The new frontier of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is already here, and girls are taking the lead. With 24 new badges in areas like automotive engineering and entrepreneurship, Girl Scouts are more ready than ever to take on the world and shake up the status quo.
The STEM Career Exploration badges for Girl Scouts in grades 2-8, funded by IF/THEN, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies, are perfect for girls interested in breaking the mold in the world of STEM. Read on to learn more about these badges!
Explore Careers in STEM!
With the STEM Career Exploration badges, Girl Scout Brownies and Juniors (grades 2-5) will dig into their own interests and consider how these can became a career in the future. They’ll take a look at different fields in STEM, exploring careers in each field, and learning how STEM can make the world a better place. They’ll also brainstorm ways to build their own career paths!
Cadette girls will take this knowledge to the next level and explore how they want to make a difference in the world or their community, learn more about the various career opportunities in STEM industries, and build their own path to success, deciding how they can develop a future career in STEM. The girls will then make a plan and share their goals with others who can motivate and sustain their ambitions!
Let National Gold Award Girl Scout Therese inspire you to pursue your biggest STEM dreams! Her passion for data sharing and social justice makes her an exceptional young leader to follow.
Girl Scout Rachel and Cook County Circuit Court Judge Patricia M. Fallon during a Zoom conversation with girls from Service Unit 406
When Girl Scouts of USA released their 24 new badges, including badges on Democracy and civic engagement, Service Unit 406 Managers Carrie Parsons and Selena Randecker saw the opportunity to respond to 2020’s unexpected turns. The new Democracy badges require girls to engage directly with their local political representatives to learn more about the democratic process, and this year, civic engagement is more important than ever.
Thus, Carrie and Selena’s “brain-child” was born, a series of programming for over 80 troops to meet over Zoom with four major mayors in their area, as well as Judge Patricia Fallon, and two lawyers. The meetings, led by the girls, consisted of question and answer sessions with the representatives, and they were a huge hit, drawing over 100 girls for some meetings. Girls took charge and asked their mayors questions on everything from election processes to favorite ice cream flavors.
“The girls are paying attention and want answers,” Service Unit Manager Selena said. “They really wanted to know the details” of the political process, and this level of engagement speaks volumes to her. “It’s amazing what ideas the girls have, and what they can do.” For girls who are too young to vote, but want to take political action and use their voice, Service Unit Manager Carrie says “You can still make a difference, and don’t ever think you can’t. Your ideas matter.”
“One person and one voice can make a difference.”
Judge Patricia Fallon, currently running for Circuit Court Judge, 12th Judicial Subcircuit, was excited to engage with a group of politically-minded Girl Scouts for one of the Q&A sessions. Being service-minded her entire career, she has always admired the Girl Scouts organization and thought their questions were thoughtful, intriguing, and pointed to a strong intuitive understanding of law.
Speaking to the importance of young women’s engagement “I think it’s crucial for all young people to know how their government works, and carry a mindset of service and citizenship” because “they do have the power to effect positive change.” You may not appreciate the difference you can make– Judge Fallon asserts “one person or one small group can make such a tremendous difference.”
Girl Scout Ameenah, a Girl Delegate for their service unit and moderator for the meeting with Hoffman Estates mayor William D. McLeod, agrees that civic engagement is essential: “We should care about what’s happening,” she explains, “because this is our world, the world we’re going to inherit one day.” Girl Scout Rachel, who moderated the Q&A with Judge Fallon, succinctly quoted Girl Scout alumna Tyra Banks: “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain about the outcome.”
After hearing from these inspiring women and girls, it’s clear what we all need to do: stand up and speak out! Thank you to everyone who shared their story with us!
Earn the Democracy Badges!
Civic engagement is just one way Girl Scouts advocate for positive change and make the world a better place. And though some girls may be too young to cast a ballot, they can still mobilize their communities to take action. Funded by the Citi Foundation, the new Democracy badges for all ages of Girl Scouts will help politically-minded girls be more prepared than ever to vote, act, and blaze trails.
Girls of all ages interested in continuing their political education should also check out the Girl Scout Suffrage Centennial patch, which gives girls and troops a chance to explore the important history of the fight for gender and racial justice and voting rights in the United States.
Share Your Story!
For a chance to have your story heard by people all over our council, submit on our website! We love to feature what our Girl Scouts, members and volunteers are doing!
Girl Scouts may interact with women and men in elected positions as they earn components of their non-partisan civics and democracy badges. Girl Scouting does not endorse any specific candidate or issue.
