Girl Scout Week | Girl Scouts of North East Ohio

Girl Scout Week is celebrated each March, starting with Girl Scout Sunday and ending with Girl Scout Sabbath on a Saturday, and it always includes the Girl Scout Birthday, March 12. The Girl Scout Birthday commemorates the day in 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the organization’s first 18 girl members in Savannah, Georgia.

Girl Scout Week Activities

This special week is a longstanding tradition dating back to the mid-1900s. A Girl Scout Handbook dated 1940 describes Girl Scout Week as a time when, “Girl Scouts make a special effort to tell the community what they're doing and why they ask for help to carry on their program.”

Girl Scouts used to establish seven days of service during Girl Scout Week. In honor of those days of service and to celebrate the Girl Scout birthday try out a few service activities each day of Girl Scout Week.

Try a new activity each day of the week:

Girl Scout Sunday toggle arrow

Research at least one religion that is different from your own. Share what you learn with friends or family!
In Christianity, Sunday is traditionally a day of worship. Attend a Girl Scout Sunday service in your community. Don’t know where to find one? Ask your service unit chair, or encourage your faith community to host one!
Think about the ways that the Girl Scout Promise and Law are similar to lessons you’ve learned in your faith community.
Earn your My Promise, My Faith Award work with your family and faith leaders to earn the pin to celebrate the connection between the Girl Scout Promise and Law and your faith.

>>More ideas, prayers, bulletin inserts, and flyers.

Bonus: Invite a friend to learn with you!

Girl Scout Traditions toggle arrow

The Girl Scout sign, raising 3 fingers of the right hand with the thumb holding down the pinky, represent the 3 parts of the Girl Scout Promise. Teach the Girl Scout sign to someone you know and tell them what it means to you!
Do a good deed, even something small! The Girl Scout slogan, used since 1912, is “Do A Good Turn Daily.” The slogan is a reminder of the many ways that girls can contribute positively to others every day.
Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere (SWAPS) are small tokens of friendship that girls share with other Girl Scouts they meet while traveling. Show off your SWAPS collection! Where were you when you received it and what special person gave it to you?
Create a piece of artwork (drawing, craft, skit, or other) that represents your favorite line of the Girl Scout Law.

Bonus: Invite your friend to take part with your favorite Girl Scout tradition!

Girl Scout Spirit Day toggle arrow

Show your Girl Scout enthusiasm by wearing your uniform, vest, shirt, or Girl Scout spirit wear. Share a picture with family and friends in person or virtually!
Write about why you love Girl Scouts and share it with others.
Tell others about your favorite Girl Scout adventure or your favorite badge that you’ve earned.
Sing your favorite Girl Scout song and let others hear it! You can share on Facebook, by phone with extended family, or sing it to your classmates.
Share your photos from your favorite Girl Scout events and share them on social media and spread your Girl Scout love to everyone (be sure the photos don’t have other girls in the background for privacy!).

Bonus: Share your Girl Scout spirit with a friend!

Girl Scout History toggle arrow

Explore Girl Scouts’ place in American history. What’s your favorite Girl Scout story from the timeline? Share it with someone you love!
Interview a Girl Scout alum! Find a neighbor, relative, older friend, or family member who was a Girl Scout. Ask her about her favorite memories and how Girl Scouts has affected their life. Talk about things that are the same and different from when she was a Girl Scout compared to today.
Teach a traditional Girl Scout skill! Whether it is tying a sturdy knot, building a campfire, or basic first aid practices there are many important life skills that Girl Scouts have learned and taught to others for over 100 years. So, pick an important skill that you have learned in Girl Scouts and teach it to someone else. A younger Girl Scout, a neighbor, a family member—it doesn’t matter who you choose. Everyone benefits when we share our knowledge!

Bonus: Invite your friend to learn some Girl Scout history with you!

Girl Scout Jummah toggle arrow

Research at least one religion that is different from your own. Share what you learn with friends or family!

In Islam, Jummah (Friday) is the holiest day of the week. Attend a Girl Scout Jummah service in your community. Don’t know where to find one? Ask your service unit chair or encourage your faith community to host one!

Think about the ways that the Girl Scout Promise and Law are similar to lessons you’ve learned in your faith community.

Earn your My Promise, My Faith Award work with your family and faith leaders to earn the pin to celebrate the connection between the Girl Scout Promise and Law and your faith.

>>More ideas, prayers, bulletin inserts, and flyers.

Bonus: Invite a friend to learn with you!

Girl Scout Sabbath toggle arrow

Research at least one religion that is different from your own. Share what you learn with friends or family!
In Judaism, the Sabbath (or Shabbat in Hebrew) is a holy day of the week beginning at sundown on Friday and ending Saturday. Attend a Girl Scout Sabbath service at your place of worship or another in your community. Don’t know where to find one? Ask your service unit chair or encourage your faith community to host one!
Think about the ways that the Girl Scout Promise and Law are similar to lessons you’ve learned in your faith community.
Earn your My Promise, My Faith Award work with your family and faith leaders to earn the pin to celebrate the connection between the Girl Scout Promise and Law and your faith.

