size and wrote each girls name on them - we stapled to this a gold wire edged
ribbon ( about 2 1/2" wide) and stapled all the Try-its and membership
stars to each one - the girls pinned this to their vest using the star pin (
this was great because they didn't lose it before the end of the meeting !)
Liz LeDeoux, Brownie Troop 1546, Daisy Consultant,
Suffolk County GSC, NY
*************************************************
From:
bdhunter@aol.com
Get 1 helium balloon per girl. Tape or staple try-its/patches to the end of
the streamer on the balloon.
Cut a huge trefoil out of green poster board (it's
really not that hard!) Put green crepe
paper streamers behind the trefoil -- 1 streamer per girl w/ try-its and
patches attached.
Get a cheap clay pot (1 per girl). Sponge paint/decorate it. Attach one try-it or badge to a paper
cupcake cup, then to a green chenille stem (in other words, make each
patch/try-it into a flower...add leaves, etc.)
"Plant them" in florist foam in the clay pot.
Do a Hawaiian theme (great in the winter!) Order cheap Hawaiian decorations from
Oriental Trading or buy at your local "party and paper" store. Put each try-it/badge on a lei and present
the lei to the girl.
Do a "Make new friends but keep the old"
theme ceremony. Decorate everything in
silver and gold . Buy cheap silver and
gold metallic material and make little drawstring bags big enough to hold
patches/try-its. Give the gold to the
"old" scouts and silver bags to the "new" ones. Barb, GSC of the Nation's Capital
***********************************************
From:
BatGrr1
I made wreaths out of green felt glued to posterboard
and cut out. Then I glued on a bow made
of red yarn and "drizzled"
(for lack of a better word) the yarn around the wreath. Then I hot glued the patches and try-its on,
finishing it off with snowflake shaped sequins here and there. We are going to hang them from the ceiling
at our Christmas party and at then end of the party, take them down and present
them. They are super cute.
Kim Williams, Leader, Brownie Troop #3444, Circle T
Council
***********************************************
From:
Yatfam@aol.com
I had a vision of a Christmas tree decorated with
Try-It "ornaments". Perhaps
out of green posterboard. You could
also add tinsel or draw lights etc. with metallic marker. Kelly Groff, Brownie Troop #1106, Olney, MD
*********************************************************
From: "Jennifer Geisbert"
<jenefer@earthlink.net>
On the meeting before an
awards ceremony the girls decorated clay pots with paint pens. Then we stuck Styrofoam circles inside
(painted green) the rim so it was pretty much flush with the top of the
pot. I painted Popsicle sticks and cut
out leaves from green construction paper and attached the leaves to the
stick. I glued their patches on the
sticks and handed them to the girls this way.
I brought their pots to the ceremony and as the girls came up and
received their badges (called out by badge, not girl). They stuck their green sticks into their pot
and made a flower arrangement of badges.
yigggs, Jennifer
***********************************************
From:
Patricia Troutt <snptroutt@EARTHLINK.NET>
Our
troop does monthly Court of Awards. We
used to do twice a year, when we were in Brownies, but we changed that the
third year so the girls could wear the TryIts and enjoy them. Now in Juniors, it rewards the girls for
their work right away. We have earned
several badges as a troop, but many of our girls are earning them on their
own. It also encourages the girls to do
badge work on their own, when they see what the other girls are doing.
We
don't have a real big deal of a ceremony, but I try to give the badges
creatively. I made felt flowers, and
attached the badges to the centers of them when we earned the Plants and
Animals badge. We attached the Frosty
Fun badge to the center of paper snowflakes.
I made envelopes out of Girl Scout wrapping paper for the Girl Scouting
in the USA badge. We attached the
badges to heart doilies in February. We
don't like to just hand the girls a badge in a baggy or something.
