Members | For Girl Scouts | Council's Own Badges and Patch Programs

Asthma Awareness Patch toggle arrow

Girl Scouts who complete all the activities listed below will earn the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois Asthma Awareness Patch. This patch is to help girls and leaders learn about asthma and how to respond to an asthma emergency.

Requirements:

Learn about the respiratory system and how people breathe.
Learn what asthma is and the causes, or triggers, of an asthma attack.
Learn what are some signs and symptoms of an asthma attack.

Learn the procedure how to help someone who is having an asthma attack with the following steps:

Stay calm.
Ask the person if she/he has asthma. If so, help them with their
medication if they need help.
Notify a parent/guardian immediately.
Call 911 and follow the instructions from the 911 operator if emergency
help is needed.

Practice this procedure with other members of your troop using toy phones (do not call 911 unless it is a real emergency).

Learn lung-smart health tips.
Teach other people and Girl Scouts about asthma.

Backyard Challenge Patch toggle arrow

Take the Backyard Challenge! Complete the required number of activities based on your age level as indicated at the bottom of the activities sheet . Have fun exploring your backyard!

Bowling Patch toggle arrow

Girl Scouts who complete all the activities listed below will earn the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois Bowling Patch.

Requirements:

Learn about Bowling Scorekeeping:

What is a strike?
What is a spare?
What is a split?
What is a gutter ball?
What is a turkey?
How many frames are there in a game of bowling?
How many turns do you get to have each frame?
In the 10th frame, how do you get to have a 3rd turn?

Learn how to keep score and keep track of your own score during the game.

Learn about Bowling Equipment:

Why do you have to wear special bowling shoes?
How many holes does a bowling ball have?
What is the surface of the lane made of?
What is a foul line?

Learn about Bowling Etiquette:

Learn 2 bowling etiquette practices.

Learn about Bowling History:

When did bowling begin?
What is the professional organization a female bowler can belong to?
Learn about three famous female bowlers.
What are the benefits you receive from bowling?
Plan and carry out a session at a local bowling alley.

Frog Pond Patch toggle arrow

Join us for an exciting adventure into the world of amphibians. The Frog Pond patch program is available for all Girl Scout levels and offers an immersive exploration of nature and science.

The Frog Pond patch program is for all grade levels. Once completed, patches can be purchased at the GSofSI Council Shop.

Patch Requirements:

Daisies / Brownies – Choose 1 activity from 3 categories listed below
Juniors / Cadettes – Choose 1 activity from 4 categories listed below
Seniors / Ambassadors – Choose 1 activity from 5 categories listed below

Gymnastics Patch toggle arrow

Gymnastics can be a fun exercise that your troop can participate in together.

Requirements:

Plan and carry out a gymnastics session at a local gymnastics studio.
Participate in a warm-up exercise before starting your gymnastics session. Learn why this is important.
Learn how to do a forward roll, walk on the balance beam, and swing on the uneven bars.
Learn about gymnastics.
Learn about four different gymnastic events.
Learn two safety practices in gymnastics/tumbling.
Learn about a famous female gymnast. Why is she famous?

Healthy Living Patch toggle arrow

Get healthy and fit this Girl Scout year! Complete 5 of the 9 activities listed below to earn the Healthy Living Patch. All activities are designed to encourage girls to be active, try a new activity or sport, eat healthy, and to have a well-balanced lifestyle.

Requirements: Complete 5 of the 9 Activities

Participate in a 5K walk/run
Take a 20 minute hike at your local park
Attend a cooking class and learn one new healthy recipe
Take a self-defense or tae kwon do class
Take a dance, gymnastics, or aerobics class (including yoga, Zumba, Pilates, etc.)
Participate in a GSofSI outdoor program
Earn the First Aid Badge for your program level (Brownies – Ambassadors)
Earn the Gloria Petal-Respect Myself and Others (Daisies only)
Participate in one of the outdoor camp activities: archery, canoeing, geocaching, rock climbing, swimming, or sailing

Highest Awards Path Patch toggle arrow

Highest Awards Path Patch Program

Girl Scouts make such a difference while earning our Highest Awards! Our Council's Highest Awards Path patch program invites girls to learn more about Highest Awards projects found throughout Southern Illinois. By participating in this patch program, Girl Scouts will explore locations where Gold Award Girl Scouts and Silver Award Girl Scouts have made a lasting impact.

