ON MY HONOR
(an investiture ceremony)

This is a simple investiture ceremony that the girls will long remember. Girls form a horseshoe. Each girl will hold a fresh or artificial daisy. The Leader and Co-Leader stand in the middle of the horseshoe. In front of the Leaders is a table with three candles in a holder, a spoon or candle snuffer, a Girl Scout pin for each girl and an empty vase.

Leader: For several weeks we have been learning about what it means to be a Girl Scout. We have learned the Girl Scout Motto.

Girl #1: Our Motto is "Be Prepared".

Co-Leader: We have learned the Girl Scout Slogan.

Girl #2: Our slogan is "Do a good turn daily".

Leader: Most importantly, we have learned the Girl Scout Law.

Girl #3-12 Each say one part of the law

NOTE: Write the motto, slogan and the laws on note cards for the girls. If they cannot read then the Co-Leader reads all of the laws and the girls say the motto and slogan in unison.

Co-Leader: Will the continuing members of our troop please come forward and renew their Girl Scout Promise.

Continuing Members come to the table and make their Promise together. They place the daisies in the vase and receive the Girl Scout Handshake from the Leader and Co-Leader.

Leader: Will the new members come forward.

New Members come to table

The promise you are about to make has three parts. On our table are three candles which we will light to help you remember you first day as a Girl Scout. Let us say the Girl Scout Promise.

Co-Leader: Lights 3 candles as girls say promise.

Leader: Please come forward to receive your Girl Scout Pin.

New Girls: come up one at a time, place their daisy in the vase, go to the Leader who pins on their Girl Scout pin, give the Girl Scout Handshake to Leader and Co-Leader, and return to the circle.

Troop: Sing, "Whene’re You Make a Promise."

Leader: Now that you have made the Promise and received your pin, you are an official girl Scout. Let’s think for a minute about this lovely bouquet of daisies. "Daisy" was the nickname of the woman who founded Girl Scouting in the United States. She loved her country, and the world and wanted every girl to be the best that she could be. I hope through our troop activities this year that you will have fun and learn to be the best you can be.

Congratulation and welcome

A TREE FOR THE FUTURE

The following is an idea for a Bridging Ceremony that is appropriate for program level by itself, or where several levels are bridging together. You can make it suit your needs.

Supplies:

An oak tree drawn on poster board and cut into pieces to include: acorn, roots, trunk, branches and leaves (put rolled pieces of tape on back).
Large Poster board (or you can use blank wall for mounting tree)

CEREMONY

Acorn:

Just as an acorn is the beginning of a majestic oak tree, so is Daisy Girl Scouting the beginning of adventures in the Five Worlds of Interest. (Place acorn)

Roots:

roots sprout from the seed and reach out into the earn to anchor the tree and seek nourishment. Brownie Girl Scouting is the root of our organization. It provides a firm foundation of growth through the completion of Try-Its patches in the Five worlds of interest. (Place roots) NOTE: The roots should have five sections representing the Five Worlds of Interest. You might write one world on each section of the root.)

Trunk:

Just as a tree trunk reaches up from the ground and into the world, so do Junior Girl Scouts reach out further into their world by earning badges and signs. (Place trunk)

Branches:

A tree’s branches allow it to spread and seek even more of the world. Cadette Girl Scouting allows a girl opportunities to seek both group and individual fulfillment though opening up many new horizons. (Place branches) NOTE: There should be seven branches, one for each part of the Girl Scout Program).

(You might write a part on each of the branches. The Silver Award should be on the center branch which should be the tallest branch).

Leaves:

Just as the leaves of a tree are its crowning glory and a source of additional nourishment, so does Senior girl Scouting top off a girl’s experience in Girl Scouts. It allows her to explore her interests while displaying a high level of skill and leadership. (Place leaves. There could be many leaves to indicate the many parts of the girl Scout Program. Write time on the leaves; add you own thoughts).

The leaf representing the Gold Award should be bigger and higher than all the rest.

If you have Senior Girl Scouts bridging to Adult Girl Scouting, give them acorns so that they may go out and start the program all over again for the other girls. They could come out and tell the other what her plans are now that she is out of school, such as college plans, girl scout plans, etc. Have them write a wish for the future and then place it on the tree.

NOTE: Even if you don’t have all levels in your ceremony, be sure to include all levels in your tree so the girls understand the concept of the whole program.