We
have an end of year ceremony that the parents are invited to. We usually have a potluck dinner. We will give the girls certificates telling
what badges they have earned. We will probably
save the Signs that the girls earn for the end of the year. Pat
, Jr Troop 561, Sybaquay Council **********************************************
I have one very creative leader in my
Service Area who in the past two years has:
- stapled them to the ribbon of a helium
filled balloon - party theme
- hot glued them to florist wires and used
them as flowers in clay pot - garden theme (I used this at our leaders party
and used decorated paper cups as the pot)
- Made paper bag angels and glued them to
ribbons on her robe - holiday theme
- put them on a paper fan
- posted them in a folder cut into the shape
of a Trefoil that opened like a book, with the girls name on the front
- Made rosette buttons with wide ribbons (
badges on the ribbons) - everyone's a winner!
Jeanne Carnot, GSCM
***********************************************
From: "Gloria Haney" <ghaney@potter-cpa.com>
At our
Court of Awards last June for my Brownie troop, I cut a large trefoil from
posterboard. Then I outlined it with puffy gold paint, let it dry overnight,
then a spot of hot glue for each patch or try-it. I wrote each girl's name in the center with a gold pen. The girls
and their parents just raved over them.
Gloria Haney, Brownie Troop 1471
***********************************************
From: JWoodruff@via-net.net (Woodruff, Julie)
I made
a copy of the Brownie membership pin (it was in the GS Uniforms, Insignia, and
Recognitions book). Then I blew it up
on the copier until it was about 4 inches square. Once I had it the size I wanted, I copied it onto heavy card
stock paper. Then I cut out each
"pin". I stapled a ribbon to
the "pin" and stapled all the badges/Try-Its for the girl on the
ribbon. I wrote the girl's name on the
back of the "pin". Separately
I did a program listing each girl and the badges she had earned. Another time I did the same basic thing only
it was a green trefoil cut out of that foam stuff that looks like felt. Jul.
***********************************************
From: "Kathy Giessuebel"
<giessuebel@vabch.com>
Last
year I had 3 courts of awards. The
first one was around Christmas time. I
combined the presentation of the badges with a little Christmas gift from
myself - a heart-shaped pumpkin bread, wrapped in purple plastic wrap (that's
what I had...) It was tied up with
curly ribbon, and I'd sewn a thread through the badges they earned, and also
included one of those little gift decorations things. (You know, those cheap, tiny doo-hickeys that you can put on a
present to jazz it up) All the girls
had earned the same two badges that time so I didn't personalize the
awards. The next Court of Awards was in
the spring. I did ziplocs, but I had
the girls at the meeting before the Awards ceremony, write their name on and
decorate their bag. I also enclosed in
each bag a picture I'd taken of each of them on horseback while we'd worked on
the Horse Lover badge. The last Court
of Awards was in June, and I thought it would be neat to make a picnic out of
it. I took green cardboard and cut it
into the shape of a sash, (the vest would have been too complicated for
me.) This time, most of them had earned
the Junior Aide badge, and the sign of the rainbow, in addition to a few
badges, so I placed them on my cardboard sash approximately where they'd go on
the girls' sashes. Next year, around
Christmas, I might do something like stockings. Kathy G.
***********************************************
From: "Katy"
<furryfeathers@mindspring.com>
As far
as handing out recognitions, I have just finished cutting out 13 green
construction paper vests. I just folded
the edges over to the middle, and cut arm holes, and the neck in a V
shape. I will be hot gluing the badges
and patches to the front or back, in proper position, to help the parents
figure out what goes where. My co
leader is also leader for a Brownie troop.
She is making brown "vests" for her Brownies, and hot gluing
the recognitions on.
We are
holding an Investiture/Reded/Court of Awards tomorrow night, for all 3 of
"OUR" troops.
We also are having the girls rededicating as Juniors
pinning the new Juniors, who will pin the Brownies, who will pin the Daisies. Sounds fun, doesn't it, and this way, they
all get to pass on the great feelings. Katy
***********************************************
FROM: Ricky & Elaine Anderson [4hares@cconnect.net]
We’ve
used Construction Paper (multiple colors) and titled our colorful sheet
"Badge Recognition Awards", attaching the Badge to the construction
paper by using a stapler. To make the
paper more fancy, we used special scissors on the edges. On the computer made a label with the proper
badge name. Below that was a brief
description of activities done and date completed. It allowed parents to see it took many meetings to accomplish the
requirements.
