Chapter 2.3: Anatomy of a Badge

Anatomy of a Badge

Each badge begins by stating the badge’s purpose; that is, the skill girls will have learned when they’ve completed the badge. This program-with-a-purpose approach was tested with girls—and they loved it! Girls complete five steps to earn each badge. There are three choices for completing each step (girls have to choose only one to complete the step).

As you begin exploring the journeys and the badges, you’ll see that many steps to earn a badge can be worked naturally into activities that girls are doing on their journey. To help you and the girls see some of these connections, each badge also includes a tip for tying the badge into a specific journey.

Each badge ends with a few ideas about how girls can use their new skill to help others, plus a space for girls to jot down their own ideas. Although girls aren’t required to help others to earn the badge; these ideas were offered to honor the standard that Juliette Gordon Low set for badge work 100 years ago: “A badge is a symbol that you have done the thing it stands for often enough, thoroughly enough, and well enough to be prepared to give service in it.” 

Emblems and Patches

In addition to journey awards and badges in the Girl’s Guide, girls can commemorate their Girl Scout adventures with emblems and patches, which can be worn on their vests or sashes.

• Emblems show membership in Girl Scouts, a particular council, a particular troop, or in some other Girl Scout group. These can be worn on the front of a sash or vest (see the diagram in the handbook section of The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting to see where these are placed).
• Participation patches are developed at the national or council level with a focus on participation. Some come with companion activity booklets, while others are given out at events. These are worn on the back of the sash or vest, since they are not emblems or earned awards.

You can purchase emblems and patches—along with badges and leadership awards—at GS-TOP’s Girl Scout shop at www.gs-top.org/shop or by visiting the GSUSA online shop. There, you not only find a cool list of the earned awards for each grade level but also can click on a link that shows you exactly where girls can place all their emblems, awards, badges, pins, and patches on their vests and sashes!