GIRLtopia Journey Reminders and announcements Summer 2019
DAY 1 - Session GT-6 June 18
Our Journey will be Tues - Friday - June 18,19,20, 21 9AM -12PM
The location & troop check in info was sent by email to you or your leaders. Email me if you don't have it. See envelope email icon above (web view) below (mobile view)
Paperwork and check in
EXPRESS CHECK IN If you mailed all required paperwork at the first session, you can go to EXPRESS CHECK IN to pick up your patches & books. Skip down to RESPONSIBLE ADULT INFO
REGULAR CHECK IN If you are bringing your forms - Health History, Permission slip & photo release on the first day, please read the following.
Download required paperwork Please make sure that you make sure that you can open them before the first day, so that you can contact me early if there is a problem. (Please don't call me at midnight the night before the journey with paperwork questions ---and yes that has happened!)
The password to the REQUIRED PAPERWORK page was emailed to you or your leader. If you don't have the password, please check your email, contact your leader or contact me.
REQUIRED PAPERWORK To the first session please bring:
Please email the names of adults who are planning to stay & the dates they are available. Indicate if the adult plans to stay or is only available if needed or as backup.
If I am lucky enough to have too many volunteers, I will set up a schedule that divides it between troops.
My goal is to give responsible adults a schedule so they can plan ahead. Let me know as soon as you can.
Checklist of additional items to bring
SAVE THE DATE FINAL SESSION – Feb 24 Please join us for:
Girltopia Art Show - Exact time TBA, most likely 2:45 or 3 PM. The girls will also be hosting an art show of their Create-it Art Projects.
Leader/Parent talk re: Take Action Project follow up/Gold Award (3:30 PM) A troop leader (or parent, if troop leader not present) from each troop is required from 3:30 - 4 for info on Take Action Project completion & Gold Award. If you have any questions about this please email me.
SNACKS We will be providing snack, around 2:30 Please make sure the girls eat lunch before the workshop.
PICKUP - DROP OFF Sessions are held from 1 - 4. Please arrive at least 5 minutes early & pickup on time.
Links to webpages for current GIRLtopia Participants
For girls http://www.workshops4girls.com/girltopia---girl-page.html
This page contains the activities the girls are asked to complete between sessions. If they say they don’t have anything to do – double check here ! :)
ANY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS
If you have scheduling issues or personal concerns that you need to discuss with me, please email or text prior to our session or ask me as I clean up.
Our Journey will be Tues - Friday - June 18,19,20, 21 9AM -12PM
The location & troop check in info was sent by email to you or your leaders. Email me if you don't have it. See envelope email icon above (web view) below (mobile view)
Paperwork and check in
EXPRESS CHECK IN If you mailed all required paperwork at the first session, you can go to EXPRESS CHECK IN to pick up your patches & books. Skip down to RESPONSIBLE ADULT INFO
REGULAR CHECK IN If you are bringing your forms - Health History, Permission slip & photo release on the first day, please read the following.
Download required paperwork Please make sure that you make sure that you can open them before the first day, so that you can contact me early if there is a problem. (Please don't call me at midnight the night before the journey with paperwork questions ---and yes that has happened!)
The password to the REQUIRED PAPERWORK page was emailed to you or your leader. If you don't have the password, please check your email, contact your leader or contact me.
REQUIRED PAPERWORK To the first session please bring:
- Completed Health History form (copies are OK) It requires two signatures.
- GT-6 Permission slip. Make sure your daughter’s troop number and name are on the permission form & that it is signed. Make sure it prints correctly. If it prints incorrectly, download it as a PDF before you print. It might not print from preview mode.
- Photo Release form.
IMPORTANT It is required that each girl provide the listed Permission Slips and Health History form. If the appropriate paperwork is not turned in, the girl will not be permitted to stay. - RESPONSIBLE ADULT INFO – HELP NEEDED !
Please email the names of adults who are planning to stay & the dates they are available. Indicate if the adult plans to stay or is only available if needed or as backup.
If I am lucky enough to have too many volunteers, I will set up a schedule that divides it between troops.
My goal is to give responsible adults a schedule so they can plan ahead. Let me know as soon as you can.
Checklist of additional items to bring
- Girltopia Book If you purchased one from us, it will be provided to you day 1.
- • Water bottle with name on it.
- • A small backpack or bag to store your book, jacket, water bottle etc
- • Any activities you were asked to complete, if applicable (sessions 2, 3 & 4)
SAVE THE DATE FINAL SESSION – Feb 24 Please join us for:
Girltopia Art Show - Exact time TBA, most likely 2:45 or 3 PM. The girls will also be hosting an art show of their Create-it Art Projects.
Leader/Parent talk re: Take Action Project follow up/Gold Award (3:30 PM) A troop leader (or parent, if troop leader not present) from each troop is required from 3:30 - 4 for info on Take Action Project completion & Gold Award. If you have any questions about this please email me.
SNACKS We will be providing snack, around 2:30 Please make sure the girls eat lunch before the workshop.
PICKUP - DROP OFF Sessions are held from 1 - 4. Please arrive at least 5 minutes early & pickup on time.
Links to webpages for current GIRLtopia Participants
For girls http://www.workshops4girls.com/girltopia---girl-page.html
This page contains the activities the girls are asked to complete between sessions. If they say they don’t have anything to do – double check here ! :)
ANY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS
If you have scheduling issues or personal concerns that you need to discuss with me, please email or text prior to our session or ask me as I clean up.
2019 posts stop here.
The following are posts are subject to change.
