Studio2B

[queenj]

I read somewhere (prolly on the official site) that now S2B is in conjunction with the IPAs. Stuff like Car Sense and Orienteering teaches a girl to be independent. How about a Weighlifting Patch?

[kwality]

I just found this forum and am glad to see so many others have the same concerns as our Cadette-Senior troop. Even the two most trendy girls in the troop called the charms "lame". I am wondering, several writers have pointed out that, "the girls need to respond to national with their opinions." OK, where should they send their input?

 

Two girls from our troop who are about to start their gold projects (to complete them before the studio 2B requirements are mandatory) finally decided to write. They are totally turned off by the entire concept and how it is being presented to girls and the public. They checked out the studio 2B web site, and sent an email to the "contact us" link. Their letter was thoughtful and factual, and analyzed the program presentation well. (They are both in AP English and the entire course is on analysis of rhetorical techniques in non-fiction. Trust me, the letter was intelligent and insightful, not simply name calling.)

 

That was almost 3 weeks ago. The girl who sent the email told me last weekend that she was upset because they have not had any response yet. Has national set up any person or office to review and respond to the feedback? Or does this need to be sent elsewhere? How will they know someone cares, or is listening?

 

I will share the conclusion of their letter with forum readers: "These changes in the Girl Scout program concern us; we would like Girl Scouts to continue as a respected organization known for helping girls achieve their best and contribute to the community. We feel the Studio 2B program does not support those goals, aiming more for quantity of members than quality. While realizing that we do not speak for all girls currently in scouts, or even all the girls in our troop, we would not put our own daughters in this program if it still existed in the future. Overall, we feel that the Studio 2B program reveals a troubling change in the Girl Scout program from what Juleitte Low intended it to be - an organization in which girls could grow into confident women who make valuable contributions to society."

 

[AlphaCentauri]

Wow... have they picked their colleges yet? My husband would appreciate a few students who write that well in his classes.

[ScoutNut]

Here is the GSUSA contact info. Eileen Doyle (bottom) is the person who is currently working on Studio 2B and the re-write of the IP book. She might be the best person to address the e-mail or snail mail to, with perhaps cc's to the others. National does not have a good track record of replying to messages, but at least the girls get the satisfaction of knowing that they did contribute some of the feedback that National keeps telling us it wants.

 

Kathy Cloninger

Chief Executive Officer

420 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10018-2798

kcloninger@girlscouts.org

Phone: 212-852-5000

Fax: 212-852-6517

 

Harriet Mosatche

Senior Director, Research & Program Group

420 5th Avenue

New York, NY 10018

Hmosatche@girlscouts.org

Phone: 212-852-5723

Fax: 212-852-6515

 

Eileen Doyle

Manager, Youth Development

420 5th Avenue

New York, NY 10018-2798

Edoyle@girlscouts.org

Phone: 212-852-5733

Fax: 212-852-6515

 

.

 

[beetlemom57]

Kwality is one of my co-leaders. Our troop has 21 Cadettes and Seniors (who refuse to be called "Teen Scouts") and 3 adult leaders. We have 8 - 9 girls working toward earning their Gold this year and possibly as many as 5 planning on earning their Silver. They are pushing to earn their awards this year while they still can under the old guidelines. Studio 2B is often a subject of discussion among the girls in the troop. They are totally turned off by the whole idea of charms as recognitions. They like the traditional program - that's what they've grown up with and that's why they stay in Scouts. Some of these girls have been together since Daisies.

 

I know the girls who wrote to National and voiced their opinion. They sent us, their leaders, a copy when they sent it to National. I was so impressed that I passed it on to several of my friends who were also very impressed with what the girls had written. It was very rational and straightforward but yet they have gotten no response. I know because one of the girls asked me last night about it, wondering if she would hear anything back or if her opinion mattered. Her sister, a Cadette in our troop, is threatening to quit if she has to switch to s2b. She's trying to figure out how she can earn her Gold before the 2006 deadline!

