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Cadette Program Ideas

Program Ideas and Adaptations for Cadettes

Your Cadettes are ready to take the lead and chart a course of their own in Girl Scouts; they might even earn their Silver Award along the way. Spark their sense of adventure with these badges, Journeys, and activities, adapted for both virtual and safe in-person meetings. We’ll be adding content throughout the year, so bookmark this page and check back often! 

How to use these resources:
Girl Scouts Change the World

Join the worldwide community of Girl Scouts and find out how girls like you are changing the world.

WHAT THEY'LL LEARN:

Girls will discover what they can do to harness their passions to make the world a better place.

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

  • Video: Explore the Silver Award 

 

  • Event: Girl Scouts Change the World National Gold Award Girl Scout Celebration & Breakouts 
    • What’s this about? Get inspired by the 2020 National Gold Award Girl Scouts—ten girls who changed the world while still in high school. Find out how they earned the top award in Girl Scouting and the $20,000 college scholarship that goes along with it. Cadettes are invited to watch the “Go for the Silver” or “Be a world changer” breakouts; Adults, join us for the “World Changer Champions” session. Watch the recordings here.
  • Event: International Day of the Girl Celebration
    • What’s this about? Celebrate International Day of the Girl, with music, art, and storytelling at the 9th annual Girls Speak Out. Hear girls from around the world tell their stories about what it means to be a girl where they live and how we can build equity for girls. Due to content,  this program is for girls 13+. Watch the recordings here.
  • Leading an engaging Cadette meeting: Recommendations for facilitating group conversations, handling supplies, and organizing your meeting  
  • Digital ice breakers and games
  • Virtual meeting agenda (PDF): Use this resource to help you adapt the meeting plans found in the Volunteer Toolkit
Democracy for Cadettes Badge

If you want to make a difference, start by fully understanding how your government works. Informed citizens are changemakers.

WHAT THEY'LL LEARN:

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll have learned new things about our government—how each branch works, how they work together, and how each piece makes a difference in society. 

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Find out about local government 
2. Find out about state government 
3. Find out about the federal legislative branch
4. Find out about the federal executive branch 
5. Find out about the federal judicial branch

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

Video demonstration: Watch Step 3 of this badge.

 

G-Team TV: By Girls, For Girls

Cadettes will tune in to G-Team TV and join Hangouts with girls across the country! 

WHAT THEY'LL LEARN:

Introducing G-Team TV! This new online show for middle and high school girls is run by a group of Girl Scouts called the G-Team. Each episode features special looks at key issues for girls and interviews with accomplished Girl Scout alums. A new episode airs every Thursday at 7:00 PM ET beginning 8/27 @Girl Scouts on IGTV. Plus, find every episode on Girl Scouts’ YouTube channel.

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

Business Creator Badge

Cadettes become business creators and learn the skills they need for success in life, no matter what future path they choose.

WHAT THEY'LL LEARN:
When a girl has earned this badge, she’ll have learned to think like an entrepreneur when she comes up with a business idea that solves a problem, designs a prototype, solicits feedback, improves an idea, then creates a business plan and pitches it.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Come up with an idea that solves a problem 
2. Design a prototype and get feedback 
3. Revise your prototype 
4. Create your business plan 
5. Make your pitch

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

  • Video Demonstration: Watch Step 1 of this badge.
 
Comparison Shopping Badge

Cadettes learn how to use the internet to find great products and save money.

WHAT THEY’LL LEARN: 

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know how to go online to find the best deals on the best products in the safest way possible. 

REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Learn to comparison shop
  2. Find out how to use online reviews 
  3. Check out the fine print 
  4. Investigate how to avoid online fraud
  5. Know how to manage your online shopping   

PLAN YOUR MEETING​:

  • Video demonstration: Watch a volunteer lead Step 1 of this badge.

 
Eating for You Badge

Cadettes find out how eating well can help you both inside and out.

WHAT THEY’LL LEARN: 

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know how to eat their way to a healthy mood, mind, and body

REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Know how good nutrition helps your body stay healthy 
  2. Find out how what you eat affects your skin 
  3. Explore how your diet affects your stress level
  4. Investigate how the food you eat affects your sleep
  5. Look at how your diet affects your energy    

PLAN YOUR MEETING​:

  • Video demonstration: Watch a volunteer lead Step 3 of this badge.

 
Science of Happiness Badge

Cadettes find out how scientists measure happiness and put their results into action.

WHAT THEY’LL LEARN: 

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know how to use the science of happiness to make their world the happiest place it can be.

REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Make yourself happier 
  2. Think differently for happiness 
  3. Get happy through others 
  4. Do a helpful happiness experiment 
  5. Create a happiness action plan  

PLAN YOUR MEETING​:

  • Video demonstration: Watch a volunteer lead Step 1 of this badge.

 

  • Special event: G-Team TV “Finding Your Rhythm” (Episode 3)
  • Leading an engaging meeting: Recommendations for facilitating         group  conversations, handling supplies, and organizing your         meeting   
  • Digital games and ice breakers 
  • Virtual meeting agenda (PDF): Use this resource to help you adapt        the  meeting plans found in the Volunteer Toolkit
  • Step-by-step planner: Sign in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find materials       lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more for Meeting 1 and Meeting 2 of       the Science of Happiness badge.
  • Virtual Events Calendar: Search for upcoming wellness events and              tune in as a troop!

    • Business Plan Badge

    Cadettes find out how to create a business plan.

    WHAT THEY’LL LEARN: 

    When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know how to write an effective business plan for their cookie business.

