girl scout ambassador journey requirements

Ambassador Troop Year Planner

Your guide to a year of fun and friendship! 

For troop leaders of eleventh and twelfth grade girl scouts. .

Ambassadors are flexing their independence and taking the world by storm. Whether they’re budgeting for a troop trip or planning their first dinner party, they are making big things happen for themselves. This guide will help you as your Girl Scouts explore activities focused on discovery, confidence, and practical skills that will help them be their best selves. Planning for your troop year should always be girl-led . But to get you started, we’ve collected a variety of our most popular badges and awards into one action-packed plan. Get ready for a year of adventure and excitement as you help them grow.

How to get started:

Use these online Ambassador troop year plans to start planning your year. You can customize it along the way as you get to know your Girl Scouts and their interests.

• Order your Brownie program materials and resources from the Girl Scout Shop
• Access detailed instructions to lead troop meetings through the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK), your free online resource for meeting overviews, materials lists, and more. See step-by-step access instructions.

Ambassador First Year Plan ( PDF )

Ambassador Second Year Plan ( PDF )

 Find everything you need to lead a successful troop year at the Girl Scout Shop.

Tips and Resources:

• Arrival : Ask Ambassadors who arrive early to help unpack and set up any snacks and activity materials for later.
• Warmups and Wellness : Get Ambassadors excited to begin their meeting with a warm activity or question and a wellness check.  Ask them how they are feeling today and what they are excited about! 
• Opening Ceremony : Officially open your troop meeting by reciting the Girl Scout Promise and Law.
• Activities : Engage your Ambassadors in the exciting activities to earn their badges. Involve your Ambassadors in the planning of badge activities for each meeting. 
• Closing Ceremony : End your meeting by reviewing what you have learned together and asking Ambassadors to share their favorite part of the meeting. Congratulate Ambassadors on their accomplishments.
• Follow Up with Families : After the meeting, remember to share with families all the great things their Ambassadors accomplished!
• When you can get outside, do it! Go for a small trip or simply meet in a new space. Shaking things up occasionally keeps things exciting
• Check with your council to see if they’re offering events or activities that your troop could attend. Those events make life easier for you and allow your troop to connect with other Girl Scouts from their area. Many councils and service units host annual World Thinking Day events in February.
• If any of the recommended program options is not the right fit, or if you want to give your Girl Scouts the chance to shape their own experience, have them vote to choose a different badge or activity within the same focus area. When you enable Girl-led activities, girls step up and take ownership of their decisions, they grow into confident leaders who can make informed and empowered decisions—a valuable skill they’ll carry throughout their lives.  Check out  our Award and Badge Explorer for other badge favorites, our latest release of new programs , or visit the Girl Scout Activity Zone .
• Access free detailed instructions to lead each of the meetings included in these troop year plans through the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK).  Simply log in or create a member account from mygs.girlscouts.org .  Once you log in, from the left navigation menu choose “Volunteer Toolkit.” Then choose “Explore,” “Pre-Selected Tracks,” “Fun and Friendship” and you’re set! See step-by-step access instructions .
• Access other easy-to-follow volunteer essentials to keep you organized and inspired.
• Access volunteer training from gsLearn for easy access to essential training and courses to lead activities the Girl Scout way.
• Simply log in via myGS.girlscouts.org and search for “GSUSA Brownie badges” or other topics of interest.  Each course will show you how to bring the badge content to life for your Brownie troop.
• See step-by-step access instructions .

Give your troop another year of growth, laughter, and the confidence they need to be their most authentic selves!

Ambassadors

• Multi-Level Troops

Program ideas and adaptations for Ambassadors

This year, your Ambassadors will continue to break barriers and unleash the changemakers within—and may even earn their Girl Scout Gold Award in the process. Support their success, now and always, with these fun and easy badges, Journeys, and activities, adapted for both virtual or in-person meetings.

How to use these resources:

Ambassadors will become experts in their government and the roles of the officials they’ll help elect.

WHAT THEY'LL LEARN:

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll have learned more about their local, state, and national governments—and they’ll be ready to use that knowledge to inform their voting. 

REQUIREMENTS:

• Find out about local government 
• Find out about state government 
• Find out about the federal legislative branch 
• Find out about the federal executive branch 
• Find out about the federal judicial branch

PLAN YOUR MEETING

Video demonstration:  Watch Ambassador Girl Scouts lead Step 5 of this badge.

• Take Civic Action: Promote the Vote! (service project)
• Step-by-step planner: Sign-in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find instructions for meeting 1 and meeting 2 of this badge including, materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more.

Ambassadors will explore how hackers operate and how hacking can be used for the purposes of corporate and national security.

