Bridging is an activity that is recognized as a transition amid the Leadership Experience for Girl Scouts. This activity is designed to emphasize the continuity in the Girl Scout program. Through Bridging girls will move from one program level to the next level. There are six levels to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience and they are Daisy (K-1st grade), Brownie (2nd-3rd grade), Junior (4-5th grade), Cadette (6-8th grade), Senior (9-10th grade), and Ambassador (11-12th grade).
Program levels that bridge are:
- 1st grade Girl Scout Daisy
- 3rd grade Girl Scout Brownie
- 5th grade Girl Scout Junior
- 8th grade Girl Scout Cadette
- 10th grade Senior
- 12th grade Girl Scout Ambassador
Bridging ceremonies typically take place at the beginning or end of the Girl Scout year in which transitions a troop into the next program level. Basic parts of a bridging ceremony are mentioned below but that does not limit troops to follow a specific design. Make it your own:
- Opening: guests are welcomed and the tone of the ceremony is set
- Main section: the ceremony is explained (often times scripted for participants) and the girls celebrate moving from one program level to the next
- Closing: girls can participate in friendship circles, speak about their experiences and thank their guests for attending
Each of the ceremony's parts offers an abundance of opportunity for the girls' to be creative and glimmer in their individuality. Whether the ceremony includes an actual bridge or a symbolic one, or if it includes props such as candles, flowers, or flags, it should at all times focus on paying tribute to the girls as they move onward in their Girl Scout journey!