>>More ideas, prayers, bulletin inserts, and flyers.

Bonus: Invite a friend to learn with you!

Some more ideas to celebrate:

Throw a Birthday Party toggle arrow

Invite friends to a Birthday Party-themed Troop Meeting.

Have a Girl Scout birthday cake and balloons with Girl Scout songs and games to share what Girl Scouts is all about.

Have a special rededication ceremony.

Do an Interactive Reading of Juliette Gordon Low's Life toggle arrow

Bring the story of Juliette to life by preparing an interactive reading about Juliette’s life or find a biography at your local library! Before reading the story, give each girl one item that represents parts of the story. Then animatedly start to read the story.

Pause at the point where an item is represented and ask the girl who is holding the item to display it to the group.

Items needed:

United States map (Juliette was born in Savannah, Georgia)
Paintbrush (to illustrate that Juliette loved the arts)
Pieces of taffy to hand out (Juliette famously got taffy stuck in her hair)
A girl who is the second oldest child in her family (like Juliette)
A small plastic bag filled with rice (an accident with rice caused part of Low's deafness)
First aid kit (Juliette’s first U.S. troop learned first aid)
Basketball (her first troop also played basketball)
A book and a pencil (to demonstrate when Juliette wrote the Girl Scout handbook)
Any other items that the leader feels appropriate, to match the number of girls present.

Try out Some Historical Recipes to Connect with our Girl Scout Past toggle arrow

The original Girl Scout Cookie recipe (1922)

Ingredients:
1 cup of butter, or substitute
1 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder

Directions:
Cream the butter and sugar; add well-beaten eggs, then milk, flavoring, flour, and baking powder. Roll thin and bake in a quick oven. (Sprinkle sugar on top.)

This amount makes six to seven dozen.

Modern-day tips (not part of the original recipe):
Refrigerate batter for at least one hour before rolling and cutting cookies. Bake in a quick oven (375°) for approximately 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

Easy, Easy Old fashioned Doughnuts

Ingredients:
2-4 tubes of canned buttermilk or homestyle biscuits
Confectioners’ sugar
Cinnamon
Granulated sugar
Vegetable oil for frying
A candy/oil thermometer (optional, but VERY useful)
Tiny round cookie cutter
Stainless steel tongs
Cookie sheets lightly sprayed with cooking spray
Paper towel
Plates

Directions:
Remove biscuits from tubes and place on sprayed cookie sheet. Using a tiny 1-inch round cookie cutter, (or a clean medicine cup that comes with children's pain reliever) press down in the middle of each biscuit until it cuts through the dough. Remove the hole and set aside on a cookie sheet. While preparing doughnuts, heat oil in a fryer or on top of the stove in a large pan until oil is 370 degrees. Place 3 or 4 doughnuts at a time in the oil, watching carefully. When the bottom is golden brown, flip over with the tongs, to fry the other side. Remove doughnuts to a cookie sheet lined with a paper towel. Allow to drain/cool just for one minute or so, then drop in the coating. When coated remove to a plate. The “holes” can be done last.

Coatings:
Use plain confectioners’ sugar, and cinnamon mixed with granulated sugar until light brown in color.

Molasses Drop Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ginger
Nutmeg and cinnamon
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup brown sugar packed
1 stick margarine
1 egg

Directions:
Mix sugar, margarine and egg. Sift dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture. Form into small balls, dip in sugar and place on greased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Whoopie Pies

Cookie ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup hot water
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup hot water
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Frosting ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tbsp milk

Directions:
Heat the over to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour and the cocoa; set them aside. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the hot water, then add milk and set aside. In the electric mixer bowl, beat the shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and beat another minute. Mix in half of the dry ingredients, then half of the wet; repeat. Drop batter by heaping teaspoons, about 2 inches apart, on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool thoroughly.

Make the frosting:
Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the electric mixer bowl, cream the butter, shortening, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar, beating until fluffy. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting has a creamy consistency. Spoon frosting into a sealable plastic bag, seal, and cut one corner off.

Put it All Together:
Fill the center of two cookies with frosting by simply squeezing the bag. Makes 2 dozen.

Sugarless No - Cook Apple Dessert

Ingredients:
Cooking apples
Condensed milk
Orange juice
Nuts or grated chocolate

Directions:
Grate raw cooking apple. Whip together with the condensed milk. Add a little orange juice. Arrange in dishes with nuts or grated chocolate on top.

