[
and accessoriet, publkations and gnitioos and everything for Scout camp ... all featured in the Girl Scout Catalog recently sent Girl Scout memben. Your catalog is a source of gift.gl\-ing ideas, too. girls and adults. So keep it handy year long!
"!~~elect•~ items also available through Girl council-operated shops, your local Scout department In stores nation· and the J.C. Penney and Sean Fall Catalogs.
GSUSA/NES 6/88 Girl Scout
FALL 1988
Children of Alcoholics foundation
FfATURIS
~ 9 Words Change, Values Don't GIRL SCOUTS
President Betty F. Pilsbury 11 On My Honor National Executive Director Frances Hesselbein 13 You're Someone Special! Director, Communications Rhoda Pauley 15 You Are What You Value (centerfold) Managing Editor C Subscriptions. $5 yearly 14 Issues~: $7. .50 for all des· tinallons outside U.S.A and possessions; $2 SeniorOirl Scouts Change ofaddress \\'rite Oirt Scout Leader. BJO Third A~enue. l'fe-. York. NY. 10022. Include old an Cover: Gill Scout volunteers from Sangre de Cristo Girl Scout Council (Santa Fe, N. Mex.) conclude an adult rededication 4 President's Message 6 In the News ceremony by sharing a bouquet of dais· ies. Photographed on location for GSUSA by Alan Gould. 25 Near and far ------ President's Message his issue of Girl Scout Leader fo cuses on the topic of " values. " Adult leaders also have TWhat do we mean by values? How do we define them? their own sense of values The word value is often used in reinforced exposure to terchangeably with price. Does it fol by low that value can be measured in the Promise and Law. monetary terms? It is said that a fool is someone who knows the price of put in touch with a system of values everything and the value of nothing. that will last them all through their So value must be more than just a dol lives. lars and cents figure. The sense of ethical and moral We Girl Scouts have our own value values goes all the way back to our President Reagan greets GSUSA Na system-it is found in our Promise and founder. In Lady from Savannah, the tional President Betty F. Pilsbury at a Law. They are the touchstone by which biography of Juliette Gordon Low, the White House brieflng before the recent we measure our lives- the star we fol following little verse is identified as a low to bring leaders and girls to the favorite of the founder and one she to ha\'e faith in their own abilities and highest fulfillment of their personal shared with her family: sharper. those abilities for the general potential. Money can't buy that. good and their own personal growth. "Life is mostly froth and The most respected of American These \ita! lessons are not only bubbles. institutions are taking a fresh look for young Girl Scouts. Adult leaders Two things stand like stone. at the need for values. Many of the also have their own sense of values Kindness in another's nation's most prominent medical reinforced by exposure to the Promise troubles. schools have started offering classes and La\'. The constant reaffirmation of Courage in your own." that emphasize ethics and morality in these fine \'alues is illustrated on the patient treatment. The Harvard Busi This little poem is certainly not the front cover of this issue where Girl ness School recently received a grant, equal of the classical commandments Scout leaders convene to participate in rumored to be in the neighborhood of on ethics and religion. But it does il an adult rededication ceremony. $20 million, for the establishment of lustrate that before there was a Girl So .. . good luck to the Harvard a program to teach ethics. The lack of Scouts, in the heart of the woman who Business School. May their new pro a strong value system in modern-day was to begin the Movement there was gram on ethics be as successful as our America is one that distresses the Har an emphasis on values- an emphasis Girl Scout program has been. vard President. In his annual report, that took into account both the dignity President Derek Bok expressed his of the individual and the sense of re concern about the "increasing inability sponsibility that each of us owes to --8~5- p~ of families, schools, and religious in others. Betty f. Pilsbury stitutions to impart moral values in Business schools may teach eth National President youth." So Harvard has taken a giant ics and medical schools across the step by establishing a program to em country may be emphasizing the doc phasize values to its students. tor-patient relationship. But these are Personally, I think that the college lessons that the Girl Scouts know al years are too late a time to bring the ready. They have learned them by liv message about the place of values in ing the Promise and the Law. They the lives of young people. There is an learn to serve God and their country, African proverb that says "If you refuse and discover, by following the guide to be made straight when you are lines of the Law, that honest, fair, co green, you will not be made straight operative, and kind behavior has re when you are dry." That's what we do wards undreamed of. They learn to in the Girl Scouts. Beginning with five work within their troQp, their commu year-old Daisy Girl Scouts, the girls are nity, and the greater ·~vorld. They learn 4 Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 enseiiar etica y las facultades de medi· cina en todo el pafs pueden destacar Las lideres adultas Ia relaci6n doctor·paciente. Pero hay tambien refuerzan su lecciones que las Girl Scouts ya han aprendido. Las han aprendido al vivir propio sentido de los Ia Promesa y La Ley. Aprenden a servir valores al exponerse a Ia a Dios y a su patria, y a descubrir, si· Promesa y Ia Ley. guiendo los lineamientos de Ia Ley, que una conducta honesta, justa, de etica. La carencia de un fuerte sis· cooperativa y bondadosa tiene recom· tema de valores en Ia America mo· pensas lnimaginadas. Aprenden a tra· derna ha sido causa de aflicci6n para bajar dentro de su tropa, su comuni· el presidente de Harvard. En su in· dad, } el mundo en general. Aprenden forme anual, el presidente Derek Bok a tener fe en sus propias capacidades expres6 su preocupaci6n sobre Ia " in· y a agudizar esas capacidades para el capacidad creciente de las farnilias, bienestar general y su propio creci· escuelas e instituciones religiosas miento personal. para impartir valores morales en laju· Estas lecciones vi tales no son solo ventud." Entonces Harvard ha dado un para las Girl Scouts j6venes. Las If· paso gigante al establecer un pro· deres adultas tambien refuerzan su grama para destacar los valores en propio sentido de los valores al ex· sus estudiantes. ponerse a Ia Promesa y Ia Ley. La re· Personalmente, pienso que los afirmaci6n constante de estos finos aiios universitarios son un perfodo de· valores se ilustra en Ia portada de este masiado tardio para comunicar el numero donde las Jrderes Girl Scouts mensaje sobre el papel de los valores se reunen para participar en una ce· en las vidas de los j6venes. Exlste un remonia de rededicaci6n adulta. proverblo africano que dice: " Si te nie· Entonces . . . buena suerte a Ia nauonal Conference for a Drug free America gas a enderezarte cuando estas verde, Harvard Business School. Que su no lograras enderezarte cuando estas nuevo programa de etica tenga tanto seco." Eso es lo que hacemos en las exito como el que ha tenido nuestro ste numero de Oirl Scout Leader Girl Scouts. Comenzando con las programa de Girl Scout. se dedica al tema de los "va· Daisy Girl Scouts de cinco aiios de t: !ores." LQue significan los va· edad, las ninas entran en contacto con -13~:1. p~ !ores? LC6rno los definirnos? un sistema de valores que les durara La palabra valor se ernplea a me· toda Ia vida. Betty F. Pilsbury nudo intercambiablemente con pre· El senlido de los valores eticos y Presidenta Nacional cio. lse desprende de eso que el valor morales se remonta directamenta a pueda medirse en terminos moneta· nuestra fundadora. En "Lad} from Sa· rios? Se dice que un tonto es alguien vannah", Ia biograffa de Juliette Gor· que conoce el precio de todo y el valor don Low, el siguiente versito se ha de nada. Entonces el valor debe ser identificado como un favorite de Ia algo mas que una mera cifra de d6· fundadora, y uno que ella compartfa lares y centavos. con su familia: Nosotras las Girl Scouts tenemos "La vida es sobre todo nuestro propio sistema de valores espuma y burbujas. que se basa en nuestra Promesa y Ley. Dos cosas sobresalen como Son Ia piedra angular porIa que medi· piedra. mos nuestras vidas-la estrella que Bondad para los problemas seguimos para conducir a las lfderes de los otros. y las ninas al maximo desarrollo de su Coraje para los tuyos." potencial personal. El dinero no puede comprar esto. Por cierto este pequeno poema no Las mas respetadas de las lnsti· puede compararse con los rnanda· tuciones americanas estan conside· mientos clasicos de Ia etica y Ia reli· rando con nuevos ojos Ia problema· gi6n. Pero sirve para ilustrar que antes tica de los valores. Muchas de las de que existieran las Girl Scouts, en el facultades de medicina mas promi· coraz6n de Ia rnujer que iba a cornen· nentes de Ia naci6n han comenzado a zar el movimiento habfa un enfasis ofrecer clases que destacan Ia etica y sobre los valores-un enfasis que tuvo Ia moral en el lratamiento de los pa· en cuenta tanto Ia dignidad del indi· dentes. La Harvard Business School viduo como el sentido de responsa· recibi6 hace poco una beca, que se ru· bilidad que cada una de nosotras debe morea es de unos $20 millones, para asumir para con nuestro pr6jlmo. establecer un programa de ensenanza Las escuelas comerciales pueden ·.. Girl Scout Leader/fall 19tltl 5 r Mary Levey, GSUSA's former direc tor of Business Suooort Services, has been named the center's director. She joined the organization in 1972 as ar In the News chivist and later was appointed admin istrator of GSUSA's Corporate Infor mation Center. She holds a master's degree in library science from Colum bia University and certification from well as numerous private groups and the National Archives in Washington, organizations. D.C. Other finalists included: mem GSUSA will keep councils in· bers of Flint River Girl Scout Council formed of the latest developments (Albany, Ga. ), who collaborated with within the center as well as the local Boy Scouts to clean and beau· services and resources that will be tify the grounds of a community se available to help them preserve and nior citizens' center; East Jackson promote Girl Scout history. County Girl Scouts (Tulip Trace Council of Girl Scouts, Bloomington, One in a Million Ind.), who planted hundreds of but· ton bushes around a local wildlife refuge; and Girl Scout Senior Troop Caroline Estey of Philadelphia's Fidelity 1115 of Hickman, Ky. (Kentuckiana Bank presents Senior Girl Scouts (1 to r) Girl Scout Council, Louisville, Ky.), Patricia Hurlock, Laura Rogers, and Lynn Fern with an award for their project who embarked on a mass clean-up of public property in their commu Honored for nity. Public Service That Winning Spirit Freedom Valley Girl Scout Coun cil (Valley Forge, Pa.) was honored Brownie Girl Scout Troop 287 of recently for its innovative project to Geneva, Pa. (Penn Lakes Girl Scout help educate girls about eating dis· Council) took first-place honors in Ruth Shope, right, of Hummels· orders such as anorexia and bulimia. the recent Milton W. Delancey Youth town, Pa., beams as she learns that Working with local health and nutri· Awards Program sponsored by the she's the one-millionth visitor to the tion experts, Senior Girl Scouts de Pennsylvania State Association of Juliette Gordon Low Girl Scout Na veloped the project called "Food for Township Supervisors. The girls tional Center in Savannah, Ga. Dur Thought." entered the statewide contest after ing Mrs. Shope's March 1Oth visit, In recognition of their work, the winning a regional competition for center director Fran Powell presented Girls' Coalition of Southeastern completing 14 community-service her v..~th a bouquet of daisies and a Pennsylvania (OCSP) presented the projects. bagful of souvenirs from the birth· group with the first Margaret Estey place of GSUSA's founder. Award. The award is named for the Preserving Girl Scout founder of the GCSP, an agency de· New Committee signed to assist girls and women in History the Delaware Valley. In response to a directive from the Appointments National Council at the 1987 National Eight Senior Girl Scouts were se Session in Portland, Oreg., GSUSA has lected from among 96 applicants na They're Proud to Help established a National Historic Pres tionwide for positions on GSUSA's Former GSUSA National Presi ervation Center at Girl Scout head· standing committees of the National dent Grace MacNeil was among more quarters in New York City. Board for the 1987- 1990 triennium. than 200 individuals and groups Under the direction of a newly ap They are Amy B. Baker (Drifting named as finalists in the second an· pointed archivist and records man Dunes Girl Scout Council, Valpa· nual Take Pride in America National ager, the center will improve and ex raiso, Ind.); Kier M. Ingrahm (Michi Awards Program. Mrs. MacNeil was pand the organization's ability to gan Metro Girl Scout Council, Detroit, honored for her generous donation preserve the corporate records, his Mich.); Deborah S. Lieberman (Co· of 85 acres of land to the Grand Vil tory, and artifacts of Girl Scouts of the lumbia River Girl Scout Council, Lake lage of the Natchez Indians in U.S.A.; function as the communication Oswego, Oreg.); Megan tl. Murray Natchez, Miss. and resource center on Girl Scout his· (Girl Scouts San Diego-Imperial Take Pride in America is a public tory for the national organization, Council, San Diego, Calif.); Christine lands stewardship campaign sup councils, and the general public; and Parkyn (The Riverland Girl Scout ported by nine federal agencies, 4.3 serve as the national model for Girl Council, La Crosse, Wis.); Theres3 L. states, and two U.S. territories, as Scout council collections,. Peverly (Girl Scout Council of the Pa· ·. 6 Girl Scout Leader/fall 1988 cific., Nonolulu, Nawaiil; Evelyn Julie the Medal of freedom by President .s·nc air Citrus Council of Girl Narry Truman. Scouts Winter Park, Fla.1 and Tria :-Is. Wood was a nati\e of lan· L) n Wallace (Girl Scouts of Central kato, Minn .. and earned a B.A from "lai)Iand, Baltimore, l'ld.. St. Paul's Macalaster College She During their orientation ses· later completed an M.A. at Teachers ·. Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 7 Educating future Consumers The American Federation of tcontinuedJ In the News Teachers reports that a majority of children in grades 5-12 lack the kno\~ledge and understanding of en· an energetic voter registration/ poster contest. Sharing congratula· erm·related issues they need to be awareness drive to encourage the tions were left, her parents (Mom informed consumers. citizens of LaGrange to exercise their Lana is a troop co-leader>; Mrs. In a poll conducted b) the Na· constitutional rights. George Bush, wife of the Vice Pres! tiona! Energy Education Day Project, The second-place \~.-inner was dent; Ruth Graves, president of most children surveyed were unfa· Junior Troop 452 of Lebanon. Ind. Reading Is Fundamental; and Don miliar with major sources of energy, (Hoosier Capital Girl Scout Council. Hall, chairman of Hallmark Cards, and at least one-third of them held Indianapolis), whose members de· which underwrote the contest. RIF no opinions on energy-related Is· veloped a tax-information project to helps to prevent illiteracy by distrib· sues Gerald Katz, a former teacher publicize the new ta.