[AlphaCentauri]

ScoutNut wrote:

National does not have a good track record of replying to messages, but at least the girls get the satisfaction of knowing that they did contribute some of the feedback that National keeps telling us it wants

 

 

They give us s---loads of booklets and badge requirements about female empowerment and how "it's good to be a girl," and then they can't even send a form letter to girls who take the time to write?

[ScoutNut]

It is very frustrating for the girls. You would think that an automatic return "thank you" e-mail would be easy enough.

 

Kwality & Beetlemom - Have your girls resend their e-mails directly to Eileen Doyle. At least they will have got them to the right person instead of having the e-mails floating around the S2B e-mailbag for who knows how long!

 

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(This message has been edited by ScoutNut)(This message has been edited by ScoutNut)

[camaropride]

I am a Leader...not an advisor, for Cadette Troop #57 in Whitehall, PA. I an so upset with this Studio 2B program and I do not believe that it is scouting. Everything that I love about scouting is not part of this program...for starters, the charms! I have written a letter to council and I will be mailing this out this week. If you too are not fond of this program, please as a sister scout, tell council! I have been a leader for 10 years, this is my 11th. I was a girl for 10 years also. The troop that I lead is my troop as a Cadette. I have no daughters and I am doing this because I truly love scouting. I am writing this letter to council, because the woman that I had as my leader, friend and mentor, MaryEllen Kulhamer, (whom suddenly passed away in May of 2004) taught me, my opinion matters, I am the future and with that I can change the world. If one woman can rally enough for the right to vote, why can't we stand tall and keep scouting a tradition, the tradition that we know for all of these years?

 

After reading the above comments, I see that I am not alone in the way that I think of this program. If anyone would like support on also writing a letter to council, would like a copy of the letter that I am sending, or just need someone to vent, I would love to hear from you. Please email me and hopefully we can have power in numbers.

 

Wishing you all success with your troops and enjoyment with the girls that help us to love what we do!

 

Karla

[pattigirlscouter]

Aloha everyone,

 

I'm the girl in the CNN article that was posted October 15, 2003 and I still belive that traditional Girl Scouts works the best. I've tried Studio 2B and it is too geared to the 6th-8th graders. I personally think that Studio 2B is a good thing to keep the girls intrest alive in Girl Scouts, but around 7th grade it became really boring. I've always been in a troop where we say the Promice and the Law before doing anything, I just prefer traditional Girl Scouts. I am in favor of the uniforms and the old costums of Girl Scouts, but with Studio 2B none of this happens.

 

Sallam,

Patti

[nikitee]

Hi, Patti! I'm sorry you've had bed experience with Studio2B, but it is what a group of girls makes it... Our group of 12 girls has been together since Brownies; when presented with new Studio2B and "traditional" Cadette options before 6th grade by their (very skeptical) Junior leaders, they unanimously chose to be Studio2B.

 

The girls basically took over the troop: they plan and conduct the meetings and events, decide which SU & council activities to attend, etc. They HAVE NOT slacked off at all; if anything they're more into it now: every meeting now starts with a "girls' own" ceremony (pledge, promise, law, sharing ring). They had two regular meeting a month, and at least two outside events. They did 2 FB and 3 IPs together, and 6 additional IPs were earned solo. This year was the highest cookie-profit year in our troop's history, because the *girls* were earning for a trip that they decided on/planned (parent sales amounted to about 20 boxes total -- girls averaged 205 boxes). This year, 6 of the 12 girls went to resident camp; two have already signed up for PA training in October so they can work daycamp next year... They did 11 service projects this year (all girl-instigated, not solicited), and started work on Silver Leadership and Silver 4Bs over the summer. (As Juniors they had no great interest in leadership awards, etc. Only three earned Junior Aid & Junior Leadership.)

 

The girls threw out the "traditional" uniform and adoped their own: khaki pants, khaki vest with duck mascot sewn on, black T with pink stripe on sleeves, pink tie-dye socks. The vests are left at home except for CoA, and SU/council events. But they wear their uniforms regularly...

