Religions of the World Try-It, Junior Badge, IPP
Juniors need to complete at least 8 activities, including three starred.
Cadettes/Seniors need to complete at least 10 activities including five starred.
1. Find out if there is a special Girl Scout award for your religion. Get a copy of the requirements and discuss them with your Girl Scout leader, parents and religious leader or teacher.
(Girls are encouraged to view P.R.A.Y.'s web site www.praypub.org for information on religious recognitions.) With permission from parents, earn a Scout Religious Recognition from the denomination that is appropriate for you.2. Talk to a religious leader or teacher from your house of worship. Include the following in your discussion: What are the sacred writings that are important to your religion? What are the most important beliefs/values about your religion? What special holidays does your religion observe? What major historical event(s) established your religion? How does someone officially become a member of your religious body? Are there ceremonies that are special to your religion? What makes your religion different from other world religions? What roles do women have in your religion? Share what you learned with your troop.
3. Talk to two people who practice a religion different from yours. Discuss some things that are the same and different between your practices and theirs.
4. Visit a place of worship for a religion that is different from yours.
5. Attend a service, ceremony or celebration for a religion that is different from yours.
6. Find out about holidays from at least two religions that are different from yours. Do an activity related to that holiday such as make a craft, prepare and eat a special food or learn a song.
7. Do a service project to help a person or organization that practices a religion that is different from yours.
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8. Research information on the 5 major world religions. Create an informative poster and/or game on what you learned for a group of younger Girl Scouts.9. Discuss with family if any of your ancestors moved to the US because of religious freedom. Find out why they felt that was important and how it was different where they came from. Share what you learn with your troop.
10. Invite to a troop meeting an immigrant to the US that came here for religious freedom. Discuss with them what it was like in their own country and how it is different here.
11. Find out what an Ecumenical council is. See if you have one in your area. If you do, invite a speaker from it to discuss how Ecumenical councils support religious freedom. If not, consider getting community support for one in your area by writing newspaper articles and/or discussing it with various local clergy.
12. Learn at least two dances of Universal Peace or two dances from different religions.
13. Participate in at least one of these that is different from your own tradition: a Japanese tea ceremony, a Purim carnival, Kirking of the Tartans, hena tatoos during Ramadan, a Zen meditation.
14. Learn what a koan is, try writing one yourself.
15. Learn the difference between meditation, contemplation and prayer.
16. In the Hindu tradition there are 7 schools of yoga, each use a different technique. Explore one.
17. Find graces from 3 religious traditions, try each one before snack time with your troop. Learn about eating restrictions of some religions. Create a meal around the restrictions of one religious group.
18. Create a troop calendar that lists as many religious holidays from all the traditions that you can find. Can you fill all the days?
19. Candles are used in Girl Scout ceremonies and throughout religious ceremonies of every denomination. Why? Study the symbology of candles and create your own candles. Consider making the candles special for your own Scouts Own by anointing them, writing the promise or law on them etc.
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20. Organize an event to promote world peace and religious tolerance, invite all denominations to participate. One idea is to create a permanent Peace pole in your area. Invite all denominations to attend when it is put in place for a dedication ceremony.21. Find out the various names for God from various religious perspectives. Why are there so many names? Is any one name more right than another?
22. Select a country from WAGGGS. Find out what the majority of Scouts/Guides from that country practice as a religion. See if they have a religious badge from that country. Find out what the requirements are. If possible do one or two of the activities for that badge.
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23. Some people choose a career within a religion. Select two religions and find out what careers are available in these religions. Interview people who have chosen at least two of the different careers you have discovered in your research. Find out why they chose their career and what they had to do to qualify for their position.*
24. Participate in a Girl Scout Sabbath or Girl Scout Sunday event with your troop. If one is not available in your area, contact a house of worship (synagogue/church) and work on creating the event with the appropriate people. Then announce it to the other troops of your Service Unit.*
25. In reflection on working on this badge, now what does the Girl Scout promise mean when it says to "serve God"? Do a service project as a troop that reflects your understanding.Group 1058 suggested this as a Council Try-It/Badge/IP. While being considered by Monterey Bay Girl Scout Council, our Group earned it as a Troop Own Try-It/Badge/IP. MATHTUTOR@aol.com is the contact for the Try-It insignia. My troop created the Junior Badge and IP using the blank ones available from GSUSA. Hopefully GSOMB will accept our proposal and then have them created in a quantity for purchase. Contact Kythera Ann (828)664-9786 for further information.