Reminders and announcements from previous sessions follow
Announcements before day 2
Last session the girls earned their Guide-it by teaching part of the journey to the group.
This is what the girls were asked to do before session # 2
Send along with short description of why you think it’s important to workshops4girls@gmail.com
or
send the pin through the Pinterest app (including your description) Username workshops4girls
If the girls need help on sending it they can find tips here.
CHECKLIST of times to bring SESSION 2
1. Journey book
2. Water bottle WITH NAME ON IT.
3. A small bag it to store their stuff.
Last session the girls earned their Guide-it by teaching part of the journey to the group.
This is what the girls were asked to do before session # 2
- Read pages 1 – 18, 29 - 41 (We already covered many of them in our session)
- Complete page 16. In an ideal world… ( to be used for opening activity)
- Complete p 53 – Guide-it. The Guide-it was the activity at session # 1 where you & your group spoke, ran an activity or presented about info in the book. Instead of using this page as a planning sheet, list your topic, what you learned & if you were satisfied with your presentation. If you weren’t satisfied, write down what you would change.
- Contribute to the Girltopia Pinterest page - Please send it no later than by Saturday Jan 20 1 at 5PM . Earlier is preferred
- https://www.pinterest.com/workshops4girls/
Send along with short description of why you think it’s important to workshops4girls@gmail.com
or
send the pin through the Pinterest app (including your description) Username workshops4girls
If the girls need help on sending it they can find tips here.
CHECKLIST of times to bring SESSION 2
1. Journey book
2. Water bottle WITH NAME ON IT.
3. A small bag it to store their stuff.
Follow up - Announcements after day 3
This is a session # 3 follow up. This post focuses mainly on the Take Action Project Plans. There is a master list of groups/issues & feedback at the end of this email.
Expect an email about a week before our final session with more info about our last day schedule (including the art show (2:50 PM) & leader talk about project follow up/ Gold/badge ties ins (last half hour of session )
What happened last session ?
On Sunday, the girls chose their issues & began to develop their Girltopia Take Action Project written plan. (It’s called the Change-it project in their book.)
For her reference, each girl was given an extra blank project plan, a sample “Leader Guide” to what good answers look like & a sheet explaining what was expected by next session.
Each project group (or girl, if working alone) was assigned a project # & given an additional blank project plan to fill out. There was one written plan per group. Your daughter or troop may have showed you the hard copy of their plan.
What should the girls be doing between sessions?
The girls should use the month between sessions to do research, contact adults or agencies to help or advise them, set goals, plan activities (if they are planning presentations), write scripts. These things can be added to their finalized plan..
The plan needs to be sent to me by email or as a shared doc (for groups) by Sat. Nov. 12 at 5PM. The earlier they send it to me the better, as I will provide feedback. For groups, I suggest they load their plan to Google docs or a similar file sharing system to they can all contribute. It is also an easy way to share it with me.
What should be done by the final session? (a copy of this list was given to each girl)
• CREATE-IT ART PROJECT Complete, if not done. Bring, along with short written description, ready to share at art show. (You can email/text me the description ahead of time.)
• Fill out p 28 Reflection on Create-it.
• Fill out p 94 Take Action Statement.
• TAKE ACTION PROJECT PLAN - Add final details to Take Action Project planning sheet I gave you. Use the guide on pages 80-81 as well as the Leader Guide to answers that I gave you.
Send me the finalized plan by 5 PM the Saturday Nov 12. You can email me a copy, or text a photo. Bring the original with you for “interview”. For groups – I only need one copy of the plan. I suggest putting your plan in a Google doc so you can all add to it. You can share it with me that way. Workshops4girls@gmail.com
• ELEVATOR SPEECH - Practice your individual “elevator speech” to be ready to give it to an adult. You can use the prompt paper I gave you or the Take Action Statement page 94 of your Girltopia book.
15 – 30 second “elevator speech”
Your “speech” should answer the following question. What are you doing for your Journey Take Action Project?
You can use these prompts or write your own!
The issue I’ve chosen for my Journey Take Action Project is:
The reason I chose this issue is:
The steps I will take to complete my project are:
The result I hope to have is:
The following is for girls who haven’t picked their issue yet or changed their mind. They are also good tips for choosing Gold Issues.
How to choose a Girltopia Take Action Project
Tips for helping the girls. Resources to explore. Questions to ask.
We spent the first two days of the session exploring issues.
Day 1 – The girls divided the book into sections & did presentations – did any of the topics there spark their interest?
Day 2 – We spent sharing info on the Girltopia Pinterest page & expanding Take Action Project examples from the book.
ONLINE RESOURCES Have them look at the Pinterest Girltopia page. Explore the pins in depth. They can also look at the Mission Sisterhood Pinterest page & the Mission Sisterhood pages on this website. There is some overlap on issues & since I’ve run MS many more times, I have more girls example projects
BOOK RESOURCES
Each group covered a different type of sample ideas. This is a list of the pages we covered.
1. Homelessness,2 hunger in third world countries 3 & 4 Lack of cultural identity & support 5 negative media stereotypes or messages 6 LGBT harassment 7 Advocating for a park
8 various – global to local 9 sexual harassment
1. Page 39 – Taking action with confidence. – create website for homeless non profit
2. Page 39 – Helping the world right from home – science research/hunger - superfood
3. Page 60 - Reuniting kids with their culture – adopted kids from China
4. Page 60 – Letting girls really belong – cultural identity & support Muslim teens
5. Page 77 – Indignation about disrespectful music/radio - create a project
6. Page 54 (Leader Guide) LGBT harassment in schools
7. Page 54 (Leader Guide) Better use of public space Advocating for a park
8. Page 76 – Think globally act locally - Animals, education, global poverty /leadership .
- or Ideas for taking action
Use book questions or different description
Page 74 - Sexual harassment - Case of the boys in the hall
If they are still undecided how do they narrow it down to an issue?