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know about steganography, cyberwarfare, and a variety of different careers in cybersecurity.

Learn about different kinds of hackers Hide a message in plain sight 3. Debate the ethics of hacking Learn cyberwarfare strategies Explore cyber careers

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

Video demonstration: See an Ambassador Girl Scout lead Step 1 of this badge.

• Virtual meeting agenda (PDF): Use this resource to help you adapt the meeting plans found in the Volunteer Toolkit
• Step-by-step planner: Sign in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find instructions for meeting 1 and meeting 2 of this badge, including materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more.

From test prep to financial aid, Ambassadors will explore the ins and outs of the college admissions process.

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll understand the steps in the college admissions process and be prepared to attend the school of their choice.

Explore your options Start the admissions process Make a financial plan Get set for success Build healthy habits

Video Demonstration : Watch Steps 1 and 3 of this badge..

• The Girl Scout Network   (alum group)
• CollegeLab website :  College admissions tool
• Step-by-step planner:  Sign in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find instructions for meeting 1  and meeting 2  of this badge, including materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more. 

Ambassadors 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 a special look at key issues for girls and interviews with accomplished Girl Scout alums. Find every episode on Girl Scouts’   YouTube channel .

• G-Team TV playlist (YouTube)  (all episodes and discussion guides)
• Website:  The Girl Scout Base Camp for Teens
• Leading Difficult Conversations with Confidence  (PDF)
• Leading an engaging Ambassador meeting : Recommendations for facilitating group conversations, handling supplies, and organizing your meeting  
• Virtual meeting agenda  (PDF): Use this resource to help you adapt the meeting plans found in the Volunteer Toolkit

Ambassadors learn techniques to manage stress and health.

WHAT THEY’LL LEARN: 

When girls participate in these activities, they’ll have the skills and confidence to navigate stress in a healthy, mindful manner. 

PLAN YOUR MEETING​:

• Explore Healthy Relationships: An activity to find the connections between relationships and health.
• Self-Care Tips At Home : Tune in to this Girl Scout Campfire Chat to hear from Joan Kuhl, author of Dig Your Heels In, for tips. Like many women, you work hard, and you’re proud of all you accomplish, both at school and in your personal life. But you wonder—how do you prevent burnout when the lines between school and home are blurred? Girl Scout alum and “women and work” expert Joan Kuhl guides us through some techniques that will help bring balance to your life.
• Journal Writing for Beginners with Leigh Newman : If you’ve ever wanted to keep a journal, but didn’t know where to start, then this Girl Scout Campfire Chat is for you. Girl Scout alum and literary whiz Leigh Newman, memoirist and former books editor of Oprah.com will walk you through how to begin journaling about your life—from sharing your most authentic thoughts and feelings to describing the events that shape your world in ways that will resonate with you for years to come.
• Leading an engaging meeting : Recommendations for facilitating group conversations, handling supplies, and organizing your meeting   
• Digital games and ice breakers 
• Virtual Events Calendar : Search for upcoming wellness events and tune in as a troop!

Ambassadors will think and act like entrepreneurs as they bring their business vision to life, learn how to work with a team, and motivate people to take a chance with them. 

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

1. Come up with a business idea and create a prototype   2. Develop a customer profile   3. Conduct market research  4. Come up with a business model   5. Pitch your business 

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

• Special guest:  Girl Scout Campfire Chat with Miko Branch, Sallie Krawcheck, and Brit Morin .
• “Cake with Girl Scout Cookie® inspired Flavors”:  Watch a Winner of the Food Network’s Girl Scout Cookie Championship, Sonam Sondhi, use basic ingredients and kitchen ingenuity to create a simple vanilla cake that can be turned into a Girl Scout cookie-inspired confection.
• “Cupcake Decorating with Girl Scout Cookies”:  Watch a Winner of the Food Network’s Girl Scout Cookie Championship, Sonam Sondhi, show you ingenious ways to crown your cupcakes that don’t require a drawerful of pastry chef’s tools or precious ingredients. Anything — even Girl Scout Cookies®! — can be repurposed as decorations.
• Virtual Events Calendar : Search for upcoming entrepreneur-themed events and tune in as a troop!

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

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

• Learn about the Global Goals and Global Action Award
• Find out about climate change
• Explore responses to climate change
• Focus on a climate change issue
• Explore action for climate change
• 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.
• Challenge girls to design an anti-climate change city. Watch this video to find out how.
• Step-by-step planner: Sign in to the  Volunteer Toolkit  to find materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more for Meeting 1 and Meeting 2 of the 2021 Global Action Award.
• Virtual Events Calendar : Search for upcoming live events and tune in as a troop!

