Girl Scouts of Nassau County

The Girl Scouts of Nassau County (GSNC) is a youth organization in Garden City, New York for girls in grades K-12 that live in Nassau County, New York.

Girl Scouts of Nassau County opened in 1917 and builds girls of courage, confidence and character. Girl Scouting in Nassau County creates an accepting and nurturing environment, which gives girls a chance to build character and develops leadership skills for success in the real world. In partnership with committed adult volunteers, girls develop qualities that will serve them throughout their lives, like strong values, social conscience, and conviction about their own potential and self-worth. With almost 21,000 girl and 7,000 adult members, Girl Scouts of Nassau County has become the preeminent organization and leading authority for girls. The organization continues to make the world a better place one girl at a time.

Girl Scout Promise
On my honor, I will try:

To serve God and my country,

To help people at all times,

And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

Girl Scout Law
I will do my best to be

Honest and Fair,

Friendly and Helpful,

Considerate and Caring,

Courageous and Strong, and

Responsible for what I say and do,

And to

respect myself and others,

respect authority, use resources wisely,

make the world a better place, and

be a sister to every Girl Scout.

Daisies (Grades K-1)
Daisy is the initial level of Girl Scouting. Named for Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low, they are in kindergarten and first grade (around ages 5–7). They typically meet in groups of ten girls with two adult leaders who help the girls plan activities to introduce them to Girl Scouts.

Daisies earn the Promise Center and Petals, which focus on the Girl Scout Law and are placed on the front of the tunic in a daisy design. They also earn Leaves and Journey Leadership Awards. Their uniform consists of a light blue tunic. They may also wear their tunic with a white shirt and khaki bottoms or with an official Girl Scout Daisy uniform. The Girl Scout Membership Star is worn with blue membership disks and they wear the Girl Scout Daisy Membership Pin.

Daisies use the Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting for Daisies and the National Leadership Journeys to work on activities, may camp only with a parent present, and have the option to sell Girl Scout cookies. They may earn the Daisy Safety Awardand the Bridge to Brownies Award.

Brownies (Grades 2-3)
Brownies are in second and third grades (around ages 7–9) and earn triangular shaped Brownie Leadership Journey Awards and National Proficiency Badges. Their uniform consists of a brown vest or sash which may be worn with a white shirt and khaki bottoms or with an official Brownie uniform. The Girl Scout Membership Star is worn with green membership disks, and they wear the Brownie Membership Pin.

Brownies use the Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting for Brownies and the National Leadership Journeys to work on badges and activities. They may earn the Bridge to Juniors Award and the Brownie Safety Award.

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

Juniors (Grades 4-5)
Juniors are in fourth and fifth grades (around ages 9–11). Their uniform is a green vest or sash which may be worn with a white shirt and khaki bottoms.

Juniors are the first level to wear the official Girl Scout Membership Pin on their uniform. The Girl Scout Membership Star is worn with yellow membership disks. They use the Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting for Juniors and the National Leadership Journeys to work on badges and activities. They earn circle shaped Junior Leadership Journey Awards and National Proficiency Badges. Badges require more skill at this level as the girls gain proficiency. They may earn the Girl Scout Junior Safety Award, the Junior Aide Award, and the Bridge to Cadettes Award.

Juniors are eligible to earn the Bronze Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting available at this level.

Cadettes (Grades 6-8)
Cadettes are Girl Scouts who are in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades (around ages 11–14). Their uniform is a khaki vest or sash with white shirts and khaki bottoms. They wear the official Girl Scout Membership Pin on their uniform. The Girl Scout Membership Star is worn with white membership disks.

Cadettes use the Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting for Cadettes and the National Leadership Journeys to earn diamond shaped badges. Typically, Girl Scouts at this level are encouraged to assume leadership roles within them, such as assisting in leading and coordinating service unit or association events. They may also earn the Cadette Program Aide award, the Cadette Community Service Bar, the Cadette Service to Girl Scouting Bar, the Cadette Safety Award and the Bridge to Senior Award. They are eligible to earn the Silver Award, which is the highest award available to girls at this level.

Seniors (Grades 9-10)
Seniors are Girl Scouts who are in ninth and tenth grade (around ages 14–16). They wear the same uniform as Cadettes—however, the disks for their membership stars are red and their badges are a rectangular shape.

Seniors use the Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting for Seniors and the National Leadership Journeys to earn badges. They are typically encouraged to create and lead activities for the younger Girl Scouts, and to take a leadership role in organizing and assisting with Council and service unit/association events and activities. They may earn the Counselor-in-Training (CIT), the Volunteer-in-Training (VIT), the Girl Scout Senior Safety Award, the Gold Torch Award, the Senior Community Service Bar, the Senior Service to Girl Scouting Bar and the Bridge to Girl Scout Ambassador award.

Seniors are eligible to earn the Gold Award.

Ambassadors (Grades 11-12)
Ambassadors are Girl Scouts who are in eleventh and twelfth grade (around ages 16-18). They wear the same khaki colored vest or sash as Cadettes and Seniors. The Girl Scout Membership Star is worn with navy membership disks.

Ambassadors use the Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting for Ambassadors and the National Leadership Journeys to earn badges that are shaped like an octagon. They may earn the Counselor-in-Training (CIT), the Counselor-in-Training (CIT) II, the Volunteer-in-Training (VIT), the Ambassador Community Service Bar, the Ambassador Service to Girl Scouting Bar, the Gold Torch Award, the Ambassador Safety Award, and the Bridge to Adult Award.

Ambassadors are eligible to earn the Gold Award.

Camps
Camp Blue Bay in East Hampton, New York is the council camp. Camp Tekakwitha was sold in June 2007 to Southampton, NY which will retain it as open space.

