BRIDGING CEREMONIES
Bridging takes place as a girl moves from one level of Girl Scouting to the next. Bridging ceremonies typically take place toward the end of the school year and they are easily combined with a Court of Awards ceremony.

Here are a few reminders:
Age Level: Automatically Given: Must Be Earned:
Daisy Girl Scouts Membership Star with blue disc
Ending Certificate
Brownie Girl Scout Pin (optional)		 Bridge to Brownie Girl Scouts
Brownie Girl Scouts Membership Star with green disc
Brownie Girl Scout Wings
Girl Scout Pin (optional)		 Bridge to Junior Girl Scouts
Junior Girl Scouts Membership Star with yellow disc Bridge to Cadette Girl Scouts
Cadette Girl Scouts Membership Star with white disc Bridge to Senior Scouts
Senior Girl Scouts Membership Star with red disc Bridge to Adult Girl Scouts


A Little Info On Bridges:

A bridge can be constructed out of just about anything, the point is for it to be a symbolic crossing from one level to the next.... The following are some ideas for you to use or adapt:

A rustic bridge out-of-doors
An arch of colored paper
Stepping stones cut out of cardboard and labeled with the Five Worlds of Interest
Turn a card table upside down and string crepe paper between the legs
Anything else the girls can think up!



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Daisy Bridging Ceremony
(to Brownie Girl Scouts)
Who: Daisy Girl Scouts, their leaders, parents, and perhaps a Brownie Girl Scout "sister" troop with which you have done some bridging activities.

What: Ceremony to make the transition from Daisy level of Girl Scouts to Brownie level of Girl Scouts.

Where: At your meeting place, at school, at a church, at a community room.

When: After you have completed most of your year as a Daisy Girl Scout and after you have talked to a Brownie Girl Scout troop about Brownie Girl Scouts.

Why: Bridging is an important milestone in moving to the next level of Girl Scouts to receive "Ending Certificates", to receive a Brownie Girl Scout membership pin, to receive a Membership Star and blue disc (which signifies the girl has been a member of Girl Scouts for one year), and to receive the "Bridge to Brownie Girl Scouts Patch" which the girls have earned as a Daisy Scout

How: Send invitations to all of the guests. This ceremony should include the girls, leaders, parents, and perhaps the Brownie troop you have done bridging activities with. Be sure to include all the details about date, time, place, wear uniform, refreshments served, etc.

Opening: Form a circle and call each girl's name. Explain why you are having this ceremony.

Celebration: Flag ceremony OR Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Say the Girl Scout Promise together, leader could read the Girl Scout Law. Have each girl tell what was her favorite part of Daisy Girl Scouts and what she looks forward to as a Brownie Girl Scout, have each girl walk across the bridge. Give each girl an Ending Certificate, a Membership Star and blue disc, and a Brownie Girl Scout pin (you may want to wait until the beginning of next year to give the girl her Brownie Pin). Greet each girl with a Girl Scout handshake. Sing the "Brownie Smile Song".

Closing: Form a circle, sing "Make New Friends" and then "Taps" Do a friendship squeeze around the circle, dismiss. Refreshments are optional but add a nice touch.
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Brownie Girl Scout Fly-Up
(to Junior Girl Scouts)

A Brownie Girl Scout "flies up" to Junior Girl Scouting in the spring, and receives her Brownie Wings. If possible, have your fly-up ceremony with a Junior troop in your Service Unit. Often all age groups of Girl Scouts are involved, including the parents.

Needs: Order your Brownie Wings ahead of time, also your Girl Scout pins and Membership Stars and green disc if you plan to present them now. Brown construction paper, cut to represent stones, or paper bags cut the same way. Write a Girl Scout Law on each one. Refreshments (optional)

The Brownie Girl Scouts sit on one side of the room in a Brownie Ring, and the Junior Girl Scouts sit in a horseshoe (always make the open end toward the audience) on the other side of the room. Place your Stepping Stones between the two groups and tape them down to the floor.

Everyone sings "Girl Scouts Together", found in the Girl Scout Pocket Songbook (or others)

Brownie Leader: You've been a Brownie and you've earned your wings of sunlight gold. Now you're ready for Junior Girl Scouts, new adventures you've been told
(The girls all stand)

Brownie Leader: I would like to present my Brownie Girl Scouts their wings; they are ready to fly-up to the next level of Girl Scouting. As I call your name, would you please come forward? (as they come forward, pin on their wings).

Junior Leader: Each step of Junior Girl Scouting can be filled with fun and adventure. As a troop, we would like to welcome you.

The Brownies walk on the stepping stones and enter the horseshoe. With the Brownies facing the Juniors, the Girl Scout Sign is made and the girls recite the Girl Scout Promise.