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, girls will explore the theme's meaning and 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 badge, they’ll understand what peacebuilding means and will have made a peace pledge for World Thinking Day. 

REQUIREMENTS

• Explore World Thinking Day
• Explore peacebuilding
• Find peace inside
• Find out what peacebuilding means
• Put peace into action: create a peace pledge

PLAN YOUR MEETING​

• Leading an engaging meeting : Recommendations for facilitating group conversations, handling supplies, and organizing your meeting   
• Digital games and ice breakers
• Virtual Events Calendar : Search for upcoming live World Thinking Day events and tune in as a troop!
• Virtual meeting agenda (PDF):  Use this resource to help you adapt the meeting plans found in the Volunteer Toolkit.
• Step-by-step planner: Sign in to the  Volunteer Toolkit  to find materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more for World Thinking Day Meeting 1 and Meeting 2.  

Ambassadors will explore the Gold Award.

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, by planning and implementing a project that has tangible and lasting impact on their communities and beyond.

• Go for the Gold—Tips from Gold Award Girl Scouts   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  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. 

Ambassadors will test their skills with limited supplies and have an unforgettable experience with their camping crew. 

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll have planned and gone on a survival camping trip with a group of Girl Scouts or family members.

REQUIREMENTS 

• Plan a survival camping trip
• Gather your gear
• Plan and prepare your trip meals
• Learn a survival camp skill 
• Go camping 

Watch a volunteer lead Step 3 of this badge.

• Virtual meeting agenda (PDF):  Use this resource to help you adapt the meeting plans found in the Volunteer Toolkit
• Virtual Events Calendar : Search for upcoming live outdoor events 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 and 2 of the Survival Camper badge.

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

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

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

Watch a volunteer lead Part 1 of this Journey.

• 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!
• Ambassador Take Action Guide
• Virtual Events Calendar : Search for other events that support this Journey and tune in as a troop!
• 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.  

Ambassadors will take the steps needed to plan a bridging to adult ceremony.

WHAT THEY'LL LEARN: 

When girls have earned this award, they will have shared and connected with incoming Ambassadors, learned what is available for the future as an alum, and celebrated their accomplishments. 

REQUIREMENTS: 

• Earn the Bridging to Adult award 
• Plan the bridging ceremony 
• Begin to explore Girl Scout opportunities as an adult  
• Provide updated contact information

PLAN YOUR MEETING: 

• Ambassador Bridging Award requirements 
• In-person Bridging Guide 
• Virtual Bridging Guide 
• Join a virtual ceremony:  Search for “bridging events” on Girl Scouts at Home 
• Become a  Lifetime Member  or an Adult Annual Member
• Join the  Girl Scout Network   to receive a monthly digital newsletter just for alums that include career tips, event invitations, volunteer opportunities … and more! 

Ambassadors will discuss how they want to stay involved and keep in touch with Girl Scouts.

After this meeting, girls will know about adult Girl Scouting and will have decided how to stay connected with Girl Scouts after graduation.

• Review the opportunities available to girls as adults 
• Set goals and determine their next steps as individuals and a group 
• One-stop-shop for your “After Ambassadors” experience! Visit and bookmark the  Graduate Resources web page.  Easily continue your Girl Scout journey with resources at your fingertips about topics such as Campus Girl Scouts, Girl Scout Network, lifetime membership, volunteering, and more. 
• Sign up for the Girl Scout Network newsletter: Girls should sign up for the complimentary   Girl Scout Network   to receive a monthly digital newsletter that includes career tips, event invitations, volunteer opportunities … and more! 
• Campfire Chats  hosted by the Girl Scout Network bring together powerful Girl Scout alums and supporters at the top of their fields to educate and inspire people who are striving for a better world. These virtual events showcase a wide variety of topics, from cooking to financial literacy and career advice. Register for an upcoming event today!  
• Keep the local sisterhood active! Discuss how your troop will stay in touch after graduation. Does your council have an alum group? Ask your council what opportunities exist. 
• College-bound? Continue Girl Scouts there! Contact your council to ask for the Campus Girl Scouts Guidebook. There may already be a group at your college!  
• Try short-term volunteering ! Explore and sign up for opportunities today. Looking for something more?  Become a troop leader! 
• Looking for a summer job and beyond?  Consider becoming a camp counselor or explore internships at Girl Scout councils around the country to continue to build skills, add credentials to your résumé, and meet new Girl Scout sisters!

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 Ambassadors!