24 new badges, 24 new opportunities for girls to blaze trails, and turn their big ideas into awesome realities!
These badges, funded by Susan Bulkeley Butler and designed in collaboration with VentureLab, are designed to support girls in the area of entrepreneurship! Entrepreneurship is a pillar of the Girl Scout Leadership experience, and with these new badges for girls in grades K-12, every Girl Scout is invited to start their big business journey by putting their vision, passion, and innovation to work.
Learn all about the Entrepreneurship badges from GSUSA!
Entrepreneurship for Younger Girls
The new Entrepreneur badges for younger Girl Scouts (K-5) are sure to set girls on a path to success! Girls will learn how to think like entrepreneurs by designing and testing their own toys and dreaming up inventions and prototypes that make life better and solve problems in their communities. The badges also require Girl Scouts to take these inventions to market with their troopmates, friends, and family!
Older Girl Scouts (6-12) will take their business know-how to the next level with these badges, exploring what it takes to turn an idea into a marketable and profitable endeavor. By brainstorming and connecting with experts in the field, conducting focus group surveys, and researching competitors, then pitching their idea to marketing and finance professionals, girls will come out of the experience ready for any “shark tank.”
Our Fall Product Program is about to start on Thursday, Oct. 1! Don’t miss out on your chance to participate and earn awesome rewards AND a personalized patch with YOUR name and avatar on it!
Watch your inbox for more information to be released soon!
Have you heard? 24 new badges are here from GSUSA, and they’re designed to help girls of all ages reach their potential and become fierce leaders of the future!
Civic engagement is just one way Girl Scouts advocate for positive change and make the world a better place. And though some girls may be too young to cast a ballot, they can still mobilize their communities to take action. Funded by the Citi Foundation, the new Democracy badges for all ages of Girl Scouts will help politically-minded girls be more prepared than ever to vote, act, and blaze trails.
Learn more about the new Democracy badges from GSUSA!
Democracy for Younger Girls
The Democracy badges for Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors lay the groundwork for girls to understand both local and national government, what they are responsible for, and how they make large-scale changes throughout the country. The badges will also require them to explore political issues that interest them, draft legislature, and debate their friends and family!
As well as exploring the structure of the United States government at the state and federal levels, the Democracy badges for Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors continue the work of growing political awareness and civic engagement. Girls will research key legislators in their state, the importance of voter turnout, and more, as well as develop ideas for service projects.
Girls of all ages interested in continuing their political education should also check out the Girl Scout Suffrage Centennial patch, which gives girls and troops a chance to explore the important history of the fight for gender and racial justice and voting rights in the United States.
By now, you should already know all about our 24 NEW Girl Scout Badges, and if you haven’t check out our announcement!
There’s never been a better time for girls to practice strong leadership, learn new skills, and nurture their budding self-confidence. And with 9 new badges in Automotive Engineering for girls in grades K-5, industrious Girl Scouts looking for new challenges will be ready to take on the world like never before.
Read on to learn about our new Automotive Engineering badges for Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors!
Automotive Engineering for Daisies
Daisies looking for an introduction to car manufacturing, design, and engineering should look to our new badges made just for them. Girl Scouts, in the Automotive Engineering badge series, have the chance to learn the parts of vehicles, how to sketch, sculpt, and test prototypes, create engineering plans, and even learn about and make their own assembly lines!
The engineering fun doesn’t stop there! Girl Scout Brownies, for their Automotive Engineering badges, will explore transportation and mobility, simple and compound machines, efficiency, and quality assurance. The girls will expand upon these lessons by building engineering plans and prototypes for emergency vehicles!
Juniors ready to take their car smarts to the next level should try out these new badges, where they’ll explore the future of mobility and automotive design. Girls will learn about specialized vehicles, market research, and environmental sustainability, culminating in an engineering plan for an alternative fuel vehicle!
The importance of teaching girls and young women the skills to take their interests from dreams to reality cannot be understated. To empower girls with the ability to make waves in male-dominated industries: this is the Girl Scout Mission, and these badges are just the start!
BIG NEWS: 24 NEW Girl Scout badges are officially here!
From topics like automotive engineering and STEM careers to civics, education, and entrepreneurship, these badges prioritize preparing the next generation of girls of all ages to face the challenges of the future!
These new exclusive badges designed to help girls practice ambitious leadership in the crucial areas of automotive engineering, STEM career exploration, entrepreneurship, and civics, many of which remain male-dominated. In a year of unprecedented global change, our country’s need for strong, broad-minded, and decisive leadership has never been greater.