Have the Brownies and Juniors face one another, and walk forward to the stepping stone with the first Girl Scout Law printed on it and have the two girls say the Law. Now the next pair of girls come and stand on Law #2; continue until all the Laws are said. If there are not enough girls in the two troops, they may have to do this as single girls instead of in pairs.

Junior Leader: With the help of (Brownie Leader's Name) we would like to present our new Juniors with the Girl Scout membership pin. (pin on Girl Scout Pins). At this time you may also wish to give the girls their Membership Stars and green disc.

Brownie Leader: We will now all sing "Make New Friends"

Junior Leader: Junior Girl Scouts you'll be for a few short years
Make the most of each day that goes by
Be cheerful and helpful and do a good turn
And greet each Girl Scout with a Hi!

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Junior Girl Scout Bridging Ceremony
(Bridge to Cadettes)
Junior Girl Scouts form a horseshoe at one end of the bridge, while Cadette Girl Scouts form a horseshoe on the other. Each Junior Girl Scout is presented with a candle while she is still on the "Junior" side of the bridge. One by one, each bridging Junior walks to the center of the bridge, escorted by her leader. When they reach the center of the bridge, they are met by an experienced Cadette Girl Scout. The ceremony then proceeds in the following manner:

Leader: May I present Junior Girl Scout _______________, who is eager to accept the challenge of Cadette Girl Scouting.

Cadette Girl Scout: I, _______________, challenge you, ________________, to serve your younger sister Girl Scouts, your community, and your country; as we have served you. If you accept this challenge, I will light your candle in respect, that you will live your challenge to the fullest. Do you accept this challenge?

Bridging Junior: I will accept this challenge.

(upon accepting the challenge, the Cadette will light the bridging Junior's candle)

Leader: (name of new Cadette GS), would you please recite the Girl Scout Promise

New Cadette: Recites the Promise

Cadette leader and girls congratulate the new Cadette Girl Scout and welcome her to Cadette Girl Scouting

The same procedure is repeated until all girls are bridged.

Do a closing song or other closing activity

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Paper Doll Ceremony
(could also be adapted for use with other Brownie level by substituting the word "fly-up" for "bridging")

This could be used as an invitation to this bridging ceremony: As an invitation, or expanded to a large table centerpiece, this idea clearly conveys the meaning of bridging from one level of Girl Scouting to the next.

Cut a piece of construction paper into a rectangle 5" x 9". Fold paper in thirds (ends folded toward center). Trace pattern on front of paper, and cut as indicated, leaving doll attached at arms, skirt and shoes. Open up dolls.

Write message on center doll. Different colors of construction paper can be used for the different levels:
Brown for Brownies
Green for Juniors
Blue for Cadettes

For centerpiece, enlarge pattern on posterboard, cutting 4 paper dolls to form a square when opened to stand.

As each Girl Scout says her verse she stretches out her hand to the next Girl Scout to speak, until all the girls are linked like paper dolls across the front of the room. Verses may be split if you have more than seven girls bridging. Girls who do not have speaking parts could also stand up with hands linked like paper dolls

Take my hand in friendship
I give to you this day
Remember all the good times
We had along the way

Take my hand in helping
Other people that we know
The more we give to others
The more that we will grow

Take my hand in learning
To camp on nature's ground Enjoying trails and campfires
With new friends that we have found

Take my hand in giving
Our knowledge of true scouts
To girls we meet and talk to
Who have so many doubts		 Take my hand in thanking
Our leader and our guide
With sincere appreciation
For standing by our side

Take my hand in eagerness
To be an older scout
We're proud to be bridging
Is what we're going to shout

So take my hand to follow
New scouting paths in sight
We'll join hands with each other
And in friendship we'll unite

(In unison):
We give our hands in promise
To hold our country dear
And abide by the Girl Scout Law
Each day throughout the year
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Bridge to Cadettes Ceremony
(for Bridging Juniors)

All are standing in horseshoe formations. All repeat the Girl Scout promise.

Leader: (a poem)

The trail of Scouting winds wide and long
From Brownies and Beanies and sit-upons
To campouts and Juniors and Badges to earn
So much to do, so much to learn
Then over the bridge and on the Cadettes
With memories and pleasures we'll never forget
Now (girl's names), Scouts tried and true
Cross over the bridge, we give them to you
A gift of a girl is a precious thing
Take care and great joy they will bring

Junior leader presents each girl with Bridge to Cadettes patch and a candle with a silk daisy attached. Cadettes cross over the bridge. After all girl are in the horseshoe:

Leader: The daisy symbolizes your dedication to the Girl Scout Movement, which was started by our founder, Juliette Gordon Low, and began in our country on March 12, 1912. Juliette Low's nickname was Daisy. You are following in her footsteps as you become a unique and caring influence in today's and tomorrow's world.

