I don't see sororities in the news often, either. Depending on the corporation, you may just be able to read about it on national websites and so forth.

Did anyone see the commercial during the Super Bowl? I hear that it was sponsored by KD! I noticed the writing was in green :)

I did. It was wonderful. It wasn't about cellulite cream or promoting unhealthy bodies, but had pictures of little girls and making them feel better about themselves. I thought it was sweet.

-Rudey
--I don't remember the color of the letters though but good memory!!! :) :)

We all know he's a fake Pike bro. And it was good that he's gone. He kept talking crazy talk about Pike this, Pike that, roids this, roids that, bang chicks this, bang this that. blah blah.

He was an idiot

Is that the commercial with all the little girls while the song "True Colors" plays in the background? I like that commercial.

Ha HA! Was cashmoney UF_Pike?

Yes.

you can watch the commercial here
http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com...ign_commercial

It's a fabulous commercial. I think it's wonderful that Kappa Delta is getting involved.

Wow. Please EDUCATE yourself before you knock a wonderful organization like Girl Scouts. www.girlscouts.org

Twenty years ago was 1986 and I doubt that at that time Girl Scouts were promoting gendered socialization and traditional gender roles. If anything, Girl Scouts is typically far above other similar national programs (especially Boy Scouts, sorry guys) in promoting girls in sports, maths and sciences. The awards at ALL levels are to teach leadership, responsibility, and service. They are focused on career guidance and healthy self-images.

Just because you earned a cooking or sewing badge when you were eight years old does not mean you know anything about Girl Scouts or their program today.

I definately have a lot more to say on the issue, but I have class in eight minutes. Please take some time to explore the website, or hey, why not give your local council a call and see just what it is they do for girls and women?

In case this matters to anybody, Unilever tests on animals.

I agree 100% with Contessima. Girl Scouting has always been ahead of the game, molding our young girls into leaders of tomorrow. Every Interest Project Patch incorporates the areas of technology and career exploration. Even for the younger girls, service to the community and leadership roles are stressed. Through the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital, our teen girls have the opportunity to intern in the US Senate or House of Representatives, or even in private industry. Other councils across the country have unique opportunities based on their localities.

Another GCer posted awhile ago on a different thread how her love of Girl Scouts developed into a love of all-women groups which of course led her to pledge a sorority in college. Apparently she is both an active volunteer as an alumna in her alumnae association and for the Scouts.

That's funny. When I was in girl scouts, all we did was earn our cooking badge and learn to sew. We didn't learn leadership skills. We learned how to do stupid craft projects. It may be ahead of its time now. But, it has not always been so.

From what I have seen of their programming through their partnership with KD, things HAVE changed.

But I have to agree with Tippiechick, i would not say that it has always been that way. Back in the late 80's/very early 90's, when I was a Brownie and Junior girl scout, GS certainly was not ahead of their time in encouraging girls to be leaders, exploring technology, etc. The very vast majority of badges involved cooking, sewing, makeup, clothing, crafts, etc. There weren't that many badges involving technology, careers, etc. so it's not like my specific troop just emphasized certain things.

It seems that GS has been having to compete against all of the other activities young women are involved in. More and more young women are involved in sports and other activities that were once just a guy thing.

I have seen and heard about some of the changes they've made the past few years, but I don't know if any of them have stuck or been successful.

/GS hijack

I must have been a member of a rogue Girl Scouts troop because we never sewed or sold cookies. We baked cookies once and made arts and crafts. Mostly we hung out and talked about school and listened to music especially the soundtrack for Grease. We also went on trips to the Bronx Zoo and museums, but we never went camping.

My mother was the troop leader, and it was the late 70s early 80s so that might explain things. It was a very "free to be you and me" experience.

That's why I asked the board how much has the Girl Scouts changed their practices, DUMBASS.

From reading the posts on the Girl Scouts, it seems that the Girl Scouts is still the haven for gendered socialization. Just like the Boy Scouts is. This doesn't mean that all Girl Scouts troops still sit around singing circle songs or sewing but it means that there are still some very traditional notions of what being a GIRL/WOMAN/LADY means.