    REQUIREMENTS:

    1. Write your mission statement and business goals 
    2. Increase your customer base 
    3. Get into the details  
    4. Make a risk management plan 
    5. Gather expert feedback on your plan 

    PLAN YOUR MEETING​:

    • Video demonstration: Watch a volunteer lead Step 1 of this badge.

     

    World Thinking Day Award

    Every year, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world celebrate February 22 as a day of international friendship called World Thinking Day. The 2021 theme for World Thinking Day is “Peacebuilding.” To earn this award, Cadettes will explore the theme's meaning, practice the skills to resolve conflict in peaceful ways, and Take Action to make our world and communities more peaceful places. 

    PURPOSE: 

    When girls have earned this award, they’ll understand what peacebuilding means and will have made a peace pledge for World Thinking Day.

    REQUIREMENTS

    1. Explore World Thinking Day
    2. Explore peacebuilding
    3. Find peace inside
    4. Find out what peacebuilding means
    5. Put peace into action: create a peace pledge

    PLAN YOUR MEETING​

    Think Like a Citizen Scientist Journey

    Cadettes learn how scientists use observation to understand the world as they collect and analyze data as part of a citizen science project.

    PURPOSE: 

    When girls have earned this award, they will have sharpened their observation and data collection skills through three citizen science activities. Cadettes will also have put their skills into practice through a Take Action project. 

    REQUIREMENTS

    1. Find out how citizen scientists make observations, collect data, and help scientists conduct scientific research
    2. Do three citizen science activities: make observations about your environment, create a community field guide, and participate in a SciStarter project
    3. Plan a Take Action project that helps others 

    PLAN YOUR MEETING​

    Watch a volunteer lead Part 1 of this Journey.

     
    • Awesome Girls: Protect the Planet Event. Check out this exciting, hands-on event with three environmental scientists from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)! You’ll hear directly from these accomplished women about how they got their start and the issues that matter to them. They’ll tell you what they do at the EPA, why it’s important, and how you can help. And, as a super-special way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the EPA, every girl who registers to view this event (either live or recorded) will be able to receive a free EPA patch!
    • Patch Opportunity: The Girl Scout Tree Promise
    • Leading an engaging meeting: Recommendations for facilitating group conversations, handling supplies, and organizing your meeting   
    • Digital games and ice breakers
    • Virtual Events Calendar: Search for other events that support this Journey and tune in as a troop!
    • Virtual meeting agenda (PDF): Use this resource to help you adapt the meeting plans found in the Volunteer Toolkit
    • Cadette Take Action Guide
    • Girl Scout Camp: Find in-person and virtual camp opportunities.
    • Step-by-step planner: Sign in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more for Meetings 1–6 of the Think Like a Citizen Scientist Journey.  
    Trail Adventure Badge

    Cadettes will choose their adventure: go on a long-distance trail run or take a hiking challenge.

    PURPOSE: 

    When girls have earned this badge, they’ll have learned the skills to do a long-distance trail run or take three separate challenging trail hikes. 

    REQUIREMENTS

    1. Choose your outdoor adventure
    2. Plan and prepare
    3. Gather your gear
    4. Set a goal and train for your adventure
    5. Go on your outdoor adventure

    PLAN YOUR MEETING​

    STEM Career Exploration Badge

    Cadettes explore careers that make a difference, then map out how they’ll help others and change the world!

    PURPOSE: 

    When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know about STEM careers and how they can make the world a better place. 

    REQUIREMENTS

    1. Explore how you want to make a difference 
    2. Discover your career possibilities 
    3. Learn about the day-to-day 
    4. Brainstorm your next steps 
    5. Map your career path

    PLAN YOUR MEETING​

    Watch a volunteer lead Step 2 and 3 of this badge.

     
    Space Science Researcher Badge

    Cadettes will observe and explore light, deepening their understanding of the Sun, stars, and other objects in space.

    PURPOSE: 

    When girls have earned this badge, they’ll understand more about the amazing properties of light and how they can use it to make discoveries about the universe and space science.

    REQUIREMENTS

    1. What more can you see?
    2. Explore “invisible” light
    3. See the stars in a new way
    4. Expand your vision
    5. Conserve the night sky

    PLAN YOUR MEETING​

    Watch a volunteer lead Step 1 of this badge.

     
    • Special Guest: AstraFemina member and former astronaut Sandy Magnus share what she discovered about herself and the world around her as she journeyed into space. How did she become interested in space? What surprised her? What obstacles did she face and how did she overcome them? How was her isolation experience? Join Sandy for some inspiring insights and come prepared with questions for her!
    • Patch Opportunity: The Girl Scout Tree Promise
    • Leading an engaging meeting: Recommendations for facilitating group conversations, handling supplies, and organizing your meeting   
    • Digital games and ice breakers
    • Virtual Events Calendar: Search for upcoming STEM events and tune in as a troop!
    • Virtual meeting agenda (PDF): Use this resource to help you adapt the meeting plans found in the Volunteer Toolkit.
    • Step-by-step planner: Sign in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more for Meetings 1, 2, and 3 of the Space Science Resercher badge.
    National Service Project

    Cadettes choose a service project to put into action. 

    PURPOSE: 

    When girls have completed this activity, they will have given back to their community through a service project. 

    PLAN YOUR MEETING​


     

    Find even more adapted activities in the Volunteer Toolkit—just look for the “Virtual” icon! Browse Award and Badge Explorer to see all of the badges, Journeys, and awards that will excite your Cadettes!