Girl Scouts of Western Ohio Parent Welcome Email Series

Welcome to Girl Scouts!

 
You’ve made a wonderful decision for your daughter's future! You want the best for her, and so do we.

Most of a girl's life is co-ed. The safe, all-girl experience she'll have at Girl Scouts is designed to foster collaboration instead of competition, promoting support among girls.

We're here to help your daughter unleash her inner G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™, preparing her for a lifetime of leadership.

Let's Get Started!

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio (GSWO) is working to connect your daughter to her troop and lifelong friends. In the mean time, here are some ways you and your family can start your Girl Scout journey!

Experience Girl Scouts as a Family
You will have a full year of adventure and fun with Girl Scouts! Want to go camping? Learn ballet? Explore caves? There’s an activity for that! Check out the list of program events (known as Activities), many of which can be experienced individually or as a troop, at gswo.org/activities and create memories that will last a lifetime!
View Upcoming Activities »

Raise Awesome Girls
Raising girls can be tough. We understand! That's why Girl Scouts of the USA has created your go-to resource for straightforward, realistic, and proven parenting advice on anything and everything you might deal with when raising your girl. When we work together, we can take the guesswork out of parenting and bring the fun back in!
Visit the Raising Awesome Girls Site »

Start Your Girl Scout Experience Strong
On a local level, Girl Scouts of Western Ohio wants you to have the most positive Girl Scout experience possible. We recommend you start with the most helpful posts for first-year Girl Scout parents.
Visit the GSWO Blog »

Stay Informed on All Things Girl
Watch your inbox and social media for updates on the Girl Scout Cookie Program, reminders on when to renew her membership, inspiring stories of women changing the world, and more! Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and through our monthly email newsletters, Find Her Wow (upcoming Activities) and Brighter Together (news from GSWO).

Questions? Over the next 6 months or so, you'll be receiving a series of emails that will introduce you to Girl Scouts, so you feel confident that you can hit the ground running as a Girl Scout family! If you have any questions in the meantime, contact the Customer Care Team at 888.350.5090. or customercare@gswo.org. We're here to help!

Your adventure awaits...

Daisy Parent Email (Grades K-1)

What to Expect as a Daisy Parent

You've made a great decision by signing your daughter up to be a Girl Scout Daisy! That's what we call Girl Scouts in kindergarten and first grade.

Don’t we all wish we could look at the world through a Daisy’s eyes? Everything she does—from planting a garden to putting on a skit to proudly adding that first petal to her vest—sparkles with that "first time ever" newness! Along the way, she’ll use her Daisy exuberance to help others—and she’ll never forget how that feels. Every Daisy meeting is an adventure filled with giggles, energy, and excitement.

As a Daisy, she might:
• Gain new friends as part of a troop
• Earn petals and badges as she embraces the Girl Scout Promise and Law
• Make a difference in her community through a Leadership Journey
• Sell cookies (and have fun doing it)
• Explore nature and the outdoors
• Attend a council-sponsored program event with her family

Get Her Girl Scout Kit!
My Girl Scout Kits let you customize her Girl Scout experience. With program, uniform, insignia and other great options to choose from, you'll set the foundation for a fantastic year of Girl Scouting.

Receive your choice of FREE purple or black bag with the purchase of $50 or more in uniform items, select insignia, and program materials!

Get Her Kit

Have questions? The Customer Care Team is here to help! Contact us at customercare@gswo.org or 888.350.5090.

Brownie Parent Email (Grades 2-3)

What to Expect as a Brownie Parent

You've made a great decision by signing your daughter up to be a Girl Scout Brownie! That's what we call Girl Scouts in second and third grade.

Your Girl Scout Brownie is ready to take on the world, and Girl Scouting lets her do just that! She wants to learn new things and show off what she knows. She wants to explore the world and meet new people. And she wants to do something big that makes her feel great!

She gets to do all these things and more in Girl Scouts: take that first hike in the great outdoors; visit a science museum; band together with her mighty Brownie team to sell cookies—and use some of the money to help others. Life is good when you’re a Brownie! As a Brownie, she might:
• Expand her circle of friends in a troop
• Have fun learning all kinds of new skills as she earns badges
• Do a project that makes a difference in her community (and beyond) as part of a Girl Scout Leadership Journey
• Bond with her friends as she sells cookies
• Explore nature and the outdoors
• Attend a council-sponsored program event with her family

Get Her Girl Scout Kit!
My Girl Scout Kits let you customize her Girl Scout experience. With program, uniform, insignia and other great options to choose from, you'll set the foundation for a fantastic year of Girl Scouting.