I know there are girl scout troops out there that do the right thing, but I hated being in girl scouts. I was bored most of the time, and I got really upset when our troop leader embezzled all our cookie money. I remember my mom and I going around to my neighbors telling them their cookies would be late because of a "slight mix-up" which was really trying to get money back from the troop leader. I quit after all the money my troop had raised for 3 years was earmarked by the new troop leaders as a fund for their daughters (2 years younger) to go to Savannah when they were sixth-graders. We didn't see a dime. My mom and I decided I had better things to do than waste my time with Girl Scouts. The only girl I know who stuck it out and got her gold award did so by creating first aid kits for a school organization. Not only did she only oversee putting bandaids into boxes, she made everyone in the group buy the supplies and bring them in for her project. Most of us didn't bring anything in because we weren't going to do her project for her. Had this been for Boy Scouts, she would have had to do much more than delegate people to buy bandaids and hydrogen peroxide. She would have had to get supplies donated and done much more.

That being said, I have known troops that work hard, are progressive, and are honestly teaching the right things. Those are few and far between, though.


ETA: This is in no way anything against Kappa Delta. I think it's wonderful that they are working with GSA and hopefully trying to imrpove the program. I know it would have been nice to have someone college-aged work with my troop instead of just disgruntled mothersb who stole cookie money. Hopefully GSA can become more progressive and eliminate the disparity in prestige between the Eagle Scout award and Gold Award.

They have program initiatives listed under the following categories.

Leadership and Self-Esteem
Community Outreach and Education
Environmental Awareness
Financial Literacy
Health and Wellness
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
The Arts
Travel

Girls don't have to join Girl Scout Troops to take advantage of this stuff, either. That's good because the individual troops might not hold up the promise that the national entity has set forth. So, the Girl Scouts as a national entity has evolved which is not necessarily an indication of how much the actual troops have evolved in their practices. "Yay" for Girl Scouts as a national entity for helping girls with their self-esteem and teaming with Dove. :)

Cookie money embezzlement is a federal offense.

Yeah, she got charged with embezzlement. I think she worked out a plea bargain. This happened when I was in 4th grade so I was more upset about the fact that the cookies were late since they never got paid for. She didn't go to prison, but she had hefty fines and wasn't allowed to participate in scouts anymore. They moved shortly after that.

Wow, I didn't know you could get blackballed from the Girl Scouts. They're not exactly a selective group. (Hence why no one perps the GS;) ;) )

Actually, GS requires extensive background checks on all of their volunteers. If you leave the organization for more than 2 years, you have to undergo all the checks again. Also, there are procedures in place to remove volunteers who are not fulfilling their job description.

I am amazed at the number of myths many on here are attempting to perpetrate about GSUSA. No offense, but ya'll kind of sound like GDIs that believe [insert Greek stereotype here: pay for friends, sleep around, have negative impacts on their school and community, don't care about philanthropies, etc]. :mad:

- how embarassing for the other members of your organization, Chaos. Is that really how you want to represent yourself?

It's NOT a myth if you've personally experienced it. WOULD YOU TELL A HAZED PLEDGE THAT THEY ARE JUST PERPETUATING A MYTH WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES?

You love the GS. We get it. But, don't sit there and tell those of us who have been involved in GS that our experiences aren't valid just because they don't coincide with your perfect-girl-scouts-can-do-no-wrong-and-can-cure-cancer-and-the-common-cold ideal. :rolleyes:

I'm currently a Girl Scout leader, and have also volunteered in an administrative capacity with my local council. My girls are now graduating seniors. Of the 10, 3 have completed their Gold Award (and I have hopes for two others to do it). The focus of Girl Scouts now is to let the girls decide what they want to do, let them plan out how/when/if things get done. We've taken two major trips as a troop. We've been camping numerous times. We've visited universities. We've made learning boards for children in Afghanistan. We've been on challenge courses and gone sailing. Many times we've just talked about various issues (and unless I hear something that is totally wrong, I keep my mouth shut). The GS program has evolved and continues to evolve to become what girls want. Working with my girls has been one of the best things I'll ever do. I may be telling their stories in next year's rush threads.