Have on table - 1 candle for each world color (red, orange, yellow, blue, and purple) and a green candle representing Girl Scouting. Also, need one more white candle with a daisy.

Have Cadettes light appropriate candles and read the following scripts:

While lighting white candle w/daisy - (this candle is used to light all other colors) The light of Cadettes I share with you as you explore the Girl Scout World through Interest Projects, Service, Career Exploration, and leadership opportunities.

While lighting the red candle: The red candle stands for the World of Well-Being, which helps young women understand themselves, their values, needs, emotions, and strengths, while also being aware of what it takes to be physically fit.

While lighting the orange candle: The orange candle stands for the World of Today and Tomorrow, which lets a young woman look into the how's and whys of things, to solve problems and to recognize the ways their present interests can build toward future ones.

While lighting the yellow candle: The yellow candle stands for the World of the Out-of-Doors. Explorations in this world can help a young woman to enjoy and appreciate her natural environment and to take action to protect and preserve her world and environment.

While lighting the blue candle: The blue candle stands for the World of People. This world can help a young woman to build pride in her own heritage, while appreciating the uniqueness of each culture and the common theme of all peoples.

While lighting the purple candle: The purple candle stands for the World of the Arts. To develop a personal taste and appreciation for the many art forms and things of beauty in the world around them.

After each Color of the Worlds candle is lit, light the green candle saying: From the light of the Five Worlds, may your Girl Scout world ever grow

Then, each girl takes her white candle and lights it from the green one as the leader says:

From the Girl Scout Worlds, take your light into the world and let it shine forth with love and knowledge.

All girls return to horseshoe. Sing an appropriate song, such as "Girl Scouts Together" or "Whene'er You Make A Promise"
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Other Ideas for Cadette Bridging
  • After Juniors have crossed the bridge:
    We present to you a Silver Key, which will symbolize that you are seeking to unlock the door to Cadette Scouts as you begin your work on the Silver Leadership and Silver Awards. Wear it as a symbol that you are in pursuit of the gold at the end of the Rainbow of the Girl Scout Worlds

    (This ceremony can also be adapted for Cadettes bridging to Seniors)

    You are about to enter another phase of Girl Scouting. You will find yourself leaving behind your childish enthusiasm and entering a world of new experiences where you will gain an understanding of your own self worth and individuality. As you accept more responsibility you will experience a growth in your knowledge, abilities and judgements. In these tools place your new enthusiasm for the future - use them wisely.

    _______________, are you willing to accept the challenges and responsibilities of a Cadette (Senior) in Girl Scouts?

    Cadette (Senior) response: I am

    Leader: As you say the challenges, light the candles before you as a symbol of this acceptance.

    (You could use different colored candles to correspond to the different worlds: Red for #1, blue for #2, orange for #3, purple for #4, yellow for #5, white for #6, green for #7, and silver or gold for #8)

    The Challenge of Cadette Scouting:
      1. I challenge myself to a greater understanding of the World of Well Being
      2. I challenge myself to better serve the World of People
      3. I challenge myself to accept the changing World of Today and Tommorow
      4. I challenge myself to have a better insight and appreciation of the World of the Arts
      5. I challenge myself to understand and preserve the World of the Out-of-Doors
      6. I challenge myself to learn leadership and give service
      7. I challenge myself to accept and live the challenge of being a Girl Scout (or challenge of living the Promise and Law)
      8. I challenge myself to achieve the highest award as a Cadette (Senior), the silver award (the Gold Award.

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    Bridge to Senior Girl Scouts Ceremony
    (for Bridging Cadettes)

    Cadettes should be in a horseshoe on one side of the bridge, and a Senior or Seniors on the other side of the bridge. After the cadettes cross the bridge and are met and given the Girl Scout handshake by the Senior Scout(s), they should then form a horseshoe with the Senior(s).

    Leader: "When you are a Senior Scout, your life is filled with action. In addition to group activities, Seniors have many individual opportunities coming their way. You can take part in special events and activities planned by Seniors for Seniors. You can be a delegate or a member of the Council board and help plan council activities. You may be selected for one of the many Wider Opportunities open to Girl Scouts each year. And you can now begin work on the Gold Leadership Award and the Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouts. We invite you to get involved!"