We also
have made pockets on our construction sheet for the badge to slip in to. Put the Contemporary Logo on the pockets and
made a envelope style for closing and seal with mini bow. All sheets had the Girl Scout Name and we
printed various Girl Scout slogans and sayings.
We have
done flower pots with the Popsicle and tongue depressor as the stems and made
paper flowers and leaves. Each tongue
depressor had the Girl Scout Name in Gold on the table with our Good Conduct
Candle burning and they would come and build their bouquet of Flower Badges. The badges being the center of each
flower.
We used
a scanner and put the Contemporary Logo and the words Girl Scout on a sticker
and glued to the flower pot. The pots
were painted white and the top rim we used a sponge and Green paint to match
sticker design. The bottom saucer was
also painted white with Green sponge painting on the rim. We modge podge them to give a gloss
touch. At the end of the year we put
Peace plants and gave them out with bows and attached a gold and silver ring
with a date to their parents. They were
very neat and beautiful. Badges were presented on a Girl Scout Tree design
using a Circle of Life theme and bringing Native American ceremonies. There was not a dry eye in the house.
*********************************************
From: "Shari Teresi"
<steresi@ix.netcom.com>
Treasure Chest:
Day: The girls had to find their
Treasure Chest (painted gold with little beads of their names on it) with the
try-its they earned in it only after they figured out where a poem was sending
them. Candy Bar awards with their
try-its. "Chuckles" for my
#3's giggling daughter was the easiest one.
For a mixture of rededication and try-its earned earlier, I bought a
wishing well and had the fairy on a pail bring their try-its up (and don't
forget the fairy dust!) Make
"fairy wands" and attach the badges/awards to streamers (not
particularly reusable - but cute). Make
a floral (silk and dried) wreath/coronet for their hair with badges/awards
attached to streamers (these can be reused later or turned into candle wreaths
at a meeting). Make "treasure
boxes" for your girls with the awards tucked inside. Prepare 3-ring binders (with a taped on
fairy tale book cover) and the awards inside.
***********************************************
Source unknown:
Cut
a trefoil (with or w/o Brownie depending on age level) template about the size
of the GS cookie cutter. (A dry
cleaner's shirt board works great for the template.) Use this to cut a trefoil for each girl out of heavy yellow
construction paper. Cut two lengths of
1" grosgrain ribbon (again, the color depends on the age level) to
accommodate all their Try-its/Badges, bridging patch, wings, Jr. Aide patch,
etc. Attach the two lengths of ribbon
to the back of the trefoil to resemble a "blue ribbon". I use hot glue for this, as well as to
attach the patches to the ribbon. You
could always use a stapler as well. The
year pin (star) and any other pins, like the GS pin if they are bridging to
Jrs. or their leadership pins, etc. (here in Hawaii we also have honor troop
pins) are pinned right through the trefoil.
The girls name and, if there's room, a list of the patches, is written
on the back of the trefoil. A nice way
to present these to the girls, especially at a more formal court of awards
ceremony.
***********************************************
More Ideas for Presenting
Awards
Wrap
recognitions is festive packages. Put
recognitions on pipe cleaner stems in a flower pot. Put recognitions in a plastic egg for a springtime ceremony
“Theme”
the ceremony based on what was earned…Put recognitions: In
crayon boxes
On leafy branches or pine boughs In
a bandana on a stick On a natural wood plaque
On a paper doll chain Attached to international flags On cardboard hearts
On tongue depressors On paper airplanes Attached to pencils or rulers
Attached to paintbrushes or sheet music Strung on balloons with a
photograph of something girls did
***********************************************
Bouquets of Badges
Present badge Daisies at your next Court
of Awards. Use or adapt the pattern
shown here. Cut "daisies"
from colored construction paper. Use
double sided tape or staple badges to the center of each flower. The girls' name, troop number, etc. can be
written on the daisy petals. Girls who
have earned several badges can be awarded "bouquets." Add a wire stem and leaves and place in a
vase and you have a table decoration for your ceremony.