Ambassadors

• Multi-Level Troops

Program ideas and adaptations for Ambassadors

This year, your Ambassadors will continue to break barriers and unleash the changemakers within—and may even earn their Girl Scout Gold Award in the process. Support their success, now and always, with these fun and easy badges, Journeys, and activities, adapted for both virtual or in-person meetings.

How to use these resources:

Ambassadors will become experts in their government and the roles of the officials they’ll help elect.

WHAT THEY'LL LEARN:

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll have learned more about their local, state, and national governments—and they’ll be ready to use that knowledge to inform their voting. 

REQUIREMENTS:

• Find out about local government 
• Find out about state government 
• Find out about the federal legislative branch 
• Find out about the federal executive branch 
• Find out about the federal judicial branch

PLAN YOUR MEETING

Video demonstration:  Watch Ambassador Girl Scouts lead Step 5 of this badge.

• Take Civic Action: Promote the Vote! (service project)
• Step-by-step planner: Sign-in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find instructions for meeting 1 and meeting 2 of this badge including, materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more.

Ambassadors will explore how hackers operate and how hacking can be used for the purposes of corporate and national security.

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know about steganography, cyberwarfare, and a variety of different careers in cybersecurity.

Learn about different kinds of hackers Hide a message in plain sight 3. Debate the ethics of hacking Learn cyberwarfare strategies Explore cyber careers

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

Video demonstration: See an Ambassador Girl Scout lead Step 1 of this badge.

• Virtual meeting agenda (PDF): Use this resource to help you adapt the meeting plans found in the Volunteer Toolkit
• Step-by-step planner: Sign in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find instructions for meeting 1 and meeting 2 of this badge, including materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more.

From test prep to financial aid, Ambassadors will explore the ins and outs of the college admissions process.

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll understand the steps in the college admissions process and be prepared to attend the school of their choice.

Explore your options Start the admissions process Make a financial plan Get set for success Build healthy habits

Video Demonstration : Watch Steps 1 and 3 of this badge..

• The Girl Scout Network   (alum group)
• CollegeLab website :  College admissions tool
• Step-by-step planner:  Sign in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find instructions for meeting 1  and meeting 2  of this badge, including materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more. 

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 Ambassadors!

Troop Year Planner

Ambassador first year planner, ambassador second year planner.

She wants to explore new things, connect with friends and her community and make a difference in the world. And she’ll be able to do just that when she and her troop experience a Girl Scout Journey.

She’ll team up with friends to:

• Identify a problem they want to do something about
• Come up with a sustainable solution that will make a difference
• Create a team plan to make that solution a reality
• Put their plan into action
• Talk about what they’ve learned and what they’ll do next

Every Girl Scout grade level has different Journeys to choose from. Each includes a sustainable Take Action project and all the exploration, discovery and adventure to power a lifetime of leadership and success!

It’s Your World—Change It! 

Whether it’s planting a garden, painting a mural or launching a letter-writing campaign, Girl Scouts of all ages experience unique advocacy challenges, complete Take Action projects and discover what it means to be a leader who makes a difference in the world.

It’s Your Planet—Love It!

Girls learn about environmental topics, such as clean water and air, noise pollution, global warming, soil contamination and agriculture. Each Journey is packed with current environmental information and offers ways to improve life for everyone on the planet through a Take Action project.

It’s Your Story—Tell It!

Girls tell their stories through a range of creative approaches. They explore important themes, such as developing a strong sense of self, navigating healthy relationships and promoting well-being and confidence in themselves and others, which gets them involved in discussion about thinking critically and ready to complete a Take Action project. 

Engineering: Think Like an Engineer

Girls discover how to think like an engineer by participating in hands-on design challenges and completing a Take Action project.

Computer Science: Think Like a Programmer

Girls learn how programmers solve problems by participating in computational thinking activities and completing a Take Action project.

Outdoor STEM: Think Like a Citizen Scientist

Girls make observations and collect data by doing a citizen science project and completing a Take Action project.  

Girls get outside to explore and enjoy nature while completing a sustainable Take Action project. Fun activities, ranging from backyard camping to high-adventure exploration, build essential outdoor skills and inspire girls to become environmental stewards. 

Because Girls Scouts is girl-led, she and her troop will pick the topic that interests them the most, whether it’s caring for animals; taking a stand for girls; exploring science, technology, engineering or math (STEM); helping others; spreading kindness; protecting the environment; or anything else important to her.

As she and her Girl Scout friends go on their Journey, they’ll earn awards to put on their uniform. The badges they wear proudly let others know about the awesome things they’ve done as a troop. Girl Scouts can take pride in what they’ve accomplished and the amazing experiences they’ve had along the way.

