Parents

Frequently Asked Questions

At what age can my daughter join Girl Scouting?

Any girl from kindergarten through grade 12 can join Girl Scouts.

After girls join, they team up in the following grade levels:

What does it cost to join?

Membership dues are $20 for the Girl Scout year which runs from October 1 through September 30. In addition, the troop may set a dues amount to be collected on a regular basis, usually weekly or monthly. Girls, along with their leaders and parents, decide how much and how often they will pay dues to the troop treasury. Troop dues typically cover supplies, badges, patches and field trips.

What do the $20 Membership dues cover?

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) annual membership dues are $12 and Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan (GSHOM) dues are $8 for both girls and adults. GSUSA, the national organization uses the $12 to pay for accident insurance for members, program research, new resources, training and limited services to local councils. The GSHOM $8 dues are used to provide local services, events, programs, council publications and support. Girl Scouting is more important now, than ever, empowering girls to make a difference in their community. The $8 local registration will help ensure that council support is available to keep Girl Scouting strong.

What if finances are a barrier?

Girl Scouts is for all girls, regardless of financial resources. Financial assistance is available for membership dues assistance, program events, camp and uniforms. Click here to access our financial assistance forms.

How does a girl become a member of Girl Scouting?

Girl Scouts offers several "pathways" in which girls can participate.

My daughter's schedule doesn't permit her joining a troop. Can she still earn badges or awards?

Yes! While a Girl Scout troop provides girls with progressive badge and award experiences, there are many pathways such as camp, events, travel and product program sales that allow girls to acquire the leadership skills or requirements for these recognitions. Girls who are not affiliated with a specific troop are called Juliettes. Juliettes are able to participate as their schedule allows. Click here to learn more about Juliette Girl Scouting.

Does my daughter need a uniform?

Girls are NOT required to have uniforms, however all registered members are entitled to wear them. Girl Scouts wear uniforms show their pride in belonging to the preeminent organization for girls.

Where do I buy uniforms and other Girl Scout merchandise?

We have six convenient ways to shop! Visit one of our six council shops, shop online, order by mail, phone or fax. View a list of Girl Scout Shop locations.

How do I know if Girl Scouts is a good match with our family's values, heritage or traditions?

The Girl Scout mission - building girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place -- guided by the Girl Scout Promise and Law is what defines the Girl Scout Movement. The Girl Scout Law clearly spells out our values: honesty, fairness, friendship, consideration, caring for others, courage, strength, responsibility and respect, both for oneself and for authority. We regard these values as a solid basis for a life of leadership, integrity and service.

Of all of the activities available to my child, why Girl Scouts?

Girl Scouts understands that girls have unique needs that are best met in a program designed specifically for them and delivered in an all-girl setting. Research tells us that a girl's leadership blooms when she's among other girls, away from school pressures, social cliques and boys. It's then that she is in a place where she can be herself and take on new challenges. All Girl Scout activities are girl-led, where each girl learns by doing, and the learning is cooperative, not competitive. Adults mentor girls and model skills, behaviors, relationships and careers that girls can emulate.

Girl Scouts has developed an exciting model that meets every one of these needs-it's called the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE). Everything girls do in Girl Scouting is infused with the GSLE, which shows girls how to discover who they are and what they stand for, connect with vibrant and diverse peers in their own neighborhoods and around the globe, and together take action to make a difference in the world, inspiring and advocating for others along the way. The GSLE identifies fifteen exciting outcomes/benefits for girls, all of which propel girls toward becoming the exceptional women they were born to be.

I want my child to have the very best Girl Scout experience. How can I help make this possible?

There are many ways you can help. Sure, the girls are first in Girl Scouting, but as the adult members can attest, there's fun in it for adults, too! A successful Girl Scout year depends on involved parents. Here is a list of ways you can help. Don't limit yourself to this list. If you see a way you can be helpful, let your troop leader know. We encourage dads to get involved too! Volunteer opportunities with Girl Scouts grow adults that are strong and wise.

If your daughter is part of a troop you can:

  • Sponsor a troop through your business, church, school or civic organization. Sponsors can provide almost anything, from a meeting place, money or a van for a field trip.
  • Attend one or two field trips and help with the transportation.
  • Buy groceries for camp outings or agree to bring a meeting snack once a year. Talk to other parents about doing the same. Help organize donations to offset the troop expenses.
  • Offer to do the troop phone calls, copy or translate materials. Any skills you have can help the troop!
  • Help with a Girl Scout cookie booth sale.
  • Be a parent helper at one or two meetings a year. You can help provide activities, serve as a consultant on try-its or badges or volunteer to be a program resource for the troop.
  • Attend all parent meetings.
  • Help by being the cookie parent (a job many dads enjoy!), treasurer, or take the council's outdoor training and be the camp-certified person for your daughter's troop.
  • Talk to your troop leader and let her know you're willing to help and find out how you can contribute to the troop (for example, offer special skills you may have such as first-aider or lifeguard).
  • Just do it. Join the troop leadership team! Take an hour a week and you will enjoy watching her grow as a leader, as a member of the team and as a girl. Sure, the girl comes first in Girl Scouting, but as the adult members can attest, there is a lot of fun in it for grown-ups, too.

If your daughter is registered individually:

Take time with her to plan the events and workshops available in The Source that are best suited to her interests, goals and abilities. You can also become involved at the local level-planning or participating in special events in which girls in troops and girls registered individually can have fun together. Contact the Juliette coordinator to learn more about local events.

More information about volunteering:

Adult volunteers are the driving force behind Girl Scouting. Without them, the Girl Scout program would be impossible to sustain. Adult volunteers serve in a variety of positions, such as troop leaders, registrars and adult educators. They are given education and support to make their volunteer contribution one that is personally meaningful. Volunteers build skills, share talents, meet other adults with common interests, try new experiences, have fun and spend quality time with girls. Volunteer opportunities are open to both women and men ages 18 and older in Girl Scouting. Click here to discover the possibilities.