I am a leader orf a Cadette/Senior troop with approximately 15 girls (ages 12 to 16). I have watched the progression of the Studio 2B program and I am becoming more and more concerned that GSUSA is phasing out all the "old" rewards (pins, etc) for achieving the steps to earning the Girl Scout Silver and Gold Awards. While I am open to the idea of change I am concerned that only offering charms to the girls as a reward for all the hard work they must put into earning these awards doesn't give them much to show for their efforts. Why can't we change the program for the older girls but still retain some of the traditional features? When they brought out the "contemporary "G.S. pin they still kept the "traditional" G.S. pin. One of my co-leaders discovered on the GSUSA website that they are definitely phasing out the old awards in favor of the charms. The girls in my troop are not interested in collecting charms for a charm bracelet (or to hang off their vest). They are not opposed to changing the program but do not want to abandon all the estabished ways of earning awards and recognitions that go with them. As a leader I see that the Studio 2B program is attractive to the 11 to 13 year old group but beyond that our council is not offering anything that would attract the older girls. At the Studion 2B socials they offer my daughter and a friend have been the only older girls to go (age 15 & above). I'm becoming concerned at the direction in which the older girl program is heading. How can we let those at GSUSA who are promoting this program so heavily know how we feel about this? Any ideas?
