nikitee

Two of the troops in our service unit went to Hershey camporee this year; the Cadettes were going for the second time... they had a blast, and have encouraged all of us to come along next year (our S2B groups is considering it, but leaning toward a horse-packing trip, soijnce they're all horse-crazy).

The leaders who went said everything was *VERY, VERY* well organized, a great value for the $$, and great gobs of girl fun both at camp and at Hershey Park! Great accommodations (clean, well-kept)... excellent activities offered. Also, they exhange SWAPs at this event...

Hope this helps.

>>...one of those remaining things that's good in our society.

>>Would the local VFW ask them to lay a ceremonial wreath at the cemetery on Memorial day, wearing them? Or would they ask the boy scouts, in their more appropriate serious uniforms?

Hi, Patti! I'm sorry you've had bed experience with Studio2B, but it is what a group of girls makes it... Our group of 12 girls has been together since Brownies; when presented with new Studio2B and "traditional" Cadette options before 6th grade by their (very skeptical) Junior leaders, they unanimously chose to be Studio2B.

The girls basically took over the troop: they plan and conduct the meetings and events, decide which SU & council activities to attend, etc. They HAVE NOT slacked off at all; if anything they're more into it now: every meeting now starts with a "girls' own" ceremony (pledge, promise, law, sharing ring). They had two regular meeting a month, and at least two outside events. They did 2 FB and 3 IPs together, and 6 additional IPs were earned solo. This year was the highest cookie-profit year in our troop's history, because the *girls* were earning for a trip that they decided on/planned (parent sales amounted to about 20 boxes total -- girls averaged 205 boxes). This year, 6 of the 12 girls went to resident camp; two have already signed up for PA training in October so they can work daycamp next year... They did 11 service projects this year (all girl-instigated, not solicited), and started work on Silver Leadership and Silver 4Bs over the summer. (As Juniors they had no great interest in leadership awards, etc. Only three earned Junior Aid & Junior Leadership.)

The girls threw out the "traditional" uniform and adoped their own: khaki pants, khaki vest with duck mascot sewn on, black T with pink stripe on sleeves, pink tie-dye socks. The vests are left at home except for CoA, and SU/council events. But they wear their uniforms regularly...

The girls (admittedly all 6th-7th-now 8th grades) love the FB charms, and have opted to buy non-GS charms for participation mementos instead of fun patches, too. They wear the charm bracelets to meetings, and move the charms to a chain sewn on the vest for "formal wear". All this was their idea: they made out a schedule for the girls to check Claire's every week for new charms & sales, so they could get things that pertain to what they're doing, and get them at less than full cost. The manager has started giving them a discount whenever they come in to buy 12 at a time.

My co & I are both "traditional" GS, and the Brownie & Junior troops we led were traditional. When we first saw S2B, we were furious and very disheartened. But the girls took the stuff, and ran with it, and made a program that they love... a great blend of "traditional" and new/for girls-by girls. We had 100% retention last year, and this year we've added two girls (who visited us this sping to try S2B out, and were the first to turn in their reg forms for this year).

I'm converted, but not because of how national or our council have presented or supported S2B, or because of the materials (which I still think are overpriced and too trendy, and not "for" older girls)... I like what our 6th-7th-now 8th graders have done over the past year, and the responsible, active young women they've become. I don't know if S2B would be even remotely successful with a group of girls who hadn't been strong GS before, but for our girls, it works.

(This message has been edited by nikitee)

My co-leader & I volunteered as summer day camp unit leaders this year, for the first time. We met a lot of FANTASTIC adults outside our service unit & the council staff.

One adult ("Spud") was the very definition of an ideal Studio2B 18-29 volunteer, according to their definition -- age 22, on summer break before starting her Master's in biology. She'd been a GS since K/age 5, and knew every song, game, story, and outdoor skill there was. She was professional, enthusiastic, motivating, competent, responsible, loved girls, had great expertise, etc. She was PERFECT!

But she herself discovered she had one problem: NONE OF THE PARENTS OR OLDER GIRLS TRUSTED OR RESPECTED HER, because she looked (appearance-wise) younger than some of the Juniors -- she is both petite and "fresh faced"... The parents dropping off or picking up saw her with a group of "cadettes" and went straight to the camp director, who had to explain her qualifications -- she WAS a real leader, really! The girls even gave her a hard time for the first half a day, until they realized she was FANTASTIC and really knew her stuff -- and that she was worthy of their respect!

Spud made a tag to wear under her staff badge: "YES, I AM AN ADULT. AGE 22" If she wouldn't have had a good sense of humor, and been qualified to the n-th degree, and been backed by the camp director and her staff, Spud would have had a VERY hard time...

How many S2B episodic volunteers won't survive their first encounter with older girls (near their own age) or their parents because of something like this? I'm betting quite a few.

Re, "WAIT OVER THERE": I'm really SHOCKED that "mom age" advisors were asked to hang around elsewhere... if GS national & councils want people to "buy" the S2B program, they have to let it be seen WORKING WELL... and the people who most need to SEE IT can't SEE through a closed door. Plus, I don't want to be a chauffer... I do that enough as it is.(This message has been edited by nikitee)

^You're right, ScoutNut! They told us in council-level S2B training that they would be listening carefully to feedback from GIRLS, and much less so from older adult volunteers.