>. laws. uting books to kids and encouraging \.. ho directs the project. has called for Thlrd·place honors were taken them to read for the sheer pleasure more study of energy and environ· by Junior Troop 419 of Morgan of it. mental issues in the classroom. County, Mo. (Hearl of Missouri Girl Seoul Council Jefferson Cit} l for its community a\1.-areness project on substance abuse. Colgate's Youth for America campaign \\-as created in 1972 to en· courage communit} responsibility in young people. The clubs and troops of si.>. major youth-serving organiza· tions-Girl Scouts. Boy Scouts. Boys Clubs, Girls Clubs. Camp Fire and 4·H - are invited to enter their best community service projects an· nually. Prizes of up to $ L 000 are awarded for the best projects In each of the organizations. This year's panel of judges included such celeb· rities as Phylicia Rashad, Tony Ran· dall, and Celeste Holm. A Proud Little House Members of Nyoda Girl Scout Council (Huron, S.Dak.) enlisted lo· cal contractors, architects, and con· cerned citizens to pitch in and help restore an historical log cabin that had deteriorated In recent years. The dwelling. known as "Ti·Chi· Kola. " \1.-hlch means "little house" in the Sioux Indian dialect. was built more than I 00 }ears ago in the to\\n of Pierre and donated by the city to the Girl Scouts in 1929. Today. Ti· Chi·Kola stands proud and refur· bished beckoning visitors with its rustic charm. for the fun of It BrO\,nie Girl Scout Tracy Bailey (Girl Scouts of Mil\.. aukee Area, Inc.. Milwaukee, Wis. ) displays the win· ning poster she created for Reading Is Fundamental's annual national Girl Scouts helped refurbish this log cabin in Huron. S.Dak. 8 Girl Scout Leader/fall 1988 ·~ words of the Girl Scout Promise and Law are not unchangeable. What we are about has not changed since 1912, but the way we express our val· ues has changed more than once, as Words Change, the possibilities for girls, the chal· lenges and responsibilities, have changed through three quarters of a century. Always, through 76 years and moving on toward the end of the cen· Values Don't tury, there have been girls and women with deep feeling for the Movement, a determination to keep it relevant to the needs of girls where they are at the by National Executive Director frances Hesselbein moment. With a deep respect for the power of language and the way we alues are what Girl Scouting is all and other adults as human beings, not communicate, they have helped us to about. In the quaintly formal lan· distant authority flgures; relating to change the how but never the why of Vguage of our Congressional the larger community by claiming a our talk about values. Charter. Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. aims girl·sized role in its celebrations. and "A Girl Scout is thrifty," says our to 'inspire the rising generation with in its problem-solving. first handbook, published in 191.3. Lit· the highest ideals of character, patri· Part of the magic of the Girl Scout tle girls were expected to progress otism, conduct and attainment." Promise and Law is that it fits the age from pennies in a piggy bank to man· Stated more simply, our mission is to of the person who is making it her very aging a household allowance when help girls develop values that will give own. A Daisy Girl Scout. with her lead· they married. Today, women know meaning to their lives, that will help er's help, can understand the simple that many of us will have the oppor· them grow into the finest women they values that underlie the simple acthi· tunity and the obligation of managing can become. ties of her troop. Brownie Girl Scouts large amounts of other people's We carry out this high mission in are moving out into the wider \\Orld, money in business, government, and a delightfully down-to·earth way. For and six is not too young to de\elop the not·for-profit organizations. We also 76 years, every time we have asked sense of self·worth, knowing that manage money of our own. We are girls why they want to be Girl Scouts, there is something wonderful about aware that natural resources are not the ftrst answer has been "to go camp· being a girl and being a woman, feel· inexhaustible, that children as well as ing and be in the out·of·doors." The ing good about yourself. All through their parents must know how to con· second is "to make friends." What their Girl Scout experience, girls are serve them. And so, in the 1980s, Girl these wishes have to do with devel· consciously !earRing those values that Scouts of all ages have moved from "A oping values is, quite simply, every permeate the Promise and La\~ . Hon Girl Scout is thrifty" to promising "I will thing. Underlying the fun and friend· esty has many forms, many applica· do my best to use resources wisely." ship that girls flnd in Girl Scouting arc tions, and it is in the small and daily From the very beginning and for the simple, basic statements of the practice that the basis for a life of in many years. the highest emphasis was Girl Scout Promise and Law. In Glrl tegrity is built. placed on Girl Scout camping-edu· Scouting, we do not just teach values We are fortunate, too, that the cation in the out·of·doors. Then, for a to girls; we live them with girls. John Gardner might ha"'e been speaking direct!) to us when he wrote in his book Sel[·Renewal, "Instead of giving young people the impression that their task is to stand a dreary watch over the ancient values, we should be telling them . . . that it is their task to re-create these values continuously in their own behavior ... We should be telling them that each generation reflghts the crucial battles and either brings new vitality to the ideals or allows them to decay." Delivering this message is the heart of every Girl Scout leader's job. It happens naturally through the wholesome, gro\ving, stretching activ· ities of a troop or group. Girls re·cre· ate the values of the Promise and La\V as they practice the Girl Scout vvay of relating to one another in the troop and at camp; relating to their leaders NED Frances H~sselbein has high hopes for tomorrow's generation Girl Scour Leader/Fall 1988 9 Teamwork, healthy competition, and wholesome fun are Girl Scout trademarks while, it did not seem to the adults to leader. help girls to build that same kind of be a major focus. There was a less· In the next century, when the lead· inner security. ening of urgency about outdoor edu· ership of women will be more impor· I'd like to reassure any Girl Scout cation. And yet, when we listened to tant than ever before, our country leader\\ ho wonders, "Do I really know girls, really listened to why they seek must have the best, most motivated, how to do the things girls want to do?" us, our adult leadership took a new di· most deeply committed kind of lead· Leadership is essentially a matter of rection that was actually an old direc· ership at every level from the munici· how to be, not how to do it. The wise tion of Girl Scouting. Today we have pality to the White House. From the and sensitive adult who works with the Camp of Tomorrow at Macy and first time a girl makes the Promise, girls is transmitting values in every once again a strong emphasis on out· through all of her activities in the thing she does, everything she says, door education. troop, at camp, in wider opportunities the \\ay she helps girls deal with issues I do not believe this is something and special events, Girl Scouting nur· that affect them. that goes in cycles. Girl Scouts try to tures a conscious love of country. As we transmit values that shape Jearn through doing. In today's world, Many millions of good citizens have the lives of young people, those values where there are so many voices clam· found here the beginning of service to help them shape the times in which oring to be heard, Girl Scouts of the country and understanding of the they live. U.S.A. is wisest when it stops, listens, ways in which we serve. With our and then moves ahead truly under· membership growing more rapidly standing the needs of girls in today's now than in many years, with the ex· Underlying the fun and world, spoken and unspoken. That is citing diversity of new members com· when we do our best. ing in, Girl Scouting and Girl Scout friendship that girls find Listening to girls begins, of leaders have the opportunity to play in Girl Scouting are the course, in the Girl Scout troop or an even greater role in developing the simple basic statements of group. The way a leader listens can cohesiveness that sustains this most make a world of difference to a young viable of democracies. the Girl Scout Promise and girl who is just learning to share her When we talk with women about Law. In Girl Scouting, we ideas. Whether or not you agree with their girlhood memories of Girl Scout to the idea, it must be treated with re· ing, the message comes back that do not just teach values spect. A thoughtful and caring re· they treasure most the values they girls; we live them with sponse may help the girl to clarify her learned. There is something hearten girls. own thinking; it will surely create one ing, for leaders who were Girl Scouts of those wonderful moments when in their growing-up years, about being girls learn from and through their able to take their o"wn learnings and 10 Girl Scout leader/Fall 1988 Scouting helps kids come in contact with women who can be role models. Although we have quite a few profes sional women in town, they really don't volunteer their time for Girl On My Honor Scouting. But I would like to encour age girls to try harder. I tell them that if they work hard enough, they really can do what they want, even go to the South Pole." n times like these, when social val cently was elected to the council's ues have eroded and community board and also serves on its day camp I pride and concern for others have committee. That's a big chunk of time Inspired by Fond Memories been replaced by the "me generation," for someone who works six days a living by the Girl Scout credo may week and frequently puts in 10 or 11 Across the country. in Hampton. seem almost anachronistic. Fortu hours a day at the clinic. (She even Va., Adrienne Cumbs tries to instill the nately for us all, many women took sews the girls' uniforms!) Beth says same enthusiasm in her Junior and their childhood Girl Scout vows seri frankly, "Sure, there are times when I Cadette troops. A Girl Scout from ously and have carried the values of feel 1 should be doing something else, Brownies through Seniors, Adrienne the Movement with them into adult but I really like the Girl Scout program. was tapped to volunteer four years ago hood. 1t was a great experience for me-l by a woman who had been in her own Here are three such devoted vol participated in wider opportunities troop as a girl. Today, Adrienne prac unteers who never will forget the and leadership training-and I want tically lives and breathes Girl Scouting. meaning of "On My Honor." my girls to have the same experience." In addition to running two troops, she Beth Hill, a 33-year-old veterinar is responsible for a total of 28 as a ian, operates an animal clinic with her service unit manager. She says, " I husband, Russ, in Great Falls, Mont. Sensitivity and Compassion make sure that the leaders are trained, Although she enjoys the field of med that they have the proper resources. I icine, she really didn't want to work Beth's days are quite hectic. She see myself as a sounding board, a with people. As a child, she was fond explains, "We do everything. I clean troubleshooter. We get very good sup of wildlife and the outdoors, and kennels, mop floors. I do most of the port from the council (Colonial Coast eagerly devoured animal tales. A St. cat surgery, my husband does much Girl Scout Council)." Louis native, she earned her D.V.M. at of the dog surgery. We advise on Adrienne was inspired to partici the University of Missouri. everything from selecting a pet to han pate by her fond memories of Girl When she arrived in Great Falls dling dogs with behavioral problems. Scouting. She recalls, " When I was a five years ago, she decided to get in In fact we try to practice dog psychia kid, there never was any question that volved in Girl Scouting to learn more try, which is somewhat similar to child I would be a Girl Scout. I was expected about the community and its people. psychiatry." to go, and it was automatically as She and her husband will work sumed that I would have fun. And I tirelessly to save an injured animal's did; I went to camp, on a wider op limb or ease the pain of an elderly pet. portunity, and I was selected to par Naturally, she is an advocate of animal ticipate in the Juliette Low Conference rights, although she points out. "Hunt on Citizenship and Service. My leaders ing on a limited basis is okay, for the believed in me, so in turn I believed in freezer, for personal consumption. myself." With deer, if you don't keep them in She still maintains contact with check, there can be a problem. But her former leaders, who have re people who kill just for the thrill of kill mained in the area. They must be ing turn me off- 1 don't care for trap proud of her accomplishments. A ping." summa cum laude graduate of Hamp Beth is sensitive to her clients' at ton University, Adrienne is currently tachment to their pets. Adults, she ob chief of public information at the U.S. Dr. Beth Hill with a non-furry friend serves, form close relationships with Army Transportation Center at Fort She laughingly recalls, "The council their pets just as children do. "When Eustis. (Big Sky Girl Scout Council) asked me their pets are sick or injured, adults Adrienne welcomes the chal to be a service unit chairman. Before are often embarrassed by their emo lenges of her job: writing, preparing I could ask what a chairman does, I tional reaction. which is normal. I have media releases, issuing statements to was doing it. I just couldn't say no." to keep a box of tissues handy. But the press during deployment of troops An inveterate hiker and walker, pets really are a part of the family." overseas. "It's an exciting job," she Beth had been a camp counselor and Beth invites other Girl Scout says breathlessly. "but it can get hairy enjoyed working with the kids. Soon troops to tour her clinic to discuss her at times." she was leading a troop of Junior Girl work with them. She says, " I am in She joined the Army as a civilian Scouts around. what is Viewed as a nontraditional field after she grew restless with her job as Beth devotes two to three nights a for women- even though half the stu a park ranger/special programs coor week to Girl Scout activities. She re- dents in vet school are female. Girl dinator. She confesses, "I enjoyed Girl Scout L.eader/ Fall 1988 11 teaching in the Park Service, but I'm Currently, her pet project is pro· not sure 1 have the patience to teach "A Good Tum Daily" ducing a documentary on Latin Amer· every day." ican gauchos (cowboys}. Regardless of her '?utloo~, Ask Dr. Sandra Thomas to de When asked about her myriad ac· Adrienne seems to be filled w1th p~t~ scribe the motivational force that complishments, she _states mo?es~ly, ence and energy. tier volunteer spmt shaped her future and she probably "I'm no genius. My pnmary mot1vat1on is wide-reaching: She teaches Sun~a7 will say Girl