    Need eight white candles in holders. New Seniors may alternate lighting candles and saying the parts of the following pledge:

    I pledge as a Senior Scout to:
      1. Uphold the highest ideals of womanhood as expressed in the Promise and Law
      2. Be thoughtful and considerate and assume my share of responsibility in the activities of my troop
      3. Be a better citizen of my community and prepare myself for the duties and responsibilities of adult citizenship in a democracy
      4. Realize my deep commitment to volunteer my services wherever and whenever needed
      5. Keep myself healthy and the wold around me as safe as I can make it
      6. Seek new knowledge and the skill to use it
      7. Increase my knowledge and understanding of the peoples of the world toward the goal of peace
      8. Prepare myself for the future
    Return to horseshoe

    Leader: As you begin your Senior journey to the Gold Award - we give you a gold key to help you unlock the doors to the Five Worlds of Girl Scouting. Keys have quite a history. They were first used back in Biblical times. They were quite large and made of wood; they were carried as a sign of prestige. We hope that you will carry your key as proudly as the first keys were carried - and that this key will open many doors and worlds in your Senior years of Scouting. Welcome to Senior Scouts.
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    Bridge to Seniors Ceremony
    (for Cadettes bridging to Seniors)
    The speaking parts can be split up into a few more parts if you have more girls available. This ceremony can be adapted to bridge girls into Adult Scouting with a few wording changes.

    Senior Scout Speaker: Tonight we Seniors celebrate with these Cadettes who are ready to bridge into Senior Girl Scouting. It is our aim during this evening to see that you have a glimpse into the different options of the Senior Girl Scouting program and that we can get to know each other. We know that you have prepared yourselves well and will want to use your experiences to extend your knowledge and to explore new interests. We know too, that you will adhere to the belief in the Girl Scout Promise and Law which underlies the activities in the Senior Program. May we all repeat the Girl Scout Promise and Law together.

    Senior Scout: There are so many worlds to explore! There is the World of Yourself, partly known, but still full of mysteries and surprises. There is the World of People, like you and unlike you, girls and boys, men and women, little children and senior citizens. There is the World of the Out-of-Doors, and there are the worlds of laughter and beauty and career and growing up to be a woman.

    Speaker: It now gives us much pleasure to present you with a gift to represent your bridging from Cadettes to Seniors. As your name is called, will you please come forward to receive your gift.

    Speaker: (after all girls have received gifts)
    Let us be friends in everything of duty and of play.
    And in whatever other deeds we do from day to day
    Let us be kind and generous to those who cross our path
    And not allow ourselves to live in jealousy or wrath
    Let us consider what we have and how much we can spare
    To spread the sunshine with us to others everywhere
    For, after all, our happiness to some degree depends
    On how we go about the task of comforting our friends
    So let us follow friendliness with every step we take
    And do some worthy deed each day for someone else's sake
    Close with an appropriate song

    Gift ideas: Daisies
    Yellow Roses
    Personalized I.D Pin
    Membership Star
    Part of the Senior Uniform
    Certificate
    Bridging Patch
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    Service Unit or Multi-Troop Fly - Up And Bridging Ceremony

    Perform opening flag ceremony and sing "America, the Beautiful"

    Welcome to Brownie Girl Scouts (for Daisies bridging to Brownies)

    Brownie Leader says to Daisy Girl Scouts: "Come on girls and join our ring; here we plan most everything."

    First and second grade Brownies go get Daisies and take them into circle. Daisies can be presented with their Bridge to Brownie Girl Scouts Patch, their Ending Certificate, and their membership pin, if desired.

    Third Grade Brownies Fly-up

    Brownie Leader says to third graders: "Now it's time to say good-bye; break the ring and out you fly."

    Ring breaks to let girls and Leader out. She takes them to the bridge, repeats the following poem and gives them their Brownie Wings.

    leader:
    Brownies you are just about
    to become a Junior Scout
    In the troop you soon will find
    Junior scouts are true and kind
    So now I give you Brownie Wings
    That you may fly to bigger things

    Brownies cross the bridge, fourth and fifth grade Juniors meet them at the other end and each one takes a Brownie to the Junior horseshoe. When all are in place, they repeat the Girl Scout Promise together and the Brownies are presented with the Girl Scout pin.

    Sixth Grade Juniors Cross the Bridge to Cadette Scouts

    Junior leader says:
    "As we say 'Welcome to you'; we have to say a good-bye too
    The time has come for some to cross; the Cadette's gain is our loss"

    Junior leader stands at end of the bridge and says a good-bye to sixth grade Juniors as they start across the bridge. Seventh and eighth grade Cadettes meet them at the other end of bridge and take them to their horseshoe.

    Ninth Grade Cadettes Cross the Bridge to Senior Scouts

    Cadette leader says: "Welcome to Cadette Scouting. As you join us to help make a well rounded troop ready to meet the challenges of Cadette Scouting, we too must say good-bye to some of our members as they progress on to Senior Scouting."

    Cadette leader stands at end of bridge and gives the ninth grade Cadettes the Girl Scout handshake as they start across the bridge. The Senior Scouts will meet them at the other end.

    Close ceremony by singing "Girl Scouts Together"