Alternative Bridging

A bridging ceremony is an important transition in a Girl Scout's life. It's a defining moment when a girl celebrates her achievements and prepares for new adventures. Once a girl bridges to a higher level of Girl Scouting her leadership skills will continue to grow. Here are some ways you can continue this tradition while adhering to current Safer at Home regulations.

• Choose a date, time, and format for your bridging ceremony.
• Create an invitation for the girls to send to their families and friends. The invitation can be printed, hand-made, or even online! Girls can work on this individually or in groups with the help of an adult if meeting online separately. This could be a great step for girls to handle and a good opportunity for them to learn what information is key for an invitation.
• Have each girl visit a local bridge – be it a local landmark or a bridge in a park - take a picture or video of each girl crossing it. Assemble all the pictures into a slide show or combine the individual videos into one video.
• Are you using a video or audio-conferencing tool? Have each girl decorate their own home for the ceremony. Talk with your girls about what they would like to share with their family and make sure parents/guardians approve of all decorating plans.
• Have each girl make a memento on their own after the ceremony to remember their virtual bridging experience. Be sure this can be done with materials they have on hand or plan to mail supplies ahead of time.
• Create a video for your Troop or Service Unit for a watch party on social media. Have the girls recap and show off from home their favorite memories from their Girl Scout level, and excitement for what lies ahead.  When the video is ready for a premier, send an email with the link so no one misses out. 
• When we return to in-person meetings, make your first troop meeting your bridging ceremony.
  
• If your service unit or troop has a Girl Scout Bridging bridge ask for permission to use a school or business parking lot. Place the bridge at the parking lot on a specific day. Give each troop a time slot to have families park in the parking lot. Have the girl in the first car get out, walk over the bridge, then go back to her car. Repeat with the next girl in the next car, and so on. You can have a bin at the end of the bridge with anything you would like to award the girls.   
• If your service unit or troop does not have a Girl Scout Bridging bridge Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts will have a bridge at the following locations that troops can reserve and do the parking lot bridging ceremony at one of our locations. (Bridges cannot leave the GSCWM property)
• Reserve your time!                                                                                              
  

Bridging patch award requirements

All girls going from one level to another bridge. Bridging patch awards need to be earned.  *Brownie Wings do not need to be earned. All Brownies bridging receive wings.

Bridging Patch Award Requirements:

To earn the Girl Scout Bridging Patch Award for each level, girls are asked to Pass it On and Look Ahead. 

Order your Bridging materials

You can order your Bridging materials per girl by emailing info@gscwm.org or visiting https://www.girlscoutshop.com/CENTRAL-AND-WESTERN-MASSACHUSETTS-COUNCIL

List of what you will want to order per girl, by level:

Membership Star and disk for all girls whether they are bridging or not.
Bridging Certificate
Bridging Patch Award
Brownie Wings for all Brownie bridging to Juniors
Any badges or pins they may have earned that still need to be awarded