Join us in celebrating their hard work and commitment! Take a day trip to visit the various locations and don’t forget to check out the projects at Camp Torqua! Have a vacation planned and will already be traveling? Plan a stop along the way to see these amazing Highest Award projects!

Check out the locations where you can find Silver and Gold Award projects.

The Highest Awards Path patch program is for all grade levels. This patch program can be completed at your own pace. Patches can be purchased in the Online Council Shop!

Patch Requirements:

Daisies / Brownies – Visit and Enjoy 5 Silver or Gold Award project locations
Juniors / Cadettes - Visit and Enjoy 7 Silver or Gold Award project locations
Seniors / Ambassadors - Visit and Enjoy 10 Silver or Gold Award project locations

Q&A

Can we count multiple projects at one location? YES!
My Girl Scout is going to camp this summer; can we count that? Yes!
My Girl Scout created a Highest Award project; does that count? Yes!

Were you inspired by any Highest Awards project? Do you have a great idea that you would like bring to life? Learn how you can get started with your Highest Award project by visiting our Highest Awards Resources page.

Honoring Our Veterans Patch toggle arrow

Girl Scouts take pride in their patriotism and sharing their appreciation with the U.S. Military and Veterans who serve to protect our freedom.

Once girls complete two activities from the list below, they will show their pride by receiving an “Honoring our Veterans” patch to wear proudly on their Girl Scout uniforms.

Complete a service project benefitting Veterans
Visit a Veterans' Home
Lead an activity with Veterans
Send cards of appreciation to a Veterans' Home or overseas to active duty service members (an example included below, you can also connect with local organizations): https://amillionthanks.org/letter/
Visit a Veterans' Association and learn about challenges that Veterans might face
Volunteer at a Veteran-focused program or event taking place at a local American Legion or VFW
Participate in an Honor Flight
Place flags in a cemetery to honor Veterans
Interview a Veteran and tell his/her story
Volunteer with a therapy dog organization that provides therapy dogs for Veterans

Night Hike Patch toggle arrow

Explore the outdoors after dark!

Requirements:

Play an outdoor game at night – flashlight tag, bat and moth, night watchman, wolf pack, etc. Was it more fun playing after dark?
Hold a flashlight on a light surface and see how many bugs are attracted to the light. Why do you think this is?
Go on a night hike and look for eye shine reflected back at you. (You can use the reflective eyes from the kit or make your own if you don’t think you’ll see any wildlife.) What makes an animal’s eye reflect the light? How does this help them see?
Turn your flashlight off, and sit quietly in the dark. Name an animal you hear. What do you think it is doing? What does it do during the day?
Check your vision by trying this activity: Pair up and focus on your partner’s face. You will notice your partners’ heads begin to disappear. Simply shift your eyes back and forth to make the head reappear.
Your peripheral vision helps you navigate at night. What would happen if you walked down a trail and only focused ahead?

Try a few owl calls and see if you get a response! Three owls we have in our council are:

Great Horned Owl (Whooo’s awake? Meee Toooo)
Barred Owl (Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all?)
Screech Owl (make a whinny through your nose like a horse)

One Match Club Patch toggle arrow

This is a club that is open to any camper (youth only) who can start a campfire and keep it going for at least 5 minutes with only one match and without the use of fire starters at a Girl Scout function (ie. Day Camp, Council, Troop, or Service Unit Campout/Program). Members will receive a patch to be worn to be worn proudly on the back of their vest or sash.

Requirements:

Light a campfire and keep it going for at least 5 minutes using only one match and without the use of fire starters.
Have two people witness your talent of lighting a one-match fire, one witness being an adult Girl Scout.
You may only receive this award once.

Outdoor Progression Levels toggle arrow

Please visit our Outdoor page to learn more about Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois' Outdoor Patch Progression Requirements !

Pillar Power Patch toggle arrow

Girl Scout programming is built on four pillars of experience that help girls thrive: life skills, STEM, outdoors, and entrepreneurship. This strong foundation helps fulfill Girl Scouts’ Mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Girls can gain new interests and broaden their skills by exploring activities in each pillar! They are invited to take our Pillar Power challenge to earn a patch and build a strong base that will encourage them to grow.

To complete the challenge, all you need to do is consult our Pillar Power Chart of Activities and find a way to incorporate something from each pillar into your life. Below is a list of how many activities from each pillar your Girl Scout level must complete:

Daisy - Complete 1 activity from each pillar.
Brownie - Complete 2 activities from each pillar.
Junior - Complete 3 activities from each pillar.
Cadette - Complete 4 activities from each pillar.
Senior - Complete 5 activites from each pillar.
Ambassador - Complete 6 activities from each pillar.

