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At Hemlock Girl Scout Council, we are proud of our diversity. We live in cities, suburbs and rural areas. Our homes are apartment buildings, townhouses and trailers. We come in various sizes and colors. We like different types of music and eat many kinds of food. But all of us believe in the Girl Scout Promise and Law. We are committed to providing a place where all girls belong and are valued.
Our differences are our diversity. But to promote pluralism, we must value these differences and realize they are what make our council great. All Girl Scout leaders are expected to promote an environment of acceptance and tolerance. Leadership training provides ideas for activities and discussion topics. Members of council staff are also available to help.
As troop leaders and advisors you can:
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Be a role model for girls, parents, other volunteers and your community.
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Select a troop committee that reflects your community's diversity.
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Develop your own knowledge, skills, and attitudes about pluralism and diversity.
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Help girls to choose and do activities that allow them to learn about themselves and others in their day-to-day Girl Scout environment.
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Respect differences in planning activities. Take into account religious and economic differences, special needs and interests of all girls.
Programs include:
World of Difference - Hemlock Girl Scout Council has developed a World of Difference patch that encourages girls to explore the diversity of their communities. Troop members survey their community and complete a project to share their findings. The outcome will be a realization that all communities, large or small, have many dimensions of diversity. Click here to learn more about the World of Difference patch and for an order form. Click here for supplemental information for the patch program.
Zink the Zebra – ZinkTheZebra.org This program was developed in memory of Kelly Weil (1982-1993), a young girl who lost her battle to cancer. Kelly left behind a valuable lesson about diversity and acceptance. The Zink the Zebra program gives girls the opportunity to read, think, and talk about what it is like to be treated differently than others. It teaches the importance of friendships and the consequences of misconceptions about human differences. Zink the Zebra kits are available for loan from each association and all district offices. Click Here to learn about the optional patch program that includes a beanbag zebra for each girl. To print out the Racing Stripes Activity Guide, Click Here. Then insert the attached activity guide.
Focus on Ability – This resource, provided by GSUSA, has activities that can be adapted for all age levels to help girls become comfortable with people with physical challenges. Girls participate in role-playing exercises that build sensitivity and awareness. For example, girls can participate in an activity while wearing blindfolds or write the alphabet while wearing an oven mitt. The girls will gain some understanding of how it feels to be physically challenged. Focus on Ability kits, with most of the materials needed to complete the activities, are available for loan from each association and all district offices.
Additional materials, such as videos and literature to promote tolerance, are available at the Urban Program Center. Call 1-800-692-7816 for more information
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