Among these new badges is also the second annual Girl Scout Cyber Challenge!
Every Girl Scout knows a badge is more than a badge–– a badge is an opportunity to learn something new, make personal or social change, and spark joy. Read on to learn about our new opportunities and check out these new badges from GSUSA!
The Brand New Badges
New for girls in grades K-12:
All Girl Scouts in grades K–12 will have the opportunity to earn brand-new badges in Entrepreneurship, STEM, Automotive Engineering, Civics, and the Girl Scout Cyber Challenge.
Six Entrepreneurship Badges
Funded by Susan Bulkeley Butler
Girls in grades K-12 have the chance to turn their business or product dreams into amazing realities with six brand-new Entrepreneurship badges! These badges will help Girl Scouts of all ages kick-start their ideas into actions!
Three STEM Career Exploration Games
Funded by IF/THEN, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies
Girls in grades 2-8 interested in exploring STEM careers can now do so with these new badges! Girl Scouts who complete these badges will learn about six different STEM fields and build their own path to a STEM career in the future.
Nine Automotive Engineering Badges
Funded by General Motors
These awesome new Automotive Engineering Badges give girls in grades K-5 the awesome opportunity to learn all about the engineering, design, and manufacturing of vehicles! These badges are perfect for the industrious Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors up for a challenge.
Six New Civics Badges
Funded by Citi Foundation
Brand new for Girl Scouts of all ages, girls now have the chance to earn the Democracy badge, where they’ll gain detailed knowledge of local, state, and federal government and how to make a difference for causes they care about using political advocacy.
Girl Scout Cyber Challenge
Funded by Raytheon Technologies
Beginning this summer, all councils will also have the opportunity to host their own Girl Scout Cyber Challenge sponsored by Raytheon Technologies, enabling middle and high school girls to learn crucial cybersecurity skills as they compete in challenges such as running traceroutes and identifying phishing schemes!
These new badges give girls the opportunity to influence and experience the world in their own unique way. From snow mountain adventures to coding lessons to space science, the new Girl Scout badges help girls move beyond their comfort zones, make their own choices, and build their confidence!
Among these new badges are the Outdoor High Adventure badges that feature, for the first time in Girl Scouts’ history, two different activity options, letting girls choose how they want to earn each badge!
Every badge is an opportunity to discover something new and become inspired. We are so happy to share these new badges that let girls build new skills, make choices, positively impact their communities, and have a good time while they’re at it!
Girls in grades K-12 can learn the basics of coding, algorithms, game design, and app development. Every Coding for Good badge includes a plugged-in and unplugged version, so all girls can learn regardless of their access to technology.
The new Outdoor High Adventure badges are designed for girls K-12 to explore adventures like backpacking, snowshoeing, skiing, rock and tree climbing. These are the first Girl Scout badges that members can earn by choosing one of two self-directed paths.
Through earning the new Cybersecurity badges, girls in grades 6-12 can learn about the inner workings of computer technology and cybersecurity, and apply concepts of safety and protection to the technology they use every day. Activities include decryption and encryption, proper protection methods for devices, and real-world hacking scenarios.
The new Space Science badges give girls in grades 6-12 the opportunity to explore the universe and their place in it, properties of light, and careers in space science.
In the Think Like a Citizen Scientist Journey, girls participate in interactive activities to practice observation techniques, collect data, and share their findings with real-world scientists through an online network. As with all of Girl Scouts’ Leadership Journeys, girls use their newly honed skills to take action on a community issue of their choosing.
To prepare girls in grades 6–12 to pursue computer science careers, Girl Scouts will launch the organization’s first Cyber Challenge events in select areas this fall. At these events, taking place October 19, girls will learn crucial cybersecurity skills by completing challenges, such as running trace routes and identifying phishing schemes.
From the CEOs
“Girl Scouts continues to be at the forefront of innovative programs for the girls of today who will soon be the leaders of tomorrow,” said GSGCNWI CEO, Nancy Wright. “Our council is proud to be able to bring these unique badges and activity opportunities to the girls in our region as they work to build their own courage, confidence, and character at their own pace, in a safe and welcoming space.”
“Girl Scouts has ignited the power and potential of girls for over a century, and we are committed to ensuring that today’s girls are the future of American leadership,” said GSUSA CEO Sylvia Acevedo. “Girl Scouts is where girls can explore new subjects, discover their passions, learn to take smart risks, and become their best, most confident selves—whether they want to become a NASA astronaut, an entrepreneur, a rock climber, a coder, or a cybersecurity agent.”