Recycling Patch toggle arrow

The purpose of the Recycling patch is to encourage girls to think about what happens to the trash that goes in the trash can. It inspires girls to reduce, reuse, and recycle trash and to teach others in the community how easy it is to “Save the Earth” and make the world a better place!

Requirements:

Visit a recycling center, watch a recycling movie, or read some recycling books to find out the answers to the questions below:

What happens to the garbage when it leaves your house?
What does the term biodegradable mean?
What do the “Three Rs” stand for? Which is the most important to you?
What do the numbers on the bottom of plastic containers mean?
Why is it important to recycle?
Can you recycle the same thing over and over?
Make something out of recycled materials – a model, a desk organizer, locker accessory, etc. Have a contest in your troop or service unit to pick the most colorful, most useful, most material reused, etc.

Complete at least one of the following six activities:

Make your own recycled paper from scrap paper that you have lying around.
Play a recycling game.
Make recycling posters to hang up at your home or school.
Do a comparison between a recycled product and a non-recycled product. For example, if you choose recycled paper, does it fold differently or look different when you write on it? Does it rip easier, or is it stronger?
Make your own traveling recycler for the next time you do an activity at a place that only has trash cans.
Do a trash hike, but sort the garbage into recyclables and non-recyclables (use gloves!), and then take the recyclables to a recycling center.

Roller Skating Patch toggle arrow

Roller skating is a fun activity that helps girls stay fit and strong. Troop leaders are asked to adjust the activity for age appropriateness.

Requirements:

Plan and carry out a session of roller skating at a local skating rink.
Learn about different kinds of skates that are available.
Learn about the maintenance of a roller rink. What makes the floor so special?
Take a roller skating lesson.
Learn how to stop, go, turn, and balance on one skate.
Learn two skating etiquette practices.
Play a game while on roller skates.
Learn about the history of roller skating.
Learn some benefits you receive from skating.
Learn about some sports that take place on roller skates.

Southern Illinois State Park Patches toggle arrow

Girl Scout's LOVE State Parks! Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois has five locations your troop can choose to visit and earn the State Park Patch: Giant City State Park, Cache River State Park, Beal Woods State Park, Pere Marquette State Park and Fort Massac State Park.

To Earn the Patch:

Visit one of the State Parks listed
Go to the Visitor's Center and ask to check out a Girl Scout State
Park Patch Backpack (for free!) which will include everything you
need for your adventure
Set off around the park and learn about the history, flora and fauna
Complete the Patch Guide and return it to the Visitor's Center
to get a signature
You did it! Fill out the patch order form and your new badge
will be shipped out to you!

State Park Patch Program Guides:

Giant City State Park Booklet
Cache River State Park Booklet
Beall Woods State Park Booklet
Pere Marquette State Park Booklet
Fort Massac State Park Booklet

Women In STEM Patch toggle arrow

Women In STEM Patch Program

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is proud to offer a Women In STEM Patch Program! Women in STEM have been impacting our lives for years, but do you know who they are? Do you know what they have contributed? This patch will take us back in time to learn about the impact of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields and how they made history. Let’s learn and explore together! Girl Scout troops and individual girls are invited to participate in this patch program!

Select only one of the following “Women in STEM” to learn more about them and earn this patch! Choose from Marie Curie, Edith Clarke, Katherine Johnson or Barbara McClintock.

When you have made your selection - fill out the Women In STEM Activity Sheet about her!

How do you complete the activity sheet?

Do some research! Watch a movie, watch a YouTube video, read a magazine, or read a book about them. Then, fill out the sheet with information about your chosen “Woman in STEM.”

After completing the sheet, the patch can be preordered through the shop. Order your patch now!

Women In STEM Extension Patches

Earn additional add-on patches for extra learning with women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics!

In addition to the main Women in STEM patch there are three optional bar patches uniquely designed to pair along. Each bar has a set of three different optional requirements Girl Scouts can complete. The extension patches can be ordered in the Online Council Shop!

Download the extension patches activity sheet!

Council Finder

Council's Own Badges and Patch Programs

Patch programs provide Girl Scouts an opportunity to enjoy a variety of activities while earning a fun badge!

Patch Point: Pillar Power

Seasonal Patches

Patch Requirements

Council's Own Badges