Girl Scout Glossary
A Glossary to help you understand the basic Girl Scout Lingo.
Ambassador – Any registered Girl Scout in grades 11-12
Badges – A recognition patch that is earned by Scouts when they have completed 5 of the requirements listed in the Badge book.
Bridging Ceremony - A ceremony that celebrates the transition from one age-level in Girl Scouting to the next.
Bronze Award – The highest award a Junior Girl Scout can earn. This award is usually done as a troop.
Brownie – Any registered Girl Scout in grades 2-3.
Brownie ring - A circle that Brownie Girl Scouts sit in to share ideas.
Buddy System - A safety practice in which girls of equal ability are paired to help and to keep track of each other.
Cadette – Any registered Girl Scout in grades 6-8.
Community service – Any project, activity, task etc. that is done to help people in the community. This task should not be a job that the people got paid for. It is up to the leader’s discretion as to what is considered community service.
Cookie Booth – When a troop decides to hold a Cookie Sale outside an establishment.
Council – Our Service Unit’s support. Council is where the paid employees work. They provide support for the service unit and volunteers. They run the Girl Scout Camp, create opportunities for the
Updated 9/9/09 girls, administer the Award Programs, provide technical support, run the stores, and much more.
Council Event – An event that is run by Council held at different locations within the Council area.
Daisy – Any registered Girl Scout in grades K-1.
Destinations – A program available to registered Girl Scouts between the ages of 11-17. It involves traveling to other cities, states and sometime countries to learn about other Girl Scout councils and to experience new and exciting activities that are has to offer. You can find more information on the Council website www.gscsnj.org.
Friendship circle - This stands for an unbroken chain of friendship with Girl Scouts and Girl Guides all around the world. Everyone stands in a circle and places their right arm over her left and holds hands. Everyone makes a silent wish as a friendship squeeze is passed from hand to hand.
Friendship squeeze - After someone shares something in the circle, they squeeze the hand of the person standing next to them and then it gets passed around the circle.
Girl Scout handshake - Shake hands with your left hand while making the Girl Scout sign with your right hand.
Girl Scout sign - Hold the middle three fingers up by putting your pinky and your thumb together
Gold Award – The highest award any Girl Scout can earn, but the scout must be a Senior Girl Scout to earn this. Its requirements can be found in material you can purchase. The Girl Scouts’ project must be
Updated 9/9/09 approved by Council and must affect the community outside of Girl Scouting.
GSUSA – Girl Scout headquarters located in New York City.
Historian – A member of our Service Team who takes pictures of events that the girls are at and sends them to website, local newspapers, etc.
Hospitality Committee – A committee formed to bring snacks and goodies to our Leader’s Meetings.
Inchworm Patch – The Inchworm Patch is a Community Service patch that has hourly requirements to be filled in order to earn this patch. It is put out by our Council. Brownies need to put in 15 hours, juniors 25 and seniors 35.
Insurance – Every registered girl and adult is covered under the Girl Scout Insurance however it is only a secondary insurance policy. The family must use their personal insurance policy first and then submit to the Girl Scout policy. Forms are located on the www.gscsnj.org website.
Journeys – The Girl Scout program that any level of scouting can complete.
Juliette’s Closet – The Girl Scout shop located in any of the 3 council locations that sells all Girl Scout products including uniforms, books, patches, etc.
Junior – Any registered Girl Scout in grades 4-5.
Kaper Charts – A chart that shows the delegation of jobs and rotation of responsibility day by day and/or meal by. It can be in a chart form,
Updated 9/9/09 or graph or flower as long as the jobs that need to be completed are completed by the Girl Scout chosen to do that job.
Leaders Meetings – Once a month – usually on the second Tuesday of each month – all of the leaders in the Service Unit get together at the Robbinsville Senior Center. We get together to learn about upcoming events run by our Service Unit, to discuss any news within Girl Scouts, to discuss any situations that may come up that you might need help with, etc. Also a chance to talk with other leaders about different ideas for your meetings.
Lifetime Member – A registered adult who chooses to pay one lump sum for registration and will remain a member for their lifetime.