Receive your choice of FREE purple or black bag with the purchase of $50 or more in uniform items, select insignia, and program materials!

Get Her Kit

Have questions? The Customer Care Team is here to help! Contact us at customercare@gswo.org or 888.350.5090.

Junior Parent Email (Grades 4-5)

What to Expect as a Junior Parent

You've made a great decision by signing your daughter up to be a Girl Scout Junior! That's what we call Girl Scouts in fourth and fifth grade.

Your Junior is an explorer when she goes camping for the first time. She's a CEO when she markets and sells cookies. She's a scientist when she does energy audits and goes on nature walks. And she's a product designer and writer when she earns her Innovation and Storytelling badges. Not to mention a change maker, a big-idea thinker, and a future leader. Supergirl, indeed!

As a Junior, she might:
• Share stories (and smiles) with new friends in her troop
• Try new experiences and learn new skills as she earns badges
• Sell cookies (and have fun doing it)
• Explore the outdoors at camp and beyond
• Choose an issue she cares about, then do something to make a difference as part of a Girl Scout Leadership Journey
• Attend a council-sponsored program event with her family

Get Her Girl Scout Kit!
My Girl Scout Kits let you customize her Girl Scout experience. With program, uniform, insignia and other great options to choose from, you'll set the foundation for a fantastic year of Girl Scouting.

Receive your choice of FREE purple or black bag with the purchase of $50 or more in uniform items, select insignia, and program materials!

Get Her Kit

Have questions? The Customer Care Team is here to help! Contact us at customercare@gswo.org or 888.350.5090.

Cadette Parent Email (Grades 6-8)

What to Expect as a Cadette Parent

You've made a great decision by signing your daughter up to be a Girl Scout Cadette! That's what we call Girl Scouts in sixth through eighth grade.

Making true-blue friends, saving the planet, standing up against stereotypes, using their team power for the greater good—that’s what being a Girl Scout Cadette is all about.

Cadettes blaze new trails in the wilderness, write and direct their own movies, take the stage for public speaking, make delicious meals from around the world, and pick up tools to do some woodworking. Their curiosity and imagination lead the way as they try all kinds of new experiences.

As a Cadette, she might:
• Choose an issue she cares about, then do something to make a difference as part of a Girl Scout Leadership Journey
• Earn her >Silver Award, the highest award a Cadette can earn
• Get >outdoors and off the beaten trail
• Try out new experiences (and learn new skills) as she earns >badges
• Gain confidence as she mentors younger Girl Scouts (and earns her Leadership in Action award in the process)
• Attend a council-sponsored program event with her family

Get Her Girl Scout Kit!
My Girl Scout Kits let you customize her Girl Scout experience. With program, uniform, insignia and other great options to choose from, you'll set the foundation for a fantastic year of Girl Scouting.

Receive your choice of FREE purple or black bag with the purchase of $50 or more in uniform items, select insignia, and program materials!

Get Her Kit

Have questions? The Customer Care Team is here to help! Contact us at customercare@gswo.org or 888.350.5090.

Senior Parent Email (Grades 9-10)

What to Expect as a Senior Parent

You've made a great decision by signing your daughter up to be a Girl Scout Senior! That's what we call Girl Scouts in ninth and tenth grade.

Girl Scout Seniors are ready to take the world by storm—and at Girl Scouts, there are millions of ways to do it.

As a Senior, she might:
• Go on an adventure and travel to amazing places like Costa Rica, Japan, and India
• Be a positive role model, mentor younger girls, develop strong friendships, and fight bullying
• Join with other girls to tackle an important international issue and earn a Global Action award
• Explore exciting careers in a variety of fields—from science to the arts, from education to government
• Attend a council-sponsored program event with her family

Get Her Girl Scout Kit!
My Girl Scout Kits let you customize her Girl Scout experience. With program, uniform, insignia and other great options to choose from, you'll set the foundation for a fantastic year of Girl Scouting.

Receive your choice of FREE purple or black bag with the purchase of $50 or more in uniform items, select insignia, and program materials!

Get Her Kit

Have questions? The Customer Care Team is here to help! Contact us at customercare@gswo.org or 888.350.5090.

Ambassador Parent Email (Grades 11-12)

What to Expect as an Ambassador Parent

You've made a great decision by signing your daughter up to be a Girl Scout Ambassador! That's what we call Girl Scouts in 11th and 12th grade.

With a wider world comes even more opportunities—and Girl Scout Ambassadors make the most of every chance they get to improve themselves... and their world.