Court of
Awards Ceremonies
Court of Awards ceremony is a special time to honor and present girls with badges and awards, such as Cookie Awards, that they have earned. Often parents, family members and friends are invited so that they too can share in recognizing a job well done. It can be held at any time during the year and as often as the girls would like. The last Court of Awards is also a good time to recognize all of the adults that helped during the year with troop activities.
Brownie Try-It
Ceremony
Decorate the ceremony
site with samples of the activities girls did to complete Try-Its.
Leader: To complete a Brownie Try-It, girls choose and complete four activities in one of the Try-Its. Today we are celebrating the completion of the ________ Try-It(s). Let’s tell about what we tried and learned.
Ask each girl to name
one thing they tried to do as part of a Try-It activity. Girls may hold up
samples of their work, etc. Present each girl with her Try-Its.
Junior Court
of Awards
Leader: A badge is a symbol of accomplishment. Each girl who is honored here today has increased her skill and knowledge in a particular subject and has earned her right to wear the proficiency badge symbolizing her special interests and activities.
Speaker #1: The Sign of the Rainbow gives you a full variety of colorful choices and is a symbol of hope for your future. You have gained new skills in many ways and are able to work with girls in other troops.
Speaker #2: The Sign of the Sun is a symbol of great energy. It provides us with light to see and understand better. You have become a good leader in your troop and have made this year a successful one for the troop.
Speaker #3: The Sign of the Satellite shows that you were guided into exploring way to help yourself, you neighbors, and your community. Satellites were made to view and explore new horizons. They aid communication in many ways. You adventured into new worlds which are opening up to you.
Speaker #4: The Sign of the World shows that you got to know yourself better, increased your understanding of your own values, and gained experience in working with others. Millions of people live on this earth - and everyone can contribute, in some way, toward making our world a better place.
Call each girl
individually and present their awards.
The Spelling
of Girl Scouting
Equipment needed: posterboard with letters G-I-R-L S-C-O-U-T-I-N-G on them.
Speaker #1: G is for the Gracious way we all proclaim our birth.
Speaker #2: I points up the ideas shared and those we’d like unearthed.
Speaker #3: R is for the respect we have for every race and creed.
Speaker #4: L is for our loyalty to promises we heed.
Speaker #5: S is for sincerity of deed and word and mind.
Speaker #6: C is for the countless ways in which theses are combined.
Speaker #7: O is obligation that we owe to fellow man.
Speaker #8: U means that it’s you who must be first to lend a hand.
Speaker #9: T is for the teamwork which has evidenced our growth.
Speaker #10: I is for integrity which backs the Girl Scout oath.
Speaker #11: N is for the noble way we remember days of old.
Speaker #12: G is for the Grateful thanks for efforts toward our goal
Speaker #13: Each of these is Girl Scouting
What work! What fun! What pride!
To recall with admiration
And seek with greater stride
Speaker #14: Receiving all these badges
For all that we have done
Shows the pride we carry
What pride! What work! What fun!
Junior Court
of Awards
Equipment needed: posterboard with letters on it.
Speaker #1: B Stands for Badges to be given today. What is a badge? An outward sign of an inner accomplishment. A scrap of colored material is not nearly as important as the job that was done to earn it.
Speaker #2: A Awards given at the Court of Awards. Here we are not rewarded for the badge itself but for what the badge represents. It means new knowledge, new skills learned, discipline required to complete requirements, and new opportunities to be of service to others.
Speaker #3: D Stands for Deeds. Good deeds to be done now and in the future for family, friends, and the community. Good deeds done with the knowledge and skills acquired through the badges.