Low, Juliette Gordon (nicknamed Daisy) - Founder of Girl Scouting in the United States, she formed the first troop that met in Savannah, Georgia on March 12, 1912.
National Delegate – Registered adults and girls (14 years and older) who are elected as representatives for our Service Unit. They vote on corporate matters of the Council. The number of Delegates is usually determined by girl membership in each specific area.
Patches – A participation patch that is given out at an event just for showing up and participating in that event. No requirements other than participation are needed.
Permission slip – A signed sheet of paper that the leader should collect for every event that the girls attend that is not at their regular meeting place. Should include parents’ contact information, emergency information etc.
Petals – A recognition patch that only Daisy Girl Scouts can earn.
Updated 9/9/09 QSP/Nut Manager – The person in our Service Unit who is in charge of the QSP/Nut and Magazine Sale. They handle all training and questions for the sale.
QSP/Nut Sale – A GSUSA sponsored sale in which the Girl Scouts sell, nuts, candy and magazine subscriptions. In order to be eligible to have additional fundraisers, you must have 75% of your girls sell with an average of 1 item per girl sold plus sell cookies.
Quiet sign - Hold up your right hand. As people in the group see the quiet sign, they stop talking and also raise their hands. Once everyone is silent, the meeting continues.
Recruiter and Organizer – The people in our Service Unit who are responsible for signing girls and adults up for Girl Scouts. They are also responsible for placing girls in troops.
Registrar – The person in our Service Unit who handles all registration forms.
Religious Award Consultant – The person on our Service Unit Team who can help and work with leaders and/or girls to earn their desired Girl Scout Religious Award.
Safety Activity Check Point – Tells you what you need to do to make any field trip safe for Girls and Adults. http://www.gscsnj.org/volunteers/safety.html
Sash – Part of the Girl Scout uniform used to sew all patches, badges etc. to. It hangs over 1 shoulder.
Senior – Any registered Girl Scout in grades 9-10.
Updated 9/9/09 Service Unit – Each Council is broken down into Service Units. Each Service Unit consists of all the troops. Our Service Unit is Allentown- Robbinsville.
Service Unit Cookie Manager – The person in our Service Unit who is in charge of our Cookie Sale. They handle all training and questions regarding cookies.
Service Unit Directory – A list of all of the Service Team Members, leaders and troop numbers with contact information on everyone. It also lists when the Leaders’ Meetings are and any Service Unit event we have planned.
Service Unit Manager – SUM – The person in the Service Unit who acts as a liaison between Council and Leaders. The person who tries to help being a leader easy and enjoyable. You would ask this person any questions you might have before contacting Council.
Service Unit Team – A group of adult volunteers responsible for organizing and delivering service to Girl Scouts directed by service unit manager. The volunteers do more than being a leader. The job they have is a crucial part in making sure the Service Unit runs smoothly and efficiently.
Silver Award – The highest award a Cadette Girl Scout can earn. There are packets of information available at Juliet’s closet for the requirements. Council must approve the project.
SUM – The initials used when speaking in reference to the Service Unit Manager.
Updated 9/9/09 Treasurer – The person in the Service Unit who handles the checkbook and finances for the Service Unit.
Trip form – A form that needs to be filled out for all trips that require overnight stay, any trips with a greater risk than usual (Consult Safety-Wise), any trips in which a leased vehicle will be used or if you travel out of state. This form takes longer to process. Must be submitted 4 weeks before the trip.
Trip Log – A log that is kept by a designated person in the Service Unit of all non-risk trips. Register every time your troop does not meet at its usually meeting time and or place. Log is at each Leaders Meeting.
Troop Coach – The person in the Service Unit who the leaders can turn to first if they have a question. There are Troop Consultants for each level of scouting.
Vest – A part of the Girl Scout uniform where you sew all patches, badges, numbers etc. on.
Volunteer Essentials – All the info you need to be a volunteer -http://www.gscsnj.org/volunteers/essentials.html www.argssu.org – The website for the Allentown-Robbinsville Girl Scout Service Unit. www.gscsnj.org – The website for the Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey Council. You will find many interesting and fun ideas to do with your troop along with any forms the leaders might need. www.gsusa.org – The website for the National Headquarters for Girl Scouts.
Updated 9/9/09