Girl Scout Ambassadors are eligible for some pretty awesome opportunities to continue their leadership experience.

As an Ambassador, she might:
• Implement a Take Action project and become eligible for college scholarships
• Join a crew of like-minded girls at a World Center in Mexico, India, Switzerland, Africa, or the United Kingdom
• Work with younger Girl Scouts to build a rain garden, learn about nature, and help protect the environment
• Enhance her relationship skills, problem-solving abilities, and knowledge of science and technology
• Attend a council-sponsored program event with her family

Get Her Girl Scout Kit!
My Girl Scout Kits let you customize her Girl Scout experience. With program, uniform, insignia and other great options to choose from, you'll set the foundation for a fantastic year of Girl Scouting.

Receive your choice of FREE purple or black bag with the purchase of $50 or more in uniform items, select insignia, and program materials!

Get Her Kit

Have questions? The Customer Care Team is here to help! Contact us at customercare@gswo.org or 888.350.5090.

Your Girl Scout Questions, Answered!

As a new member of the Girl Scout family, we're sure you have some questions! Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we get from new Girl Scout parents.

Don't see the answer you're looking for? As always, you can contact the Customer Care Team at 888.350.5090 or customercare@gswo.org! We're happy to help.

What should I do if I haven't heard from my girl's troop leader?
If you haven't yet been contacted by your girl's troop leader, please contact the Customer Care Team at 888.350.5090 or customercare@gswo.org so our staff can follow up with them!

What is the cost of Girl Scouts?
The yearly membership fee for Girl Scouts is $25, which you paid at registration. That is the only required cost. However, there are other variable costs that you may wish to pay as well.

Many troops choose to charge dues to help cover the costs of supplies and activities, and this varies from troop to troop. Typically they range from $20-60 per year, but check with your troop leader for the specific amount for your troop, if there is one.

You may also choose to purchase uniforms, badges, patches, and other insignia, which are encouraged but not required. There is one uniform for each grade level, so one uniform could be used for at least two years. These typically cost $33-46 per year, but may be included in your troop dues. Check with your troop leader before purchasing a uniform.

A variety of Girl Scout books are available to support programming in troops, which typically cost $7-22 per year. In addition, you may wish to attend special programs throughout the year with or without your girl's troop. Those costs vary per event.

What uniform or books do we need, and where can we purchase them?
Uniforms and books are encouraged, but not required to be a Girl Scout. Many troops choose to have uniforms, and you can purchase them online or at our Council shops.

Is a uniform required?
No, uniforms are not required. Each troop decides individually what uniform items they will purchase.

When will our troop meet?
Troop meetings vary from troop to troop. Most troops choose to meet once or twice a month, for 60-90 minutes, and may have an occasional outing on the weekend. Troop leaders and volunteers, usually with parent input, choose when and where the troop will meet.

Can my daughter participate without a troop?
Yes she can! While it is encouraged to join in a troop setting, this may not always be possible depending on a girl's schedule. Juliette Girl Scouts are individually registered girl members in grades K-12, who are not affiliated with a troop and are able to complete Girl Scouts activities with the guidance of a parent or adult mentor. They participate in a way that fits their schedule, attending events and participating in activities that meet their needs and interests.

Is there financial assistance available?
Yes! No one is denied the experience of Girl Scouts due to inability to pay. Girls and adults are welcome to request financial assistance to help cover the cost of membership and offset the cost of council-sponsored program events, including summer camp. We do ask that you pay for a portion of the fee, if able.

What are the different Girl Scout program levels?
There are six program grade levels: Daisy (K-1), Brownie (2-3), Junior (4-5), Cadette (6-8), Senior (9-10), and Ambassador (11-12).

How can I help my girl's Girl Scout troop?
You can help with your daughters troop in many ways! You can take a volunteer role or help in other ways outside of the traditional volunteer roles. We recommend talking with your troop leader to find out where they need the most help.

Are parents required to stay during Girl Scouts?
It depends on the troop, but most of the time parents aren't required to stay. Any parent who wants to stay or help with the troop is required to become a Girl Scout volunteer, which includes purchasing a Girl Scout membership and completing a background check.

How will I know if my girl got in the troop we requested?
If you registered online you should know if your girl was able to join your requested troop once you received your confirmation email. Because of safety ratios troops are required to maintain, some troops aren't able to add more girls. If your girl isn't able to join your requested troop, we will help you find another troop near you that fits with your schedule.

Does she have to participate for a full year?
Girls have many different ways they can be involved in Girl Scouts beyond the traditional troop setting. She can join in a series or short program, go to camp, travel around the country or even around the world…the possibilities are endless!

