Investiture, Investiture? I am going to be totally honest with you, I was a Girl Scout for 8 years, and I had never heard of an Investiture Ceremony until I started working for Girl Scouts River Valleys. But now that I know what it is, I totally think you should have one!
An investiture ceremony is a time to welcome new girls as well as adults into Girl Scouts. It can be done when a troop is brand new, or when you have new girls or adults joining your existing troop. It also serves as the perfect time for girls and adults who have already been invested to rededicate themselves to Girl Scouting.
Ok, I know what you’re thinking, “Sure, this all sounds great, but what the heck do we actually do?” Well, that is really up to you! Some troops like to have a more formal ceremony while others prefer something more casual and fun.
However, there are a few “must haves” of an Investiture:
- All new members must recite the Girl Scout Promise. This can be done individually or as a group.
- All girl and adult members who are participating in the investiture must be presented with the appropriate membership pin.
- New members should be verbally welcomed to the troop.
And that’s it! Besides those three requirements, you can really make it your own. However this is a troop leader support blog, and what kind of support would I be if I didn’t give you some examples? So here it goes:
A Daisy Investiture Ceremony often consists of a Daisy Petal Ceremony. This is a fun way for the girls to begin learning the Girl Scout law. An example can be found in this video.
During a Brownie Investiture, Girls often act out the Brownie Story This is an interactive skit that the girl performs with the help of their leader. A script and instructions are found here.
A Candle Lighting Ceremony is another activity that is commonly performed at Investiture and Rededication ceremonies. This consists of the girls taking turns lighting candles while reciting each line from the Girl Scout Promise and Girl Scout Law. Here is an example of a Candle Lighting Ceremony.
And of course, just like at any Girl Scout meeting or ceremony, there is often a Flag Ceremony. Information and instructions on how to perform a Flag Ceremony can be found here.
Remember to make the ceremony your own and involve the girls in the planning whenever possible. Do your girls like performing? Do a skit or sing a song! Maybe they want to try doing a flag ceremony? Awesome! Do they love the outdoors? Have each of them plant a seed to represent the beginning of a brand new journey!
If you are feeling like you need more ideas try checking the River Valleys or GSUSA websites, watch some YouTube videos of other Girl Scout Investiture Ceremonies, check out Google and our Pinterest “Girl Scout Celebrations” board because they are full of fantastic ideas. Feel free to talk to other troop leaders or of course, drum roll please…you can ask your volunteer support coordinator! We would absolutely love to help you!
-Suzannah