 

The girls (admittedly all 6th-7th-now 8th grades) love the FB charms, and have opted to buy non-GS charms for participation mementos instead of fun patches, too. They wear the charm bracelets to meetings, and move the charms to a chain sewn on the vest for "formal wear". All this was their idea: they made out a schedule for the girls to check Claire's every week for new charms & sales, so they could get things that pertain to what they're doing, and get them at less than full cost. The manager has started giving them a discount whenever they come in to buy 12 at a time.

 

My co & I are both "traditional" GS, and the Brownie & Junior troops we led were traditional. When we first saw S2B, we were furious and very disheartened. But the girls took the stuff, and ran with it, and made a program that they love... a great blend of "traditional" and new/for girls-by girls. We had 100% retention last year, and this year we've added two girls (who visited us this sping to try S2B out, and were the first to turn in their reg forms for this year).

 

I'm converted, but not because of how national or our council have presented or supported S2B, or because of the materials (which I still think are overpriced and too trendy, and not "for" older girls)... I like what our 6th-7th-now 8th graders have done over the past year, and the responsible, active young women they've become. I don't know if S2B would be even remotely successful with a group of girls who hadn't been strong GS before, but for our girls, it works.

 

(This message has been edited by nikitee)

[kwality]

nikitee posted:

 

I'm glad you are having success with a girl run troop! So are we - and we have been doing this for almost 6 years, since our girls became Cadettes, as we were trained to do under the "Traditional" program. (There was NO S2B at that time.) Please understand that girl-run troops for older girls (now known as BGFG)is not some NEW great thing that only happened due to S2B. Many years ago when I was trained as a leader, the progresssion model for troop responsibilities was that at the Cadette level girls should be 75% or more in charge of the troop, and Seniors 95%. (The 5% was the finance and legal stuff the girls can't do.) I have a feeling that even without S2B, your girls would have the same great troop experience, because you are letting them control the agenda, as it should be. Well done!

 

The problem for troops and girls who don't like S2B has nothing to do with the operation of the troop by girls. It is the identity and recognition of girl scouts, and the meaning of recognitions and awards. Your girls may love thier charm bracelets, but I'm sure the average citizen on the street of your town would not identify charm bacelets as indicators of GS achievement. Your girls may adore their black and pink tees and pink tie dye socks, but would the local VFW ask them to lay a ceremonial wreath at the cemetery on Memorial day, wearing them? Or would they ask the boy scouts, in their more appropriate serious uniforms? Think about it...

 

GS is about Fun, and Service, and for the oldest girls (young women), earning Respect. Respect is not about wearing what you think is cool. Respect is what you communicate to others, and what they confer back upon you, based on your actions and your image. Like it or not, image matters. Our older Girl Scouts in Senior High School want their actions and image to be taken seriously, as mature adults. Sorry, but our young women see nothing serious about charms, set your own achievment level awards, and spagetti-strap uniforms. All the great actions they do (service projects and achievement) could easily get overwhelmed by the frivolous image. Your girls may change their opinions on their uniform appearance as they mature.

 

I can tell you as a female professional in a male-dominated technical field, it's a tough enough job to be taken seriously when you are wearing the professional work clothes and have all the credentials on display. You wouldn't even get the chance to have the job if you chose to wear the latest NY fashions and displayed your diplomas and certificates in a pretty scrapbook instead of in nice, boring, busniesslike frames!

 

Comments below are not directed toward anyone in particular, just a general rant...

 

There are some good things in S2B, but does GSUSA need to throw away our community respect to do this? Why can't they keep the option of inexpensive patches and a serious uniform? Have the women of the last 2 generations worked so hard to gain equality and respect that we can afford to throw it away? is the appeal to 6-8th grade girls so important that we should alienate the high school young women in our program?

 

And while I'm asking all these questions, why should the new program materials be so overpriced? Why are so many of these materials so self-centered, without any emphasis on service? Why weren't they well-edited and reviewed to ensure they did not recommend such things as watching R-Rated movies? Why do our 5-17 year old members think these materials are so childish? Obviously, there is a lot of corrective actions needed here...