We understand that sometimes a full troop commitment may not work with her busy schedule, but she still wants to have Girl Scout experience. Our programs are girl-led, so she can choose to blaze her own pathway!

Have questions? The Customer Care Team is here to help! Contact us at customercare@gswo.org or 888.350.5090.

All Things Finances

Girl Scouts always want to be prepared, and we want you to be prepared, too! Here’s a brief overview of the monetary costs associated with being a Girl Scout.

GSUSA Membership Dues
The yearly membership fee for Girl Scouts is $25, which you paid at registration. That is the only required cost. However, there are other variable costs that you may wish to pay as well.

Troop Dues
Many troops choose to charge dues to help cover the costs of supplies and activities, and this varies from troop to troop. Typically they range from $20-60 per year, but check with your troop leader for the specific amount for your troop, if there is one.

Uniforms
You may also choose to purchase uniforms, badges, patches, and other insignia, which are encouraged but not required. There is one uniform for each grade level, so one uniform could be used for at least two years. These typically cost $33-46 per year, but may be included in your troop dues. Check with your troop leader before purchasing a uniform.

Girl Scout Books A variety of Girl Scout book are available to support programming in troops, which typically cost $7-22 per year.

Special Programs
When not covered by the troop, special programs, such as field trips or workshops, are generally paid for individually. Examples include camping trip supplies or fees to go to a Girl Scout program event.

Financial Assistance
Every girl should have the opportunity to join Girl Scouts, regardless of her family's ability to pay. Girls and adults are welcome to request financial assistance to help cover the cost of membership and offset the cost of council-sponsored programs, including summer camp. We do ask that you pay for a portion of the fee, if able.

The Fall Product Program and Girl Scout Cookie Program
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is more than just a great opportunity for your girl to learn important life skills! It also gives girls funds for the troop and supports all of our service to volunteers, parents, and girls. We encourage troops to participate in the Fall Product Program and Girl Scout Cookie Program to help cover annual troop expenses.

A Timeline of the Girl Scout Year

Girl Scouts is more than just an after school activity. There are so many ways for girls and families to participate throughout the year!

In preparation for all of the excitement you're about to experience with your Girl Scout, we've put together an overview of the Girl Scout year.

The Girl Scout membership year begins October 1, so we'll start there and work our way to September 30!

October 1:
Start of the Girl Scout Membership Year

October - November:
Girl Scout Fall Product Program

October 31:
Founder's Day, the birthday of Juliette Gordon Low

Early November:
Registration opens for all council-sponsored program events running January 1 through July 31

Mid-November:
Troops pick up Fall Program products and begin deliveries

End of December:
GSWO offices closed for the holidays

Early January:
Girl Scout Cookie Program begins

End of January:
Summer resident camp and day camp registration opens

End of February:
Troop Adventure Camp registration opens Girl Scout Cookies delivery

March 1:
Property reservations open for June 1 - August 31 Volunteer Appreciation nominations due

March:
Girl Scout Cookie Program Cookies in Hand phase

May:
Beginning of Early Bird Registration for the following membership year

Girl Scout Lingo: What does that mean?!

Girl Scouts has been around for more than 100 years, which means we’ve had a lot of time to pick up a lot of traditions and quirky terminology. When you first join, it can feel like everyone is speaking another language!

What's the difference between a badge, a patch, and a patch program? Are they Girl Scouts or Girl Guides? What is this GORP you hear everyone talking about at camp?

To help, we’ve created a glossary of the most common Girl Scout words and phrases. Here are some of the highlights:

GSUSA – Girl Scouts of the USA, the corporation that promotes the Girl Scout movement in the U.S.A., which includes the United States, its territories, and possessions.

GSWO – Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, the council that serves 32 counties throughout western Ohio and southeast Indiana.

Council – A corporation, chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA, organized for the purpose of developing, managing, and maintaining Girl Scouting within a defined geographic region. Our council is Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, which covers 32 counties throughout western Ohio and southeast Indiana.

Service Unit – Geographic unit of troops/groups within a region which facilitates delivery of services and the Girl Scout program to girls and adults.

Troop – This group of girls and adults (minimum of 5 girls and 2 adults) who meet on a regular basis to engage in Girl Scout Program activities. Troops are organized according to “Grade Level” which places girls together with others in the same social/developmental stage.

Service Center – The term used for the offices and shops for each of the 4 geographical regions within Girl Scouts of Western Ohio. They are located in Cincinnati, Dayton, Lima, and Toledo.