Speaker #4: G Is the Girl in Girl Scouts. And most of all the earning of badges shows Growth. Growth as an individual in becoming an increasingly worthwhile person through living the Girl Scout Promise and Law.
Speaker #5: E Is for Eagerness and Energy. These are necessary to earn badges. Badges do not come easily and they should not, or their value would be small. Badges present challenges and difficulties to an individual and satisfaction in accomplishment.
Speaker #6: S Stands for Many Things. Service to others should be one aim in life. Another aim is Self-development for the life you now lead and for the future. Most important, perhaps, is Self-respect: the way you feel about yourself as a person. Self-respect comes from setting high goals and ideals and striving ever to reach them.
Speaker #7: And so we have badges to be given today in this Court of Awards. Your leaders know the work you have done to receive them. We know how eager you are to wear them, and it is with great pride and feeling of accomplishment that we present them to you today.
Indian Awards
Ceremony
Equipment needed:
tripod lashed at top with hook for kettle, large canning kettle with
small coffee can inside, several chunks of dry ice, 2 small baby food jars with
colored water (1 green, 1 yellow) Awards are placed inside the coffee can in
the kettle to keep them dry, along with a green tab with Girl Scout pin on
it. Chief sits by the kettle.
Narrator: Once there was an Indian tribe known throughout the nation. The chief wanted to create a symbol for all the members of the tribe to wear. The Chief called two trusty braves to the fire circle and told them to go forth and find a symbol to be used for all the people of the tribe. Two braves go to the Chief who motions for them to go through the land to find things for the symbol.
Narrator: The first brave returned bearing the green of the grass and the tree. Brave gives Chief a jar of green water which the Chief pours in the kettle over the dry ice.
Narrator: The second brave returned to give the chief the gold of the sun. Again the yellow tinted water is poured in the kettle.
Narrator: The Chief then fashioned a symbol for all
the members of the tribe to wear. The Chief reaches into the coffee can and
brings out a Girl Scout pin attached to the green felt and holds it up for
everyone to see.
Chief continues the
Court of Awards by removing the badges and signs earned by the girls and awards
them.
Junior Court
of Awards
Each girl is presented
her badges. They can be stapled or
taped on to a trefoil cut out of green construction paper. Each girls awards can be put on a green
streamer hung off of a large trefoil.
After each girl receives her awards, it is customary for the leader and
the girl to share a Girl Scout handshake while the leaders makes appropriate
congratulatory remarks, or girls could make a comment about what they did to
earn an award.
A Badge Is adapted from Glendyl Walton
A badge is a symbol
of something earned
For doing things nimble
while a skill is learned.
A badge is a token
of a service rendered
With no praise spoken
for assistance tendered.
A badge is a goal
for which girls work hard
To accomplish a role
and meet with high regard.
A badge is not to be taken lightly
Its possession is quite a feat
It must be earned rightly
And all requirements meet.
Hawaiian Court
of Awards Ceremony
See if you can find
the proper pronunciations of the Hawaiian words before trying this
ceremony.
The “torches” on stage
are lit, and the houselights are turned down.
Soft Hawaiian must playing the background fades out. Three blasts of the conch shell, from the
back of the room, signals the start the ceremony. Conch shell blower then runs to the front with the conch. (Note: Unless you know someone can make a
sound from a Conch, skip that part! J
)
Conch shell blower: Shell is blown 4 times. The first blast is made facing east. Then there is a slight pause, a Hawaiian chant may be performed, or a tape may be played. The second blast on the conch shell is made facing west. Then another pause with another chant. The third blast is made facing south, with another pause and chant. The fourth blast of the conch shell is made facing north.
Speaker #1: Aloha!
Audience: Aloha.
Speaker #1: I know you can do better than that - Aloha!
Audience: Aloha!
Speaker #1: Welcome to our Court of Awards. Tonight, we used the Hawaiian theme because traditional Hawaiian family life has many of the same ideas and values as Girl Scouting.