They are really pushing the use of specialist volunteers, especially college students and professional women in the 18-29 category (see the issue of Leader that came out this week). "Girls aspire up" and want to associate with those closer to their own age, they say -- but there are two problems with using that age group exclusively: lack of wisdom, experience, and practicality/common sense; and lack of willingness to make a long-term committment to a troop/group. They may love girls,a nd have skills to offer -- but they have no personal vested interest in the girls and their futures!

Current volunteers (mostly moms with minivans, true, but who also have college degrees and careers) will end up becoming personnel/HR managers in addition to motivators, busdrivers, and cookie commandos!

Hmmmm!

Hi! About half of our Junior troop is ready to "move up," so my co-leaders and I attended both traditional Cadette leader and Studio2B advisor trainings this summer, to get an idea of what is offered for older girls. Our council doesn't have any active S2B groups yet... our training group was the first.

This is what we were told IN BOTH TRAININGS:

1) National and our council BOTH botched the initial rollout of the S2B program; there are many misconceptions out there.

2) The S2B program is experimental until October 2005.

3) S2B will keep changing up to and after that time, based on feedback from GIRLS.

4) The program just restates and repackages the traditional 4 program goals in trendier language: become, belong, believe, build. Nothing has been lost.

5) GIRL PLANNING AND RESPONSIBILITY is taking center stage again; this is a part of the traditional progam for older girls that was missing snce the program revamp in the 60s.

6) National will NOT be supporting two programs in the long run, so what we have in the future will be whatever S2B evolves into...

The GS volunteers being trained brought up the following issues:

1) Where is the SKILLED TO SERVE concept in S2B?

2) Where are the objective standards for mastery/performance? How can girls gain self-esteem without being able to measure their success?

3) When did the focus shift from "I serve" to "me me me"?

4) What will Silver & Gold mean when there are no standards for earning IP or Focus-book charms -- they are decorations/jewelry and girl may buy whenever?

The trainers emphasized to us that the advisor role was FUNDAMENTAL to making the S2B concept work, and that:

1) Without skillful advisors, S2B IS just a social club.

2) Advisors must educate and guide girls to understand the need for setting high personal standards and goals, and to honestly reflect on what they've done to "earn" an IP or Focus charm before they purchase it. We are to help them realize that the reward is their own effort/what they've learned/the confidence they've ganed, not the $5 junk jewelry.

3) Advisors must educate and guide girls into volunteering/serving in their communities by suggesting things that they care about, and spinning their interests. They will be MORE enthusiastic if it is their idea; they won't just socialize.

4) No girl must be pressured into committing more of her time or self than she wants; she may be encouraged, but advisors must remember that ALL ACTIVITIES ARE OPTIONAL.

Okay, here's my problem:

The training left me feeling better and worse that I did originally, after reading the S2B materials with no "intro" from council: it is a non-program program in many ways, but it does place a great deal of planning and growing responsibility on girls (which is where is should be at this age); the only way it will all work is if the advisors are "just right" and have all the skills necessary to befriend and motivate girls, help them be excited about SOMETHING, and then guide them to assume responsibility realted to SOMETHING that is probably not on their "me" agenda. Oy!

I, too, heard the "you're probably doing S2B already" remarks from the trainers, when I stated at the beginning of training that I was there to learn WHAT to tell our girls about traditional Cadettes & new S2b so they could make a choice. Giving them the choice, I was told, is absolutely S2B?

Our Junior troop has been together since Brownies/1st grade, with four newcomers (including my daughter, who joined in 3rd when we moved), for a consistent group of 12 girls; they have enjoyed earning try-its, badges, and participation patches for social activities -- they look forward to fire-side awards ceremonies and wearing their awards on parade (just about the only time full uniforms are worn). Every kick-off meeting includes a girls' brainstorming of what THEY want to explore & do in the upcoming year -- two years ago it was science and puzzles, last year was horses and adventure sports -- and HOW they want to serve each season (it is assumed BY ALL OF US that we do one service project per season). Four girls earned their Junior Aid patches and Leadership pins last year. Five girls pursued Junior badges on their own; only one earned her Religious Award and has started on her Bronze. (The others aren't interested in RA or Bronze, so we "leaders" don't push, but the girls ALL encouraged the one who did, and showed up at her church in uniform to see the bishop present her RA.) The "leaders" have managed to help the troop in common pursuits and facilitate/encourage for individual pursuits. I was told this IS Studio2B... but I don't buy it: I think it's just a good traditional troop.

Our current Junior girls DO have a lot of planning and implementationm responsibility now that they're older... they grew into it (progression, I know). But we have structure and standards, and expectations that the girls are aware of and seem to agree with... They are now 11-12. Statistics say that 75% of them should be leaving this year. They all said they'd be there for our kick off meeting next week. Hmmmmm!

So, what do you think?

I'm looking for all the feedback I can get, from both sides. What suggestions do YOU have for presenting the options to our troop, and then implementing?

Thanks, all!