Scouts. The vice president has been a passion for learning. And school classes at her church, parttel· for student development at North Car· Girl Scouting taught me to develop ~ny pates in a church-based group that olina's Meredith College in Raleigh was leadership skills. When I was growmg works with children, and is a member up in Texas, I used to ride my horse very active in the Mo~ement from of the Hampton Women's League, a Brownies through Semors. As an and look at the clouds and I realized community service group. She also adult she's taken Girl Scouting with that there was so much more beyond volunteers with her son's Boy Scout her through every phase of her life my im mediate reach. I have always troop. (She has two children; Horace, as a troop leader while an undergrad· wanted to be an interesting person 15, and Shirley, 10.) Through her var· uate at the University of Texas, as a over an important person, and I be· ied volunteer efforts, she helps to co· member of GSUSA's National Board of lieve in giving back to the commu· ordinate food and clothing drives, and Directors as she launched her career nity." . assistance to needy families. as an academic administrator, and to· The international aspect of G1rl day, as a board member with Pines of Scouting was extremely important to Carolina Girl Scout Council. Sandra, "'ho says, "Girl Scouting pro A Sense of Continuity Growing up in the ranching com motes positive interaction. The four world centers are very important. munity of Eagle Lake, Tex., ~he re· She says with a smile, "I have v~ry calls "Girl Scouting was very 1mpor· Peace is not crea ted by any govern· little spare time. There are always kids tant.' It was a wonderful opportunity ment, but by people." A staunch ad· over here spending the night, and for girls. Most of my friends stayed ac vocate of women's rights (she chose when we go away, we often have some tive together through Seniors." to work at a \\Omen's college in order little friends along with us." She and In her small town near the Mexi· to promote \,·omen's leadership}, she her husband (who is a registered Girl can border, Girl Scouting helped her is particularly concerned about the Scout and Adrienne's cookie chair status of females in developing coun· peers form a strong bond. " We le~r~ed man) enjoy playing the role of " ~econd outdoor survival skills, crafts, v1s1ted tries. " If you improve women's status, family" to children in the neighbor· shut-ins and the elderly-we really be you imprO\e e\eryone's status," she hood who live in single-parent homes. lieved in trying to do a good turn daily. believes. Adrienne exhibits a sense of obli And all the girls in the troop learned Unmarried, Sandra dismisses the gation toward the girls in her troop. to drive together." social mandate that a woman must be She reveals, "The girls trust us and Sandra's personal and profes· wedded to live a complete life. "I don't confide in us. We provide a sense of sional accomplishments are literally feel that being single has been a det continuity that some girls don't get ~t riment to being productively involved mind-boggling. Sh~ ho~ds a do~t~:>rate home because their parents work d1f· in community work. My life is so full it in college and umvers1ty admm1s~ra· ferent shifts or only one parent is tion, a master's in higher educat1on would be difficult to manage a family. present. 1 want to encourage the girls administration, and has completed 1 have my 0\m home and an active so· to reach out and pull something that's the requirements for a master's in ciallife-1 could never allow anyone to within their grasp. I try to convey the international development. She restrict my dreams. " A big source of importance of working together, and I speaks fluent Spanish-she taught in her gratification is the realization that tell them to look for the good in each Spain-and is highly knowledgeab!e she has worked hard for everything person." . about the history and culture of Latm she has wanted in life. "That was part tier Cadette and Junior troops In America. She has traveled around the o f the adventure, working for it, trav· teract with each other, but Adrienne world and has led study groups to eling and studying on my own re· wisely realizes that the older girls are such cultural treasure troves as Chile, sources." "at the age where you hav~ to l~t. t~e~ Spain, Peru, Greece, Cuba, Italy, Bra The attractive, personable educa· take responsibility for the1r act1v1t1es. zil, and Morocco. tor firm ly believes that each girl can The girls like backyard cookouts live up to her potential if she finds in and campouts at Adrienne's house, spiration in strong female role models bike trips, and extra-special events, and organizations such as ours. s.he like the trip they took to Disneyworld says, " Don't be afraid to . r7cog~11ze with funds they earned. They listen at· both the masculine and femmme s1des tentively as experts from the military, of yourself. The most important ques· the local fire department, and other tions to ask yourself are 'What kind of organizations talk to them about per· person do I want to be?' and _'~at sonal and environmental safety. kinds of experiences and act1V1t1es Adrienne says, "I love Girl Scout· must 1 have to fulfill my goals?' You ing. My boss knows that on Thursday see, we determine our own futures, afternoons, the end of the world can and once you ask yourself what type be near, but I've just got to get <;>ut of of person you want to be, everything the office for my Girl Scout meetmg at else will fall into place." six!" or. Sandra Thomas: p~ssion for learning -Marianne llaw 12 Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 Learning by Doing Feeling good about oneself is also a function of being able to accept fail· You're Someone ures. In a healthy, supportive environ ment, girls can discover that good ideas don't always bring desired re· suits, but that the effort can be a re· ward in itself, and a mistake can be a Special! good teacher. Diana Courson, nursery school teacher, parent. early child· hood specialist. and leader of an 1 1· member Junior Girl Scout troop, knows it isn't easy for an adult to keep hat's the most valuable gift quiet when she thinks she has a better adults can offer children? Ed· way of doing things. "It's hard," she Wucation? Money? Toys? Vaca· says, " to know when to intervene when tions? Some people might say it's a you can see that a girl is headed for positive self-image. The child who difficulty because of the way she's feels good about herself has the inner handling a project." It's important to resources to pursue her own dreams remember that you can undermine and goals. children's self-esteem by always tell When individuals like themselves, ing them how to do something. Diana they're likely to try new ideas, start says that "When adults are always tell new projects, make new friends. When ing children 'That's OK, but why don't those ideas are successfuL when the you do it like this ... ' it's the same as project fulfills a desired goal, or when telling a girl her ideas aren't good new friendships blossom, individuals enough." Think carefully before say· feel even better about themselves and ing anything, but if it really seems nee· will expand their horiz.ons further. essary, try suggesting somet11ing like, Building self-esteem is like building a Vermont Girl Scouts are work.ing hard to plan a special troop trip "That's one way of doing it; can you tower that keeps growing. think of others?" Girl Scouting is the ideal nurturing rage sale, conducted an ongoing bot· Diana's troop, in Magnolia, Ark. ground for developing self-esteem. AI· tie drive, catered an open house at the (Conifer Girl Scout Council), has dis though nearly every aspect of a girl's opening of the council's new offices, covered an interesting way to feel life affects this development-her re· and sold popcorn and soda to 4,000 good about themselves. They are find· lationships with family members, kids at a Girl Scout 75th anniversary ing out where they come from via ge peers, teachers, and so on-Girl Scout event last year. nealogy activities as part of their work program activities provide countless The girls take turns being in on the Sign of the Rainbow. The troop ways for her to discover her unique ca· charge of money-earning events. has also planned an overnight trip (the pabilities and talents and build her " Each effort requires a lot of follow· girls did all the menu planning and confidence. through, and each girl gets ample op· shopping) and completed work on the portunity to demonstrate her leader Theater badge by staging a puppet ship abilities," Joann says. This gives show and performing a play. Over the Accomplishments feed the girls a sense of pride and en· years, the girls have also had oppor Self·E steem hances their self-esteem. In fact. tunities for self-exploration using Joann says, when a parent, seeing creative arts experiences involving Joann DiLego's Senior Girl Scout how hard the girls were working, sug· clay, water, collage, and so on. Diana troop in Vermont Girl Scout Council, gested that the families pick up the Essex, Vt., is hard at work on a trip to tab, the girls loudly declared "No!" Europe in 1989. "Several of these Without prompting from Joann, the girls," says Joann, "have been to· girls explained that if their families gether in my troop since 1986." When paid for the trip, it wouldn't truly be she asked the girls what they'd like to theirs. do, they said "travel," and quickly In addition to their plan for earn· shouted "Europe" when Joann asked ing money for the trip, they've also how far they'd like to go. For the past had several 24-hour planning retreats two years, the troop has been plan· to chart their itinerary. Using guide· ning and carrying out activities in their books and atlases, the girls have taken determined effort to make their dream imaginary tours of Europe on these re· come true. So far they've held a ga· treats and have decided that some of the places they want to visit are Ven· Milly Hawk Daniel is OSUSA's manager of ice, Italy, Salzburg, Austria, and Lon· Junior Girl Scouts in Magnolia, Ark., don't Editorial Development. don, England. shy away from responsibility Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 13 says that she and her assistant troop Council) uses newspaper clips to keep reports that the girls' pride in being leader don't think in terms of devel girls up-to-date on what women are part of Girl Scouting is exemplified by oping activities for the express pur doing and is constantly encouraging the bright red Heart of Florida Girl pose of encouraging self-esteem. them to recognize the many choices Scout Council T-shirts the girls wear to Rather, they try to provide a varied open to them when they grow up. the Super Saturday activities. menu of opportunities so that each Karen says she " believes in the future Similarly, Sheryl Chiang. a Junior girl can find something she's good at of girls," and has organized a service Girl Scout leader in Bellevue, Wash. and that makes her feel good about unit event around the Contemporary (Totem Girl Scout Council), has found herself. Issues booklet Girls Are Oreat. At the slightly unorthodox ways of bringing The relationship between girls event, historians led girls on a scav Girl Scouting to more girls. The 2.3 and adults, the opportunity to be an enger hunt to find sexist language and girls in Sheryl's troop meet once a accepted part of a group, the buddy missing heroines, a nurse talked to week, and once a month, 1 0 troop system, the noncompetitive environ them about poverty, they played Dou members at a time meet with 11 girls ment. and the opportunities to let girls ble-Dutch and created, then ate, food for whom English is a second tan· become independent as they plan and sculptures. Some people, Karen be· guage. These girls are from Japanese, carry out ideas, are among the many lieves, like to focus on the physical as· Saudi, Filipino, and Swedish back· ways in which Girl Scouting nurtures a pects of self-esteem (beauty, dress, grounds. By meeting with the girls girl's nascent self-esteem, says Diana. make-up). " That's OK." she says, but outside the regular troop setting. The result can be "A sense of re she likes to use outdoor activities to Sheryl hopes to slowly introduce them sourcefulness and self-reliance that help girls learn their capabilities. to Girl Scouting. U.S.A. style. Already follows girls all their lives." "Stick your neck out," is the troop's there are three girls for whom English motto; a giraffe is their logo. is a second language in Sheryl's troop, two Israeli girls and one Chinese girl. With an Eye Toward the Future Sheryl hopes to extend her outreach Lots of Ways to Be a Girl Scout to more girls in the future. Part of that self-reliance and re Sheryl says she hopes that most sourcefulness flows from a feeling of Cappie Cook of Lakeland, Fla. of the things she does in both the being prepared for the future. Junior (Heart of Florida Girl Scout Council) regular troop and in the extended Girl Scout leader Karen Houck in Beck has contributed her many skills to girls group help the girls develop self· ley, Va. (Black Diamond Girl Scout in both traditional and nontraditional esteem. She believes that the girV ways. She was an assistant Brownie adult partnership in Girl Scouting Girl Scout leader for two years and a helps them to internalize an " I can do" Junior Girl Scout leader for three. attitude. Badge work directs the activ She's had slow learners and gifted ities her troop members are currently girls in her troop, and she's paired pursuing-sign language, camping. them together in ways that benefited and printing. "As girls tackle things both. She's quick to pick up on what's they've never even thought about be· going on with the girls in her troop and fore, they feel better about them· use it to develop ideas for troop activ selves," concludes Sheryl. ities that expand her girls' knowledge, A strong. positive self-image also adding to their positive self-image. helps girls adhere to their personal be· When Cappie overheard a girl remark liefs and \alues. Debbie Wlnterick, a that girls can't fly airplanes, she intra· third-year Brownie troop leader in duced the activities outlined in Into the Miami, Fla. (Girl Scout Council of Trop World of Today and Tomorrow: Lead ical Florida), believes that girls who ing Oirls to Mathematics, Science and feel good about themselves are less Technology. likely to give in to peer pressure. She Cappie's eagerness to help girls has made this belief a cornerstone of build their self-esteem has spread to her self-esteem work with girls and re nearby Lake Wales, Fla., where girls calls the day her daughter, a member who haven't found permanent troops of the troop, said to her, "Somebody come to a Super Saturday event she tried to do peer pressure on me to organized. Once a month, 12 to 30 day." This kind of self-awareness of girls converge at a community center what is good or bad or simply doesn't to do badge work- such as the Wet· feel right is an important component lands badge, a council-created badge of self-esteem. for which girls study lakes and their Helping girls take the lead is part inhabitants and surroundings-and of what Girl Scouting is all about. Hav· carry out community service projects. ing the self-confidence to face chal The girls range in age from 5 to 1.3, lenges and look with hope toward the and Cappie