Learn more about  badges  and the  Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Journey maps, find a list of the badges and journey awards that girl scouts can earn, including badge requirements at gsusa ..

Girl Scout Ambassadors don’t just follow in others’ footsteps—they carve their own paths. Your innovative thinking, optimism, and ability to bring people together inspire everyone around you. And when you combine your passions with a plan, you can be a real world-changer. Your vision, experience, and dedication are all you need to get on the path toward becoming a  Gold Award Girl Scout .

What Seniors and Ambassadors Do

Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors are ready to  take the world by storm —and Girl Scouts will give them millions of ways to do it.

They can  travel  to amazing places like Costa Rica, Japan, or India;  explore exciting careers  in a variety of fields, from science to the arts to education to government; take on big projects and help others in a big way. And, of course, they can  earn their Gold Award,  which (by the way) adds that “little something extra” to their college applications. Seniors and Ambassadors are eager to  spread their wings —and Girl Scouts helps them take flight.

Ambassadors

• Multi-Level Troops

Program ideas and adaptations for Ambassadors

This year, your Ambassadors will continue to break barriers and unleash the changemakers within—and may even earn their Girl Scout Gold Award in the process. Support their success, now and always, with these fun and easy badges, Journeys, and activities, adapted for both virtual or in-person meetings.

How to use these resources:

Ambassadors will become experts in their government and the roles of the officials they’ll help elect.

WHAT THEY'LL LEARN:

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll have learned more about their local, state, and national governments—and they’ll be ready to use that knowledge to inform their voting. 

REQUIREMENTS:

• Find out about local government 
• Find out about state government 
• Find out about the federal legislative branch 
• Find out about the federal executive branch 
• Find out about the federal judicial branch

PLAN YOUR MEETING

Video demonstration:  Watch Ambassador Girl Scouts lead Step 5 of this badge.

• Take Civic Action: Promote the Vote! (service project)
• Step-by-step planner: Sign-in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find instructions for meeting 1 and meeting 2 of this badge including, materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more.

Ambassadors will explore how hackers operate and how hacking can be used for the purposes of corporate and national security.

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know about steganography, cyberwarfare, and a variety of different careers in cybersecurity.

Learn about different kinds of hackers Hide a message in plain sight 3. Debate the ethics of hacking Learn cyberwarfare strategies Explore cyber careers

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

Video demonstration: See an Ambassador Girl Scout lead Step 1 of this badge.

• Virtual meeting agenda (PDF): Use this resource to help you adapt the meeting plans found in the Volunteer Toolkit
• Step-by-step planner: Sign in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find instructions for meeting 1 and meeting 2 of this badge, including materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more.

From test prep to financial aid, Ambassadors will explore the ins and outs of the college admissions process.

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll understand the steps in the college admissions process and be prepared to attend the school of their choice.

Explore your options Start the admissions process Make a financial plan Get set for success Build healthy habits

Video Demonstration : Watch Steps 1 and 3 of this badge..

• The Girl Scout Network   (alum group)
• CollegeLab website :  College admissions tool
• Step-by-step planner:  Sign in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find instructions for meeting 1  and meeting 2  of this badge, including materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more. 

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 Ambassadors!

Journeys & Take Action Projects

Discover Journey resources and review Journey options at girlscouts.org in the links below.

Girl Scout Journeys

Girl Scout Journeys are multi-session experiences in which girls dig deeper into their interests and use the skills they gain along the way to make a difference in their community. While badges show the world you’ve learned a new skill, Journey Awards say, “I found a way to make a difference.” During a Journey, Girl Scouts do hands-on activities, connect with experts, and take the lead on a Take Action project with their community. Once a Junior, Cadette, Senior, or Ambassador completes their Journey, they’re ready to drive lasting change in their communities by going for their Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award.

Journey requirements can be found in the Award and Badge Explorer. Volunteers and Girl Scout caregivers can also find the requirements in the Volunteer Toolkit.

Take Action Projects

Take Action Projects are service learning opportunities for Girl Scouts, and a place to practice problem-solving leadership skills. Completing a Journey Take Action project is a prerequisite to completing a Highest Award Take Action project.

What’s the difference between a community service project and a Take Action project?

Community service projects come from the heart. Community service projects are acts of kindness and important ways to help something or someone right now. They are commonly short-term projects that almost always multiply efforts that are already in place. Examples include collecting food for an existing food pantry, providing clothing or toiletries to people who have suffered during a disaster, cleaning up a rundown playground, or picking up trash at a park, forest, or beach.

