How to Earn the Girl Scout Junior Girl Scout Way Badge

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Updated April 2023

The Girl Scouts of the USA have a rich and wonderful history. Founded by Juliette Gordon Low on March 12, 1912, the organization has touched the lives of millions of girls around the world.  A woman ahead of her time, Ms. Low wanted girl to experience opportunities that they otherwise would have missed out on. In addition, the movement was very inclusive. Girls who had disabilities were able and encouraged to join-a remarkable thing back in her day.

Three of the original leaders from Savannah, Georgia were Jewish and members of Congregation Mickve Israel. Of these three, Mildred Guckenheimer and Leonora Amram served on the very first Girl Scout Council.

In 1917, the first African-American troop was formed and in 1921 a Native American troop was established.  There is a photograph of an integrated troop dating back to 1941 in Philadelphia, and in the 1950’s, more troops became integrated.

Juliette wanted girls to learn about leadership, service, and outdoor skills.  In an era when women had very few options and opportunities outside the home, these were offered to girls regardless of where they lived, their faith and their abilities.

In order to keep these traditions alive, your troop can earn the Girl Scout Junior Girl Scout Way Legacy badge to learn more about the rich history of Girl Scouting. 

Five steps are required before a child can receive her badge. Here are some ideas on how to so these steps.

Photo created by the author in Canva

Step 1 Match Songs to an Occasion 

Girls Scouts have a rich tradition with song.  They sing at the end of each meeting, they sing at camporees, and they sing at ceremonies. Troops end each meeting with the classic Make New Friends:

Make new friends,

But keep the old.

One is silver

And the other’s gold.

For this step, girls can learn or make up songs and teach them to younger scouts. If they are bridging to Cadettes, this is required as part of the “climb” to the next level. The level of girls that they work with are Brownies, and they can share the sisterhood of scouting with younger children who look up to girls who are heading to middle school.

Another part of this step is to learn songs that the girls can sing at their actual bridging ceremony.  Because they are older, they need to be an integral part of the ceremony planning. 

Step 2 Celebrate the Girl Scout Birthday 

On March 12^th of each year, scouts across America celebrate the birthday of the organization.  Juniors have been doing this for years, so instead of having a party as a troop meeting, they can organize a party for a younger troop. The troop can create some games for the younger troop to play, like a Juliette Gordon Low trivia game. Or else they can play some traditional games found in the Games for Girl Scouts book.

Green and White Plates from Amazon

Another thing that they can do for the celebration is get involved in a community service project. This is separate from the Bronze Award if they are working on it. It can be small in nature, but as the Girl Scout motto says, “Do a good turn daily.”  No matter how small a project, it is part of the Girl Scout Way to make the world a better place.

Green Balloons from Amazon

Step 3 Share Sisterhood 

We tend to think of sisters as being biologically related to us, but in scouting, all of us are sisters. It is part of the traditional Promise to be a “sister to every Girl Scout”. We treat each other with kindness and respect and expect the same in return.

You can get together with another Junior troop and do a Swap exchange or make Swap kits for the upcoming Council camp out. While it is nice to work with younger girls and to serve as role models for them, it is also important for the girls to work with their peers and see scouting as an experience to continue once they are finished with elementary school.

If both troops are bridging to Cadettes, then they can plan a mini workshop for a younger group of Daisy or Brownie Scouts and show them what it means to work together.

A final activity that your troop can do alone is to go over a vintage Junior badge book and pick one old badge and work on the requirements together.  Compare what the girls used to do to what they do now!

Step 4 Leave a Place Better Than You Found It 

Part of the Girl Scout Promise is to make the world a better place. Again, this can be a little community service project that can take place where you meet.  Ask whomever is in charge of the building if there is a beautification project that can be done. If so, then the girls can tackle that and beautify their meeting place.

It could be as simple as helping teachers change bulletin boards or doing a playground clean up or organizing the art teacher’s supplies for her.

Step 5 Enjoy Girl Scout Traditions 

There are many things that are traditional to Girl Scouts. Any one of these activities qualifies as the final step to earn this tradition rich badge.

This video all the Girl Scout traditions in under two minutes.

1. Troops can learn how to do the Girl Scout Flag Ceremony.
2. They can learn some traditional games played both indoors and outdoors.
3. Troops can make Sit Upons for an upcoming camping trip.
4. Groups can make S’mores, a traditional camping food.
5. Together they can make Swaps.

Photo by Hannah Gold

With a history so rich in tradition, it is no wonder why many troops choose to earn the Junior Girl Scout Way badge.