As we near the end of the current Girl Scout year and kick off spring renewal, it is important to take the time to reflect on the past year, celebrate the accomplishments of our girls, and look forward to what’s next. Girl Scouts have stepped up in many ways over the last months to serve their communities––whether by making masks or donating cookies to front-line workers and food pantries, these girls are truly #GirlScoutStrong!
National Bridging Week Rescheduled
For girls bridging from one Girl Scout level to the next, it is a time to celebrate! Bridging is an important and defining time in a Girl Scout’s life, whether she’s bridging from Daisy to Brownie, or Senior to Ambassador.
Each year, the first full week of May traditionally marks National Girl Scout Bridging week. Due to the unique circumstances of the current year, National Bridging Week will now take place August 1-8. Save the date!
Things look a little different this year with our current shelter-in-place orders, so we’re taking the time to make sure bridging week is as fun as it can be.
But we know that a lot of girls and troops are ready to bring this Girl Scout year to a close, so this week we’ll be sharing a few ways for you to reflect and celebrate, and look ahead at your next Girl Scout year!
- Renew your Girl Scout membership when you’re ready. When you renew by June 30 you’ll get a free patch and a ticket to our inaugural Sneaker Ball!
- Visit our GCNWI bridging page to learn about bridging awards, tips for leaders bridging, and more.
- Explore new interests with the Girl Scout Badge Explorer. You can create a wishlist of badges and share with your sister Girl Scouts and the adults in your life
- This Wednesday, watch our Facebook page to learn to make your own rainbow bridge at home, just like we have at our camps
- Purchase your Bridging Kit so you can bridge in August or any time that works for your troop
Read below to learn about our events happening this week, and check out our GCNWI Virtual Events Calendar to see everything we have planned!
This Week in Virtual Programming
Career Conversations
Every Monday at 4 p.m. | For Girl Scouts of All Ages & Adults | Webinar
Join us for our weekly Career Conversations for all ages! Each week we will host some career-expert panelists to discuss a multitude of career opportunities with our council members! Not only will they share about their experiences, but they will also be able to answer any questions you may have. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to hear about all sorts of careers!
- May 4 – STEM
- May 11 – Fine Arts
- May 18 – Service/Medical fields
- May 26 – Entrepreneur/Business/Law
- June 1 – Cooking
- June 8 – Animals
- June 15 – Technology/Digital Arts
- June 22 – Trades
Register for Career Conversations »
Mechanical Engineering: Make a Balloon Car
Tuesday, May 5 at 7 p.m. | For Girl Scout Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes (Grades 2-6) | Webinar
We’re learning about potential and kinetic energy so you can design your own balloon car! No matter what age you are, you will have some fun! This program puts Girl Scout Juniors on the path to earn the Mechanical Engineering Balloon Car Badge.
Happy Box Live
Wednesday, May 6 at 4 p.m. | All Ages | Webinar
In times like these, we feel a lot of emotions and we can feel them more intensely than we usually do. That is where a Happy Box comes in! A Happy Box is a collection of items like toys, coloring books, stories, stuffed animals and more to relieve stress, anxiety, distress and any strong emotions we may feel.
Watch the Happy Box video tutorial for all the steps on making your own Happy Box! After you build it, join us in sharing our items with other Girl Scouts and council-members on this webinar!
Watch the Happy Box video tutorial »
Register for Happy Box Live »
Older Girl Hangout
Every Thursday at 4 p.m. | For Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (Grades 9-12) | Webinar
Older girls, join one or all of our weekly hangouts to interact with other older Girl Scouts to talk about anything and everything. Each week we’ll have a different topic, then you’ll get to guide the discussion and activities.
Register for the weekly hangout »
Fun with Composting!
Friday, May 8 at 4 p.m. | For Girl Scout Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes (Grades 2-8) | Webinar
Interested in learning about composting with worms? Worms play a super important role in our ecosystems: they break down dead organic matter and turn it into nutrient rich soil! Learn about the importance of worms for our food system and environment, how to care for them, and what you can grow with their “vermicompost” (or worm poop)! Join Plant Chicago’s Education Manager, Kassie H. to explore the wonderful world of worms!