says " Many don't get much future requires a healthy self-image. support at home. They come to Super To accomplish those goals, says Deb Saturday because they feel 'I can do bie Winterick, "Nothing is more im· this, I'm a Girl Scout,· and it gives portant than self-esteem." Welcoming girls from other countries them a sense of ~elonging." Cappie -Milly Hawk Daniel 14 Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 Girl Scouting has always recognized the Value systems are based on many as At no other time in h1storv has it been role of seU-esteem in character develop pects of a girl's life. Parents ha,·e a long so \ital for children to acquire good deci ment. It underlines a child's behavior and lasting effect on the development of each sion-making skills, based on their behefs. trust in her own abilities to make decisions child and her basic attitudes about herself attitudes, and values. As a Girl Scout and become responsible for herseU and con and others. Parental attitudes and values leader, you have a powerful influence on siderate of others. Now it is time to ex are communicated to girls verbally as well this learning experience. plore the role that a child's ,-alue system as nonverbally. Some send messages of You can help girls take a close look at plays in beha\ior moti\·ation and decision lo,·e and respect: others may undermine a themselves, their lives, and their future. making skills. child's seU-worth. You can help them understand what they The girls in your troops and groups Religious practices and beliefs also af value without imposing your own value sys must face the challenges of tiving in today's fect a girl's developing value system. Does tem on them. One way of accomplishing complex world. Like adults, they encounter the family worship together? Do parents this is by helping girls to experience and in Situations that call for thought, decision behave morally the way they expect their terpret, or predict, the logical conse- making, and action. They must make deci children to beha,·e? As children learn about sions about how they want to live their religious doc£rines. they see the broader lives, decis10ns based on more choices than context to which they may apply. Children their counterparts of previous generations don't simply react, they interpret situations ever dreamed of. As a leader and role and decide. Their experiences in fan1i.ly and model. you can assist girls in learning about school environments, with siblings, friends, I their beliefs and assumptions about life, un and other adults in their lives affect the val derstanding and appreciating each girl's val ues they adopt. ues. ·. quences of their actions. Th1s enables them amine the ,·alues oi others: their famil,·. to develop respon~ibility and judgment and their friends. or their soc1ety. Because val to under~tand what they ,·alue. ues-based acti'1ties in,·oh·e ~trongl~ -held How \\nen J.tirls have a grip on what they beliefs. some caution should be ob:-t!rved Values Change value. the\ can more easilv and comfortably when leading the girls through the-.e actl\'1• resi~t ~er pre:.,ure. Th1s. is unportant · ties. Remember that there are no ab,olute Purpose: To increase the girb' when the\' must confront such issues a:. answers. only dilienng beliefs. Also, no girl understanding that ,·alue..; chans;:e drug abu;e. If they are aware that they £hould ha,·e to participate in an acumy d~::pending upon time. place. or ,aJue ha'ing a healthy mmd and body. the1r where she feels uncomfortable or re:-pond arcumstance. beha\1or ,,iJJ reflect healthy habits in place to a question that she find:. embarra:.sing. )laterials: Pencil. paper. tape of drug U!'e and smoking. Your grrls' maturity lew! c;hould be ret. •rder 'if desired}. Keep m nund that as an inftuenual adult taken mto account and the atmo:>phcre of m grrls' lives. your role IS to help them de the discussion should be nonjudgmt:ntal and Preparation: Depending upon velop thetr own ,·alues, and become com supportive. Values-based acti\'ltJes can be your area's resources, in\ite particularly rewarding because of the clo~e some of the following people to a fortable and assertive enough to behave in a 111111111111 manner consistent wi th those values. ness that sharing opinions brings. Such ac troop group meeting: the town's ""· tivities can also be fun because all partici oldest citizen, the tm"11 histo pants are learning more about the most rian. the curator of the local his interesting topic-themselves. toncal museum, a histor~ pro The following acti,itles are only a fessor from an area college or starung point-you and your girl:> can take uru,·ers1ty, a !ugh .:;chool h1story it from here. teacher \\1th expertise in local history. the W\\11 mayor or other Personalized T -shirts poliuaan who hdd office 10 to 20 year.: ago. o~ a former new, Purpose: To bwJd ::.elf-esteem throu~h the paper ediw~ or reponer. Other pos1u,·e expression of indi,iduabty. troop:; could abo be mmed to attt-nd a:> i)iifi of the audience. )laterials: \\lUte cotton or cotton-b!tmd The .:rrb m your troop would be T-slurts. fabnc marking pen~ or hquid em the mteriewi.1g panel. broidery pens. stili cardboard cut to the S~nd one to two hours be size of the T-slurt body. fore the e\·ent planning appropri Each girl decorates her shirt to ex ate questions with the girls. and press her unique identity-without wnting gl\'C the m\'ired guests a list of her name. (;\lake sure to msert the card possible questions a week before board between the front and back before their \islt. Que:.uon::. \\ill differ starting.} The girls can use either dra\\1ngs dependin! iollo\\ing are only alitv. Then the,· can discuss their shirts and "Uggesuons. what the s}m~ls mean. Thi:. acti\'lty may 1. \\nat were the main prob be used at all age le,·els. lems oi our town/city 10 20 50 As a commwlity semce project. Ca· years agv? dette and Senior Girl Scouts may arran!{e \\1th an after-school program for children 2. How has the population of working parents to make their own chanced (numbers. sociOt"co T-shuts. nomic le,els, ethnic di\·er!'lty. etc. I? 3. How has the appearance of Values-Based the place changed? Activities :.t . How ha,·e the Jj,·es of A stud~ of values should help g~rls realize women changed? of teenager,;? ho" the behef:> and con,ictions of people c•i children? :.hape the world. Values affect e\'t·rything 5. Ha,·e the types of job:. from interper-.onal beha,ior to the law<: that ;:hanged? in what way? govern countne:>. The srudy can include a discus,ion oi the ,·alues supporting the 6. \\nat were the main recn~ Declarauon of Independence-especially the atJ( nal actl\ities then compared Bill of RiJ;(hb-and the values behind the to now? \\nat did children. G1rl Scout Law Such a stud,· rna\· be ex teens. adults do for fun? panded to mulucultural acti\~tJes extending 7. What changes have occum:d beyond exouc food and mus1c to the beliefs m the familv (size. extended or valued by diVerse cultures. nuclear. t r~ditional roles. etc.)? Each of the act1vities cited here leads girls to explore thei r own values or to ex- Design and illustrations b,r The New Stud1o 16 Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 You may want to tape the An important response to Girls may create their O\vll play or iuestJOn-and-answer period. U try to elicit from the girls •s that song on the theme and perform ll for other ssible. the guest lecLUrer the past was not necessarily bet troops or groups. • •uJd bring old photos, artifacts, ter than the present; each ha!: and relics for the girls to see and its pros and cons. The conclu The Moral of the Story appreciate. sions drawn should center on A variation on this theme why things have changed, what Purpose: To recognize some of the moral would be to do research in the changes ma: lie ahead and, if lessons that have been taught to children. .cal or regional newspaper's ar negative changes, what each gtrl The leader should ask each girl to tell chiYes and get photostats of can do to help pre,·ent them. her fa,·orite fairy tale: "The Cgly Duckling," newspapers from ,·arious dec "Snow White," ''Cinderella." "Beauty and ades. Of special interest is the .. the Beast." and so on. After each storv. newspaper from the actual date discuss \\ith the grrls the moral of the · or year) each girl was bom, as story. Girls can retell (or rev.. nte or draw well as copies of local newspa Looking Beneath pictures of) these same fairy tales set in to pers prior to the 1920s. The ad the Surface day's world. For example. Cinderella's ball '·ertisements are often the most can become a disco or the senior prom; :nteresting and descriptive of the Snow White leads the Se,·en Dwarfs in a ,-alues of each era. corporate takeover attempt of her father's Girls could also nsit garage lands and castle and \\~ns; the prince is a sales for old magazmes to get Iawver who works for her. 1deas for questions to ask the - The main idea is to encourage the girls guest lecturers. to take the values taught in fairy tales and Both acti,·ities are appropri to relate them to their own lives. ate for all age levels. As community senice \ ' a riation: .-\fter the mitial storytelling and projects, Junior. Cadette. and d1scussion, the leader could guide the girls Senior Girl Scouts could inter m a discussion of the stereotyping that ex \i ew senior citizens and make a ists in many fairy tales. (Cinderella and 'ideotaped oral history of their Snow V\lbite wait for a Prince to rescue reminiscences. They may want them; a female witch is usually the symbol to include old photos, articles, or of e,i.J, and so on.) Then the girls can re letters from magazines and \\Tlle or retell or perfonn fairy tales \\~th '1ewspapers. or copies of pri,·ate the stereotypes remo\'ed. Further discus SIOn can include the girls' labeling stereo letters. The project could be dis Purpose: To mcrease the g.rls' awareness types they see on T\'. m magazines, or in played or presented to the town that the~ can't assess another's values on their community and finding ways to combat as a permanent historical record. appearances alone. Decade by decade. girls can them. use photostats from local news Ask the girls how they could know papers as far back as are avail someone else's values. Are values repre able, and mount a display in a lo sented by how people dress. what they cal school. town hall. or library. own, their jobs, their personal appearances, Again. they might include arti their speech? facts and relics. Then present them v.1th hypothetic-a: situations such as the followmg to help them under~tand that surface appearances do not necessarily reflect inner va lues. Bring in photos of famous people either perfomli.ng an action or dressed in a way that doesn't conform to their popular tmage. For example. Sandra Day O'Connor in cas ual attire: juliette Gordon Low in her long white gown; Debi Thomas m a business suit; Vv'hitney Houston in a choir robe. The point is to show thal appearances can be misleading and that it is important not lo judge situations or people solely based on what can be seen. Csing these and other examples as a discusston starter. encourage the girls to give like examples from their own li,·es when they misjudged a person's values. ·.. Girl Scout ~eader!Fall 1988 17 personality traits are. Is there a good match? If not, ha,·e thev selected the best career choice. or can they work on improv ing their ..;J..ills? The girls can abo den?lop a career-making test to gh·e to other troops and groups. Exploring Values Through the Girl Scout Law Purpo e: T >relate the exploration of \"al ues to the value s,·stem stated in the GITI Scout Law - .\laterials: String, magazines, ,,,re coat Space Capsule done on a daily basis only needs to be re hangers. paper, gift wrap, scissors. mark corded once. At the next meeting, the girls ers. paints. pencils, glue, bits of fabric and Purpose: To have the girls explore who compare their charts. How many activities glitter. they are and choose symbols to illustrate were enjoyable? How many were done in Assign one of the 10 section~ of the themselves. dependently? Who had the most influence Girl Scout Law to a pair of girls, one girl. on the girl's choice of actiVIty? How could ~later i al : Pencil and paper or one shoe or t\\ ') 'ections per girl depending upon the box for each gu-1 and magazines and scis they change their li,·es to do new acthities s12e of the troop or group. The girls choose they enjoyed? Were they be in~ influenced sors material!> and. through their artwork to do thing:; they felt were wrong? unenjoy whether mobile. painting, sculpture-repre Ask the girls to unagine that they ha,·e able? stupid? time-wasting? How could they sent a .,ltuation in which they acted m ac been chosen as one of the tirst space pi change that? cordance \\1th their line of the Girl Scout oneers to visit the inhab1ted planet Aurora. The focus of this activ1ty is for each Law. They will be gone for 10 year~. Ths will be girl to examine her life and her cho1ces to Try to elicit the positive consequences the first contact between aliens and earth see if she is spending time on acll\1Ues that and feelin,::,- that arose when the girls tried lings They will be g~ven a box 2 x 2' in are not appropriate to her ,·alue sy:.tem. to !i,·e br the GiTI Scout Law, and allow which they may pack personal mementos, As a follow-up, choose one or more tho,.e po:.lthe feelings to appear m the an items of particular Interest or hobby. and acti,ities from the charts and a<.k the gu-1~ work. The girls will haYe a '"floating gallery·· anything else that v.ill show the aliens who to role play shov.ing one or more d1fferent o! artwork to ~hare with other groups and they are and what they repre!'ient. conclusions. such as: (1) the gu-1 does the troop::.. -Toni Eubanks and Karen Unger The gu-ls may fill shoe boxes with acti\ity e,·en if she doesn't want to; (2) the magazme 1tems. keepmg m mind that their girl refuses to do the actl\it} . The girb can boxes are 2' x 2'. After the boxes are then discuss the consequences of each al Program Links filled. discuss what the items would mean ternative ending. Darsy Grrl Scouts Leaders' Gurdc: pp. 61. to someone who was not from Planet Another good follow-up i~ to dt ... cuss 65. 86. 90-92. 94 Earth the peer pressure put on girl~ to be popular W1th older gu-ls, you could di\ide them and the need to be popular. From maga Brolt'llie Grrl Scout Handbook: pp. 7-12. into small groups and have each try to zines that feature inteniew... \~1th ... tar:- and ~2-51, 67, 68-70. 7-!-82, 95. 132 reach a consensus on what to put in the om models. help the girls to d1sco\'t!f that many ]u11ior Grrl Scout Handbook: pp. 2-4, box that would represent the group. Place a famous people were not popular a:, children 23-29. 41-64, 119-127. 174-175 limit of 20 items in the box. or youth. Using these mteniews as a start Older girls could also make a list of the ing point. stress that when one rduses to Cadelle and Senior Girl Scout Handbook: songs, poems, plays, books. TV shows, do something in opposition to one\; values, pp. 19-41. 69-75, 82-85, 89-90, 93-94, paintings. music, and other forms of art that even if it might cause a temp<)rary loss of 108-115, 123 would best represent the human race and popularity, it '~ill not have a la ... ting negative All book'> m the Contemporary Issues inve!