Girl Scout Cookies
When you buy Girl Scout Cookies, you make adventures possible with every box.

When girls participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, they get more than new adventures. They develop important life skills—goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics—that will set them up for success beyond anything they can imagine.

List of Girl Scout Cookies

 * Tagalongs
 * Do-si-dos
 * Savannah Smiles
 * Thin Mints
 * Trefoils
 * Samoas
 * Girl Scout S'mores
 * Toffee-tastic

For Cookie Sellars
There's more to Girl Scout Cookies than What is in the Box!

When you sell Girl Scout Cookies, you're doing more than just helping your customers stock up on delicious treats (and having lots of fun). You're doing it with a goal in mind. Whether that goal is a pizza party, a community project, or your first overnight trip with your troop, you know how many boxes you need to sell to make it happen.

But did you know that you're also part of a huge business, one that's run by girls just like you all over the country? Even cooler: being a Girl Scout Cookie Professional gives you skills essential for success both now and later:
 * Goal Setting


 * Decision Making


 * Money Management


 * People Skills


 * Business Ethics

Badges
Girl Scout badges are a great way for a girl to explore her interests and learn new skills—and to remember every adventure and show the world what she’s accomplished.

Journey
Each level of Girl Scouting has multiple Journey programs. A Journey is a series of lessons particular topic. The Journeys are made up of multiple parts and all parts of the Journey must be earned for it to be complete. A Girl Scout who completes three Journeys at one level earns a Summit Pin. Before beginning work on a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award project, a Girl Scout must complete one Journey at her level. A Girl Scout who did not earn her Silver Award must complete two Journeys at her current level, instead of one, work on her Gold Award.

Highest Awards
Main article: Gold Award, Silver Award, and Bronze Award

'''Bronze. Silver. Gold.''' These represent the highest honors a Girl Scout can earn.

All three awards give you the chance to do big things while supporting an issue you care about. You might plant a community garden at your school or inspire others to eat healthy foods for your Bronze, advocate for animal rights for your Silver, or build a career network that encourages girls to become scientists and engineers for your Gold. Whatever you choose, you’ll inspire others (and yourself).

Bronze Award
Main article: Bronze Award

The Girl Scout Bronze Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout in grades 4-5 can earn, was created by a troop of Girl Scout Juniors from an individual council and introduced in 2001. It requires a Girl Scout Junior to learn the leadership and planning skills necessary to follow through on a project that makes a positive impact on her community. Working towards this award demonstrates her commitment to helping others, improving her community and the world, and becoming the best she can be.

Girls typically spend a minimum 20 hours working on their projects, after the completion of a Girl Scout Journey and project approval.

Prerequisites
Girls must be in 4th or 5th grade (or equivalent) and be a registered Girl Scout Junior and complete a Junior Journey.

Bronze Award Steps

 * 1) Build your Girl Scout Junior team.
 * 2) Explore your community.
 * 3) Choose your Girl Scout Bronze Award project.
 * 4) Make a plan.
 * 5) Put your plan in motion.
 * 6) Spread the word.

Silver Award
Main article: Silver Award

Going for the Girl Scout Silver Award—the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn—gives you the chance to do big things and make your community better in the process.

Prerequisites
Girls must be in 6th, 7th or 8th grade (or equivalent), be a registered Girl Scout Cadette, and have completed a Cadette Journey before she can begin work on a Silver Award project.

Silver Award Steps

 * 1) Identify issues you care about.
 * 2) Build your Girl Scout Silver Award team or decide to go solo.
 * 3) Explore your community.
 * 4) Pick your Silver Award project. The Silver Award project must be done in the local community (beyond the Girl Scout community).
 * 5) Develop your project.
 * 6) Make a plan and put it into motion.
 * 7) Reflect and share your story.

Gold Award
Main article: Gold Award

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. It is awarded to Girl Scout Seniors or Ambassadors who complete a project that will make a lasting difference in the world.

Prerequisites
Girls must be in high school, be a registered Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador or have earned the Girl Scout Silver Award and completed one journey.

Gold Award Steps

 * 1) Identify an issue.
 * 2) Investigate it throughly.
 * 3) Get help and build your team.
 * 4) Create a plan.
 * 5) Present your plan and gather feedback.
 * 6) Take action.
 * 7) Educate and inspire others.

In Honor of:
Donna Ceravolo (CEO Girl Scouts of Nassau County) upon her retirement Fran and Bill Monahan; Rae Schopp; Dolores & Paul Yao; Susan Caruso; Yvonne Mowatt; GSNC Board of Directors; Bethpage Federal Credit Union; Ursula & Chris Pendergast; Allison Bishop White; Elizabeth Hill; Vicki Murphy

In Memory of:
Melissa McHenry (2015 Gold Award Recipient, former member of Troop 2188, ELLM Association and Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts)

GSNC Staff & BOD

Cynthia Friedman (Long-time volunteer, Floral Park/Bellerose Association) Vivian Gupta; Joann Kohler; Peggy Berta; Carole O’Hara; Susan Kerner; Navy Elementary School Social Committee; Patricia Linsner; J.E. Talamo; Carol Brooks; Rebecca Jones; Brandy Swann; Joyce O’Connor; Patricia Young; Patricia Nummey; Floral Park/Bellerose Association; Sally O’Shea; Terry Creighton

Frances Dunne (Former Troop Organizer, Mid Island Council) Susan Dunne

Marianne Templeton (Former GSNC President & Chief Volunteer Officer and Lifetime Member) Lauren Templeton & Paula Reilly; GSNC Board & Staff; Ann Burr Henahan

Dorothy Astman (Lifetime Girl Scout of 32 years) GSNC Staff