• A short-term effort that helps something or someone fulfill an immediate need
• Done FOR the community
• Joining an existing effort to solve a problem
• Done as part of an existing team (usually as a volunteer)
• Working toward a goal that’s set by others

Girl Scout Take Action projects address an issue by tackling the factors that cause or contribute to it. As you may expect, these projects have a far-reaching influence. They’re designed to change something for the better—forever. Projects associated with Journeys and the highest awards (the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award) are Take Action projects.

• A long-term project with sustainable and ongoing influence that addresses a root cause of an issue
• Done WITH the community
• Creating a unique initiative to address an issue
• Creating and leading your own team of volunteers
• Setting the goals and leading a team to achieve them

What is the difference between a Journey Take Action project and a Highest Award Take Action project?

• A Journey Take Action project is topic specific; the project must relate to the Journey and what the troop or the Juliette member have learned along the way. It’s a practice run for the Highest Awards Take Action project. The entire troop works together to complete the Journey Take Action project.
• A Highest Award Take Action project can focus on any topic the troop or Juliette member chooses. They continue to build their leadership skills when they follow their personal passions. A Gold Award is completed by just one Senior or Ambassador Girl Scout, a Silver Award is done by 1-4 Cadette Girl Scouts, and a Bronze Award project is worked on by the entire Junior troop.

What are the four elements of a Take Action project?

Root Cause Analysis

Girl Scouts ask questions and dig down to find out why the problem exists in the first place – this is the root cause of the problem and not just the symptom.

As an example, think about this problem: kids keep tripping over sticks on the sidewalk and skinning their knees. A Girl Scout could provide community service and pass out band-aids for skinned knees, or she could ask, “Why are kids tripping here? Why are there sticks on the sidewalk?” The Girl Scout identifies the dying limb of the tree beside the sidewalk as the root cause. She asks the city to trim the tree, and the problem of tripping and getting skinned knees is solved.

Global Approach

Did the project get community members to come out and support their project? And do Girl Scouts see similarities between themselves and others? Can they look wider than their circle of influence? Consider this progression of awareness:

• Juniors: discuss how other places might have the same problem
• Cadettes: in their planning stage, they research how other communities have solved similar problems
• Seniors and Ambassadors: share out their problem-solving plan and project results for others to replicate

Measurable Impact

Girl Scouts use both numbers and comments. They use both numbers and comments to help communicate their project goals to the community, their target audience, and themselves. When the project is complete, Girl Scouts can answer this question: “We know we made a difference because…” Consider this progression of leadership:

• Juniors: discuss how to measure success
• Cadettes: develop a plan to measure impact
• Seniors and Ambassadors: includes milestones to measure the impact

Sustainable Change

Sustainability refers to the advocacy element of a project, not the objects included. Consider these three ways to create sustainable change: make your solution permanent, educate and inspire others to be part of the change, or change a rule, regulation, or law. Girl Scouts will grow their advocacy skills when they strive to make a change that last. Consider this progression of partnership:

• Juniors: develop an understanding of sustainability and advocacy and try to create a change that lasts beyond a one-time effort
• Cadettes: demonstrate an understanding of sustainability and advocacy and try to collaborate with community organizations and build alliances with mentors to create something that lasts beyond a one-time effort
• Seniors and Ambassadors: their project must include provisions to ensure advocacy and sustainability through committed partnerships

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Girl Scout troop resolved to support migrants despite backlash

This photo provided by Girl Scouts of Greater New York shows Girl Scouts Troop 6000 paying a visit to the Statue of Liberty in New York in 2023. Troop 6000 has served kids who live in New York’s shelter system since 2017, quietly welcoming hundreds of the city’s youngest new residents with the support of donations. (Kelly Marsh/Girl Scouts of Greater New York via AP)

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NEW YORK (AP) — Once a week in a midtown Manhattan hotel, dozens of Girl Scouts gather in a spare room made homey by string lights and children’s drawings. They earn badges, go on field trips to the Statue of Liberty, and learn how to navigate the subway in a city most have just begun to call home.

They are the newest members of New York City’s largest Girl Scout troop. And they live in an emergency shelter where 170,000 asylum seekers and migrants, including tens of thousands of children, have arrived from the southern border since the spring of 2022.

As government officials debate how to handle the influx of new arrivals, the Girl Scouts — whose Troop 6000 has served kids who live in the shelter system since 2017 — are quietly welcoming hundreds of the city’s youngest new residents with the support of donations. Most of the girls have fled dire conditions in South and Central America and endured an arduous journey to the U.S.

Not everybody is happy about the evolution of Troop 6000. With anti-immigrant rhetoric on the rise and a contentious election ahead, some donors see the Girl Scouts as wading too readily into politically controversial waters. That hasn’t fazed the group — or their small army of philanthropic supporters. Amid city budget cuts and a growing need for services, they are among dozens of charities that say their support for all New Yorkers, including newcomers, is more important than ever.