Get Outdoors and Adventure toggle arrow

Go outside and play for 20 minutes or more!
Plan a hike at a local trail or park with your family.
Take the Girl Scout Tree Promise and plant, protect, or honor trees.
Have the seasons started changing where you live? Get outdoors and observe the signs of spring. Share what you notice with others.
Learn the principles of Leave No Trace and make a commitment to practice them.
Try an outdoor craft or skill.

Bonus: Invite your friend to join you in your Girl Scout outdoor activity!

Acts of Service toggle arrow

Write a letter of encouragement or create a video supporting a healthcare worker, sending love to a senior citizen, or thanking someone who has supported your Girl Scout experience.
Take a walk in your neighborhood and clean up trash. Be sure to practice safety while doing this activity by wearing gloves and bright reflective clothing.
Support a food drive in your community or start your own.
Volunteer at an organization in your community.
Research needs and issues in your community and their root causes. Commit to a take-action project to tackle at least one of these issues. This is a great way to get started on a Girl Scout Highest Awards project!
Work towards earning your Year of Service patch.

Tip: Many of these acts of service are part of Girl Scouts of the USA’s National Service Project.

Bonus: Invite your friend to do an act of service with you!

STEM Activities toggle arrow

Learn about a famous female scientist and share what you learned with someone!
Do some science! Make your own bath bomb!

Bonus: Invite a friend to join you in some science fun!

Girl Scout Sunday, Girl Scout Jummah, Girl Scout Sabbath

Girl Scout Sunday, Girl Scout Jummah, and Girl Scout Sabbath take place during Girl Scout Week. The week revolves around March 12, the birthday of Girl Scouting. Girl Scout Sunday is the first Sunday before March 12 and Girl Scout Sabbath is the preceding Saturday of March 12. The purpose of this special day is to emphasize that we take the Girl Scout Promise seriously -- “On my honor, I will try to serve God.” It is a time for Girl Scouts to reflect upon the importance of the words, “to serve *God.”

*Members may substitute the word God in accordance with their own spiritual beliefs.

Girl Scout Sunday, Girl Scout Jummah, and Girl Scout Sabbath give girls an opportunity to attend their place of worship and be recognized as a Girl Scout. If a place of worship is the group sponsor, girls may perform a service, such as greeting, ushering, or doing a flag ceremony. These days can also be a time when girls explore other faiths.

Girl Scout Week Religious Observances

Every effort should be made to hold ecumenical interfaith service when celebrating the spiritual foundation of Girl Scouting. The varied personal beliefs of our members necessitate including sensitivity towards inclusiveness. There is no set structure for an inter-faith service. Listed below are the “ingredients” that are usually found in formal ecumenical services arranged by and for Girl Scouts.

The Girl Scout Sunday/Jummah/Sabbath observance may be as simple as the girls and adults in Girl Scouting attend a religious service of their choice in Girl Scout uniform. Of course, anything beyond that during the service must be worked out with the local clergy.

Printable content for members of the faith community:

>>Email to Faith Leaders

>>Website copy

>>Bulletin insert

Fliers to promote Girl Scout Week events:

>>Girl Scout Sunday

>>Girl Scout Jummah

>>Girl Scout Sabbath

Girl Scouts and Girl Scout volunteers will be honored to be part of the service. They might:

Be part of the procession - If readings will be taken from the Bible, Torah, or Qur’an, girls may proceed in with these texts.
Serve as greeters or ushers for the service.
Run the nursery during the service so that regular members can worship with their families.
Sit together in the front pews during the service, and sport their Girl Scout vests or sashes - You could also mark the reserved pews with green bows/ribbons or Girl Scout trefoils.
Readings by Girl Scouts or Clergy - The readings need not pertain to Girl Scouts, but to the theme. Readings may come from Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Islamic, etc. texts. A few words about Girl Scouting and its mission may be made by the clergy, a Girl Scout adult, or Girl Scout. If any other Girl Scouts are to receive a religious award, it may be presented at an appropriate time.
Procession - The procession may be arranged in many ways. Troops may proceed first with flags. if readings will be taken from the Bible, Torah and/or Qur’an, girls may proceed in these texts.
The Girl Scout Promise - A brief welcome and introduction may be made by the clergy or by an appropriate participant. Girls stand and make the Girl Scout Promise.

More Service ideas for faith leaders:

Offer a brief welcome or introduction to the girls and volunteers at the service.
Lead a group prayer or responsive reading tied to the theme or one of the suggested Girl Scout prayers (see below).
Ask past and current Girl Scouts, volunteer leaders, and highest award Girl Scouts to stand at some point during the service.
Present religious award recognitions to girls and adults who have supported them throughout the year. Check out this document for a breakdown of awards.
Acknowledge special STEM, outdoors, or entrepreneurship badges or Journeys, or highest awards girls have earned through the year.

“We the members of Girl Scouts of the United States of America, united by a belief in God and by acceptance of the Girl Scout Promise and Law, ...