>tigate tlus further by ,;siting a local art effect. Girls can imagine the childhoods and Series musewn. ,,ewmg art slides. and listening to teenage years of historical people and share a \'anety of mus1c. other stones, either orally or in v.ntmg Cadeltt a11d Scmor Girl Scoulfllltml ProJects What I Do, and Why Career Values Grrl Scout Badges and Sig11s Purpose: To ha,·e the girls improve their Purpose: To elicit from the girls which ,·al From Dreams w Reality: Career Cards dec1sion-making skills and recogruze that ues and personality traits are beneficial for their cho1ces are often mfluenced by outside particular careers. Tom Eulxmk5 is a w1ior program ~Pwol!st 011d Karm U11g,r is a program spccia/~t i11 GSUS.4.'s factors. Start a discussion by gi\in~ sugges Program Group. tions and encouraging gu-ls to .::u~est as .Material : Paper and pencil many different careers as poss1ble. For Each gtrl draws a chart c;uch as the each career. the girls should dt!C!de what one below. values and personality tratts are necessary: for example. a doctor's \'alues should be (; \\11o Wa> Wa• I Will I ulllu.enc~d I forced happy do ~~s love of humanity, hatred of disease, love of me to do to do l domg--1 agam? scientific solutions. Her personality traits: l!l !Ius' tins? lh1b? disciplined, talented in sciences, hard-work ing. goal-oriented. The gu-ls should keep a log of their ac Then ask the girls to thmk of what tions O\'er the course of a week. Anything they would like to betome and what the!T 18 Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 Lou Ann Bowen was born with ce rebral palsy, a condition that occurs at birth when the oxygen now from the mother to the fetus is interrupted. A variety of symptoms, including paral· Going the ysis, incoordination, impaired motor function, learning difficulties, and sensory defects are associated with the affliction. Lou Ann explains, ''I'm a little ill Distance for coordinated. My speech, hands, and arms are affected, and my writing is illegib le to someone who doesn't un derstand my hieroglyphics." She brings a particular sensitivity Girl Scouting to her troop (Girl Scouts, Joshua Tree Council, Bakersfield, Calif. ) of mixed age girls with such disabilities as spina bifida, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and orthopedic disorders. She iving with a disability isn't easy. also teaches disabled children aged In addition to suffering from mild three to seven. Lto severe physical impairment "hich inhibits mobility and makes cer tain activities difficult or impossible How You View Yourself disabled persons often face discrimi nation or insensitivity in job and social Her 15 girls, who are assisted by situations. a cadette troop, get excited about In an article in the Disability Rag neighborhood campouts and special newsletter, writer Lisa Blumberg communitywide Girl Scout events. Lou states poignantly: "Most nondisabled Ann says, "I try to educate the girls as people are socially deprived. Few of much as possible, and their outlook them know any people with disabilities has become more positive. I was for very well. Even fewer have access to tunate growing up; I wasn't quite as accurate, unbiased information about severely handicapped as some of issues concerning disability rights. It's these girls are. Your outlook does de· not surprising, given these depriva pend a great deal on your family back tions, that the typical nondisabled per ground and how you view yourself." son views disabled persons as strange She always was a go-getter. AI· victims of fate rather than as simply a though she's not as limber as a non minority group subject to widespread disabled woman, Lou Ann worked for discrimination ... . " six summers as a camp counselor and The Census Bureau estimates that hiked and rode horses along with some 12 million Americans between everyone else. "I attribute some or my the ages of 16 and 64 who are not in ability to seek out adventure to my Girl institutions report a disability that lim Scout experiences," she says. "It gave its the amount of work they can do or me a good feeling about myself." prevents them from working alto· Jami McKeown also likes to Instill gether. However, despite the limita in her girls self-confidence and posi tions on their activities, thousands of tive attitudes. The 23·year-old Junior disabled persons manage to lead busy leader (Seal of Ohio Girl Scout Coun lives filled with work. play, and vol cil, Columbus) works with a troop of unteer service. nine girls, six of whom are hearing im Unlike 20 years ago, many dis cathy Shimp doesn't let physical llmi· paired. Communicating with the girls lations keep her out of the mainstream abled Americans today refuse to hide is a great challenge, doubly so in and have become more vocal in de· solutely overwhelming. From Alaska Jami's case because she is blind. manding their rights-equal housing to Florida, Maine to california, and She learned to receive American and employment opportunities and many points in between, councils sign language in her hands. (Volun· barrier-free access to public places. eagerly pointed to scores of volun teers within her service unit were also There is still far to go before they re teers who refused to let their disabili trained in sign.) Her seeing-eye dog ceive the respect and understanding ties interfere with their commitment to accompanies her to the meetings. that often is denied them. the Movement. And they don't want or Jami quickly admits that at times. \Vhen Crirl Scout Leader spread the expect sympathy, either. resentment is evident between the word that It was seeking troop leaders Let's meet some of these amazing hearing and nonhearing girls in her with disabilities, the response was ab· women. troop. She attributes it, in part, to the ·~ Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 19 onset of puberty. "We've had some She didn't feel it was necessary to hoot that their leader walks with problems when girls hit that preteen elaborate on her condition to her crutches as a result of a childhood stage; they're very self-conscious. But troop; she merely told them she has a bout with polio. Gwen says, "I grew up I think that they just want to be treated coordination problem. " I was not com· knowing what I could and couldn't do. like everyone else. They won't hesitate fortable talking about it at first," she I can't hike or go horseback riding, but to ask for an interpreter for big Girl reveals. "But I got over it. I don't think I do enjoy swimming. As a child (when Scout functions." of it as a disability, just God telling me polio was more common than it is 'She and her troop have developed to slow down." no\<\ I. as far as I can recall. no one a good rapport; after all, Jami can em· In her tiny communit). she points made unkind comments about me. It pathize. She and her sister. who were out, " Girl Scouting is the only orga· never really dawned on me that I was born with glaucoma. \<\ere the only nized activity for girls in this town of handicapped until I developed arthri visually impaired people in her com· 1,.300, unless they want to become tis. But I have a little scooter I use for munity. But their parents were ex· wrestlers. This is my fifth year as a troop camping now." tremely supportive, and fought to leader-1' 11 stay in Girl Scouting until Gwen's fondness for kids served have them attend public schools. Jami they tell me I can't do it anymore." her well as a camp counselor, partie· is committed to educating others For .30 years. Gwen Hager of Okla· ularly when she supervised a unit of about abilities and disabilities. She homa City (Red Lands Council of Girl girls \vith disabilities. What's impor· notes that some adults seem more in· Scouts) has offered her guidance. ex tant, she stresses, "is that I have felt sensitive than children- who are usu· pertise. and insight to Girl Scouts in needed. I like working on badges. ally just curious. "Sure, some people her community. The retired school crafts, computer projects, and first will talk to the dog and Ignore me, as secretary current!) leads a troop of aid. I've never even thought about if I can't respond. They shouldn't be Junior Girl Scouts who don't give a leaving Girl Scouting. As long as I'm reluctant to talk and shouldn't feel bad needed. I'll be here." if they say something that comes out Owen Hager has li\ed with polio since childhood, but has no time for self·plty awkwardly. We're used to it." Her Girl Scout troop enjoys camp· ing, career projects, and bridging, but some of them are frustrated by the abundance of Girl Scout reading ma· terial. "With Junior activities, there is so much to read, and it's hard for them to learn because they cannot say the words." But with her guidance and a little patience, the girls manage slowly but surely. Jami says confidently, "I don't think there is anything they really can't do." Girl Scouting as Therapy Mary Staszewski, who leads a troop of Gadette and Senior Girl Scouts in New Lisbon, Wls. (Woodland Girl Scout Council), views Girl Scout· ing as a form of therapy. five years ago. she was diagnosed with Parkin· son's disease, a progressive nervous disorder. She says. "Girl Scouting really keeps me going, otherwise I mig)1t have just gone off to a nursing home." The 40-year·old mother of three explains the affliction: "As it pro· gresses, the tremors become more noticeable. Part of your brain shuts down. It's more common among pea· pie in their early fifties; I don't know why it happened to me. It's affected my speech; sometimes I fall all over my words. Although I'm right-handed, I've had to learn to become ambidex· trous. In general. I am more fatigued. I can still drive. but when I hike. I tire out easily." ·. 20 Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 thritis. The disease, which she con· Undaunted Dreams tracted 20 years ago, frequently strikes women in their early thirties Unlike some of the other women and is characterized by pain, swelling, profiled here. Charlene Morstad of and, sometimes. disintegration of the 'lorthfleld. Minn. (Cannon Valley Girl joints. Additionally, she is hemophiliac Scout Council) didn't have a lifetime to and suffers from Raynaud's disease, a grow accustomed to her disability. A circulatory deficiency. broken neck sustained in a severe au· The former private investigator is tomobile accident in 1986 left her par· thick-skinned and doesn't get of· alyzed from the waist down. She fended if children flinch at her. She speaks quietly and candidly about how says without apology, "I call myself a the accident changed her life: "The cripple. A lot of people don't like that hardest thing is watching what it has term, but those of us who have been done to my family. I miss going for handicapped for a long time just laugh \\alks, tucking the kids in at night. about it. You need to laugh some· doing their dances with t11em. " times. I lost an eye, and my right hand A leader for five years, Charlene is quite ugly, it's all curled up, A little resumed her Girl Scout activities after girl in my troop told me she was afraid her lengthy recuperation because she of my hand. Sometimes people look felt her daughter " needed a sense of at my hand, then withdraw their own; normalcy in her life." (She has two they don't want to touch me. But the children, and at the time of this Inter· kids ask questions, touch my hand, Jackie Lee: Although her hearing is im· \lew, was expecting a third.) "My hus paired her life is very full look at my feet." band encouraged me to stay in· She believes that her Brownie vol\ed." The girls in her troop-now say that I lead a nom1al life." Although troop is beginning to understand Juniors-were prepared for her new Jackie studied sign language, she pre· about people who are a little bit "dif· condition while she was in the hospi· fers to read lips. She can talk- with ferent." Cathy has taken them to see tal. " If the girls have questions. I try to some difficulty-on the telephone. but the Baltimore Ravens. a wheelchair figure out \.,;hat it is they want to know. she prefers a face-to-face conversa· basketball team, and worked with I feel my position of authority \vas not tion. She is patient with her young them on a patch project, "People Just undermined, and I had been worried charges: "Sometimes, I must remind Like You." about that." them not to talk all at once. One of the The mother of a 21-year·old son The troop meets tv.tice a month girls in the troop asked me why I talk and the guardian of a seven-year-old and gets imol\.ed in career badge so funn). and I explained that because girl. she truly loves her contact with projects, bicycling, and community of my hearing impairment, my pro· youngsters. Wryly noting that "Brown· service. Charlene has accompanied nunciation is different." ies really like messy projects," she re· them on campouts, although she The third-generation leader is veals that her favorite activity is crafts. needs assistance for O\ernight out· fully involved in such troop activities "''m a crafts person. but there is much ings. While she Frankl) misses her as roller skating, bowling, sv,rimming, more to me than that. J take them former mobility, she maintains an op· and camping. She has a busy home camping- kids are never too young timistic attitude: "So far. the wheel· life with her three children and is pur· for that. Would you believe. we went chair hasn't daunted my dreams. I suing a master's degree in criminal on a four and one-half mile hike and ha\ e a support system of friends and justice. She admits, "Sometimes I re· not one kid stopped or cried? What's family, and when the baby is born. I'm gret my condition. I wanted to be a amazing is the effort their families put going to get a housekeeper. There is lawyer but it would be difficult to be in forth to keep them involved. I'd say so much I would like to do-I'd like to a courtroom with a hearing impair· that two-thirds of the kids are from return to college and study com· ment. There are some limitations to what you would call broken homes. puters. I want to do wea\'ing, and I'd what I can do. HO\vever, I'm confident. But their parents are concerned." like to do something to help un\\ed maybe sometimes overconfident. Cathy chuckles as she explains mothers. I am just adapting. I know Some people would not have allowed how some friends and family mem· about disabilities, because I have two themselves to do what I do with my bers think her Girl Scout involvement sisters who are blind. Just because life. and perhaps they wouldn't want to is "ridiculous." But she doesn't care you can't use a certain part of your be a Girl Scout leader, with all that it what others think: " I like children and body doesn't mean that you can't use involves. But I really, really enjoy it." I like being active. I'm in pain a lot of your brain." the time, and the whole person is not Most observers can't see Jackie necessarily a pretty person." Expound· Lee's disability; she is legally deaf and "You Need to Laugh ing on the misconceptions many non wears a hearing aid in both ears. The Sometimes" disabled people hold toward those 35-year-old Brownie leader (Northern who have disabilities, Cathy pauses Oakland County Girl Scout Council, Cathy Shimp, a leader with Balti· thoughtfully and says, "My attitude to· Pontiac, Mich.) lost her hearing at age more's Girl Scouts of Central Mary· ward other people is that they have seven after a severe ear infection. She land, is upbeat and outgoing and even their disabilities too-you just can't relates, "''ve gotten used to my situa· encourages her girls to ask questions see