 

Kwality

[kwality]

Correction to my last post - girls 15 - 17 find the materials to be childish, Not 5 - 17. (Ha Ha, my face is red...)

 

Also, for some reason the snip from nikitee's post got dropped out. The reference was to the blend of traditional and S2B/BGFG.

 

Kwality

[nikitee]

>>Would the local VFW ask them to lay a ceremonial wreath at the cemetery on Memorial day, wearing them? Or would they ask the boy scouts, in their more appropriate serious uniforms?

[Lynda J]

I started in GS in 1954 as a Lone Troop. My parents were on the Charter Committee for NoArk Council in Arkansas. Our troop could out camp every Boy Scout troop in our area. Had my first troop at 22 and directed my first GS day camp at 27. I keep hearing how GSUSA is losing girl and many of them are joining Venture and Crews in BSA. Seems to me GSUSA might look at making the program more challenging instead of less, and setting higher standards instead of lowering them. I had a Junior & Senior troop in the early 70's. Had 16 Srs and 14 Jrs. We camped at least once a month. My Srs. camped the week between Christmas and New Years every year. One outing we ended up in an ice storm. We were iced in the 4 additonal days. Earned our Emergency Preparedness award because they had planned on something like th is happening and had made sure we had extra food just in case (Be Prepared). I have friends that work with both the Boy and Girl Scout programs. They keep saying that GSUSA has stopped challenging the girls. That they are making the program easier and easier and with fewer goals, turning it into a fun and games program. This is sad for me, since I have always felt is was almost as good a program as the BSA program is.

I would like to know the stats on how many girls leave GSUSA and move into the BSA programs leaving the Sr. program high and dry.

 

 

[AHG Mom]

I just read 5 pages of comments on Studio2B and am so glad that I chose a different scouting organization for my daughter! She is having so much fun and is camping and earning badges just like her brother, who is in Boy Scouts of America.

 

She is an American Heritage Girl (this is not to be confused w/the American Girl dolls, etc). The American Heritage Girls (AHG) scouting organization was begun 10 years ago by a former (and very involved) GSA mom. I think she was even active in her council, maybe on a board or something -- definitely of a level to influence policy, programming, etc. Anyway, in the early 90s, she became very dissatisfied with the direction the GSA organization was taking. She voiced her opinion but soon found out she just received lip service and that if she wanted something different for her daughters, she would have to create it. And so in 1995, she did just that.

 

She created American Heritage Girls and molded it very closely to the Boy Scouts of America with a heavy focus on God, family, community and country. There's camping, outdoor skills, personal fitness, emergency preparedness, family values, life skills of all sorts, etc., etc., etc. -- all the good stuff that's in BSA, including a comparable highest honor to the Eagle Scout rank. In AHG, it is called the Stars and Stripes Award and only the most determined scouts achieve it. And, yes, there are uniforms, flag ceremonies, etc. -- again, all the good things that have been time honored components of the BSA.

 

AHG is probably closer to the scouting experience that the founder of Girl Scouts of America intended. There is no "dumbing down" as one of the threads stated of S2B. AHG develops girls into women by focusing on character development within a solid, wholesome scouting program. So if you're looking for a traditional scouting program that will develop all parts of your daughter (not just the "it's all about me" part or the "Barbie Doll" part), I highly recommend that you check into AHG (www.ahgonline.org). The site even has a troop locator if you're looking for an alternative program for your daughter.

 

Everything you love about scouting is still alive and well at AHG. This scouting program truly is the way scouting was meant to be -- good wholesome fun, character development and community service. It is fresh and changes w/the times while adhering tightly to its scout oath and creed. 12 year from now when my daughter fills out a job application after graduating college, I truly feel that society will hold her AHG experience in as high esteem as the BSA experience, especially if she goes on to achieve the highest honor (following in her brother's footsteps who currently is working toward his Eagle rank).

 

Good luck to all no matter which path you take. Our daughters are precious and deserve the same chance at having an authentic scouting experience as our sons receive through BSA. Afterall, they will be expected to hold their own against the men some day.