Speaker #2: Comes forward carrying a card with the word ALOHA on it. Aloha has many meanings: love, affection, compassion, mercy, pity, kindness, charity, hello, good-bye, alas, and regards. The Hawaiian family provides a ready source of love, affection, kindness, courtesy, and hospitality. In Hawaii, aloha is shown and given not only to family members, but to all who visit.
Speaker #3: Comes forward carrying a card with the word IKE on it. Ike means to recognize everyone as a person. Everyone needs to be recognized, especially children. Ike can be given in a number of ways. It can be a look, a word, a touch, a hug, a gesture, and even a scolding. Children need to give ike to each other, so if the teacher demonstrates the giving of ike then the children will follow the example.
Speaker #4: Carries a sign with the word KOKUA. Kokua, which means help, was an important part of every household in old Hawaii. Every member helped get the work done. They did not have to be asked to kokua. They helped whenever they saw help was needed.
Speaker #5: Carries a sign with the word KULEANA. Kuleana. One of the most important words is kuleana, or responsibilities, of every family member was to maintain acceptable standards of behavior. Attention-seeking behavior was frowned upon, and respect for social rank and seniority was a must. Each person was taught what was acceptable and not acceptable. He or she learned to accept and carry out his or her kuleana, or responsibilities willingly.
Speaker #6: Carries a sign with the word LAULIMA. Laulima means many hands. Everyone in the family - the ohana - shared the workload. Whether it was planting, building a house or a fishpond, preparing a meal or fishing, each person did a share of the work to get it done. If a man wanted a house built, his ohana - his family - willingly came to help. They gathered the building materials, built the foundation, put up the frame, and installed the thatched roof. They also gathered the pili grass and other thatching materials. Children helped in whatever way they could. This kind of laulima made the work easier and more enjoyable.
Speaker #7: Carries a sign with the word LOKAHI on it. Lokahi means harmony and unity. The family considered lokahi very important, not only with people but also with the universe. The members of the family showed this in their daily living by sharing goods and services with each other.
Speaker #8: The ohana, or family members, generously gave to others no matter how little they themselves had. Strangers were greeted with aloha and invited to come in and partake of food. Anyone visiting another took food or a gift as a symbol of hospitality. They established lokahi with the universe by observing the law of daily living which included homage to the gods. This kind of behavior nurtured harmony in the family - lokahi in the ohana.
Speaker #9: You may have noticed how closely the Hawaiian family life follows the Girl Scout Law. We would now like to say our Girl Scout promise in Hawaiian.
All: O wau o amalia, ho’ohiki no ka hana ana
i kou kilohana
Me ka hana ana i ka’u mahelehana,
i ke akua ame ko’u a’ina kahiki,
A e kokua i kekahi po’e
A e ho’olohe i na kanawai
o ka pu’ali. (Note: When we did this, we
skipped this because no one could pronounce the words!)
Speaker #10: Wahinis, please take a seat. We will now be presenting the awards that you have earned this year.
Presentation of Awards
- As the girls are recognized, in addition to their badges, they receive
leis. Then the adults that volunteered
for the troop, like the Troop Cookie Manager, are called forward to receive their
gifts and leis.
Speaker #11: Wahinis, please take your positions. Often, Hawaiians use their hands to communicate and they use this in their dances. We would like to sing and perform for you the Hawaiian song, “Pearly Shells”.
Conch Shell Blower: Comes forward with the conch and repeats the four blasts of the conch shell. This time, the directions change: first to the north, second to the south, third to the west, and fourth to the east.
Speaker #12: This concludes our Court of Awards. Mahalo - thank you - for your attendance. Aloha!
Audience: Aloha!
Refreshments served
may be pineapple cake, tray of fruits, and of course, Hawaiian punch. To add to the atmosphere, play a Hawaiian
tape in the background.
Sample Court
of Awards
Equipment needed: red, white and blue chips, stars.
Troop walks in and
forms a horseshoe. The Color Guard is
in position.