“If it has to do with young girls in New York City, then it’s not political,” said Meridith Maskara, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York. “It’s our job.”

While Troop 6000 has found plenty of sympathetic supporters, “there are some donors who would prefer their dollars go elsewhere,” says Maskara. “I am constantly being asked: Don’t you find this a little too political?”

‘Who’s gonna give us a chance?’

Last year, Troop 6000 opened its newest branch at a hotel-turned-shelter in Midtown Manhattan, one of several city-funded relief centers for migrants. Though hundreds of families sleep at the shelter every night, the Girl Scouts is the only children’s program offered.

Perhaps that’s what’s made the troop so popular.

Last January, the group began recruiting at the shelter and rolled out a bilingual curriculum to help scouts learn more about New York City through its monuments, subway system, and political borders.

One year later, with nearly 200 members and five parents as troop leaders, the shelter is the largest of Troop 6000’s roughly two dozen sites across the city and the only one exclusively for asylum-seekers.

With few other after-school opportunities available, the girls are “so hungry for more” ways to get involved, says Giselle Burgess, senior director of the Girl Scouts of New York’s Troop 6000.

Seven years ago, Burgess, a single mother of six, built Troop 6000 from the ground up after losing her rental home to developers. While living in a hotel-turned-shelter, she got the idea of creating a troop for girls like her daughters. It was the height of “NIMBYism,” she says, the not-in-my-backyard movement opposed to local homeless shelters.

At the time, she asked: “Who’s gonna give us a chance?”

As it turns out, “the donations started pouring in,” she says. A New York Times profile lead to a groundswell of philanthropy — plus tens of thousands of dollars in cookie sales — that helped the group grow from seven girls at a shelter in Queens to more than 2,500 scouts and troop leaders at over 20 temporary housing sites across the city.

So, when the mayor’s office floated the idea of starting a troop at the Midtown shelter, the Girl Scouts were ready.

“We already had a model that has really proven to work,” says Maskara, who raised about $400,000 in an emergency campaign from Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies, the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, and the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation.

Troop 6000 employs bilingual social workers and a transition specialist versed in supporting children who’ve experienced trauma. But otherwise, it operates much like any other Girl Scout troop.

Most importantly, says Maskara, the troop offers a glimmer of consistency to children who often must pack up, move homes, and switch schools in the middle of the academic year. Scouts are encouraged to continue participating even when their families move.

That hasn’t been easy at the Midtown shelter. The average length of stay for a family in the city’s homeless shelter system is a year and a half; in an emergency shelter, it’s often mere months. At least 40 families have been evicted from the Midtown shelter since January.

“Keeping the girls connected is what matters the most for us right now,” says Burgess. “There’s a lot of emotion, frustration, and hurt.” Around 50 scouts who have left the shelter participate in a virtual troop.

“We want to be able to encourage the girls and let them know it’s not over,” she says. “We’re still here.”

Philanthropy steps in

New York City has spent billions on the asylum seekers while buckling under the pressure of an existing housing and affordability crisis. That’s left little time to court and coordinate the city’s major philanthropies.

“It’s very hard to take a step back when you’re drinking out of a fire hose,” says Beatriz de la Torre, chief philanthropy officer at Trinity Church Wall Street, which gave the Girl Scouts a $100,000 emergency grant — plus $150,000 in annual support — to help expand Troop 6000.

With or without government directives, she says, charities are feeling the crunch: Food banks need more food. Legal clinics need more lawyers.

Since asylum-seekers began arriving to the city, around 30 local grant makers, including Trinity Church and Brooklyn Org , have met at least biweekly to discuss the increased demands on their grantees.

Together, they’ve provided over $25 million for charities serving asylum seekers, from free legal assistance to resources for navigating the public school system.

“It’s hard for the government to be that nimble — that’s a great place for nonprofits and philanthropy,” says Eve Stotland, senior program officer at New York Community Trust, which convenes the Working Group for New York’s Newcomers, and itself has distributed over $2.7 million in grants for recent immigrants.

“These are our neighbors,” says Stotland. “If a funder’s goal is to make New York City a better place for everyone, that includes newcomers.”

Political backlash

In a typical year, funding for immigrants makes up a “very, very small” percentage of overall grant making, says Marissa Tirona, president of Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, and funding for immigrants actually shrunk 11% from 2012 to 2020.

During an election year, services for immigrants might be even more at risk.

“Migrant families are often used as political pawns,” and some donors may succumb to anti-immigrant fear-mongering, says Tirona.