Do dedicate ourselves to the purpose of inspiring girls with the highest ideals of character, conduct, patriotism, and service that they may become happy and resourceful citizens.

We believe that the motivating force in Girl Scouting is a spiritual one. We affirm that the Girl Scout Movement shall ever be open to all girls and adults who accept the Girl Scout Promise and Law.”

--Preamble of the Constitution of the Girl Scouts of the USA

These words from Girl Scouts of the USA’s constitution express our most fundamental beliefs and are affirmed by over 2.5 million Girl Scout members in the USA when they make the Girl Scout Promise.

Suggested Prayers and Readings for Girl Scouts celebrating Faith Services

A Girl Scout Prayer
Lord, help us to be good Girl Scouts, ones who the world can trust.
Help us to respect our neighbors’ rights, and never be unjust.
Help us as Americans, to be worthy of the flag we bear.
Help us as real Girl Scouts, to be proud of the uniform we wear.
Help us to be clean, Dear Lord, in thought, word and deed.
Help us to follow the law that is in the Girl Scout creed.
Help us to love all people of the world, and then to serve them, too.
Help our actions to count, Dear Lord, in everything we do.
Help give us strength to carry on and do our part each day.
Make a place in this world for us and help us fill it, we pray.
Make us what we ought to be, and in Thy footsteps fall.
Help us to live for others, O great Scout Master of us all.

Prayer for Jewish Girl Scouts
O, Lord, our God, we ask Your blessing upon us and upon our sister Girl Scouts. Give us the strength of character and of purpose so that we may fulfill our Promise and faithfully obey our Law. Teach us to understand that by living up to the ideals of our Movement we are helping to build a better tomorrow for ourselves and all people. AMEN.

Prayer for Catholic Girl Scouts
Dear Jesus, we ask you to bless us and all other Girl Scouts. Give us grace to serve you and our country and to keep our Girl Scout Promise and Law. Make us humble and friendly, eager for adventure, alert and prepared for service. Give us the courage to dare to do right; make us both strong to fight and steadfast to endure; and may our lives be filled with joy that spreads happiness everywhere. AMEN.

Prayer for Christian Girl Scouts
Dear Father in Heaven, we know we are your children, we want to serve you faithfully, and we want to keep our Girl Scout Promise. Help us to listen to your voice; help us to be willing and quick to do your work; help us to be friendly and loving; and help us to thank you every day for all your gifts to us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Prayer for Hindu Girl Scouts
O Lord God almighty, May there be peace in celestial regions. May there be peace on earth. May the waters be appeasing. May herbs be wholesome, and may trees and plants bring peace to all. May all beneficent beings bring peace to us. May your Vedic Law propagate peace all through the world. May all things be a source of peace to us. And may your peace its elf bestow peace on all.

Prayer for Muslim Girl Scouts
In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful. Look with compassion on the whole human family; remove from us the arrogance, divisions, and hatred that have infected our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; reunite us in bonds of love; and guide us as we work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish Your purposes on earth; that, in Your good time, all nations and races may jointly serve You in justice, peace, and harmony. AMEN.

Prayer for Buddhist Girl Scouts
When someone is wronged he must put aside all resentment and say, My mind shall not be disturbed; no angry word shall escape my lips; I will remain kind and friendly, with loving thoughts and no secret spite.

Prayer for Native American Girl Scouts
Oh Great Spirit, whose voice we hear in the winds, and whose breath gives life to all the world. Hear me! We are small and weak, we need your strength and wisdom. Let us walk in beauty and make our eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. Make our hands respect the things you have made and our ears sharp to hear your voice. Let us learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock. Make us wise so that we may understand. We seek strength to understand your lessons you have taught to us.

A Girl Scout Speech

Today is Girl Scout [SUNDAY/JUMMAH/SABBATH], which is observed during Girl Scout Week, an event recognizing the founding of Girl Scouts on March 12, 1912. We would like to honor and thank the Girl Scouts in our who have the courage, confidence , and character to make the world a better place. Please stand if you are a current Girl Scout member. Thank you to all the adult who give of their time and talents to our Girl Scout troops. If you are a Girl Scout volunteer, please stand. And a special thank you to [NAME OF HOUSE OF WORSHIP LEADER] and the congregation at [NAME OF HOUSE OF WORSHIP] for their leadership and support of our Girl Scout troops. These girls represent the leaders of tomorrow. They belong to an organization that has adapted over its 111 years to meet the changing needs of girls, but one thing remains the same today as it did when Girl Scouts was founded: support for girls to grow strong in faith and a belief that the motivating force in Girl Scouting is a spiritual one. [JOINED BY THE GIRLS, RECITE THE GIRL SCOUT PROMISE .] On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

Girl Scout Week Proclamations

Contact your local Mayor’s office and have Girl Scout Week proclaimed in your town!

>>Customizable Proclamation