Badge – Official embroidered insignia earned by completing a certain number of requirements in the Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting. These earned awards are sewn on the front of the uniform and are distinguished from “fun patches” which are obtained by participating in various events

Patch – Also known as a “fun patch.” Supplementary insignia received by girls for simply participating in an event or activity. Girls wear participation patches and pins on the back of their Girl Scout uniform.

Patch Program – Patches earned by completing programs unique to individual councils or organizations. The required activities to complete the patch programs are generally found on the council or organization’s website.

Petals – Earned awards by Girl Scout Daisies (kindergarteners and first graders). Girls earn the Promise Center by showing they understand the Girl Scout Promise. Girls earn Petals by showing they understand the 10 parts of the Girl Scout Law.

Head over to the GSWO Blog for the whole list of Girl Scout Lingo! We recommend keeping the page bookmarked, because we’ll continue to update it as needed.

Learn the Lingo

Extending the Girl Scout Experience Beyond Troop Meetings

At Girl Scouts, your girl is getting prepared for a lifetime of leadership, success, and adventure in a safe, no-limits place designed for and by girls!

She’s getting to lead her own adventure (it’s her world!) and team up with other girls in an all-girl environment to choose the exciting, hands-on activities that interest her most. Along the way, she’s gaining important skills in four areas that form the foundation of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience: STEM, the outdoors, life skills, and entrepreneurship.

And you know what’s awesome? Your girl can learn more about all of these things right at home!

Here are some ways to extend her Girl Scout experience to your family life!

Teach her financial literacy.
Negotiating pay, budgeting, saving for retirement—these are all things your girl will have to do in her lifetime. But just because she doesn’t deal with these things right now doesn’t mean she can’t improve her financial literacy in the mean time!
Read More »

Tell her about your bad day.
Nobody’s perfect, and life isn’t exactly a tidily wrapped package tied with a bow, despite what many movies and TV shows would have our children believe. That said, helping your girl to embrace challenges and accept moments of struggle can help her become stronger and better prepared to persevere in our sometimes difficult world. Plus, it will hopefully help her feel more comfortable sharing the not-so-great parts of her day with you, including having discussions about what she can learn from them, or what could be done to make those aspects of her life better.
Read More »

Destroy gender stereotypes with your chore responsibilities.
Chores—when divvied up without much thought—can reinforce gender stereotypes and send the wrong message to kids about which work is for girls and which is for boys. So it’s not just those cartoon princesses and their happy house-making that enforces outdated stereotypes, you could be doing it in your own home without even realizing it!
Read More »

Teach her to fight injustice.
A lot of us were raised in what some might call the school of hard knocks. When we complained that a situation wasn’t fair, parents, teachers, or other adults would all-too-often shrug their shoulders and tell us that life wasn’t fair. That we should just accept things the way they were, even when we had an inkling there was potential for change. What’s the problem with that? Well, for starters, everything.
Read More »

And finally... play!
You've likely heard the laundry list of skills and experiences your daughter could benefit from having outside the classroom. Many of those suggestions are solid and will help her academically (she will be better off if she reads at home!), but there’s one majorly important experience that often gets left off these lists: Playtime.
Read More »

Have questions? The Customer Care Team is here to help! Contact us at customercare@gswo.org or 888.350.5090.

Progressing through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience

Girl Scouts do some pretty amazing things. From building robots to facing their fears on the high ropes course, there are so many exciting adventures for her to go on!

But not every girl (or volunteer!) who joins Girl Scouts arrives at her first meeting prepared for a 10 mile hike and a weekend, or even just one night, of camping under the stars. That's where progression comes in!

At Girl Scouts, we encourage troops to start with the basics, choosing activities that fit the girls' skill and readiness levels. This enables them to build up to bigger and more challenging adventures as they're ready!

There are progression models for various Girl Scout activities that you can follow—from exploring the outdoors to learning entrepreneurial skills in the Girl Scout Cookie Program.

Whatever your girl's interest, just remember—start small and build up to bigger adventures! Acknowledge her mastery of a skill and invite her to challenge herself further by taking the next step.

If she can dream it, she can do it. And we're so excited to see where her adventure leads her.

Share Your Story!
What amazing adventures has your girl taken in her first 6 months in Girl Scouts? We want to know about it!

Complete the form at the link below so we can share your story on social media, on the blog, or with the news! Oh, and did we mention there's a patch involved?

Share Your Story »

Have questions? The Customer Care Team is here to help! Contact us at customercare@gswo.org or 888.350.5090.