Daisy Girl Scouts: Grade K or ages 5 and 6
The Daisy Girl Scouts are the youngest and newest members of the Girl Scouts—Dakota Horizons family.  The Daisy Girl Scout level focuses on having fun with newly found friends and developing social skills.  Through exciting activities and programs, girls begin learning how to interact with others while learning about themselves.

Every activity has a purpose and a lesson behind it.  Girls participate in arts and crafts, sing songs, play games, and participate in community service that is simple yet meaningful.  Community service projects may include local food drives, clean-ups around the troop’s meeting and geographic area, and visiting nursing homes.

Daisy Girl Scouts can raise money for troop activities through the Girl Scout Cookie Sale Program and Fall Product Sale, and numerous other activities.

Brownie Girl Scouts: Grades 1-3 or ages 6-8
The Brownie Girl Scout level introduces girls to planning and decision-making, and of course, they have plenty of fun with friends!  Brownie Girl Scouts help decide on activities and participate in a simple form of troop government.

Brownie Girl Scout activities and programs focus on the discovery of different topics and interests, including outdoor sports, music, science wonders, musical explorations, and media/communications.  Brownie Girl Scouts may take day trips and experience overnight camping, perform service projects for others, raise money for troop activities through the Girl Scout Cookie Sale Program and Fall Product Sale, and numerous other activities.

Junior Girl Scouts: Grades 4-6 or ages 8 – 11
Girls who look around at new and interesting things and think “I’d like to try that!” are ready for the Junior Girl Scout level.  In this level girls have the opportunity to develop individual leadership skills and discover self-potential as they experience new responsibilities and challenges.

Junior Girl Scouts have more responsibility in determining the types of activities they will explore such as learning about computers and technology, outdoor adventures/sports, studying the arts, camping, serving as a Program Assistant for younger Girl Scouts, etc.  Juniors take longer trips like exploring historic Savannah, Georgia, home of the Girl Scouts founder, Juliette Gordon Low, or attending summer camp in the Ozark Mountains.

As always, community service activities play a key role in the activities girls do and the patches they can earn.  Girls are also introduced to budgeting and smart money management at this level. 

Girls 11-17: Grades 7-12
Today’s Girl Scouting for older girls provides a “menu of options” from which they can select fascinating activities based on their interests. Girls can choose from numerous programs like Studio 2B, the Destination Program, Just for Girls, Counselor-in-Training or other programs.  Girls can also create their own activities. 

Studio 2B is designed to be for girls by girls, with girls doing the planning and setting their own goals.  The Destinations Program provides opportunities to travel nationally and internationally through coordinated educational programs.  Just for Girls gives girls opportunities to play with and experience math, science and technology everywhere in our world.  The list of programs for girls this age goes on and on.  Educational opportunities are infinite if girls seize the chance to participate in a variety of programs.

Independents/Juliettes

Girls are able to participate in Girl Scouts through a variety of ways.  An especially popular way among girls ages 11-17 who enjoy the Girl Scout program, but lead such busy lives that they need a greater span of options, is to become a Juliette. A Juliette is an individually registered Girl Scout who is not affiliated with a specific troop, but wants to participate in programs, events and activities that are offered through the Girl Scouts. 

For more information on becoming a Juliette in your area, please contact your local Girl Scout office or call 1-800-666-2141.

Adult Membership
Volunteer adults are the heartbeat of our organization.  Every program or event for girls is delivered by volunteers with support from council staff.  That means Girl Scouts come in all age groups—you just need to have a desire to make a difference in the lives of girls.  Adults 18 years of age and older can join Girl Scouts—Dakota Horizons to serve as a leader, a mentor, a camp nurse, a cookie “mom," a board or committee member or in numerous other roles.  Whatever your expertise, you can help us out!  We’re looking for adults who believe in girls and want to support their development. 
Membership in the Girl Scouts of the USA, a background check and references are required for all volunteer positions.  Just a few of the volunteer opportunities with Girl Scouts—Dakota Horizons are listed below:

