Girl Scout levels (USA)

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The Girl Scouts of the USA have six age levels: Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador. Girl Scouts move or "bridge" to the next level usually at the end of the school year they reach the age to advance. Years and levels are shown on the uniform by small, golden, five pointed membership stars (one per year) with colored background discs to represent level and wear similar uniforms to other groups in WAGGGS.

1 Daisy Girl Scouts
2 Brownie Girl Scouts
3 Junior Girl Scouts
4 Cadette Girl Scouts
5 Senior Girl Scouts
6 Ambassador Girl Scouts
7 Adult members
8 The Girl Scout uniform
9 History
10 References
11 See also
12 External links

[edit] Daisy Girl Scouts

Daisy is the initial level of Girl Scouting. Named for Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low, Daisies are in Kindergarten to Grade one.^[1] They typically meet in groups of five to ten and have one or two leaders. Daisy Scouts earn Learning Petals and Participation patches for their uniform, which consists of a light blue tunic and a blue membership disk. They use the Daisy Girl Scout Activity Book to work on badges, and do not sell Girl Scout cookies.

[edit] Brownie Girl Scouts

Brownies are in Grades two and three,^[1] and earn triangular shaped Brownie Girl Scout "Try-Its". Their uniform consists of a brown vest or sash, with green membership disks. Brownies go by the Brownie Girl Scout Handbook and earn badges from the Try-Its for Brownie Girl Scouts book.

Unlike some of the other levels, the name Brownie is commonly used with Girl Scout/Girl Guide organizations around the world and has its origin from Brownies in the British Girl Guides.

[edit] Junior Girl Scouts

Juniors (formally Intermediates) are in Grades four and five.^[1] Juniors earn Badges and sport green vests or sashes as uniforms, along with yellow membership disks. They also use the Junior Girl Scout Handbook and earn badges from the Junior Girl Scout Badge Book. Juniors are eligible to earn the Bronze Award.

[edit] Cadette Girl Scouts

Cadettes — typically in Grades six through eight.^[1] Cadettes earn Interest Projects and wear khaki sashes or vests as uniforms, along with white membership disks. Cadettes use the Girl Scout Handbook and earn badges from Interest Projects for Girls 11-17. Cadettes are eligible to earn the Silver Award.

[edit] Senior Girl Scouts

Senior is currently the highest level of active Girl Scouting, with its members in Grades nine through twelve (but see Ambassador Girl Scouts below for planned changes).^[1] Seniors wear a khaki colored vest or sash — however, they all wear red membership disks. Although they earn Interest projects and use the same books as Cadettes, Senior scouts are eligible to earn the Gold Award, Girl Scouting's highest honor.

[edit] Ambassador Girl Scouts

On August 26, 2006 the National Council of GSUSA voted to change the rank system as of October 2008. The Senior level, which previously included girls in grades nine through twelve, will split, and girls in grades eleven and twelve will become Ambassador Girl Scouts, the new highest level; girls in grades nine and ten will remain Senior Girl Scouts. Ambassadors will continue to wear the traditional uniforms.^[1]

[edit] Adult members

Adults can join Girl Scouts also and participate as leaders or in other volunteer roles or join groups such as Campus Girl Scouts which is for women enrolled as students in higher education.^[2]

[edit] The Girl Scout uniform

Along with the 2006 changes to GSUSA, Scout uniforms were changed to unify the different levels. All scouts now wear white shirts with a pair of Khaki pants. Girls that are in high school wear scarfs to conform with the rest of WAGGGS groups.^[1]

[edit] History

Initially the United States Girl Scout program, started in 1912, had one level for girls ages ten through seventeen, but it soon added two more levels. Brownies for younger girls was officially recognized in the mid 1920s though it had existed earlier. At the same time older girls (over eighteen or over sixteen if First Class Scouts) became known as Senior Scouts.

In 1938 age divisions were set as

Brownies (ages seven through nine)
Intermediates (ages ten through thirteen)
Seniors (ages fourteen through seventeen)

In 1963 this was rearranged to

Brownies (ages seven through nine)
Juniors (ages nine through eleven)
Cadettes (ages eleven through fourteen)
Seniors (ages fourteen through seventeen)

In 1984, the Daisy program for kindergarteners (age five) was introduced, and around 2003 the Studio 2B program for girls eleven through seventeen was introduce-- though many girls still call themselves Cadettes and Seniors.

Outside the age level programs, there have been somewhat separate programs for Mariner Scouts (1934-present) and Wing Scouts (1941-1970s).

In addition there are Girl Scouts known as Juliette Girl Scouts who are independent of any troop due to lack of a troop to join or because other commitments don't allow them to actively participate with available troops.