Investiture? What's that?

Girl Scouts encourages leaders to plan Investitures for the 3rd or 4th meeting. This is when the Girl Scout is official 'vested' or pinned as a scout. I always thought the timing of the investiture was awkward because the girls want to start wearing their new uniform (tunic or vest) as soon as possible. In fact when I started in leading, we were told that uniforms were absolutely required for meetings (they are 5 yrs old-not so easy in reality!). So, if you can, save the tunics to hand out for this ceremony, but if not, then you can give them the official Girl Scout pin (trefoil) during the ceremony as well as their first badge, the blue Promise circle, for the center of the Daisy flower.

Part of the reason why Investitures are not held at the first meeting is that the girls need the time to learn the Girl Scout Promise! In my experience,
they learn it really quickly so you don't need to wait too long!!

Investitures can be planned for the last fifteen minutes of your meeting. Of course the parents should be invited. We made invites with a preprinted portion that was glued onto green construction paper and decorated by each girl. 

Sample Investiture Ceremony:

1. Welcome parents 

2. Introduce volunteers

3. Pledge of allegiance by all

4. Vesting each girl (and a beginning certificate, available at the Council shop or make your own from a Word certificate template)

5. Recitation of Girl Scout Promise

6. Introduction of daisy petals and their meaning (leaders can read each line of Law while new Daisies "assemble" an oversized Daisy on a board or wall.)
7. Remembering Juliette Gordon Low - brief recognition of our GS Founder
8. Presentation of Daisy Pin, Beginning Certificate and Promise Circle (pin goes over left side, and certificate and promise center can be wrapped in cellophane.
9. Girls make Friendship Circle

10. Daisy-themed treats can be served afterwards.

Of course the ceremony can be made more elaborate with the passing of the symbolic candle (many choices of battery operated LED candles now!), a procession with the candles, and/or the distribution of real or fake daisies for each girl.

Sample invitations

Nice poem which can be read during Investiture:

We have our pins, we've sung our song, and we'll be friends this whole year long.

As Daisy Girl Scouts, we will grow, Now from our circle, we will go.

(author unknown)