Girls - Ask yourself
If you had 100 volunteers – where would you send them ?
What makes you cry or feel choked up when you hear about it ?
What makes you indignant or outraged ?
What do you see in your community that you wish someone would fix?
Where is your heart ? What is the thing you value most ?
What are your strengths ? How could they be used to make the world a better place?
Is there something you have more knowledge or experience with than most people ?
How could you expand on that to educate people & advocate for change ?
What would you tell your younger self ? What do you wish you knew in elementary or middle school ?
Once you pick an issue think about what the root cause of the issue is. There may be more than one. Pick one that you think you could tackle.
This is a session # 3 follow up. This post focuses mainly on the Take Action Project Plans. There is a master list of groups/issues & feedback at the end of this email.
Expect an email about a week before our final session with more info about our last day schedule (including the art show (2:50 PM) & leader talk about project follow up/ Gold/badge ties ins (last half hour of session )
What happened last session ?
On Sunday, the girls chose their issues & began to develop their Girltopia Take Action Project written plan. (It’s called the Change-it project in their book.)
For her reference, each girl was given an extra blank project plan, a sample “Leader Guide” to what good answers look like & a sheet explaining what was expected by next session.
Each project group (or girl, if working alone) was assigned a project # & given an additional blank project plan to fill out. There was one written plan per group. Your daughter or troop may have showed you the hard copy of their plan.
What should the girls be doing between sessions?
The girls should use the month between sessions to do research, contact adults or agencies to help or advise them, set goals, plan activities (if they are planning presentations), write scripts. These things can be added to their finalized plan..
The plan needs to be sent to me by email or as a shared doc (for groups) by Sat. Nov. 12 at 5PM. The earlier they send it to me the better, as I will provide feedback. For groups, I suggest they load their plan to Google docs or a similar file sharing system to they can all contribute. It is also an easy way to share it with me.
What should be done by the final session? (a copy of this list was given to each girl)
• CREATE-IT ART PROJECT Complete, if not done. Bring, along with short written description, ready to share at art show. (You can email/text me the description ahead of time.)
• Fill out p 28 Reflection on Create-it.
• Fill out p 94 Take Action Statement.
• TAKE ACTION PROJECT PLAN - Add final details to Take Action Project planning sheet I gave you. Use the guide on pages 80-81 as well as the Leader Guide to answers that I gave you.
Send me the finalized plan by 5 PM the Saturday Nov 12. You can email me a copy, or text a photo. Bring the original with you for “interview”. For groups – I only need one copy of the plan. I suggest putting your plan in a Google doc so you can all add to it. You can share it with me that way. Workshops4girls@gmail.com
• ELEVATOR SPEECH - Practice your individual “elevator speech” to be ready to give it to an adult. You can use the prompt paper I gave you or the Take Action Statement page 94 of your Girltopia book.
15 – 30 second “elevator speech”
Your “speech” should answer the following question. What are you doing for your Journey Take Action Project?
You can use these prompts or write your own!
The issue I’ve chosen for my Journey Take Action Project is:
The reason I chose this issue is:
The steps I will take to complete my project are:
The result I hope to have is:
The following is for girls who haven’t picked their issue yet or changed their mind. They are also good tips for choosing Gold Issues.
How to choose a Girltopia Take Action Project
Tips for helping the girls. Resources to explore. Questions to ask.
We spent the first two days of the session exploring issues.
Day 1 – The girls divided the book into sections & did presentations – did any of the topics there spark their interest?
Day 2 – We spent sharing info on the Girltopia Pinterest page & expanding Take Action Project examples from the book.
ONLINE RESOURCES Have them look at the Pinterest Girltopia page. Explore the pins in depth. They can also look at the Mission Sisterhood Pinterest page & the Mission Sisterhood pages on this website. There is some overlap on issues & since I’ve run MS many more times, I have more girls example projects
BOOK RESOURCES
Each group covered a different type of sample ideas. This is a list of the pages we covered.
1. Homelessness,2 hunger in third world countries 3 & 4 Lack of cultural identity & support 5 negative media stereotypes or messages 6 LGBT harassment 7 Advocating for a park
8 various – global to local 9 sexual harassment
1. Page 39 – Taking action with confidence. – create website for homeless non profit
2. Page 39 – Helping the world right from home – science research/hunger - superfood
3. Page 60 - Reuniting kids with their culture – adopted kids from China
4. Page 60 – Letting girls really belong – cultural identity & support Muslim teens
5. Page 77 – Indignation about disrespectful music/radio - create a project
6. Page 54 (Leader Guide) LGBT harassment in schools
7. Page 54 (Leader Guide) Better use of public space Advocating for a park
8. Page 76 – Think globally act locally - Animals, education, global poverty /leadership .
- or Ideas for taking action
Use book questions or different description
Page 74 - Sexual harassment - Case of the boys in the hall
If they are still undecided how do they narrow it down to an issue?
Girls - Ask yourself
If you had 100 volunteers – where would you send them ?
What makes you cry or feel choked up when you hear about it ?
What makes you indignant or outraged ?
What do you see in your community that you wish someone would fix?
Where is your heart ? What is the thing you value most ?
What are your strengths ? How could they be used to make the world a better place?
Is there something you have more knowledge or experience with than most people ?
How could you expand on that to educate people & advocate for change ?