them." lion, I take it for granted. And I would about her condition- rheumatoid ar· -Marianne llaw Girl Scout Leader/fall 1988 21 experiences through celebrations, re· ligion, and feelings, they learn about similarities and differences among people. Children should be encour· aged to accept each child's experi· Getting to ences as her very own and not as a stereotype of her cultural group. Know You Taking Positive Steps "All of us have the potential to be racist. " wrote The Reverend David Her· nandez in the February 1987 issue of Buckeye the newsletter of Buckeye fostering Multicultural Relationships Trails Girl Scout Council (Dayton, Ohio). ''\\e must begin at an early age he United States has been de· ences, they can respond more appro· teaching children respect of all races, scribed as a "melting pot," a priately when the children in their care creeds, and colors." Yet adults aren't T"mixed salad," and a "patchwork are having difficulties. This doesn't re· always aware of their own prejudiced quilt." Although usually meant affec· quire taking a crash course in the nu· thinking. Don Kao, case worker/ tionately, occasionally such phrases ances of all races and cultures. "You project director for Project Reach, a are uttered in scorn. Still, the fact re· can't know everything about every cui· youth counseling and advocacy pro· mains: We are a nation of many dif· ture," Paula says, "but you can learn gram for adolescents in New York City, ferent peoples. Our future depends on to know individual children." She adds says it's important to help people un· how well we learn to share the re· that adults also need to beware of pre· derstand the world the way it really is. sources of our unique society and how judging a child's behavior on the basis "Some people," he says, "have a well we learn to live with one another. of a cultural stereotype. "Don't as· skewed "ision of the world as all white, sume," she says, " that what you know or all middle class... These percep· about a culture applies to everyone in tions, large!) supported by mass me· ~ere It All BegJns that cultural group." Appreciating di· dia, are based on the reality they face versity means accepting differences as they li\.e and work in relatively ho· The kind of adults children be· within and between groups. mogenous communities throughout come depends a great deal on how Yvonne De Gaetano, a deputy the United States. But when children, they are treated as they grow. A child's commissioner in the New York City De· or adults. lea\e such an insulated en· developing self-esteem is affected by partment of Employment, has trained vironment they're often in for a shock. how she's fed, clothed, and housed teachers and social workers and Howe\.er e\en if they never leave their and by her interactions with others. taught at Bank Street College of Edu· hometov. n. Don says, learning to ap· The way she perceives and is per· cation. In her experiences with chil· preciate diversity is important. "Un· ceived racially, ethnically, and cultur· dren, she has found that they are usu· derstanding communities that are dif· ally also affects that development as ally "willing and anxious to talk about ferent from one's own helps you get do perceptions of class, disabilities, themselves," and she urges adults to along better \\ith your own group as and sexual preference. " be open to the moment and use what well. It improves human relations all "Children can feel acceptance or kids bring themselves," as a way of around." rejection from an adult; they can sense promoting multicultural understand· When we are careful not to as· how people are reacting to them," ing. As children share their individual sume \\e know a child just because we says Paula Lawrence Wehmiller, lower school principal at the Wilmington Friends School in Wilmington, Del. Paula asks adults to think back to their own early school experiences and re· call if their feelings are positive or negative, and why. "Do you remember signals that made you feel as if you didn't belong?" she asks, before en· couraging them to draw on those re· flections in their work with children. The insight they gain from reliving their own feelings can help them tune in to the feelings of children. V.'hen adults can recollect feelings of rejection due to race, ethnicity, so· cial class, religion, or sexual differ· Milly Hawk Daniel is OSUSA '.s manager of Editorial Development. Oirl Scout activities are ideal for meeting volunteers from all walks of life 22 Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 know her race or culture, we allow our· sel\ es to know the individual child. Paula Wehmiller uses a variety of tools to facilitate this getting-acquainted process. She encourages children to talk or draw pictures about them· selves. She advises stepping back and observing children whenever possi· ble-watch how they play, look care· fully at their drawings. How do they re· spond to music? What do they write about in their journals? (Always ask permission before reading them!) Paula emphasizes her belief that the one·to·one human experience is critical in breaking down stereotypes. Children should have opportunities to know people in nontraditional roles whenever possible. If the principal is always a white male, the teacher al· ways a white female, and the janitor always a black man, children's stereo· types are reinforced. lm iting \\Omen and men of different backgrounds and occupations to visit troop meetings is Brmmie Girl Scout Katherine Ortega demonstrates traditional ,,eaving techniques an excellent way to dispel myths about that ha\e been passed down in her famil} for eight generations Showing the Way Adults can help themsel\es and scheduled for Columbus Day week· are nine and ten years old, of Amer· children learn to appreciate di\ er· end in 1989. ica as a land of diverse peoples, the sity in a myriad of \.. onderful \\a}s. Personalizing the experience of origin of family names. and a more In Columbus, Ohio, Seal of Ohio getting to know people of various comprehensive search of family Girl Scout Council has been explor· backgrounds, lifestyles, and cui· roots. The school also takes advan· ing ways to help adults understand tures has long been the goal of tage of New York City's abundant di· multicultural issues and to provide Manhattan Country School in New versity by sending students to local diverse experiences for girls. A plu· York City. Each year. the youngest shops and businesses to take pho· ralism task group, appointed by the age group, four· and flve·year·olds, tographs and interview proprietors board of directors, has developed a start out with small group visits to about their backgrounds. 52-activity Personal Skills kit for use classmates' homes. Each student The materials children use can in training adults and girls in takes a turn showing a few friends facilitate-or hinder-a healthy re· "breaking down the barriers of prej her home, and photos are taken to spect for cultural diversity. Paula udice/racism." In addition to its Girl record the visit. Back in the class· Wehmiller finds that photos or Scout members, the task group in· room, the children discuss what drawings of children themselves in eludes representatives from such they learned. MCS director Augus· the spaces where they meet are groups as the Urban League, Anti· tus Trowbridge says that no parent much better than commercial pas· Defamation League, Native Ameri· has ever refused a visit, and the ters, although these can be used as can Center, and the Asian Family children invariably come awa} with supplements. Yvonne De Gaetano Center. The council's multicultural an appreciation of \\-hat they have also encourages the use of photo· bus tours involve troops in activities in common. The school continues graphs and suggests that children at the Japanese Cultural Center, these cultural experiences \,·ith a take pictures of their neighborhood Martin Luther King, Jr., Center (a family study, usually when the chi!· as the basis for discussion and ex cultural center and library), as well dren are se>ven and eight years old. change. as the Nati>ve American Center, and Here parents come in to visit be in· Paula encourages children to the council is e.>.ploring ways of in· terviewed by the class, and talk design nags, emblems, and mottos volving girls in communities on a about their ethnic backgrounds. that reflect who they are. Quality one·on·one basis. The council's Some bring photos, foods, or me· picture books that reflect diversity long-range plans for cultural diver· mentos to supplement their discus· are also important. But whenever sity include establishing a speaker's sions. The children also write let· possible, she reiterates, children bureau of minority women to talk ters to grandparents asking about need the experience of being with troops about lifestyle and her· their lives as children. and share around all kinds of people. Nothing itage. A major pluralism activity, the answers with the class. All these can take the place of this human with speakers and cultural enrich· experiences pave the way for more experience. ment in a festival atmosphere. is in-depth studies, when the children -M.H.D. Girl Scout L'eader/Fall 1988 23 preparation. Again, Paula Wehmiller classroom, or in a Girl Scout troop advises that paying attention to op· meeting, " The adult's attitude is cru portunities for one·to·one interaction cial," says Yvonne, adding, "She sets is important. "It's the human experi· the tone." ence, the human story that's impor· Adults and children alike have tant," she says. " If a member of a much to learn about meeting, greet community is there to talk to kids, to ing, and getting to know different share what her or his life is like, it's kinds of people. If \ve want to help much more meaningful." What's even children appreciate the wonderful di· better, she says, is when a child shares versity in the world, we must take care. her neighborhood or culture with her "Let's be sure we teach them well," peers. concludes Valerie Wesley. Anyone in charge of such cross· - Milly Hawk Daniel cultural experiences should do her homework first, Yvonne De Gaetano believes. for example, imagine a for further Reading Leader Susan Romero, an award·win· ning potter, displays her craft and tells group of affluent young people who Cohn, Anna and Lucinda A. Leach. the girls about the reverence American have been looking at the many ways Generations: A Universal Family Al Indians have for nature and the land people in the United States live. The bum. Ne'' York: Pantheon Books, group decides to visit a low-income or 1987. who can do what. ethnic neighborhood. On the tour, Deliberately creating opportu· questions will inevitably come up Comer, James. P. "Establishing a nities for children to interact with about why some neighborhoods are Positive Racial Identity." Parents. members of diverse groups can be more run·down than others, or why a March 1988, p. 167. especially important among homage· particular group lives there. It's lm· Council on Interracial Books for no us groups of children who have little portant to provide ct1ildren with the Children, 1841 Broadway, New opportunity to meet people unlike basic facts- that people live where York, N.Y. 1002.3. CIBC's catalog themselves. But, Yvonne De Gaetano they do for many reasons-some of lists books, filmstrips, and other cautions, care should be taken in mak· their own choosing, some not. materials designed to aid adults ing assumptions when all children ap· With the proper preparation, chil· \.\ha want to help children " develop pear to be the same on the surface: dren can come away from such a ven· a positive self-identity and open· "Just because all the children look ture with a different and more accurate ness to people of other back· alike doesn't mean they come from image than they might have formed. grounds and beliefs." the same background." She cites class At the same time, the leader can also differences- which can cause a great be support!\ e of any children on the Goleman, Daniel. " ·useful' Modes deal of pain and suffering-as a prime tour whose lives are similar to the cui· of Thinking Contribute to the Power example of this. tural group they visit. But Yvonne of Pr~udice." The New York Times. International food fairs and group warns, "Adults who have negative May 12, 1987, p. Cl. visits to ethnic sections of large cities attitudes towards other groups Hernandez, The Rev. David. "Plu have often been used to help children shouldn't try to educate children in ralism Awareness." Buckeye (The broaden their knowledge of other cui· this area. They must work through newsletter of Buckeye Trails Girl tures. But here, too, some caveats ap· their own feelings first." Scout Council, Dayton, Ohio). feb ply. Don Kao cautions that interna· ruary 1987, p. 4. tional dinners can reinforce stereo· types if they become simply a matter Louder Than Words Ramsey, Patricia G. Teaching and of identifying different cultures by the Learning in a Diverse World: Nulti foods they eat. Not all Greeks like Much of what children learn about cultural Education for Young Chil grape leaves, every Japanese person antiracist and antisexist behavior dren. New York: Teachers College doesn't relish raw fish, Latin Ameri· comes from observing the adults in Press, 1987. cans don't have to Jove chorizos, and their lives. Unfortunately, some ·of Saracho, Olivia N. and Bernard tropical fruits don't appeal to all \Vest what children see they should never Spodek (eds.). Understanding the Indians. To reduce the richness and do. The subtle forms of prejudice or Multicultural Experience in Early diversity of these cultural and national discrimination often leave the most Childhood Education. Washington, groups to the foods they eat supports permanent mark, on minority as well D.C.: National Association for the stereotypical thinking. But to include as majority children. "If, as adults, we Education of Young Children, 198.3. food as part of a larger celebration talk about cultural diversity but don't that involves perhaps art, dance per· associate with different people, we're Sleeter, Christine E. and Carl A. formances, lectures, and, most im· giving kids a message," Yvonne says. Grant. "An Analysis of Multicultural portantly, people of the culture, puts And, " If we forbid them to use racial Education in the United States." the food in context and provides a true or anti-Semitic epithets, and then po· Harvard Educational Review. Vol. learning experience. litely chuckle at a friend's racist or anti 57, No. 4. No\'ember 1987. Similarly, when groups visit ethnic· Semiticjoke, our actions are speaking Wesley, Valerie Wilson. "Teaching or cultural enclaves that are part of louder than our words," writes Valerie Your Children About Bigotry." Ms. many U.S. cities, there is much to Wilson Wesley, in the December 1984 December 1984, p. 118. learn-with the right attitude and issue of Ms. magazine. At home, in the 2 4 Girl Scout Leader/fall I 988 The girls should decide whether they want to contribute and hov.. They may donate funds by designating a portion of the troop treasur} or by electing to contribute the proceeds Near&far from a troop money-earning project. Then the} should set a goal and de· cide on a plan of action. These decisions can be made by The Birth of a World Center girls from Brownie Girl Scout through Senior Girl Scout age levels. Daisy Girl Scouts may not be involved in any Olave Centre Phase II is on the mitment to the completion of Ola\ e mone} handling activities, including move. The past few months have seen Centre. To help in accomplishing this, troop dues and proceeds from troop ground-breaking, the naming of the members of Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. money-earning projects. However, new addition, the closing of Olave v.iU give $200,000 for the construction they can support the Pax Lodge project House, and many pledges from mem· of the Common Room. Phase II for in other ways, perhaps by drawing ber countries of t11e World Association Olave Centre, begun in I 986, has al posters. of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts for ready received contributions from our Groups interested in money-earn· rooms and equipment in the nev. Girl Scout membership tO\\ ·. Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 2 5 kept like promising a child they'll go to the circus and then forgetting to buy the tickets. ~ Inconsistency and unpredictability f. are a way of life in an alcoholic home. Children of ~ Children never kno\.. what to e.'pect : and are ne\er free from w·on) or anxl· ~ ety. Youngsters are ne\ er quite sure o about \,hat kind of mood the alcoholic Alcoholics: ~ may be in, lo\ing and attenti"e one day, and angry and withdra\\n the u next. Child abuse (being beaten, hav· ing hair pulled, or verbal humiliation) as \"ell as incest are common In alco· ANeglected holic homes. Erratic beha\ ior com· - bined \,ith parental inconsistencies often make it difficult for children to bring friends home; social isolation is Population a major symptom of alcoholism. 1"1ealtimes can tum into scream· ing matches bet\,een the alcoholic and the sober spouse also knO\"n as the co-alcoholic or co-dependent), with children dodging the physical and Imagine . .. lion Americans ha\ c serious drinking ve1 bal biO\\S. The children may see problems. According to the National themselves as the cause of their par· ... Uving in a house where fighting Institute on Alcoholism more than I 0 ents' drinking, '' ith the non-alcoholic and chaos are the norm. million Americans arc addicted to al parent reinforcing this guilt by saying ... Waiting on a dark street comer {or coho!. Nost of them hclt•e children. Al such things as If you got better your father to pick you up. He never coholism has been defined by the grades in school, your father wouldn't comes. You are 9 years old. American tedical Association and ha\ e to drink so much.' Nothmg is many other authorities as a disease. ever constant or stable. . . . Coming home to find your mothet Alcoholism is not caused by weakness passed out on the couch. of will, immoralitv, or a desire to hurt . .. Having no one to talk to about the others. An alcoholic is a person '' ho terror. cannot stop drinking '' ithout help be· An Atmosphere of cause she or he is physically or psy· Co llective Insanity chologically addicted to alcohol. The ound unbelievable? Not really. It alcoholic suffers. and so does every Behavior that was sane and per· is the actual hell of growing up one else around her, most of all missible on Monday will be Insane and Sin an alcoholic home. Between spouses and children. strictly forbidden on Wednesday. 28 and 34 million children of alcohol· In fact. a Gallup Poll last year Rules are usually always changing, ics In the United States li\e in this hell; found that 41 percent of adults \\ ith mealtimes, bedtimes, and tele· appro>.imately 7 million of them are claimed to ha\e some physical, pS) -.ision hours in a constant state of nUA. under the age of 18. E\en more poi· chological, or social harm from some If routines are not constantly chang· gnant are the words of the children one else's drinking. That is why alco· lng, they are usually tyrannically im· themselves, excerpted from the book holism is often referred to as the posed. According to Dr. Black, the Ny Dad Loves Ne, Ny Dad Has a Dis· family disease. only rules that do apply in an alcoholic ease, by Dr. Claudia Black, a Laguna Alcoholic parents may want to be household are: rule 1-don't talk, rule Beach, Calif., therapist and national emotionally present for their children 2-don't trust rule 3-don't feel. pioneer in exploring issues that affect but are unable to do so because of Rule 1-Don't Talk. Not talking children of alcoholics: their chemical dependency. After too about what is really happening is the " I feel scared when my mom many drinks, alcoholic parents may cardinal rule. Family members often drinks." become physically or verbally abusive. rationalize the drinker's behavio1 with They arc likely to do and sa) terrible such excuses as, "!"1om has been "When my dad drinks, he is things during a blackout that the~ \\Orking \Cr) hard, that's why she·s so t\\O different people." won t remember the ne'l.t day. Black cranky,' or ' Dad has been \el) sad When my mother drinks. I outs are periods of time any'\,here since his father died." The real cause \\orry. 1 want a hug and I feel from a few minutes to se..,eral days of the problems-alcoholism-is sad." when the alcoholic, although con· never discussed. For example, when scious and drinking at the time, will the alcoholic is throwing the furniture "When my mother doesn t have no memory later about ,.. hat hap· around at midnight. nothing is said drink, I feel \\arm but I'm still pened during that period of time. I AI· about this inappropriate behavior the afraid and still \\Orried." coholic parents also may make prom· ne.xt day. The entire family operates Experts say that more than 18 mil· ises during blackouts that will never be under the guise of denial-one of the 26 Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 principal indicators of alcoholism. sleep disturbances, asthma, and sen child takes life seriously, very seri· This bond of silence is extremely de sory problems with noise, bright ously. She must be in charge and she structive because children learn not to lights, heat, and cold more often than must control. She usually has difficulty trust their perceptions. Since no one other children. Children of alcoholics listening, but knows how to lead, at home talks about the problem, chil are likely to have a higher truancy rate make decisions, and perform. She is dren feel desperately alone. They and fight more often with peers. They not likely to be identified as a child in don't feel that talking to someone out often work below their potential in need because her image Is one of a side of the home will help, so they school because so much of their en· responsible overachiever. rarely do. ergy is diverted to the alcoholic family. The Placater. Dr. Black refers to Rule 2-Don't Trust. To be able to Since alcoholism runs in families, this role as the " household social trust children must first feel safe. In children of alcoholics are at a higher worker who gives 18 years of skilled alcoholic homes, they cannot depend risk for their own alcoholism, accord volunteer work." The placater takes re· on their parents to provide a safe and ing to the Children of Alcoholics Foun· sponsibility for the emotional well· secure atmosphere. In her book It Will dation in New York City. Sons of alco· being o f the home including medial· "ever Happen to Me (see sidebar), Dr. holic fathers are at four times greater ing parental battles. The placater is Black says, "Children raised in alco risk of alcoholism than others. Daugh· often described by unaware adults as nolic family structures have learned it ters of alcoholic mothers are three being " too supersensitive" because s simply best not to trust that others times more likely to become future al· she cries very easily. The placater is \\ill be there for them emotionally, coholics than others and often marry used to taking care of people and psychologically, and possibly even alcoholic men. Children of alcoholics meeting their needs. According to Dr. physically." To trust another person may show evidence of emotional de· Black, the placater finds the best way means investing confidence, reliance, tachment, dependency, aggression, to cope in an inconsistent and tension· and faithfulness in that person. Alco confusion of personal identity, and filled home is by acting in a way that holic parents are not consistently low self-esteem. Not all the young· will lessen her own tension and pain, available to their children, either by sters, however, appear to be or be· as well as that of other family mem· being drunk, physically absent, or come juvenile delinquents; some be· bers. This child will spend her early mentally or emotionally preoccupied come exceedingly responsible and and adolescent years trying to " fix" the with alcohol or the alcoholic. It is also adopt parental roles towards their sib· sadness, fears, angers, and problems hard to trust a parent who repeatedly lings and friends. of brothers, sisters, mom, and dad. disappoints, humiliates, or physically Placaters do not draw attention to abuses a child. The bottom line is if themselves and are usually well·liked you can't trust your own parents, Roles In the Alcoholic family: at school. They are very good listeners whom can you expect to trust? A Way to Survive and rarely disagree. Rule :3-Don't Feel. In a healthy The Adjuster. Also referred to as family, emotions are expressed and Every alcoholic home is a pathetic the invisible child, youngsters who each family member is gi\-en the little play in which each member takes adopt the adjuster role often slide chance to show or talk about his or her on a role. The roles are based on sur· through childhood without being no· feelings. The feelings of a child in an vivorship; assuming a role is a process ticed. No matter how horrendous the alcoholic home may not be e.-.pressed based on fear. Unfortunately, children experience, the adjusters will adjust. or validated because of fear; they are growing up in alcoholic homes don't Their identity is in their nothingness. distorted or repressed. " It has been learn the combinations of roles that They are often loners who are unable my experience that by the time a child create healthy personalities. They be· to connect with people in a meaningful being raised in an alcoholic home come forced into roles based on their way. Adjusters don't think or feel any· reaches the age of 9, he has a well perception of what they need to do to thing about the situation in which developed denial system about both survive and to bring some stability to they're involved. Since their attitude is his feelings and his perceptions about their lives, according to Dr. Black. She one of "I can't change it anyway," ad· what is happening in the home," notes says children adopt one or a comb!· justers often feel they can handle any Dr. Black. Children are isolated with nation of the following three roles: the experience. They do not attempt to al· feelings of shame, embarrassment, responsible child, the placater, and leviate or change any situation in the guilt, anger, and loneliness. Some the adjuster. chaotic alcoholic family; they just ac· prefer not to feel at all and shut down The Responsible Child. Almost 60 cept the status quo and are often completely. percent of children of alcoholics are found hiding out in their rooms until What happens to a child who lives overly responsible. Most typically the they leave home. The adjuster is the in such a distorted environment? Ac oldest or next-to-oldest sibling. there· most emotionally detached of all three cording to the National Association for sponsible child tries to create order role players. Children of Alcoholics, the children of out of chaos by taking responsibility One more role that comprises 20 alcoholics have a higher incidence of for the environment at home as well percent of children from alcoholic emotional, behavioral, and develop as for other family members. This is homes is the acting-out child. The act· mental disorders than children of non the child who cooks dinner and does ing·out child is most likely to receive alcoholic parents. They may have the laundry when Mom is passed out help, but the real issue may never be physical problems that include chronic cold. When Dad starts screaming and addressed. Acting-out children draw fatigue (from not sleeping at night) gets physically violent. the responsible attention to themselves in a negative and stomachaches with no physiolog child gets her younger brothers and manner, often displaying delinquent ical reason. Youngsters may develop sisters dressed and takes them to a problematic behavior. nervous tics, enuresis (bedwetting), neighbor's house. The responsible Children who survive a parent's al· Girl Scout L~der/Fall 1988 27 r coholism by taking on a role in child· bood may find themselves stuck in the National Resources for National Council on Alcoholism same unhealthy roles as adults. Chil· (NCAJ, 12 West 21st Street. New dren of alcoholics may grow Lip, but Information and Help York, N.Y. 100JO; (2 12) 206·6770 they never leave their childhood be· Alcoholics Anonymous-World Serv· or (800) NCA·CALL. Founded in hind. Although this article is about ices, P.O. Box 459 Grand Central I 944. the National Council on AI· young and adolescent children of al· Station, New York, N.Y. 10017. (M coholism·s major programs include coholics, there is a strong movement is listed In most telephone directo· prevention and education, public for the adult who was raised in an al· ries.) information, conferences, and pub· coholic home, often referred to as an lications. A network of state and lo· "adult child." Adult children of alco· Alateen, Ala-non family Group cal affiliates conducts acti\.ities for holies (ACOAs) are people who grew Headquarters, Inc., P.O. Box 182 families and individuals seeking up in an alcoholic or dysfunctional Midto.,.m Station, New York, N.Y. help with alcohol or drug problems. home without dealing directly with the 10018·0862; (800) .356·9996. Ala· Children of Alcoholics foundation effects of such a childhood. As a re· teen is part of Ala-non's Family CCOA 1, 200 Park A' enue, New York. suit, adult children often have diffi· Group for younger family mem· bers. Alateen and Ala-non meetings N.Y. 10166; (212) .351·2680. The culty trusting or being involved in in· COA foundatio n has an alcohol ed· timate relationships, as well as a host are held every day all over the ucatlon and prevention program of other emotional deficits. United States. that features arh...-ork by children of f ive years ago, there were only 21 National Association for Children of alcoholics and targets youngsters members of an organiza tion called the Alcoholics (NACoM, .31706 Coast ages 10 through 13. Twenty-six National Association for Children of AI· Highway #201, South Laguna, large drawings depicting the pain coholics; today they number more Calif. 