Education

Enriching Girl Scouts through Educational Travel and Experiential Learning

Do you have a troop full of Daisies, looking back at you with their hopeful faces, ready for you to lead them into the future? Are you now a Junior leader, helping them finish their Bronze award and looking forward to being Cadettes?  Or are you a Cadette leader wondering how to keep the girls engaged in High School, knowing that remaining in Girl Scouts in High School will benefit them in college and beyond? 

No matter where you are in your leadership experience, you can enrich your troop with the opportunity to travel. Travel is an important and, in my opinion, underutilized way to help your Girl Scouts learn more about themselves and the world while gaining confidence! 

When I was able to experience girl only girl led travel, it changed my life as a leader and as a woman. Initially, I suggested troop travel to my girls in middle school in hopes that planning and fundraising for travel would keep the girls interested in Girl Scouts through High School. After the trip was booked, I was able to join 50 other women on a trip to Rome for training. It was that experience that changed my life. During that travel opportunity, I found confidence that I didn’t know I needed to find. I was even more motivated to give my Girl Scouts this experience.

After 2 delays due to Covid, our troop traveled to Costa Rica in 2022. Some of the girls had never been away from their parents before and felt nervous and unsure. After the transition of the first few days, I was able to witness 12 years of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience come to fruition. The girls all pushed boundaries and tried new things, learned responsibility for themselves and gained confidence. The group that came back to the United States were completely different people than the group that left the United States. 

Troops from Daisies to Ambassadors can prepare for their ultimate travel journey by following the Girl Scouts of USA travel progression steps. Get started by taking local field trips, then following the GSUSA Travel Progression steps of continuing into day trips, overnights, regional trips, domestic trips then international trips! 

I encourage you to check with your local council to find out about travel options and travel training, then work with your girls to plan a life-changing travel experience.

-Aimee, Troop Leader in Colorado