STUDIO
2B is the way girls 11-17* participate in Girl Scouting based
upon a philosophy of “By Girls, for Girls” in all
aspects of program activities. The 2001 GSUSA New Directions
research that paved the way for STUDIO 2B found that: travel
is very important to girls. Girls surveyed across the USA said
that travel is a way to have fun and gives them a chance to
learn more about themselves and their world. Girls also said
they were interested in experiencing Girl Scouting beyond their
troop experiences. STUDIO 2B destinations offer girls the chance
to meet these needs.
* Those destinations that include 17-year-old Girl Scouts also
include 18-year-old Girl Scouts. An 18-year-old is still considered
a girl member until September 30 of the year she must register
as an adult. Focus on Travel
A STUDIO
2B destination is any experience, regardless of distance or
length of time, which provides a girl 11-17 with an opportunity
to expand her personal experience beyond her everyday scope.
Events range in length from 2 days to 10 weeks.
STUDIO 2B destinations focus on:
- Skill-based experiences that bring girls
11-17 together from around the world.
- Networking, mentoring, or service opportunities
for individuals and groups.
- The use of available technology to connect
girls to events and to each other.
- Regional events (such as leadership summits,
conferences, and girl training).
- Internship and apprenticeship programs and
service travel opportunities.
- Individual national leadership opportunities.
Through
the development of partnerships between GSUSA and outside
organizations and businesses, existing events can be enhanced
and new events established that provide girls with the opportunity
to connect with girls from around the world and for hands-on
activities in order to experience new things, develop new
skills and gain a sense of empowerment.
www.studio2b.org/escape/destinations
With the Web as an information
source, event descriptions are posted in clear and expansive,
teen-friendly language and the design makes events appealing.
Moreover, because travel opportunities are on the Web, event
details are updated and events are added throughout the year,
on a monthly basis.
The Basics
Event Selection
2006 events
will be posted in June or July 2005 on www.studio2b.org. Events
requiring the STUDIO 2B destinations application and reference
forms fall into the following categories:
- International–events
in which you travel outside of the U.S.
- Outdoors –events that
highlight new or advanced outdoor skills or Outward Bound
challenges on land or sea.
- Science–events in
which you experience science at a new level.
- People–events take
place in cities or the countryside so you can experience
new cultures and new places.
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 Events
that do not require the standard STUDIO 2B destinations application
forms include:
Getaways–events, both
national and regional, that are usually 2-8 days in length.
Girls can attend these events as an individual or in groups.
Apprenticeships–features service learning
and internship projects. These opportunities will have their
own application or registration form. The event pages will contain
the details. Girls can select age as
a search option and retrieve a list of all events for which
girls that age may participate. Girls may also search events
based on: keywords, location, and date of the events.
Application
The application
and reference forms can be downloaded from the Web site. For
2005 events, girls were able to choose four events. GSSJC
anticipates the same will hold true for 2006 events. Girls
can apply to only ONE international event and it MUST be listed
as her FIRST choice. Girls can then choose three additional
NATIONAL events for their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th choice. Should
a girl choose not to apply to an international event, she
may list four national events as her choices. Applications
are submitted to GSSJC in late fall and then forwarded onto
the destination host council. Selection takes place between
January and April.
Council Subsidization Grants
Funding may
be available for girls attending a destination (excluding
Getaways) through the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund or
through GSUSA. In addition, GSSJC provides destinations scholarships
to all GSSJC registered Girl Scouts, provided the Girl Scout
has participated in that year’s fall product and cookie
sales. Girls attending a WAGGGS sponsored event will receive
funding through the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund. In
addition to the subsidy from GSUSA, girls may receive subsidies
from our non-Girl Scout collaborations: SeaWorld/Busch Gardens
as well as the US Space and Rocket Center reduces the fee
for girls and Outward Bound USA waives the application fee
and the transportation fee for each girl.
Sponsorship
All destinations
are sponsored by either Girl Scout councils or outside collaborations.
The event sponsor is listed at the end of the event description
located at www.studio2b.org. All collaboration-sponsored events
are specially designed for Girl Scouts. Only registered Girl
Scouts can attend these events. All girls are covered by Girl
Scout non-basic insurance. There is at least one female instructor
per group, and most are led by all-women teams. Many collaboratively
sponsored events have one Girl Scout adult advisor in attendance
throughout the event.
If you are interested in 2006 STUDIO 2B
destinations, please contact Julie Deeter, Program Manager
at 713-292-0203, 800-392-4340 or jdeeter@sjgs.org
to be notified when the 2006 STUDIO 2B destinations are announced. |