But on the administrative side, I've seen some unpleasant things. 98% of it adult-related. Embezzlement, adultery (leader messing with coleader's husband, but it's OK-they are friends?), psychotic mothers, custody issues, you name it. It's what happens when you have a large volunteer organization. Criminal background checks and reference checks help quite a bit to weed out the obvious problems. Girl Scouts, along with every other volunteer organization, are eager for committed volunteers. It's sad to say, but not every girl who wants to join will find a troop because of lack of leadership.

Clarification - it is GSUSA, not GSA. Boy Scouts are BSA.

PS - Kappa Delta made a SMART move by adding Girl Scouts to its philanthropies. I know of many girls who want to be KDs because of this connection.

Many girls do drop out of Girl Scouts during 5th-7th grade. Some of the reasons are:

- Leader quits (for many different reasons)
- Girl becomes interested in a specific, time-consuming activity (sports, drill team, etc)
- Peer pressure (GS is not cool)
- Lack of parental support (parents don't think there is anything for daughter to gain from GS at this point)

Regarding peer pressure, some of my girls "went underground" during junior high. However, they have found that it's not an issue in high school. As to lack of parental support, I wish parents would understand that girls need a program that builds and reinforces self esteem like GS the most in junior high.

GSUSA has been trying to respond to these issues by recruiting younger leaders (are considered more "cool" than mothers), adding more high adventure and travel opportunities, revamping the awards to make them more relevant, partnering with sports organizations, etc.

You're a dumbass for two reasons:

1) I clearly asked a question in my post. All you had to do is answer it without the extra stuff. Adding the extra stuff leaves the potential for a combative tone.

2) I didn't make outlandish accusations based on my imagination. I didn't engage in slander. It's clear that you're in love with GS and that's why you almost had a heart attack when you read my post. Yes, my GS troop perpetuated gendered stereotypes and gendered socialization in 1986. Just like some troops currently do. How dare you tell me that you know about, or can interpret the relevance of, my experience with my troop more than I do. It's also silly for you to assume that 1986 was some pivotal year in which gendered socialization was completely eradicated in GS troops across the country. It existed in 1986 just like it exists in 2006.

Now, you have an explanation to fit my previous description of you. ;)

Exactly. I never knew people were so sensitive over the GS.

Thanks to everyone for their input on the GS.

I would like to reiterate that the GS national website shows some really good program initiatives. I hope the actual troops are upholding that promise and monitoring the degree to which they perpetuate gendered socialization.

Didn't know there was such a thing. What then happens in the mods corner?

Which now leads me to another question: was the HU PIKE thread actually deleted, or moved to the mods corner? And if so, then for what purpose?

ETA: I think the Dove initiative and KD's involvement is a wonderful thing.

[hijack] Re: GS

I was a GS in St. Louis, from Brownies through Mariner Scouts. I then became a Camp Counselor and an assistant troop leader. My Mom was our Mariner troop leader and we led the City in cookie sales. And we took home awards from the GAM. I was even selected to go to Roundup, which was very prestigious. I say all of this to explain that while I lived and breathed GS growing up, I never encouraged my daughter to join. Here's why.

In St. Louis we had all Black troops, and our activities were culturally sensitive. Here in MN, that is not the case and they have a real problem with diversity.

They talk the talk, but do not walk the walk. There have been numerous attemptsto rectify the situation: advisory councils (on which I served,) posting for jobs in media focused on people of color, etc. But the bottom line is when it came to implementing ideas, or actually hiring for those jobs "suitable candidates of color" could not be found.

You never hear anything about the GS here, other than cookie selling time. And there are not troops set up in Black churches (as mine was) or other places dominated by people of color.