Speaker #1: We are going to fix for you a treat that is really grand, and make for you a recipe – the greatest in the land.
Speaker #2: First we put in a heaping cup of Red for courage true.
Speaker #3: And then we will add for loyalty, a dash of heavenly Blue.
Speaker #4: For purity, we will now sift in a layer of snowy White.
Speaker #5: We will sprinkle in a pinch of stars to make it came out right.
Speaker #6: We will stir and stir and then you will see -- that what we have made is this--
All: Old Glory. Pull
out folded flag from bottom of pot and hold up for pledge of allegiance.
Speaker #7: Will the audience please stand. Thomas Jefferson said, “The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time.” As we repeat the Pledge of Allegiance, let us remember that our flag is a symbol of this precious liberty.
Speaker #8: Our flag is the most beautiful flag in the world, let us always be loyal to it. Will the audience please be seated. Girl Scouts, take your positions.
Girls stand around
table that has candles with ribbons on it.
As they light the appropriate candle, the say the parts of the Girl
Scout law.
Leader: Girl Scouts, let us recite the Girl Scout Promise and Law.
On my honor, I will try
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
All: I will do my best to be:
Speaker #1: Honest and fair The purple ribbon on this candle represents a Girl Scout's sense of honesty and fairness. A Girl Scout works honestly and keeps her promise. She is fair in all she does and those she meets.
Speaker #2: Friendly and helpful The blue ribbon on this candle represents a Girl Scout's sense of friendship and thoughtfulness. A Girl Scout is amiable and loyal to her friends. She helps others wherever and whenever she can.
Speaker #3: Considerate and caring The orange ribbon on this candle represents a Girl Scout's sense of kindness and warmth. A Girl Scout works well with others and looks out for the well-being of others.
Speaker #4: Courageous and strong The red ribbon on this candle represents a Girl Scout's sense of adventure and independence. A Girl Scout attempts new tasks and braves new endeavors. She is confident and self-assured in her actions.
Speaker #5: Responsible for what I say and do The gold ribbon on this candle represents a Girl Scout's sense of ownership and pride in her work. She readily admits her strengths and weaknesses and is aware of the consequences of her actions. A Girl Scout is up front with her intentions.
Speaker #6: Respect myself and others The white ribbon on this candle represents a Girl Scout's sense of integrity. A Girl Scout directs her thoughts and deeds to encompass her own beliefs and to be sensitive to, and respectful of the beliefs of those around her.
Speaker #7: Respect authority The yellow ribbon on this candle represents a Girl Scout's sense of regard for another's position. A Girl Scout understands the importance of having a leader of a group to make final decisions. She works with that leader to make the best decisions for the good of the group.
Speaker #8: Use resources wisely The green ribbon on this candle represents a Girl Scout's sense of being careful with resources. She uses her materials, money, time, and energy wisely. A Girl Scout does not waste the Earth's resources.
Speaker #9: Make the world a better place The brown ribbon on this candle represents a Girl Scout's sense of improvement. A Girl Scout strives to conserve, and enrich the world around her. She believes it is important to leave a place better than when she found it.
Speaker #10: Be a sister to every Girl Scout The silver ribbon on this candle represents a Girl Scout's loyalty to sisters all over the world. A Girl Scout is always ready to accept more friends into her ever widening circle. She treats all of her sisters with kindness, acceptance, and warmth.
Co-Leader: We would like to welcome all the parents, family and friends that have joined us for this very special Court of Awards. Today the girls will receive recognitions that they’ve earned these past few months. They have worked very hard to earn the badges and would like to tell you a little about what they did to earn each of them.
Girls take turns
talking about each of the badges and the activities completed.
Leader: Juliette Gordon Low once said as she awarded badges to a group of Girl Scouts: Every badge you earn is tied up to your motto “Be Prepared.” Badges are not awards for something you have done once or for an examination you have passed. They are not medals to wear on your uniform just to show what a smart girl you are. A badge is a symbol that you have done the thing it stands for often to be prepared to give service in it. You wear the badge to let people know that you have earned it, can show someone else how to do it, and are proud of your accomplishments.
