ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Greetings, Andre (and others)!
This is a question that comes up from time to time, and I'm happy to
speak from my perspective as the science program manager for the Girl
Scout council serving northwest Washington State. The first thing to
understand is that Girl Scouts of the USA and Boy Scouts of America are
two completely different organizations, with two very different ways of
organizing groups of kids, designing program, and funding - not to
mention different missions and philosophies. So, what goes for one group
won't necessarily go for the other. A case in point is Erin's post about
needing a certified instructor for all merit badge programs - that's a
Boy Scout-specific thing. Girl Scout troops tend to be smaller than Boy
Scout troops, are more likely to be all one grade, and each troop and
girl decides how to pursue their interests (and whether that interest
includes a trip to your museum). These differences are key when it comes
to designing programs to meet the needs of youth in either organization.
On to what I know about Girl Scouts. (I'll let someone with more
knowledge of Boy Scouts than I describe that program.) The next caveat
is that local councils have different approaches to developing
partnerships with outside organizations. Each council is different in
terms of staffing structure, planning, event promotion, and what needs
they have for outside partners. First, find the council in your area; go
to www.girlscouts.org, click on the "find a council" link, and away you
go. Spend some time poking around on their website; what kinds of
programs are they offering? How many girls does the council serve? Where
are those girls located? What are their key programmatic initiatives?
Next, get educated on the aspects of the Girl Scout program you're
interested in. Here's some commonly used lingo you'll need:
* Brownie Girl Scouts - girls in grades 1-3
* Junior Girl Scouts - girls in grades 3-6
* Studio 2B, Cadettes, and Seniors - all terms for girls ages
11-17.
* Brownies earn "try-its." Juniors earn "badges." ("Merit badge"
is an exclusively Boy Scout term.) Contact the council's store and buy
copies of "Try-its for Brownie Girl Scouts" and "The Junior Badge Book"
- these have descriptions of all the try-it and badge requirements. Flip
through them and see what you can do well.
* Safety-Wise - the big book of policies girls and their
volunteers follow; it gives guidelines on how to safely do many
activities. If you're providing program for Girl Scouts, you'll have to
make sure you meet those standards. If you've accredited your day
camps/other programs through the American Camp Association
(www.aca-camps.org), you're likely up to Safety-Wise snuff.
Finally, give the local council a call. As a program manager, it's far
easier to work with a partner who is flexible, who understands our
mission and goals, and who is willing to learn about our needs. Those
who call me looking to make a quick buck and get free marketing are
politely sent on their way. (A good program manager will want to make
sure a program is of high quality before offering it up to adults and
girls.) It's like any good partnership - take the time to find the
common ground that meets both organization's needs, and you'll be fine.
Keep in mind that very few councils have a full-time staff member
dedicated to science education (like me), so assume that you may need to
explain why an "inquiry-based program" is a good thing.
Hope this helps!
-Stephanie
Stephanie Lingwood
Science Program Manager
Girl Scouts - Totem Council
800/767-6845, ext. 251; [log in to unmask]
www.girlscoutstotem.org
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
************************************************************************
*****
Greetings,
My name is Andre Campbell and I am a new subscriber. I am a
lead educator at Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena California. I
have two queries for this list.
I was wondering if any of you have experience in either
developing or facilitating programming that leads to a badge that
girl/boy scouts can earn; for example a badge in entomology or geology,
two areas that my museum focuses on. I would be interested in seeing
the requirements that you developed.
My other question is directed to residents of Southern
California. I would like to develop a list of places of scientific
interest for children that the museum could organize family excursions
to, such as the tide pools in San Pedro. I would welcome your
suggestions. Thank you for your time.
--Andre Campbell
Lead Museum Educator
Kidspace Children's Museum
---------------------------------
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