92677·.3044; (714) 499· and problems caused by parental than 7,000. The 14 Ala·non affiliated .3889. This organization serves as alcoholism ha\ c been reproduced . children of alcoholic groups that met a resource for children of alcohol· A leader's guide and materials for in the early 1980s have increased to ics of all ages. NACoA operates children are part of the traveling art 1, 110. (Aia·non family Groups are an informational clearinghouse show. Other free materials include for anyone- spouses, relatives, and (through which many publications booklets entitled ''\\'hat can You Do friends-who are bo thered by another are available) and produces a to Nelp a friend?" and \\hen Par· person's drinking-or people involved quarterly newsletter. There are 16 ents Drink Too :o.luch You Can Still \vith anyone with any other addictive NACoA chapters in 16 states, and find a \Va). which features a maze problem .) member representation In every game for children, and a "Now You state. Free information. Can Help ' brochure for adults. Girl Scouting's Emotional Safe ty Net acting like adults," says Dr. Black, who But somehhere over the years, the now works as a consultant and lee· sash got thrown out. "That was the Since many children from alco· turer, designing children and family saddest part for me because I had holic homes are robbed of their child· programs for treatment and educa worked so hard to get all those hoods, youth organizations such as tional settings. badges. It v.. as a real statement that Girl Scouts can provide an opportunity She continues, "In alcoholic someone didn't want to keep a part of for them to play, a vital part of any homes, adults are not available to give my history that I wanted to keep . In individual's growth and development, children focused time. In Girl Scout· some ways. when there is such depri· says Dr. Black (the child of an alco· ing. there were always one or two vation for kids, something like a holic and herself a former Girl Scout). adults who could give you that. They badge becomes even more impor· Like many adult children, she experi· also gave you a sense that you were tant. .. she renects. ences " loss of recall" and can't re· important and valuable." She fondly member how long she was a Girl recalls one special Girl Scout leader, a Scout. (Loss of recall is an amnesia· woman named Anne, now deceased. Identifying the Child like memory Joss of large portions of " She had a lot o f innuence on me. of an Alcoholic childhood. It is a defense m echanism Anne had the ability to show us th ings where information is repressed be· quietly without being overly nurturing. Dr. Black says there are dennite cause of an emotional overload .) She She had an extremely consistent per· ways to identify a child from an alco remembers being a Girl Scout from sonality, which is important because holic home. Some of the signs in· Brownies through some point in high there is so much inconsistency in al· elude: school but she can't pinpoint the spe· coholic homes. There was a sense of cific age level. Regardless, the memo· peace about her that was really nice." Consistent concern with getting ries Dr. Black does have of Girl Scout· One recollectio n Dr. Black has of home promptly at the end o f a meet· ing are good ones. "Girl Scouting was her Girl Scouting days is particularly ing or an activity. an extremely positive experience for painful but extremely symbolic of Regression-thumbsucking. enu· me because it was a place I could go growing up in an alcoholic household. resis (bedwetting), and infantile be· and be a kid. It was a place I could be As a typical child in an alcoho lic home. havior with peers. my own age, whatever that age was. I achievement was very im portant and, say that because so many times in al· as a result, Dr. Black earned numer· Exaggerated concern with achieve· cohollc homes, little children are busy ous badges for her Girl Scout sash. ment and with satisfying authority. 28 Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 Preoccupation \~ith siblings and e.\· tie more. For example, a child may Older girls may be more willing to talk treme fear about situations involving say, " I got real scared when Mommy about the situation at home than parents. and Daddy were fighting last night." younger girls, because the younger Improper clothing for the weather. To which the leader might reply, "Of the child, the more Joyal she or he is course you got scared" or "That to the family. And as Dr. Black sug Sudden temper and other emo· sounds scary to me." After the child gests, many Girl Scout leaders may be t.ona outbursts. opens up more, the leader might com adult children of alcoholics them ment with something like, ''I'm reall;,. One of the main reasons these sel\.es and have even greater empa· glad you talked about being scared, ch ldren remain a neglected popula thy. " Kids need to know they're not but it doesn't mean it \.. on't happen tion is because neighbors, teachers, alone or not at fault. They need to again. But I \~ant you to know you can and other people are frightened of know that their feelings are important keep talking about it." is even better getting involved. " People get scared It and there are people who under for the child if a leader can offer prac "hen a child confides in them. They stand, she adds. tical solutions, says Dr. Black. Chil feel powerless to change an} thing and When asked what message she don't know what to do with that infor dren need to know ho\\ to cope and would gi\.e to the 365,000 Girl Scout mation," explains Dr. Black. She says \\hat to do in an alcoholic situation; for leaders Dr. Black replied, " It's ex example, to be able to call a neighbor it Is vital that leaders understand that tremely important that leaders under for a ride if their parents don't show neither the parents nor the home 11as stand we're not talking about chang up or arrive drunk. "Girl Scout leaders to change in order for the child to re ing a child's environment. We're cei\e help. "The greatest role a Girl can be a lifeline to these kids; it's like talking about changing a child's life. Scout leader can play is to \alldate a a little string that connects. You're For many of us who can look back on buyi ng kids some time and opportu childs emotional experience The our childhood and identify one or h..o nity for greater resources, she adds. child is not asking the leader to people who just did some little thing change mom and dad. The child is It is important that Girl Scout lead or \•ho made a difference in the way asking for some validation of hho she ers talk about being raised in a chem we feel about ourselves ... that's the is and what it is she's experiencing," ical!;,. dependent home because there most important thjng Girl Scout lead she emphasizes. are more children of alcoholics than ers can do. Never discount the impact there are people with chemical depen you have on a child's life, even though dencies. Dr. Black strongly advocates the time you spend with the child may How You Ca n Help leaders attending workshops on alco be Jess than she would spend else- holism or chemical dependencies as where." To approach a child the) suspect well as doing their own private read Imagine is in trouble, Dr. Black advocates lead ing. Equipped with the proper knowl ers use the concept of acti\e listening. edge, a leader can begin to give out . . . Being a child from an alcoholic By taking a statement and rephrasing information in her troop so that chil home with someone to tum to. it \~ithout judgment. active listening dren being raised in chemical!} de . .. That someone could be you. ghes the child permission to sa~ a lit- pendent homes may come fon"ard. -Deborah Craven Suggested Readings of alcoholics through age 14 \\·ork ent Who Drinks Too f'Juch. New through their feelings of loneliness, York: Greenwillow Books, 1977. f'or Leaders fear, and frustration. Geared to help children of alcohol ics understand what is happening Ackerman, Robert. ChildJeJ1 o{ Al Brooks, Cathleen. The Secret to them and to their parents; sug coholics: A Guidebook tor Educa · t:ueryone Knows. A small booklet gests coping techniques. tors. Therapists. and Parents, 2nd that offers children suggestions for ed Kalamazoo, !'1ich.: learning coping \\ith problems at home, All publications listed here are Publications, Inc., 1983. reaching out to self-help groups. a\ailable through the clearing Black. Claudia. It Will "~eL•er Hap and finding happiness. Available house at the National Association pen to Ne: Children of Alcoholics through the "iational Association for Children of Alcoholics, .31706 as Youngsters, Adolescents, c111d for Children of Alcoholics, .31706 Coast Highway, Suite 20 l, South Adults. Denver: MAC Printing and Coast Highway, Suite 20 I, South Laguna, Calif. 92677-3044. Publications Division ( 1850 High Laguna, Calif. 92677-.3044. These suggested readings and many others can be ordered Street. Denver, Colo. 802 18), 198 I . Hastings, Jill. Elephant in the Liuing through Hazelden Educational Ma Room. A\ailable from CompCare Seixas. Judith S. and Geraldine terials, Pleasant Valley Road, Box Publishing. 2415 Annapolis Lane, Youcha. Children of AlcohotL')m: A 176, Center City, Minn. 55012- 1'1inneapolis, Minn. 55441. Surviuor's Nanual. New York: 0 176; (800) 328-9000. The 144- Crown, 1985. Heuer, Marti. Happy Daze. Denver: page mail-order catalog covers f'or Girls MAC Printing and Publications Di practically every publication on al vision. An explanation of how ad coholism, children of alcoholics, Black. Claudia. Ny Dad LoL>es Ne, diction affects the teenager and the and reco\ef}'. Books, tapes, and Ny Dad Has a Disease. Demer: ~lAC famil):. Printing and Publications Dl\ ision , booklets range in price from 95 cents up. An invaluable resource. 1979. A workbook to help children Seixas, Judith S. Liuing with a Par- ·. Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 29 Notes on the New Safety-Wise Hard hats and high-heeled boots make his summer saw the publication officially adopted by the National horseback riding a safer activity of the latest edition of Safety Board of Directors. These 45 stand· TWise, the basic program, health, ards outlined the essentials for a first· and safety reference guide for all rate Girl Scout program experience. are included in the new edition. How adults in Girl Scouting. It marks an· Camping standards did not originally ever, the guidelines that outline the other step fo~·ard in the evolution of appear in Safety-Wise. They \\ere first administrati\ e essentials for meeting this long-standing resource for adults developed by the national organiza· the program standards related to working with girls. The basic guide· lion in 1922 and officially adopted in camping are nO\\ in a separate book lines it contains enable them to give the spring of 1923. They were revised for use by Girl Scout council staff. girls the best experiences under opti· and updated periodically and pub· mum safety conditions. lished in pamphlet form. The 1965 This newest Safety-Wise contains edition of Safety-Wise was the first to Down to the Basics much that is familiar, along with the combine both sets of standards. changes needed to stay abreast of our By this time, the standards num· The new Safety-Wise designed to changing \\.Orld. Because of the in· bered 66-41 for program and 25 for be " user· fnendl) retains enough tense time demands everyone faces camping. In the ensuing years, both from the pre\ ious edition that anyone today, the format of the material has sets of standards grew to accommo· familiar with it \\i ll make the transition been streamlined, and the contents in· date the changing needs of an increas· easily. Adults neh to Girl Scouting also elude new information on sensiti\.e is· ingly complex society. The 1982 edi· \\ill find the te..'\t straightforward and sues along with decision-making tion listed a total of 155 standards, 73 simple to foliO\\. guidelines for projected program ac· for program and 82 for camping. And The contents begin with a concise tivities. with the inception of Daisy Girl Scouts Introduction that describes how to use The new Safety-Wise is the end re in 1983 five more standards were the book. The chapters that follow are sult of a long process that included in· added, for a total of 160. " Basic Safety and Security Guide· tense research, reader reviews by Girl With the redesign of program ma lines, Activity Checkpoints." and Scout council volunteers and staff, terials over the past several years, a re· "Planning Trips with Girl Scouts." and critiques by outside experts. It is examination of Safety-Wise was essen· Man) \\ill recognize that this last chap· a three-part resource package: Safety tial. The body of information was ter is a re\ ision of a booklet by the Wise for all adults in Girl Scouting, sound, but new de'oelopments in Girl same name. The book concludes with plus two companion resources for ad· Scout materials, new handbooks for a Glossary," a "General Resource ministrative use by councils, Safety all age levels, and societal changes Guide listing support orgnizations, f'tanagement in Girl Scouting and Ciirl warranted additional information. The and an appendix that includes special Scout camping Guidelines. total number of standards was about forms and sample letters. Every Girl Scout troop will receive to increase again. Although the alphabetical listing a copy of Safety-Wise, with informa· In fact. the chapter on standards of activity topics is comprehensive, it tion on basic safety and security, pro· changed the most. There are now 33 was not possible to provide check· gram standards, activity checkpoints, program standards covering all the points for every activity that Girl and travel and trip information. major topics that must be considered Scouts across the country enjoy. Safety consciousness has always In order to provide a program experi· Therefore, general checkpoints that been a part of Girl Scouting, inherent ence of the highest quality. Since should precede any acti\'ity are also in the motto " Be Prepared." Safety camping, along with many other activ· CO'oered. A special section outlines the Wise made its first appearance In De· ities, is part of program, camping decision-maKing process that will en cember 1940, and over the years it has standards are now incorporated into able you to go from Idea to adventure, been revised and expanded to include the program standards. All the pro· or to determine that an activity is not all the basic information adults need. gram standards are broadly stated and appropriate. The 1959 edition was the first to supplemented by informative guide· The cornerstone for building a Girl contain program standards that were lines that provide examples and de· Scout experience is the caring adult scriptions of what must be done to partner, role model, guide. Safety Sharon Woods ffussey is director of meet each one. Wise is the blueprint for that process. OSUSA's Program Oroup. Camping guidelines for leaders -Sharon Woods Husse} 3 0 Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 Leaders' Month atMacy undreds of Girl Scout leaders leadership, women's history, and pre· from all over the United States paring for the future. They also H converged on Edith l'-1acy Con· swapped success stories at workshops ference Center in Brlarcli(f Manor, for leaders of each age level. ~ . Y. , last April in celebration of Lead· GSUSA !'fational President Betty F. ers' Month. The new Outdoor Educa· Pilsbury received an enthusiastic re· tion Center was the site of several sponse from the group as she re· ~orkshops on wildlife, songs, outdoor minded them that dedicated volun· arts, and backpacking. teers are one of Girl Scouting's The 315 participants enjoyed greatest assets. other information-packed sessions on Bro\\ Making a point at a Leaders' ~onth \\Orkshop Nature study at the Outdoor Education Center Girl Scout Leader/Fall 1988 31 G1rl Scouts of the U S.A 830 Third Avenue New York. New York 10022 NON-PROFIT ORG. ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED U.S. POSTAGE PAID ST. PAUL, MN PERMIT NO. 890 ~ GIRL SCOOTS ·.