It’s summertime!

School is out, the weather is getting that lovely “South Texas humid” feeling, and the last thing on your mind is taking your Girl Scout troop somewhere. But, this is the perfect time to load up the troop and take a cool summer trip. There are so many interesting places within a few hour’s drive that every troop can find someplace new and exciting to go. Before you and your girls plan any trips, check in Safety-Wise to make sure the choice of sites conforms to all safety regulations. There are 10 different forms concerning trips that might apply to your specific plans. Go to the Council Web site, www.gssjc.org, click on “Publications,” “Forms” and then select “Camping/Trips.” All the necessary forms and information for planning a great trip are there.
If a troop is taking a day trip, leaders need to get permission slips for all girls, qualified drivers, and first aiders, and then they are set to go. If leaders are taking girls on an overnight trip off Council property, they will need to submit a Short Troop Trip Application, which must be submitted to GSSJC prior to the trip. Trips over two nights require the purchase of additional Girl Scout insurance which can be purchased through the GSSJC Accounting Department. It is inexpensive and necessary for your trip.
Planning for longer trips will require more time and making those arrangements should be made over a long period with lots of girl planning involved. Girls should always be involved in the planning with their input given as much consideration as the input from adults. It’s the girls’ trip, they earned the money, share equally in that money, and they should have a say in where their money goes.
Texas has such a wealth of travel destinations. Trips can be to places such as San Antonio to explore the missions, or Galveston to explore the Strand and the tall

ship and a free ride on the ferry, or how about spelunking in Longhorn Caverns near Burnet (with a side trip to the Capitol in Austin), or visiting the State Aquarium in Corpus Christi? A longer trip might be to Palo Duro Canyon near Amarillo to see the second largest canyon in the country. If going west is in your plans, make a stop at Balmorhea State Park to swim in the natural springs or take a trip to Big Bend.
Before you take girls on extended trips, make sure they, and you, are ready for that adventure. Girls must show maturity to ride for long periods of time in cars, vans, buses, trains, or airplanes. Leaders would not want to take young Juniors on a long trip to the Savannah if they have never taken them past the mall. A few short trips are necessary before you take them away for a week or so. And, your parents need to be ready to let their girls go for an extended trip. It’s a learning experience for everyone. It would be better to put off a trip for a year than take them too early and have a miserable time. You want to build great memories, not bad.
Older girls can plan longer trips, both inside and outside our country. International travel is a great way to teach them about other cultures. Watching girls adapt to different customs, different foods, and having to navigate in a country where they don’t speak the language is great. Leaders will be surprised how well they can do.
Trips to amusement parks and other tourist attractions that their families can take them to is fun. However, the goal of taking your troop somewhere should be to give them experiences they cannot get when traveling with their families and friends. Look into taking them to the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace in Savannah, Georgia and take part in the sessions there. Find out more about the Birthplace at www.girlscouts.org. Many historical sites and parks offer special tours or programs for Girl Scouts. Be sure to ask in advance.

GSSJC troop travels through Texas during the summer.

Another option is to go online at www.wagggsworld.org and explore the four World Centers. Each one is unique, and the programs offered differ, but the experience is the same. Girls spend time with sister Girl Scouts and Girl Guides and get to know people from different countries all living in the same place sharing songs, games, service projects, and field trips to interesting places in Mexico, England, Switzerland, and India.
Don’t be afraid to plan big trips, but remember to consider the maturity of the girls, the willingness of their parents to let them go, and the financial obligations. “Progression,” the word Girl Scouts use to mean guiding girls through a series of experiences that suit their age and maturity, is very important when planning any activity, especially trips. Remember progression when you plan. Have a great summer and make sure you come back in the fall with some great Girl Scout memories. And, send those pictures and stories to The Golden Link!