The Girl Scouts have not been immune to the backlash, nor is it the first time they’ve shouldered criticism from conservative donors.

While Troop 6000 has not been deterred, Maskara says that many of her peers in the nonprofit world have been fearful to publicly support newcomers.

“What holds them back is the appearance of being too progressive or too political,” she says. “My response to them is: You have no idea how many doors it will open.”

Sara Herschander is a reporter at the Chronicle of Philanthropy, where you can read the full article . This article was provided to The Associated Press by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as part of a partnership to cover philanthropy and nonprofits supported by the Lilly Endowment. The Chronicle is solely responsible for the content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy .

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Ambassador Think Like an Engineer Journey

Mobility device design challenge, find out how engineers solve problems with the design thinking process., activity details.

Set-Up:  Mobility equipment is technology that’s designed to help people with mobility impairments move from place to place. It gives users greater independence and control over their day-to-day lives by providing them with freedom of movement. Mobility equipment includes mobility aids like crutches and wheelchairs as well as artificial limbs and prosthetics.

For this design challenge, follow the steps of the Design Thinking Process to engineer a prototype of a new piece of mobility equipment for an amputee. Your equipment will need to help them to move from place to place. A prototype is a quick way to show an idea to others or to try it out. The Design Thinking Process is the steps engineers go through to solve problems. They: identify the problem, brainstorm and plan, build, test, and improve.

Activity:  To get started, gather 1 large piece of cardboard (2 x 3 ft. or more), 1 roll of string, 2 sheets of felt or another medium-thick fabric, 5 rubber bands, 4 brass fasteners, 1 sheet of poster board, 5 cardboard tubes, duct or packing tape, scissors, paper, and a pencil.

NOTE:  If you’re missing a material or have another idea for something that might be useful, free feel to test them! For example, if you don’t have cardboard tubes, you could roll poster boards or stack sturdy cups. Trying out different ideas to see what works is something engineers do!

Then, identify the problem you're trying to solve: engineer a prototype of a new piece of mobility equipment for an amputee.

After, spend a few minutes brainstorming the design of your device. Sketch your ideas on sheets of scratch paper to create a plan that keeps in mind the criteria and constraints. 

• Criteria are things the design needs to accomplish. They’re the goals for a prototype. The criteria for the challenge is that your prototype must: 1) help the user to move from one side of the room to the other, 2) be comfortable for the user, and 3) be easy and convenient for people to use.
• Constraints are ways the design is limited. For example, there might only be a certain amount of time to build the prototype or a limited amount of materials to make it. The constraint for this challenge is that you can only use your challenge materials, including the cardboard, string, sheets of felt, rubber bands, brass fasteners, poster board, and cardboard tubes.

It might help to ask yourself questions like:

• What sort of equipment do people use to move from place to place?
• What features of this equipment work for your user (amputee)? What special equipment already exists? How can you improve them? 
• What features might your user want or need? 
• What materials could you use? What parts does your prototype need?
• What mechanism (if any) will your prototype have?

Once you have some ideas, choose one to turn into a prototype. 

Then, use your plan and materials to build your mobility device. As you build, feel free to try lots of different ideas to see what works and doesn't work. Remember, the goal is to practice thinking like an engineer, NOT to make a perfect prototype!

When you think you have a finished prototype, test it and see how well it works! 

Before you start testing, what do you think will happen? Will your prototype be able to meet the criteria? Take a guess!

Then, find out if you were right! Test your prototype by trying it out and walking around the room. 

During the test, you may find things that work and others that don’t. So, after testing, make sure to ask yourself: How could you improve the prototype?

Then, improve it using what you’ve learned. Once you have a new version, test the new prototype again to see if your changes worked!

Want More Challenge? Try This! Redesign or add features to your equipment that help the user travel on different surface terrains. For example, what could you add to help with sidewalk ice in the winter? What could you add to help someone living on a farm with lots of soft dirt and grass? What additional features or mechanisms will you need to add for each condition?

Once you’ve created any type of prototype, you can share it with others. They can help you to think of new ideas and look for ways to make your prototype even better. 

And that’s it! You’ve completed a design challenge from the Ambassador Think Like an Engineer Journey! You’ve learned about the Design Thinking Process and used the steps to engineer a prototype of a new mobility device.

If you had fun with this design challenge, check out the other activities in the Think Like an Engineer Journey. Or, explore more about engineering and computer science with the Robotics badges.

Troop Leaders:  The instructions for all badge steps are available free of charge in your  Girl Scout Volunteer Toolkit .

Girl Scout Activity Zone activities have been adapted from existing Girl Scout programming.

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