Girl Scout Centennial: 100 Fun Ways to Celebrate
When asked what the girls should do, Juliette responded "What do the girls WANT to do?"
The history committee of Girl Scouts of Colorado has compiled a list of 100 activities for girls to do to celebrate Girl Scouts 100th Anniversary. Girls will discover many new things about Girl Scouts’ past, present and possible future; connect with other Girl Scouts and non-Girl Scouts while enjoying these activities; and then take action to share what they have learned.
The activities in this booklet are quite varied and should appeal to all grade levels. Please use this as a reference and adapt activities to meet the needs of the girls. This list includes a Guide that will explain some of the activities, making it easier to complete those activities (Guide available HERE). Resources are also available to checkout at your local service center.
We hope that girls enjoy these activities. *See the Guide to the Girl Scout Centennial: 100 Fun Ways to Celebrate
1. Visit a Girl Scout display or museum.
2. Attend a council sponsored event.
3. Attend an event with girls from another age group, either younger or older.
4. Visit the Girl Scouts of GREATER ATLANTA headquarters. See what they have displayed to celebrate the Girl Scout Centennial.
5. Watch “The Golden Eaglet” or another Girl Scout historic video. ** Have a discussion. You can watch at youtube.com/girlscoutvideos (click on Historical Videos on right).
6. Hold a Girl Scout fashion show. Model uniforms from early troops to current fashions. **
7. Look through a copy of How Girls Can Help Their Country; the first Girl Scout handbook and do an activity.**
8. Look at old handbooks and do an activity out of each. How are they different and alike?**
9. During Girl Scout Week in the 1920’s and 1940's through the 1970’s, each day represented a special theme. Do an activity for each day that represents the special theme.*
10. Research the different grade levels in Girl Scouting. How have they changed over the years?
11. Participate in an activity from the Contemporary Issues program.**
12. Discuss the changes in the Girl Scout Promise and the Law.*
13. Girl Scouts are known for their cookie sales. Research the history of the cookie program.
14. Learn something about the history of the Girls Scouts of Colorado.
15. Learn the Girl Scout motto and slogan.
16. Be able to give the Girl Scout salute, sign, and handshake.
17. Learn about Savannah, Georgia, the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace and 1st Headquarters, which are both located there.
18. Research Girl Scout women in history. (See the Girl Scout “Wall of Fame”)
19. Discover the roles of women in history. Compare women's roles in 1912, 1987 and 2012.
20. Pick a career and follow it through the decades 1912 – 2012. Present a career day modeled on your research.
21. Research and create a list of women’s firsts.
22. What woman has been important in your life? Write a poem or story to describe her.
23. Write special 100th messages on a message board, blog, Facebook or Twitter.
24. One of Juliette Low’s favorite activities was having girls play basketball. Research early basketball rules and uniforms. Set up a basketball tournament with other girls in your area.
25. Role play the “Brownie Story” - show a group of non Girl Scouts, perhaps a Kindergarten class.*
26. Hold a “sing along.” Learn some traditional Girl Scout songs.**
27. Celebrate each decade musically. Have a sock hop! Try the Charleston or the limbo.
28. Create and record a Girl Scout historical musical play.
29. Act out the founding of Girl Scouts and perform for other girls.
30. Develop a skit based on the Girl Scout Law and perform for other girls.
31. Make up a Girl Scout Trivia game. Play it with another group.
32. Learn to use Lummi Sticks and then teach this game to others.*
33. Make a Girl Scout video.
34. Challenge other girls to write a special anniversary song.
35. Create a children's book about the first 100 years of Girl Scouting. Include something on what life is like for a Girl Scout in your community. Ask the local librarian if you can read it at story time. Or present it at a school or community function.
36. Make an activity box of things Girl Scouts may have enjoyed through the decades. Present it to your service unit to be used in other girls.
37. Make a Flat Juliette paper doll and write a travel journal or poem about her adventures with you. Tell other girls about her travels through the GSCO website and Facebook. See more about the Flat Juliette Activity.
38. Have a '100' marathon, such as singing 100 campfire songs, hiking 100 places, jumping rope 100 times, text or post on Facebook 100 times, or share your Girl Scout experience with 100 friends.
39. Have a time travel day where all girls in your area get together and share their time travel activities – booths, plays, stories, songs, etc. and invite the public.
40. Help a new troop get started.
41. Have a “bring a buddy” party to acquaint non Girl Scouts with Girl Scouting. Share examples of Girl Scout program with the buddies.
42. Juliette’s childhood was affected by the Civil War. Girl Scouts performed important service tasks during WWI and WWII. Support today’s men and women in the armed services by writing letters or holding a drive to collect needed items.
43. Invite family members to participate in at least one anniversary project or ceremony.
44. Customize the special 100th anniversary proclamation for your town.
45. Learn about women politicians and how they became involved in politics. Find out if they were Girl Scouts.
46. Do a town promotion to locate a Girl Scout alumna. When you locate someone, invite her to visit your troop and ask to do activities she remembers. Interview her and record her Girl Scout memories.
47. Invite a former Girl Scout or past members to a troop meeting, activity, or tea.
48. Juliette was born in Savannah, Georgia. Cook a meal using foods Georgia is known for (peaches, pecans, peanuts, Vidalia onions). Look online for recipes at foodnetwork.com and allrecipes.com.
49. Organize an alumnae search in your community. Encourage these people to register as alumnae at girlscouts.org.
50. Juliette was a painter, a sculptor, and made a set of iron gates for her house. Learn some techniques in one of these areas or visit the studio of an artist who works in one of these media.