What would you tell your younger self ? What do you wish you knew in elementary or middle school ?
Once you pick an issue think about what the root cause of the issue is. There may be more than one. Pick one that you think you could tackle.
Announcements before day 3 (Feb. 11)
Hi Leaders & Parents,
This Sunday Oct 16 is Girltopia SESSION 3
What were the girls asked to do between sessions ?
Session # 2 follow up – before session # 3
• Read pages 19 – 27 – Inspiration for Create–it Project
• Read pages 42 – 51 Ethics
• Read pages 80- 93 - Take Action Project Process - Start narrowing down issues you want to address. _ pick three to consider.
CHECKLIST FOR girls SESSION 3
1. Journey book
2. Water bottle WITH NAME ON IT.
3. A small bag it to store their stuff.
4. Any personal art supplies they want to use.
What happens at session 3 ?
Create-it art project
The girls will be working on their Create-it art projects. It is a project, in any medium they choose, that is their vision of an ideal world for girls. The book has ideas and there are examples for other girl’s projects on my website, Pinterest page & blog.
Take Action Projects
The girls will be choosing their issues, forming their groups (or choosing to work alone) and starting on their Take Action Project plans. Please start a dialog with them about the issues they are considering. After session # 3, I will post the girls preliminary plans for you to view. Please review it to see where they might need help or guidance. I will be requiring the girls to work on their plans between session 3 & 4 & email it to me to review BEFORE session # 4. Session # 4 I will interview each group (or girl in the case of individuals) about their project.
SAVE THE DATE FINAL SESSION Nov 13.
Art show The girls will be hosting an art show of their Create-it Projects. Time TBA (probably around 2:45) It depends on how many projects they have)
3:30 – 4 LEADER/PARENT talk I will be sharing info regarding the adult role in take action project follow up and guiding your girls on to Gold.
Hi Leaders & Parents,
This Sunday Oct 16 is Girltopia SESSION 3
What were the girls asked to do between sessions ?
Session # 2 follow up – before session # 3
• Read pages 19 – 27 – Inspiration for Create–it Project
• Read pages 42 – 51 Ethics
• Read pages 80- 93 - Take Action Project Process - Start narrowing down issues you want to address. _ pick three to consider.
CHECKLIST FOR girls SESSION 3
1. Journey book
2. Water bottle WITH NAME ON IT.
3. A small bag it to store their stuff.
4. Any personal art supplies they want to use.
What happens at session 3 ?
Create-it art project
The girls will be working on their Create-it art projects. It is a project, in any medium they choose, that is their vision of an ideal world for girls. The book has ideas and there are examples for other girl’s projects on my website, Pinterest page & blog.
Take Action Projects
The girls will be choosing their issues, forming their groups (or choosing to work alone) and starting on their Take Action Project plans. Please start a dialog with them about the issues they are considering. After session # 3, I will post the girls preliminary plans for you to view. Please review it to see where they might need help or guidance. I will be requiring the girls to work on their plans between session 3 & 4 & email it to me to review BEFORE session # 4. Session # 4 I will interview each group (or girl in the case of individuals) about their project.
SAVE THE DATE FINAL SESSION Nov 13.
Art show The girls will be hosting an art show of their Create-it Projects. Time TBA (probably around 2:45) It depends on how many projects they have)
3:30 – 4 LEADER/PARENT talk I will be sharing info regarding the adult role in take action project follow up and guiding your girls on to Gold.
SNEAK PEEK TO FINAL SESSION
The steps to implementing their projects in the community must be done outside the workshop. Therefore, at our last session, a troop leader or RA from each troop is required to attend part of the session. Time TBA. It should be someone who works with the girls and is qualified to help evaluate their project.
To prepare for meeting with the girls and evaluating their project please read the following pages under TAKE ACTION PROJECTS
What should be done by the final session?
By the end of the final session, the Take Action Plan should be complete and ready for me to approve. Each girl should also be able to give me a verbal description of their project.
We have a month between sessions for a reason. The girls will have time to do more planning, do some research, contact adults or agencies, set goals, write scripts (if they are doing video), plan activities (if they are planning presentations) etc.
It is my recommendation (not a requirement) that girls who are in mixed troop groups who are filming videos, have their video ready to film by that date. If the girls aren’t ready by that point, that is fine, but make sure the follow up responsibilities are clear.
How can the girls work together if they are from different troops?
The girls working in mixed troop groups should have exchanged contact information and divided responsibilities. That is included in their project plan. In addition, look at the How to Upload Your Video page . Included on that page:
1. How girls from different troops can share files to work together
2. How to get finished videos to me to be uploaded to the Workshops4girls YouTube channel
3. Supported YouTube file formats.
4. How to convert a Power Point Presentation to a YouTube compatible format.
When is their project complete?
A Take Action Project has no required timeline. It depends on the girl’s schedules and scope of their project. I have had girls wrap them in a few weekends or girls that spent several months. The project is done when they meet the goals they set in their written plan. The project should challenge them. They should become an expert and an advocate on their topic. They should examine the root cause of the problem they are addressing and their project should be aimed at a solution.
Final Project Approval
After our final meeting, the journey transitions into a partnership with you & the girls as you guide them through the completion of their project. Since you are attending the last session and should have a clear understanding of the girl’s plan, it is not a requirement that I “approve” their project at the end, but I am available of you have questions or need guidance.
The steps to implementing their projects in the community must be done outside the workshop. Therefore, at our last session, a troop leader or RA from each troop is required to attend part of the session. Time TBA. It should be someone who works with the girls and is qualified to help evaluate their project.
