Beginning shortly after 6:30 p.m., the combined Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Girl Scout Troop #1504 and family members celebrated a Court of Awards Ceremony, on Monday, June 5, 2017. They gathered in the City of Morrison Community Room, at Odell Public Library, 307 S. Madison Street, Morrison, IL. The 25 girls in grades kindergarten through 6th have met one Monday a month.
This end of season event was designed for “honoring your Girl Scout,” noted Leader Hillary Blevins. It featured an awards presentation and a bridging ceremony. She is pictured with son Isaac and daughter Annabelle, standing on the rainbow “bridge” built with husband, Marshall. The colorful structure is a physical object girls cross over, or bridge, to reach the next level of Girl Scouting. Daisies bridged to become Brownie Girl Scouts. Brownies bridged to become Junior Girl Scouts.
Blevins opened the program; attendees recited the Pledge of Allegiance and Girl Scout Promise.
She listed a plethora of wide-ranging troop activities over the last months. Some included field trips; a town investiture ceremony; participation in Girl Scout Sunday; writing a letter to a sister troop in Louisiana, asking to become penpals; parades; visiting Build-a-Bear; donating library books with a positive message and strong female character; selling 3200 boxes of Girl Scout cookies; donating supplies and a squad seat belt, for the Sterling Police Department’s comfort dog.
Blevins noted Girl Scouting runs in these youngsters’ families. Some have four generations of Girls Scouts.
Blevins distributed shiny cardboard boxes to the girls. Color-coded to their Girl Scout level, each contained awards and event patches. The contents were unique to each girl’s involvement, but there “was an average of ten per girl,” said Blevins. Left-to-right are Daisies Riley, Lux, Lily, Brooke, and Abby.
These Brownies received their awards. Left-to-right are Gwen, Peyton, Maya, Annabelle, and Claire. All girls received a troop gift of the book Mouse Scouts. Those who complete four of the activities in the book, by the time school starts, will receive a Mouse Scout patch.
The bridging ceremony began with Blevins reading “Take My Hand.” It begins, “The trail of Girl Scouting winds wide and long…from Daisy flower friends, Brownies, and sit-upons, to camp outs and service and badges to earn. So much to do, so much to learn! Now over the bridge and on to more fun. So much awaits, so much there’s to be done! “
A new recognition–the Summit Award–is the highest age-level award for Daisies and Brownies to earn. Each must complete three “Journeys” (a series of activities.) Girl Scout Gianna was unable to attend; she is the only Daisy to complete the requirements. Five Brownie Girl Scouts are shown, left-to-right, happily wearing the gold, round Summit pin on their left shoulder: Maya, Peyton, Annabelle, Gwen, and Yvette. Three girls who also earned the prestigious recognition but were unable to attend were Alayna, Allie, and Leslie.
Leaders of Troop #1504 are shown left-to-right: Kelsey Lowry, Hillary Blevins, Lara Adolf, Andrea Rodriguez, and Tracy Banks-Geiger.
