Multi-Level Troops - Why?

In my time being a troop leader, I’ve seen my troop grow from a one level troop with 12 girls to a huge multi-level K-12 troop with 70+ girls. People often ask how it happened, and surprisingly, it all started with sorting out finances and improving communication. 

My daughter's first troop, based at our church, was multi-level, covering Daisies through Juniors, but they functioned as one unified group. We ”joined” in January, right smack in the gear up for cookies. I say “joined” because the troop leader told us that it was too complicated to have my daughter begin to participate because of cookie season. Even after the season ended, participation in troop activities was limited, due to us not participating in troop fundraising, even when we offered to cover costs. This was also back in the dark ages, Facebook was just opening its eyes and taking its first steps. We had no clue about other troops in our area or how to connect with them. As social media grew, we started seeing what other troops were up to—big events and activities outside our troop's scope. When we asked our leader about these opportunities, she knew about them but wasn't interested and cited financial constraints for our troop. 

Brownies and Juniors picnic

This is when we started looking into other options and eventually branched off to form our own troop. The very first year, my troop had roughly 12 girls, All Brownies, 2nd and 3rd grade. We had girls who came with us from our original troop (Sidenote: That troop still exists and is active to this day.) and a few more friends joined us. But because we had girls from both grades, that meant that the following fall – we were officially multi-level. Initially we became Brownies and Juniors because we did not know any better. We had our initial group; we did not want those first girls (including my own daughter and my two coleaders kids) to go and have to find a junior troop to join. We did not want to be a Junior troop and suddenly drop the girls who were a year younger. It wasn’t a choice as much as it was a natural progression. From there we just grew – pick up a few girls here and there, a set of sisters, a cousin. What really changed for us was when a girl who started with us, but had moved to California, moved back. This girl had changed grades when she moved to California as their laws about birthday’s are different than ours. When she came back, she was suddenly a grade ahead of everyone despite being the same age. So, look at this – we now have a Cadette. A few years go by, these girls grow, we lose some, we gain some and suddenly our Cadette is an Ambassador graduating High School with 12 years of younger girls in line behind her. 

So yea – It can happen when you aren’t expecting it. We never planned or expected to be all levels or have so many but time flies when you are having fun and all are welcome at the table. 

But why? What is the point of a Multi-level troop – mega sized or not? First and foremost, it goes back to how we ended up Multi-level in the first place. Continuity and retention. We had a destination for girls who were bridging. If you saw my blog post about older girls, you saw my story about the leader who told parents that Girl Scouts ended after 5th grade. Those parents did not know where to go. In a multi-level troop, there is always the next level right there. And that knowledge gives girls something to strive for. They see themselves as older Girl Scouts, they can envision the path ahead. 

Brownies and Juniors interact with older girls.

Multi-level troops at their absolute best are a self-sustaining system. Little girls are guided, inspired, and supported by their older peers. MANY younger girl badges say, Learn from an expert or an older Scout. Many of the older girl badges say, teach a group of younger Girl Scouts what you have learned. Older Girls gain confidence by planning and leading activities as well as being seen as mentors in their troops. Younger girls gain confidence by having access to and working with older girls who are their own peers. Girls learn how to build multi-generational friendships by being exposed to girls of all ages. It’s a win-win.

In my own troop, we start each meeting with an opening ceremony. We ask for representatives of each level to lead one part of it. Flag Ceremony, lead the pledge, lead the promise, lead the law, pass out materials, assist with any announcements etc. The troop then splits into its levels for badge work, service projects, field trips, whatever each group has going on. Often, the Brownies and Daisies will work together on something if a badge overlaps, and we always keep the Highschool age girls together (due to the smaller number and established friendships.) We travel and camp together. We take on larger service projects together. Younger girls can help older girls on their Highest Award projects, giving them experience and exposure to the process and the concepts of these projects. Older girls help plan and lead younger girl experiences and many times will take over the lesson, showing the adult leaders their skill and capabilities as leaders. But it’s always important to let the older girls take the lead on this. There is nothing worse than pushing older girls into leading activities they do not enjoy or have no expertise in. Then they feel like they are being taken advantage of as babysitters and no one benefits. 

Looking forward to their futures.

When I decided to write about my experiences with multi-level Girl Scouting, I wanted to talk more about structure and functionality. And I’ll get into brass tacks later. But the philosophy behind why it works is also important. I feel that Girl Scouts in general discourages multi-level troops, VTKs functionality is evident of that, but I think they are missing the big picture. Children do not grow up in a vacuum. Schools are not single grade. They need exposure to each other to grow and thrive. We as leaders provide the framework, their relationships take care of a lot of the heavy lifting. 

If the purpose of Girl Scouting is molding future leaders, then we need to be consistent at every level. Not just encouraging the littlest girls to take the lead but opening the doors and providing opportunities for older girls to step into those leadership roles. In the world of multi-level troops, there is nothing so gratifying as hearing a younger girl say, “I can’t WAIT until I get to do that.” And then later hearing that same girl say, “I remember when the older girls showed us this and I wanted to do it.” They see themselves as future leaders and the path ahead of them.