To prepare for meeting with the girls and evaluating their project please read the following pages under TAKE ACTION PROJECTS
- Progression & Requirements for Take Action Projects – This explains the Topic/Issue choices, Pre-requisites, Approval Process , Suggested number of girls working together, Who the project can serve, (Target Audience), Suggested number of hours , Deadline for completion & Sustainability for Projects from level journeys all the way up to the Gold Award.
- Take Action Project Planning Process - This page is the process I took the girls through last session.
- Troop Leader Take Action Project Checklist – This is the checklist you can use at our final session to help the girls evaluate their project. I will have copies available for each troop.
What should be done by the final session?
By the end of the final session, the Take Action Plan should be complete and ready for me to approve. Each girl should also be able to give me a verbal description of their project.
We have a month between sessions for a reason. The girls will have time to do more planning, do some research, contact adults or agencies, set goals, write scripts (if they are doing video), plan activities (if they are planning presentations) etc.
It is my recommendation (not a requirement) that girls who are in mixed troop groups who are filming videos, have their video ready to film by that date. If the girls aren’t ready by that point, that is fine, but make sure the follow up responsibilities are clear.
How can the girls work together if they are from different troops?
The girls working in mixed troop groups should have exchanged contact information and divided responsibilities. That is included in their project plan. In addition, look at the How to Upload Your Video page . Included on that page:
1. How girls from different troops can share files to work together
2. How to get finished videos to me to be uploaded to the Workshops4girls YouTube channel
3. Supported YouTube file formats.
4. How to convert a Power Point Presentation to a YouTube compatible format.
When is their project complete?
A Take Action Project has no required timeline. It depends on the girl’s schedules and scope of their project. I have had girls wrap them in a few weekends or girls that spent several months. The project is done when they meet the goals they set in their written plan. The project should challenge them. They should become an expert and an advocate on their topic. They should examine the root cause of the problem they are addressing and their project should be aimed at a solution.
Final Project Approval
After our final meeting, the journey transitions into a partnership with you & the girls as you guide them through the completion of their project. Since you are attending the last session and should have a clear understanding of the girl’s plan, it is not a requirement that I “approve” their project at the end, but I am available of you have questions or need guidance.
Announcements before the final session Feb 24
INFO FOR GIRLS
What should be done by the final session? (a copy of this list was given to each girl)
• CREATE-IT ART PROJECT Complete, if not done. Bring, along with short written description, ready to share at art show. (You can email/text me the description ahead of time.)
• Fill out p 28 Reflection on Create-it.
• Fill out p 94 Take Action Statement.
• TAKE ACTION PROJECT PLAN - Add final details to Take Action Project planning sheet I gave you. Use the guide on pages 80-81 as well as the Leader Guide to answers that I gave you.
The plan needs to be sent to me by email or as a shared doc (for groups) by Sat. Nov. 12 at 5PM. You can email me a copy, or text a photo. Bring the original with you for “interview”. For groups – I only need one copy of the plan. I suggest putting your plan in a Google doc so you can all add to it. You can share it with me that way. Use this email Workshops4girls@gmail.com.
The earlier they send it to me the better, as I will provide feedback prior to the session.
• ELEVATOR SPEECH - Practice your individual “elevator speech” to be ready to give it to an adult. You can use the prompt paper I gave you or the Take Action Statement page 94 of your Girltopia book.
15 – 30 second “elevator speech”
Your “speech” should answer the following question. What are you doing for your Journey Take Action Project?
You can use these prompts or write your own!
The issue I’ve chosen for my Journey Take Action Project is:
The reason I chose this issue is:
The steps I will take to complete my project are:
The result I hope to have is:
INFO FOR LEADERS/PARENTS Please join us from 2:50 - 4PM
ART SHOW -Please join us a 2:50 – 3:30 PM for a Girltopia art show. The girls will be showing off and explaining their Create-it art projects. I think you will find these to be a special treat. As you know, the numbers of active scouts dwindle as the girls get older. The girls who stay in scouts are interesting and exceptional young women. I look forward to giving you a chance to meet all the girls, see what is on their minds and what they find important. They are an inspiration to me & hope they will inspire you too !!
LEADER TALK – 3:30 – 4 Immediately following the art show, while the girls enjoy a special treat, I will give a brief overview to the leaders & parents regarding the girl’s projects and how to evaluate their project in terms of your own troop dynamics, how to help them follow up & what to expect if they go on to Gold. I want to be sure that that you clearly understand the girl’s project and each girl’s responsibilities within it before you leave the sessions, because after Sunday, you (or your troop leaders) are in charge of supervising project completion.
To prepare for evaluating their project please read the following pages under TAKE ACTION PROJECTS at www.workshops4girls.com
Why do I send such long emails ?
Many girls attend GIRLtopia because they are thinking of earning a Gold Award. I am on the Gold Award interview committee at GSOC. I see fantastic girls with projects with great potential get a “yellow” light because the projects weren’t quite up to Gold Award level. One reason the projects didn’t get a green light is that the girl’s adult advisors didn’t really have an understanding of the scope of the project expectations & how to guide the girls. (By the way -Yellow light doesn’t mean her project won’t be approved, it means she needs to make adjustments)
I take the girls through their journey & get their project planned using the same process I would to bring a girl to the Gold Award standard. The only difference is that the Journey Take Action Project is a smaller scale project. My goal with these emails, the resources on my website and having you attend part of the last day is to equip you with the tools you need to help guide the girls through their journey and on to Gold, if they choose.
