Girl Scouts: World Thinking Day

Posted by My Heart Song

3/6/2012

A few weeks ago the Girl Scouts celebrated World Thinking Day. For the troops in our council, it meant being assigned one country to learn about and prepare a presentation/skit to share in front of the entire council (about 300 other Girl Scouts plus their leaders).
Since our troop is made up of homeschooled girls, this opportunity is especially unique and welcome. Our girls aren't familiar with "all school" programs, like a Christmas program, that involve an entire gymnasium-full of people. World Thinking Day gave them a chance to see their troop as part of a bigger group of Girl Scouts, all enjoying similar things and learning new things from one another.

Our troop was assigned the country of India. Since December, the girls have been studying about the country and spending part of their meeting time creating an India poster presentation, gathering facts about India, creating small cards to share with visitors to the booth, even visiting a local Indian store to learn more about Indian culture. The store owner lent the troop clothes to wear for Thinking Day. The troop's presentation for the big group was an Indian fashion show, highlighting the different ways that Indian women wear their "saris" which is often based on the part of India they come from. After the numerous presentations, the girls walk around, visiting each other country's booth to learn new things about that country and sometimes even sample foods from that country (like Swiss chocolate and Swedish meatballs).

If World Thinking Day is meant to bring about a greater awareness of the world, then I think it was a success. If World Thinking Day was to encourage our girls to try new things (like performing a skit in front of a lot of people or eating new foods), then I think it was a success.

This has nothing to do with World Thinking Day, but it's too cute not to share. My girl decided to make a matching Brownie vest for her doll. I love her creativity.

For numerous reasons, we will not be continuing with Girl Scouts after this school year. However, the year or so that we've participated in Girl Scouts has been a positive experience. Both my daughter and I have made new friends with the fellow Scouts (and moms) and those relationships can certainly continue outside of Girl Scouts. My daughter has also been stretched out of her comfort zone and given opportunities that she wouldn't have otherwise (especially big group things, like World Thinking Day).

So, thank you, Girl Scouts!