So I say all of this to say: the GS were the bomb many years ago, but they have not kept up with the times. Hopefully this partnership with Dove will allow them to do that. [/end hijack]

I quit Girl Scouts when I was in 5th grade because of a rift with the leaders' daughter (1976). I re-joined in high school because of the awesome trip a friend of mine had gone on to the Canadian Rockies, backpacking, canoeing, Calgary Stampede, fun times. The trip I ended up going on was to Maine, New Hampshire and New York. We planned the trip ourselves and just had parents to drive us around. We went backpacking, hiking, white water rafting, canoeing and took technical climbing lessons. It was the best trip of my life.

My daughter is now in 6th grade and is a Cadette. Her leader is a 25 year old woman who has a toddler. This woman had made some poor choices in her middle school years and was kicked out of Girl Scouts by her leader because she was straying to "the dark side". She feels it is important for these young women to stay involved, have goals, gain self esteem and make positive choices for themselves. She is awesome with the girls. The girls totally run their meetings, collect their dues, take turns planning the meeting's topic. Therefore, they do what interests them.

They had an overnighter and did work on their sewing badge in the process. The activity? Making some very cute destructed jeans with rhinestones, patches, bleach pens, etc. They all wore them to school on the same day (but didn't dare tell people they made them in Girl Scouts). This same group of girls also just planned a whole encampment weekend for 75 girls. They planned the menu, chose the workshops, etc. The workshops they picked DO include some traditional things such as hula dancing (it's a Hawaiian theme weekend) and a cookie decorating contest, but they also have workshops in self defense, a high ropes course, a low ropes course, and horseback riding. Something for every interest really. Additionally, they did all the meal planning and stayed in theme. They designed the t-shirt and the patch for the weekend. I sat through these planning meetings while waiting for my daughter and kept thinking "These are going to be great sorority women". Planning recruitment, a sisterhood retreat, a formal, a parent's tea, etc. is going to be a piece of cake for any of these girls because they've been leaders since age 12.

ETA: They're planning a trip to Missouri too.. no clue what they plan to do there but they are having to stay in a budget, choose activities, food, etc. for that too.

This is what our 7th-12th grade troop is doing this semester. [Already since Christmas, there was a major trip to Birmingham/Huntsville, AL in January and a ski trip in February.]

Discover Engineering Family Day at the National Building Museum

American Patriotism IP. America the Beautiful Overnight Adventure for Cadettes.

Thinking Day at local High School

Fencing IPP ---- full with 25 girls signed up

Black Women in America: Contributors to Our Heritage at the Sewall-Belmont House and Museum.

GSCNC & Sewall-Belmont House, Iron-Jawed Angels.

Wildlife IP Day

Jr Badge Night – at local ES – Leadership Opp for Older Girls

Laser Tag Lock-In Svc Unit Event

Troop Murder Mystery Night Lock-In at the church (Seniors ONLY)

Teen Digging Through the Past at Lincoln Caverns

Serivce Unit Encampment at Shenandoah Meadows for all levels

Orienteering and Outdoor Survival

Beach Jam Camping on the Beach, Wildwood, NJ

Hershey Park Camping


Additionally, we run 5 IPPs a semester and have ongoing Gold and Silver Clubs.

I was told that it was moved to the mod's corner. Maybe it was deleted since then.

I am amazed that you want to insult people about something when you did not even READ THE POSTS. The posts that have been about the GS have been about our own individual experiences with GSUSA.

I didn't realize that my childhood was a myth :confused: I think I might need some therapy on that issue

How closely aligned is GS with religion?

The "Girl Scout Promise" mentions God, but this disclaimer appears on the website:

* The word "God" can be interpreted in a number of ways, depending on one's spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, it is okay to replace the word "God" with whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate.

That seems nice and inclusive, but how does it work in practice?

They sound like a great bunch of Girl Scouts! Have they earned their Bronze Award?

My daughter's 6th grade troop (we were in KS at the time) went to St. Louis over a 3 day weekend back in 2000. They had a blast!