FAQ
I sent my daughter to this journey, but I’m not the leader. Do I have to attend the final session?
Part of the requirement for the girl's Create-it art project is showing their project to an audience. By attending, you are helping all the girls meet this requirement.
Also, I want to make sure an adult is aware of the steps needed to complete the journey Take Action project. (Girls don't always pass the info on to their leader !) After the final session, you can share the info you learned & have the scout give a copy of her Take Action Plan to her troop leader so they can monitor project completion.
How do I know when their project is complete?
A Take Action Project has no required timeline. It depends on the girl’s schedules and scope of their project. I have had girls wrap them in a few weekends or girls that spent several months. The project is done when they meet the goals they set in their written plan.
When do they have to complete it?
A senior level journey take action project must be completed by Sept 30 after their 10th grade year OR before they put in their Gold Award Proposal if they apply in 10th grade.
How Big Should the Journey Take Action Project be?
A senior level Take Action Project is meant to be a mini Gold Award. The project should challenge them. They should become an expert and an advocate on their topic. They should examine the root cause of the problem they are addressing and their project should be aimed at a solution. Their project should result in a measurable positive change. It is not required to be sustainable.
Only Gold Award Projects require sustainability.
Final Project Approval
After our final meeting, the journey transitions into a partnership with you & the girls as you guide them through the completion of their project. Since you are attending the last session and should have a clear understanding of the girl’s plan, it is not a requirement that I “approve” their project at the end, but I am available of you have questions or need guidance.
Final Project Approval/ Journey sign off on Gold Award Proposal
If your scout progresses to a GOLD award proposal, you (or your troop leader) are the one who signs off the project, since you (or your troop leader) is the one who supervised the completion journey Take Action Project.. The “end” date of the journey is the day they meet their final measurable goal from their plan. If you want to have them fill something out for you or for their leader, use the final report found here.
How can the girls share information/work together if they are from different troops?
The girls working in mixed troop groups should have exchanged contact information and divided responsibilities. That is included in their project plan. In addition, look at the How to Upload Your Video page. http://www.workshops4girls.com/how-to-upload-your-video.html
Included on that page:
1. How girls from different troops can share files to work together
2. How to get finished videos to me to be uploaded to the Workshops4girls YouTube channel
3. Supported YouTube file formats.
4. How to convert a Power Point Presentation to a YouTube compatible format.
What if they are in a group and it doesn’t work out?
Sometimes communication breaks down or girls don’t follow through. The most important thing to remember is that your scout’s Take Action Project is her responsibility!! I have seen have mixed troop groups that are quite successful & some that never communicate after the last session. Open a dialog with your scout about contingency plans. Learning to re-adjust when your “best laid plans” fall through is a difficult, but valuable lesson. I wrote a blog post about this issue that you may find helpful. It explores this issue in depth. You can find it here http://www.workshops4girls.blogspot.com/2014/11/musings-on-senior-level-take-action.html
EXTRA BONUS PATCH !
Girls that take an active role in creating a website have earned the Senior Website Designer Award Patch. It is one of the Skill Building badges from the Girltopia journey. It is available at the council shop.
The requirements for this badge are 1. Find a worthwhile subject 2. Find a hosting service 3. Build a blueprint 4. Create Must see content. 5 Go Live
INFO FOR GIRLS
What should be done by the final session? (a copy of this list was given to each girl)
• CREATE-IT ART PROJECT Complete, if not done. Bring, along with short written description, ready to share at art show. (You can email/text me the description ahead of time.)
• Fill out p 28 Reflection on Create-it.
• Fill out p 94 Take Action Statement.
• TAKE ACTION PROJECT PLAN - Add final details to Take Action Project planning sheet I gave you. Use the guide on pages 80-81 as well as the Leader Guide to answers that I gave you.
The plan needs to be sent to me by email or as a shared doc (for groups) by Sat. Nov. 12 at 5PM. You can email me a copy, or text a photo. Bring the original with you for “interview”. For groups – I only need one copy of the plan. I suggest putting your plan in a Google doc so you can all add to it. You can share it with me that way. Use this email Workshops4girls@gmail.com.
The earlier they send it to me the better, as I will provide feedback prior to the session.
• ELEVATOR SPEECH - Practice your individual “elevator speech” to be ready to give it to an adult. You can use the prompt paper I gave you or the Take Action Statement page 94 of your Girltopia book.
15 – 30 second “elevator speech”
Your “speech” should answer the following question. What are you doing for your Journey Take Action Project?
You can use these prompts or write your own!
The issue I’ve chosen for my Journey Take Action Project is:
The reason I chose this issue is:
The steps I will take to complete my project are:
The result I hope to have is:
INFO FOR LEADERS/PARENTS Please join us from 2:50 - 4PM
ART SHOW -Please join us a 2:50 – 3:30 PM for a Girltopia art show. The girls will be showing off and explaining their Create-it art projects. I think you will find these to be a special treat. As you know, the numbers of active scouts dwindle as the girls get older. The girls who stay in scouts are interesting and exceptional young women. I look forward to giving you a chance to meet all the girls, see what is on their minds and what they find important. They are an inspiration to me & hope they will inspire you too !!
LEADER TALK – 3:30 – 4 Immediately following the art show, while the girls enjoy a special treat, I will give a brief overview to the leaders & parents regarding the girl’s projects and how to evaluate their project in terms of your own troop dynamics, how to help them follow up & what to expect if they go on to Gold. I want to be sure that that you clearly understand the girl’s project and each girl’s responsibilities within it before you leave the sessions, because after Sunday, you (or your troop leaders) are in charge of supervising project completion.