• Troop Leader or Co-Leader– Partner with girls to take responsibility for managing the troop/group and plan, carry out and evaluate activities based on interests and needs.
• Studio 2B Advisor – Spend one to two hours a month for one school year mentoring middle school girls.  Meetings are held at school locations. 
• Studio 2B Expert – Time commitment varies from one hour a month to one hour every three months.  Volunteer creates a presentation on a topic in their area(s) of expertise. 
• Service Unit Team Member – Organize regional events.  Develop a plan to achieve service unit membership goals.
• Community School Coordinator – Coordinate and conduct girl/adult recruitment activities in the service unit area.  Assist leaders in securing meeting places, sponsorships, resource materials and planning parent meetings. 
• Event Director – Term is dependent on time necessary to plan, promote, implement and evaluate an event.  May direct one or more events throughout the year. 
• Camp Volunteer – Volunteer for one or more camps.  It is a time commitment of one or more days during the summer. 
• Program Volunteer – Volunteer for one or more events throughout the year.  Most events are 1.5 to 2 hours long.  Assist with the setting up, cleaning up, and helping for the entire event! 
• Cookie Shop Manager – Confirm cookie shop sites prior to the scheduled shop dates, schedule troops and independent Girl Scouts at each of the cookie shop sites, provide a cookie shop confirmation (date, time, location) to each participating troop and each participating business.
• Cookie Sales Coordinator – Ensure the distribution of cookie sale materials to participating troops.  Provide support and guidance to troop cookie volunteers throughout the sale.  Arrange for delivery and distribution of cookies to the troops.  Collect and verify all sales-related forms and forward to the Director of Product Sales by the deadlines.  Distribute theme merchandise and goal patches by the deadline.
  Training is available for each of these positions.  For more information about volunteering, please contact Girl Scouts—Dakota Horizons at 605.336.2978 or toll free at 800.666.2141.  You can also email Connie Ochocki.

Adult Training Course Descriptions
We know your time is precious.  We also know working with girls is exciting and invigorating, but it can also be exhausting. We want to help you make the time you give the Girl Scouts, some of the most productive and satisfying time in your life.  To do that, we provide training to prepare you for your role in Girl Scouts.  Several of the Girl Scouts—Dakota Horizons training programs are listed below.

• Orientation/Basic Leader Training –  Designed for new adult leaders and co-leaders.  Learn about running a troop, including safety information, finances, forms, basics of troop information, product sales and much more.  (Minimum of 5 people required)
• Daisy Leader -- As a Daisy Girl Scout Leader, you are helping five and six year olds lay the foundation for what they have the potential to become.  This course gives practical tips such as troop leadership, troop finances, bridging, insignias, uniforms, standards and more.
• Brownie Leader – By becoming a Brownie Girl Scout Leader you have embarked on a wonderful journey helping girls in 1st through 3rd grade.  Learn about Try-Its, the four program goals, product sales, uniforms, bridging, the Brownie smile song, kaper charts and more.
• Junior Leader – Sharing experiences with a group of 8-11 year old girls will be fun and rewarding (if you’re prepared).  Learn about badges, the Bronze award, product sales, uniforms, bridging, the Girl Scout’s Own Ceremony, troop government, and Studio 2B for girls in the 5th and 6th grade.
• Girls 11-17 – Working with teenagers is challenging, rewarding and most of all, fun.  You will play a vital role in helping teenage girls explore their feelings, ideas, dreams and the opportunities that await them. Learn about ceremonies, Gold and Silver Awards, rededication, flag ceremonies, Studio 2B, Just for Girls and other Girl Scouts programs for teenage girls.
• Homestudy Courses are available any day, any time for all of the courses listed.
  If you are interested in these training programs, please contact the Adult Development Program Manager at 1-800-666-2141 or email Connie Ochoki.