[alum]

Originally posted by AGDee
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.

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!