To prepare for evaluating their project please read the following pages under TAKE ACTION PROJECTS at www.workshops4girls.com
- Progression & Requirements for Take Action Projects – This explains the Topic/Issue choices, Pre-requisites, Approval Process , Suggested number of girls working together, Who the project can serve, (Target Audience), Suggested number of hours , Deadline for completion & Sustainability for Projects from level journeys all the way up to the Gold Award.
- Take Action Project Planning Process - This page is the process I took the girls through last session. It includes a list of the questions on the Girltopia Take Action Project plan as well as an excellent example of a girl’s completed project plan.
- Troop Leader Take Action Project Checklist – This is the checklist you can use at our final session to help the girls evaluate their project. I will have copies available for each troop.
Why do I send such long emails ?
Many girls attend GIRLtopia because they are thinking of earning a Gold Award. I am on the Gold Award interview committee at GSOC. I see fantastic girls with projects with great potential get a “yellow” light because the projects weren’t quite up to Gold Award level. One reason the projects didn’t get a green light is that the girl’s adult advisors didn’t really have an understanding of the scope of the project expectations & how to guide the girls. (By the way -Yellow light doesn’t mean her project won’t be approved, it means she needs to make adjustments)
I take the girls through their journey & get their project planned using the same process I would to bring a girl to the Gold Award standard. The only difference is that the Journey Take Action Project is a smaller scale project. My goal with these emails, the resources on my website and having you attend part of the last day is to equip you with the tools you need to help guide the girls through their journey and on to Gold, if they choose.
FAQ
I sent my daughter to this journey, but I’m not the leader. Do I have to attend the final session?
Part of the requirement for the girl's Create-it art project is showing their project to an audience. By attending, you are helping all the girls meet this requirement.
Also, I want to make sure an adult is aware of the steps needed to complete the journey Take Action project. (Girls don't always pass the info on to their leader !) After the final session, you can share the info you learned & have the scout give a copy of her Take Action Plan to her troop leader so they can monitor project completion.
How do I know when their project is complete?
A Take Action Project has no required timeline. It depends on the girl’s schedules and scope of their project. I have had girls wrap them in a few weekends or girls that spent several months. The project is done when they meet the goals they set in their written plan.
When do they have to complete it?
A senior level journey take action project must be completed by Sept 30 after their 10th grade year OR before they put in their Gold Award Proposal if they apply in 10th grade.
How Big Should the Journey Take Action Project be?
A senior level Take Action Project is meant to be a mini Gold Award. The project should challenge them. They should become an expert and an advocate on their topic. They should examine the root cause of the problem they are addressing and their project should be aimed at a solution. Their project should result in a measurable positive change. It is not required to be sustainable.
Only Gold Award Projects require sustainability.
Final Project Approval
After our final meeting, the journey transitions into a partnership with you & the girls as you guide them through the completion of their project. Since you are attending the last session and should have a clear understanding of the girl’s plan, it is not a requirement that I “approve” their project at the end, but I am available of you have questions or need guidance.
Final Project Approval/ Journey sign off on Gold Award Proposal
If your scout progresses to a GOLD award proposal, you (or your troop leader) are the one who signs off the project, since you (or your troop leader) is the one who supervised the completion journey Take Action Project.. The “end” date of the journey is the day they meet their final measurable goal from their plan. If you want to have them fill something out for you or for their leader, use the final report found here.
How can the girls share information/work together if they are from different troops?
The girls working in mixed troop groups should have exchanged contact information and divided responsibilities. That is included in their project plan. In addition, look at the How to Upload Your Video page. http://www.workshops4girls.com/how-to-upload-your-video.html
Included on that page:
1. How girls from different troops can share files to work together
2. How to get finished videos to me to be uploaded to the Workshops4girls YouTube channel
3. Supported YouTube file formats.
4. How to convert a Power Point Presentation to a YouTube compatible format.
What if they are in a group and it doesn’t work out?
Sometimes communication breaks down or girls don’t follow through. The most important thing to remember is that your scout’s Take Action Project is her responsibility!! I have seen have mixed troop groups that are quite successful & some that never communicate after the last session. Open a dialog with your scout about contingency plans. Learning to re-adjust when your “best laid plans” fall through is a difficult, but valuable lesson. I wrote a blog post about this issue that you may find helpful. It explores this issue in depth. You can find it here http://www.workshops4girls.blogspot.com/2014/11/musings-on-senior-level-take-action.html
EXTRA BONUS PATCH !
Girls that take an active role in creating a website have earned the Senior Website Designer Award Patch. It is one of the Skill Building badges from the Girltopia journey. It is available at the council shop.
The requirements for this badge are 1. Find a worthwhile subject 2. Find a hosting service 3. Build a blueprint 4. Create Must see content. 5 Go Live
Post session Announcements
Hi Girltopia Parents & leaders !
Thank you so much for sending your girls to Workshops4girls for the Girltopia Journey !
Double thanks to all the parents and leaders who came to support the girls at their art show.
I hope you enjoyed it. I love learning what is important to these fantastic girls & I hope you were inspired by a room full of exceptional young women !
This email contains links to :
· Create-it art projects
· Final Take Action Project plans
· Gold resources
· Journey Take Action Project final report – NEW – but optional !!
Create-it art Projects posted on the website & Pinterest
http://www.workshops4girls.com/girltopia-for-seniors.html
If I had the photo & description, I posted it. If they see their project but not the description, they didn’t give it to me, if they email it to me, I would be happy to post it.
They are also posted my Pinterest site on the Girltopia board and a new board that exclusively features Create it projects. If you or the girls are Pinterest user- re-pin their pins to your own boards !
