"Grow Guiding" Advancement Ceremony
Thanks to Arlene Viscount, who shared this ceremony with me. It was created by Dolores Boutilier & Kathleen Bugbee.
Line up girls in Units to march into gym – Sparks, Brownies, etc.
March into gym – singing Spark’s song, Brownie’s song & Guide’s song. Form horseshoe around the garden with opening facing front (stage).
Colors are “Marched On” & O’Canada is sung. Promises are repeated by all Sparks, then Brownies & then Guides, Senior Branches and Guiders.
DC (District Commissioner) welcomes everyone and ceremony begins:
Speaker: Growing – there are many stages in growth – babies grow into children, then into teenagers and then, eventually, into adults – all living things grow and change and then start all over again. Tonight we are glad that you have joined us to celebrate a very important stage of the growth in the life of these young members of the Girl Guides. As with everything, it takes lots of fun and work to grow Guiding. Tonight we will see the many colours of what has been grown in our District and what a beautiful flower we have been growing and will continue to grow.
A leader from each Spark Unit will help to build the logo – one places the box, one places the stem and one places the cloth over the box and around the stem.
Speaker: What does it take to grow a beautiful flower? One of the things that we need after the seeds have been planted is fertilizer. What is the fertilizer for the Sparks – their motto is “Share and be a friend?” They learn through the help of their volunteer leaders to grow friendships – they learn to help each other and to work together – the Sparks get lots of fertilizer.
Speaker # 2 reads a list of the Spark girls, by Unit, who are advancing.
- Sparks prepare to advance:
- Advancing Sparks form a circle at the beginning of the red lights
- Receiving Brownies form a line at the beginning of the white lights
Sparks walk along the path of red lights and sprinkle their “fertilizer” over the plants. Her Unit Guider & District Commissioner meet her by the “garden” and present her with her certificate and pin. A Brownie steps forward to meet the Spark, welcomes her and takes her to meet her friends (join the horseshoe).
Speaker: These Sparks have grown to the next stage – Brownies – and they will grow again over the next couple of years in the Brownie program.
A leader from each Brownie Unit continues to help build the logo by placing a leaf on the stem.
Speaker: What do we need next to help the flower grow and bloom – we need “water.” These Brownies have grown -- the Brownies motto is “Lend a hand.” The Brownies with lots of water to help them grow from the leaders, have learned to lend a hand to each other and also outside the Brownie group – to the community around them – they grow and spread out their roots.
Speaker # 2 reads a list of the Brownie girls, by Unit, who are advancing.
- Brownies prepare to advance:
- Advancing Brownies form a circle at the beginning of the red lights
- Receiving Guides form a line at the beginning of the white lights
Brownies walk along the path of red lights and “waters” the plants. Her Unit Guider & District Commissioner meet her by the “garden” and present her with her certificate and pin. A Guide steps forward to meet the Brownie, welcomes her and takes her to meet her friends (join the horseshoe).
Speaker: These Brownies have grown to the next stage – Guides – and they will grow again over the next few of years in the Guide program.
A leader from each Guide Unit will continue to help build the logo by placing petals around the bud.
Speaker: What do we need next to help the flower grow and bloom – we need “sunshine.” These Guides have grown -- the Guide motto is “Be prepared.” The Guides grow through the next stage of their growth – they grown and learn to how to be prepared and contribute to the world around them. Their leaders help the Guides get ready for the next stage in the growth of their lives.
Speaker # 2 reads a list of the Guide girls, by Unit, who are advancing.
- Guides prepare to advance:
- Advancing Guides form a circle at the beginning of the red lights
- Receiving Pathfinders (our Senior Branch girls) form a line at the beginning of the white lights
Guides walk along the path of red lights and “shine their light” upon the plants. Her Unit Guider & District Commissioner meet her by the “garden” and present her with her certificate and pin. A Pathfinder steps forward to meet the Guide, welcomes her and takes her to meet her friends (join the horseshoe).
Speaker: We have seen how these young girls have changed through the many stages of growth – we have also seen the many colours that they represent – Pink is colour of the new growth of a bud starting out in its first stage of growth – Orange is the next colour we see and it is a stronger colour as they girls grow through the next stage -- Blue is the strong, bright colour of Guides who have grown and learned to be prepared – the next colour of Guiding is Green for Senior Branches and then we have the volunteer leaders and the other levels of Guiding. We all grow together with all of the stages and parts of the growth process – seeds and fertilizer == are the sparks and leaders – water is given to the flower to help it grow == the brownies and their leaders – the sunshine is a must if you are to have a beautiful colourful flower == the guides and their leaders. All of these things together allow the flower to be supported and grow into what it was meant to be – a beautiful flower? No, but a beautiful young woman who is a important part of her community and world around her. And guess what happens next? It starts all over again with the next generation because we have successfully grown our organization.
District Guiders help complete the logo by placing the hands and the inscription on the box.
***If there is enough time and it is deemed appropriate, show the Grow Guiding Power Point presentation. ***
Everyone sings: “Make Guiding Grow”
March off the Colors & Taps