Studio2B

[SagerScout]

Has anyone any info on the Studio2B program - or training - or experience - or even actually seen the materials? What do you think?

[ScoutNut]

Studio 2B is a new program for girls 11-17 years old. This is National's response to the need for an updated older girl program and comes out of their New Directions research. Their will be 3 age groups addressed, 11-13, 13-15, and 15-17. Leaders will be called Advisors, and according to the reasearch should be between 18-29 years old because girls want leaders who are more "teen savy". There are new Studio 2B resources which include a Basics binder set ($9.95), that is 24 pages and explains Studio 2B. This is ment for the girls to carry with and add to. There are also the Collections ($9.95). These are publications for each age group that cover their needs, interests, and favorite things. Each Collection group will be changed yearly. Then you have the Focus booklets ($4.95 & $5.95). There are currently 7, each on a different topic. Girls complete certain things to earn charms ($4.25). There is also a Guide for Advisors ($6.95) which contains information, worksheets and charts.

 

Girls in Studio 2B will no longer have to wear the GS uniform. There will be a Studio 2B t-shirt that they can wear. They also no longer have to refer to themselves as Junior, Cadette, or Senior Gir Scouts. They will be Studio 2B members and part of a Studio 2B Team (I believe that is the correct term). According to National, Studio 2B is not replacing the current older girl programs, only supplementing them. Councils are in the process now of looking at the materials and deciding how they will implement the program. National will be evaluating the program from now until 2005. At that time they will finalize any changes needed and it will become permanent.

 

My take on Studio 2B (and my Senior Troops) is that GSUSA, while trying to attract new, older, girls to Girl Scouting, has kind of thumbed their collective noses at the girls they now have. This program is specificaly ment to target those girls who do not want to be known as Girl Scouts. It is a way for them to be in the Girl Scout program without anyone knowing they a Girl Scout! The program materials all have large Studio 2B logos and just a teeny tiny mention that it is a GS program. My daughter was very upset at the concept of GSUSA actively recruiting girls who are ashamed to be Girl Scouts. She feels that they should be doing more to promote pride in Scouting rather than the reverse.

 

The program goals, having the girls plan their own activities and get opportunities they would not otherwise have, are the same as what we presently do! I also wish councils much luck in finding enough young adults 18-29 to be their Studio 2B Advisors. With many, many areas out there with waiting lists for troops at every level, councils are obviously having a hard time finding enough leaders/advisors of ANY age!

 

Most of the people I have talked to who have seen the materials were not overly impressed. I do not think we will be purchasing any because my girls were not impressed with the concept, think the charms are dumb, are quite busy enough working on their final religious medal and their Gold Award, and were all VERY happy that next year will be their last and they will be out before "National ruins the Older Girl program" (their words)!

[SagerScout]

Yes, that's pretty much how I understood it too. Unfortunately, my troop is in the closet Girl Scout category, although I don't really get why. Middle school appears to be a real jungle. My son wouldn't admit to being a Boy Scout while there either.

 

I feel that they have thrown the baby out with the bathwater by de-emphasizing the Girl Scout name. I also think they're awful proud of these materials, it looks like a girl could have forty dollars in books pretty quickly, and not be nearly done with it, and that's before you've started the jewelry store thing. Plus $20 every year for the new books - there goes the plan of developing a troop library to reduce costs for girls with few resources.

 

However, all that said, my middle-school girls are hot to get those bracelets and the thought that they'll end up wearing them to school is probably going to push the program along. I wish they would have used that good idea to promote the Girl Scout name and program rather than dilute it.

 

I'm curious as to why we're promoting ageism in our programs as well. I know some VERY senior girl scouts that are the most teen-savvy and fun people imaginable, and some mid-20's moms that are real drips. Sometimes it takes a little age to realize that you CAN risk some silliness in your life.

 

What I was really hoping to hear, though, was someone's take on what the activities were actually like. I've been disappointed in the Cad/Sr. IPP activities. IMHO mmany are vague and poorly written. Many are in the format "discover this... share with others..." Eh? How do you know when enough sharing has happened? What if you already know about it - does that count as "discovering?" And many activities sound plain dull. (The old Jr book suffered from this too, but the new book was a great improvement.)

 

Basic writing rules were ignored - like, put the subject up front in the paragraph. Although I disagree somewhat with the rigidity of the Boy Scout merit badge requirements and the counselor protocols (never add to or subtract from the requirements), at least you know what's expected of you, and the book tells you how to do it if you didn't already know.

 

Well, that's my take based on what I read in the magazines- anyone seen the actual books yet?

 

Julia