Ready For Gold ?
To find the Gold Award page on the GSOC website go to: www.girlscoutsoc.org click about girl scouts > our program >highest awards>click on the pic of the Gold award. The direct link is http://www.girlscoutsoc.org/en/about-girl-scouts/our-program/highest-awards/gold-award.html. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the important links including:
· Gold Award dates to remember Project Proposal deadlines and Interview dates. (Stick this on your fridge & use to budget your time)
· GSOC Gold Award project proposal support meetings Optional (but recommended) These are the days the girls can talk about their project casually with the interviewers.
· Info on additional awards and scholarships
Required Gold Award Training. Check the GSOC calendar for dates http://www.girlscoutsoc.org/en/events/event-calendar.html
Workshops4girls Gold award page . http://www.workshops4girls.com/gold-award.html
Please my own Gold Award page for insider tips, including:
· A general overview of the process.
· Tips on how to pick a project.
· An expansion of the steps to Gold.
· Interview tips.
· Things to avoid - A list of common reasons that Gold Awards get sent back for improvements.
Journey Take Action Project Final Report -
http://www.workshops4girls.com/take-action-project-final-report.html
This report is optional & does not have to be turned in to workshops4girls or GSOC.
As you learned at the leader/parent talk, Journey Take Action project completion is monitored and approved by the parent or troop leader. The girls are "finished" when they meet the goals they set in their written project plan.
So why did I create it ?
Sometimes it takes girls a few months or more to finish their project and leaders/parents want something tangible to show they are done.
Sometimes girls need help describing their project, need some prompting or forget what they did.
Scouts attend without their troop & no adult attends the final session or they attend with a parent who is unfamiliar with scout procedures.
It is good practice for the Higher Awards. For the Gold Award a final report is required & it can be used as the basis for scholarship eligibility.
How should we use it ?
For troop leaders/parents who attended the final session ( or received my emails)
Use it if it helps you. If the girls are averse to filling out paperwork, (no surprise there!) the questions can be used as a basis for individual or group discussions. You can also use the questions in a similar manner to the elevator speech they gave about their project.
For girls whose troop leader did not attend the final session (or wasn’t on my email list)
It is the responsibility of the scout to give her leader a copy of her Take Action Project plan. If the leader requests it, the girl can fill out a copy of the final report when she has met the goals outlined on her plan.
Hi Girltopia Parents & leaders !
Thank you so much for sending your girls to Workshops4girls for the Girltopia Journey !
Double thanks to all the parents and leaders who came to support the girls at their art show.
I hope you enjoyed it. I love learning what is important to these fantastic girls & I hope you were inspired by a room full of exceptional young women !
This email contains links to :
· Create-it art projects
· Final Take Action Project plans
· Gold resources
· Journey Take Action Project final report – NEW – but optional !!
Create-it art Projects posted on the website & Pinterest
http://www.workshops4girls.com/girltopia-for-seniors.html
If I had the photo & description, I posted it. If they see their project but not the description, they didn’t give it to me, if they email it to me, I would be happy to post it.
They are also posted my Pinterest site on the Girltopia board and a new board that exclusively features Create it projects. If you or the girls are Pinterest user- re-pin their pins to your own boards !
Ready For Gold ?
To find the Gold Award page on the GSOC website go to: www.girlscoutsoc.org click about girl scouts > our program >highest awards>click on the pic of the Gold award. The direct link is http://www.girlscoutsoc.org/en/about-girl-scouts/our-program/highest-awards/gold-award.html. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the important links including:
· Gold Award dates to remember Project Proposal deadlines and Interview dates. (Stick this on your fridge & use to budget your time)
· GSOC Gold Award project proposal support meetings Optional (but recommended) These are the days the girls can talk about their project casually with the interviewers.
· Info on additional awards and scholarships
Required Gold Award Training. Check the GSOC calendar for dates http://www.girlscoutsoc.org/en/events/event-calendar.html
Workshops4girls Gold award page . http://www.workshops4girls.com/gold-award.html
Please my own Gold Award page for insider tips, including:
· A general overview of the process.
· Tips on how to pick a project.
· An expansion of the steps to Gold.
· Interview tips.
· Things to avoid - A list of common reasons that Gold Awards get sent back for improvements.
Journey Take Action Project Final Report -
http://www.workshops4girls.com/take-action-project-final-report.html
This report is optional & does not have to be turned in to workshops4girls or GSOC.
As you learned at the leader/parent talk, Journey Take Action project completion is monitored and approved by the parent or troop leader. The girls are "finished" when they meet the goals they set in their written project plan.
So why did I create it ?
Sometimes it takes girls a few months or more to finish their project and leaders/parents want something tangible to show they are done.
Sometimes girls need help describing their project, need some prompting or forget what they did.
Scouts attend without their troop & no adult attends the final session or they attend with a parent who is unfamiliar with scout procedures.
It is good practice for the Higher Awards. For the Gold Award a final report is required & it can be used as the basis for scholarship eligibility.
How should we use it ?
For troop leaders/parents who attended the final session ( or received my emails)
Use it if it helps you. If the girls are averse to filling out paperwork, (no surprise there!) the questions can be used as a basis for individual or group discussions. You can also use the questions in a similar manner to the elevator speech they gave about their project.
For girls whose troop leader did not attend the final session (or wasn’t on my email list)
It is the responsibility of the scout to give her leader a copy of her Take Action Project plan. If the leader requests it, the girl can fill out a copy of the final report when she has met the goals outlined on her plan.