Each girl is called up
individually and presented her awards.
Co-Leader: Remember that with each new badge, a Girl Scout takes on a new responsibility. A little more is expected at home, at troop meetings, and in your community. Strive always to be worthy of the symbols you wear and wear them with pride. Congratulations to each of you.
Speaker #11: We would now like to recognize the parents that helped us this year. As we call your name, please come forward and your daughter will present you with a small token of our appreciation.
Each parent is
recognized for what they did, leaving the Troop Cookie Manager for the end.
Speaker #12: Will (TCM) please come forward. This is one of the toughest jobs and we really appreciate the hard work that you did for us. This year, our troop sold the most boxes of cookies in the Service Unit. We want to thank you for keeping everything organized for us. We’d like to sing this special song just for you.
Cookie Mommy (Rubber Ducky)
Cookie Mommy, you’re the one, Who counts the boxes, one by one.
Cookie Mommy, we’re awfully proud of you. Do, Do, Si, Do.
We sell cookies for Girl Scouts, But you’re the reason it all works out.
Cookie Mommy, it’s all because of you.
Every box we sell Makes a little bit of money
To pay for All the projects and Buy the snacks for our tummy,
Cookie, Cookie Mommy!
Cookie Mommy, you get the work done.
You make selling lots of fun.
Cookie Mommy, we o-o-owe it all to you!!!
Speaker #13: We will now blow out our candles, but their meaning will glow and burn their image on our hearts and minds for all eternity. Girl Scouts, please take your positions.
Color Guard goes to
the back of the room.
Leader: Girl Scout-in-Charge:
Girl Scout-in-Charge: Will the audience please rise.
Girl Scouts, Attention.
Color Guard, Advance.
Color Guard, Honor your flag.
Color Guard, Retire the Colors.
Color Guard, Dismissed.
Girl Scouts, Dismissed.
Speaker #14: We’d like to thank everyone for sharing this special ceremony with us. Please join us for refreshments.
Paper Doll
Bridging Ceremony
Equipment needed: For an invitation, or expanded to a large table centerpiece, cut a piece of construction paper into a rectangle 5” x 9” Fold paper in thirds (ends folded toward center). Trace a paper doll pattern on front of paper, and cut as indicated, leaving doll attached at arms, skirt and shoes. Open up dolls. Write message on center doll. Different colors of construction paper can be used for the different levels: Brown for Brownies, teal for Juniors, light blue or khaki for Cadettes, dark blue or khaki for Seniors.
As each Girl Scout
says her verse she stretches out her hand to the next Girl Scout to speak,
until all the girls are linked like paper dolls across the front of the
room. Verses may be split if you have
more than seven girls bridging. Girls
who do not have speaking parts could also stand up with hands linked like paper
dolls.
Take my hand in friendship
I give to you this day
Remember all the good times
We had along the way
Take my hand in thanking
Our leader and our guide
With sincere appreciation
For standing by our side
Take my hand in helping
Other people that we know
The more we give to others
The more that we will grow
Take my hand in eagerness
To be an older scout
We’re proud to be bridging
Is what we’re going to shout
Take my hand in learning
To camp on nature’s ground
Enjoying trails and campfires
With new friends that we have found
So take my hand to follow
New scouting paths in sight
We’ll join hands with each other
And in friendship we’ll unite
Take my hand in giving
Our knowledge of true scouts
To girls we meet and talk to
Who have so many doubts
(In unison):
We give our hands in promise
To hold our country dear
And abide by the Girl Scout Law
Each day throughout the year
Girls step forward to
say the Girl Scout Promise and receive their badges and pins.
Gift Box
Pattern
·
Cut out box pattern. ·
Decorate paper with
stamps, stickers, or drawings. ·
Fold along dotted
lines. ·
Punch small holes in
top of each triangle. ·
Thread ribbon
through holes to close up box (tie in a bow).