At Girl Scouts, girls discover their passions and what they want to achieve, both today and in the future. These 42 new badges aim to help them learn, grow, and lead!
* “Reaching for the Stars: NASA Science for Girl Scouts” is based upon work supported by NASA Science under cooperative agreement No. NNX16AB90A. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Last summer, GSUSA released new STEM badges nationally. There are new badges and journeys for each level of Girl Scouts. Six of the new awards are Mechanical Engineering badges, where girls explore the engineering process with fun, hands-on activities. These badges are unique because they approach STEM in a new way using trial and error as a main focus. The girls are encouraged to make mistakes, and then try again and again, as they learn how to become innovators and problem solvers.
The six new Mechanical Engineering Badges are all described in detail on the Volunteer Toolkit:
Daisy Board Game Design Challenge
Daisy Model Car Design Challenge
Daisy Roller Coaster Design Challenge
Brownie Fling Flier Design Challenge
Brownie Leap Bot Design Challenge
Brownie Race Car Design Challenge
What are the GoldieBlox kits?
GSUSA partnered with GoldieBlox to offer custom kits that troops could use to earn their Mechanical Engineering badges. Each kit contains all of the materials necessary to earn any of the three Daisy Mechanical Engineering badges and the three Brownie Mechanical Engineering badges. The kit contains pieces that snap, click, or link together that girls use to create innovative new designs.
What is the availability of GoldieBlox kits?
Last year, GSUSA partnered with GoldieBlox to offer specially priced kits that troops could use to earn their Mechanical Engineering badges. Due to supply chain limitations, Girl Scouts can no longer order the kits. However, the kits that troops and councils have already purchased can still be used to complete the Mechanical Engineering badges. Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GSGCNWI) purchased GoldieBlox kits, and these kits are now available for you to rent!
How will girls earn their Mechanical Engineering badges if they don’t have GoldieBlox kits?
GSUSA has created “unplugged” or “DIY” Mechanical Engineering badge requirements for Daisies and Brownies. (“Unplugged” or “DIY” means that the activities can be done with common household objects rather than a special kit.)
Plus, GSGCNWI ordered GoldieBlox kits that you can rent! Here are the details about how to rent a kit:
Visit a GSGCNWI Shop and complete a rental agreement.
Rent a kit from GSGCNWI for four (4) weeks at the discounted price of $35.
Get access to all the kit’s pieces needed to complete the the Mechanical Engineering badges for a Daisy or Brownie troop of up to 12 girls.
You can even save yourself a trip and buy the badges while you rent your kit.
Now Daisies and Brownies will have three options for earning their Mechanical Engineering badges:
They can use the unplugged/DIY version. The directions for the DIY version are on the Volunteer Toolkit online.
They can rent a GoldieBlox kit from a GSGCNWI Shop location.
They can use GoldieBlox kits if they already have them.
How can volunteers and girls get the new DIY requirements?
PDFs of the new DIY requirements are posted on the Volunteer Toolkit online.
How can volunteers get the current GoldieBlox requirements?
Troop leaders who have GoldieBlox kits can find the current GoldieBlox badge requirements on the Volunteer Toolkit. The current GoldieBlox badge requirements and physical badges are not included in the GoldieBlox kits.
What about the physical badges?
The physical badges will remain the same for Daisies and Brownies. They can be purchased at any GSGCNWI Shop location and online.
And a final note…
We’re grateful to GoldieBlox for their collaboration and for their diligent efforts to find a solution to the inventory issue. As engineers say: Let’s try something new. We will either succeed or we will learn something. We succeeded in creating new STEM badges that are fun for girls to earn and easy for volunteers to facilitate. We learned a great deal about meeting demand for program-related products. We’ll use that knowledge as we continue to test new ways to give girls a great STEM experience.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have questions, please contact:
Council Programming and GoldiBlox Rental: Rose Coughlen, Manager of STEAM Programming, 312.912.6309 or RCoughlen@girlscoutsgcnwi.org
GSUSA partnered with GoldieBlox to offer custom kits that troops could use to earn their Mechanical Engineering badges. Each kit contains all of the materials necessary to earn any of the three Daisy Mechanical Engineering badges and the three Brownie Mechanical Engineering badges. The kit contains pieces that snap, click, or link together that girls use to create innovative new designs.