51. Meet a Girl Scouts of GREATER ATLANTA staff member or volunteer and find out about her/his role in our Council.
52. Find a pen pal in a foreign or faraway troop*. Compare their activities and interests to your own.
53. Learn more about WAGGGS – World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. Go to www.wagggs.org and click on Our World.
54. Find out more about the World Centers. Take an imaginary visit to the one of your choice.*
55. Promote an international fun night. Invite exchange students and people from various countries living in your area. Ask them to tell how life was in their home country. Pick games, food, and songs from each country.
56. Girl Scouts or Girl Guides provide many useful services in other countries. Explore and compare these.
57. Tie green ribbons around trees to celebrate our 100 years of existence. Be sure to get permission from the community or property owner.
58. Sharpen your outdoor skills. Practice age-old Girl Scout skills such as laying a trail, using a compass, tying knots, and using a pocket knife.**
59. Learn Semaphore (flag codes). Use this technique to spell your name and troop number or 2012.*
60. Visit one of the Girl Scouts of Colorado camp facilities.
61. Develop a program from a camp held 100 years ago, 50 years ago, and today. Go camping and try to imagine how it would be the same or different from camping 100 years ago, 50 years ago, and 25 years from now.
62. Juliette was almost completely deaf by the age of 26. Learn about other famous women who have had physical challenges such as Marla Runyan (marathoner), Bethany Hamilton (surfer), Jean Driscoll (marathoner), Marlee Matlin (actress), Frida Kahlo (artist), or Heather Whitestone (Miss America.).
63. Pick up 100 pieces of litter per girl on a hike. (Check the Safety Checkpoints)
64. Learn about Girl Scouts Take Action, take the pledge, and plan a project. Go to gstakeaction.org for information.
65. Volunteer to do a flag ceremony for a public event.*
66. Research service projects from the past and re-create one to do today.
67. Collect 100 cents from each girl member for the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund.
68. In honor of the Girl Scout Centennial, plant a tree or 100 daisies at the City Hall, a neighborhood park, or other place that can be enjoyed by others.
69. Do 100 “good turns” during 2012. Record these in a notebook or journal.
70. Participate in a Community Service Project such as giving 100 hours of service to an agency or camp facility, or collecting 100 cans of food for the local food bank.
71. Celebrate the baby girls born on March 12, 2012. All girls born in the USA on that day are being honored for the 100th Anniversary. “adopt” a hospital and honor the baby girls born there.
72. Have a birthday party, complete with games, cake, and presents. The presents could be given to a needy family.
73. Do you have a ‘Welcome Wagon’ in your community? Include a special greeting to newcomers from the local Girl Scouts.
74. Visit a place of worship on Girl Scout Sunday or Girl Scout Sabbath. Design a bulletin cover or insert. Check GSCO website for this year’s special 100th Anniversary Girl Scout bulletin insert.
75. Make a personal time capsule to be opened by future Girls Scouts in 2037. Include letters, mementos, photos, etc.
76. What will a Girl Scout in 2037 look like? What will she like to do? What issues will she face? Hold a contest to design the uniform of the future. Looking ahead to 2037, how could we celebrate our 125th birthday?
77. Juliette traveled to England where she met the Baden-Powells who inspired her to start Girl Scouts in the USA. Find five places in England you would like to visit.
78. Make and eat S’mores using three different cooking methods.*
79. Make the original Trefoil cookies. *
80. Concoct a new 100th anniversary cookie. Have a taste panel judge the best.
81. Hold a local S'mores or Girl Scout cookie eating contest.
82. Sell 100 boxes of each of the top varieties of Girl Scout cookies. (Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, Do-si-dos)
83. What are some typical Girl Scout food specialties? Make and eat “Ants on a Log” and “Angels on Horseback.” *
84. Have a special 100th Anniversary Girl Scout's Own: a girl-planned program that allows girls to explore their feelings around a topic, such as friendship or The Girl Scout Promise and Law using the spoken word, favorite songs, poetry, or other methods of expression.
85. Have a rededication ceremony (an opportunity for girls and adults to renew their commitment to the Girl Scout Promise and Law) using Girl Scout’s 100th Anniversary as your theme.
86. Visit the local museums and see if there are Girl Scout items. Ask if they would be able to create a Girl Scout display.
87. Make a Girl Scout display and exhibit it at a museum, library, school, or community building.
88. Hold a poster making contest for local girls. Design a special poster to commemorate the 100th. Display posters in your community during Girl Scout Week.
89. Submit a letter to the editor of your local newspaper explaining Girl Scouting's role in your community.
90. Discover more about destinations for older Girl Scouts pathway. Invite someone who's been on a trip to share her experience.
91. Find out something new about Girl Scouts that you didn't know before.
92. Identify 100 Girl Scout vocabulary words. Make up a game using these words.
93. Play Kim’s game with your group.*
94. What were the games and crafts enjoyed by the past Girl Scouts? Play a game or make a craft.
95. Make a Girl Scout Bingo game. Play it with your friends.
96. Create a game, song, dance, etc. which could be used to tell others about Girl Scouts today and 100 years ago.
97. Go on a ‘treasure hunt’ for old Girl Scout items at garage sales, flea markets, thrift stores, and “Grandma’s attic.” Donate the items to the GS history committee.
98. Have a scavenger hunt for 100 things which have the number 100 on them.
99. Make a troop scrapbook. Each girl might enjoy making her own scrapbook page to celebrate the 100th anniversary.
100. List 100 reasons why you like being a Girl Scout.