New Troop Resources
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You're doing something amazing by volunteering as a Co-Leader with Girl Scouts.
Throughout the year, you'll introduce Girl Scouts to new experiences and watch their confidence and skills grow! We've compiled resources to help new volunteers get started. You'll also receive continued support from dedicated staff members to guide your through your first year.
Getting Started 
Follow these steps below to make your role official and get started with the fun!
- Register online as an adult member of Girl Scouts.
- Complete a criminal background check. You will receive email invite from noreply@Asurint.com
View more details in the Volunteer Eligibility Process FAQ.
Learning the Ropes
- Review the Checklist for New Troop Co-Leaders.
- Review the New Leaders Guide.
- Complete the New Troop Co-Leader Learning Path in gsLearn This training is available on demand and includes 8 short courses (about 2 hours total). You’ll learn how to:
- Understand the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE)
- Use key volunteer resources and tools
- Navigate safety and finance guidelines
- Collaborate with your troop volunteer team and families
- Plan your first troop meeting and beyond
- Note: You will receive an email with your training assignment once your background check is complete.
Starting the Adventure
- Meet with your co-leader to get to know each other and plan how you will work together.
- Review your Troop Roster in the Volunteer Toolkit.
- Hold a Parent/Caregiver Meeting. Ask families to fill out a Parent Involvement Form and use this information to ask families for help throughout the year. Use the Meet My Girl form to start getting to know your Girl Scouts.
- Schedule regular troop meetings. Use the Volunteer Toolkit to plan your year with ready to go meeting plans!
- Connect with your service unit.
- Open a New Troop Bank Account and refer to the Authorized Account Signer Responsibilities and Financial Best Practices for more details on managing the troop's bank account.
- Have fun! Don’t forget to relax and enjoy the experience! You are creating memories and cultivating friendships that will last a lifetime.
Girl Scout Experience Box
Complimentary Girl Scout Experience Boxes for new Daisy and Brownie troops.
As the leader of a new Girl Scout Daisy (k-1) or Brownie (2-3) troop in participating councils, you’ll receive monthly complimentary supply boxes. Filled with step-by-step instructions, ready-to-go supplies, and thoughtful script suggestions, meeting planning just got easier!
This complimentary resource follows the Daisy First Year Troop Plan or Brownie First Year Troop Plan and will be delivered directly to troop leaders. Contact us to find out more!
Just-in-Time Guides
Just-in-Time Guides are step-by-step instructions provided to leaders throughout the year on important topics. The new leader series will be sent via email and can also be referenced below:
Accessing gsLearn (PDF)
Step-by-step instructions on accessing gsLearn to complete trainings.
Volunteer Toolkit (PDF)
Instructions for troop co-leaders on how to use the VTK.
Safety (PDF)
Overview of safety responsibilities of a volunteer.
Parent-Family Meeting (PDF)
Agenda for holding an initial parent-family meeting with your troop.
Reserve a Meeting Room at a Girl Scout Service Center (PDF)
Instructions on how to reserve a meeting room at a service center.
Service Units (PDF)
Overview of service units and why they are important.
How to Open a New Bank Account (PDF)
Instructions on how to open a new troop bank account.
Badges, Awards, and Fun Patches (PDF)
Overview of badges, awards, and fun patches.
Retail - Purchase a New Uniform (PDF)
Reference guide on purchase a uniform and how to shop with council.
Product Programs (PDF)
Overview and benefits of participating in the product programs.
Events (PDF)
Overview of events and who can attend.
My GS Guide (PDF)
Overview of information available in the My GS account.
Managing Multi-level Troops (PDF)
Overview on how to lead a multi-level troop.
Fall Product Program
Just-in-Time: Money Matters (PDF)
Step-by-step instructions for managing money during the Fall Product Program.
Just-in-Time: Outstanding Balance
FAQ (PDF)
Details on what the Outstanding Balance form is
and when it should be used.
Cookie Program
Cookie Booth Sign Up (PDF)
Step-by-step instructions for Cookie Booth Sign-up.
Placing Initial Order Cookies & Rewards (PDF)
Step-by-step instructions for placing an initial cookie and reward order.
Initial Order Pickup (PDF)
Instructions on how to sign up for a time to pick up your troop's Initial Order from the service unit.
Setting Up Digital Cookie Troop Link (PDF)
Step-by-step instructions on setting up the troop lin in Digital Cookie.
Placing and Picking Up a Pending Order (PDF)
step-by-step instructions for Placing a Pending Order.
Transferring Cookies (PDF)
Step-by-step instructions for transferring cookies to Girl Scouts or other troops in eBude.
Cookie Cupboard FAQ (PDF)
Frequently asked questions about cookie cupboards.
Booth Recorder (PDF)
Step-by-step instructions for recording booth sales.
Troop Finances in eBudde (PDF)
Step-by-step instructions for managing payments in eBudde.
End of Program Checklist (PDF)
Step-by-step instructions for finalizing the Cookie Sale Program.
Final ACH (PDF)
Step-by-step instructions for the Final ACH withdrawal.
Girl Scout Terms
A-I
Badges vs Patches: Badges are awards given to girls once they've completed all badge requirements and vary for each age level. Badges are to be placed on the front of the girls' vests or sashes. Patches, often referred to as "fun patches" represent fun activities that troops can participate in that are not designated as official GSUSA activities or requirements. Patches are placed on the back of the girls' vests or sashes.
Bridging: When girls move from one program grade level to the next; may include an award for the girls completing the bridging award requirements, and likely will include a ceremony.
Bronze Award: The highest award Girl Scout Juniors can earn. Earned by girls in the 4th-5th grades. It recognizes efforts in a wide range of Girl Scout experiences and a commitment to working to better ones' life and the lives of others.
Brownie: A Girl Scout Brownie is a Girl Scout in 2nd and 3rd grades. One of six levels of Girl Scouting.
Cadette: A Girl Scout Cadette is a Girl Scout in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. One of six levels of Girl Scouting.
Campout: Overnight camping with outdoor trained and experienced volunteer leaders.
Color Guard: Girl Scouts who carry, guard, raise, and/or lower the flag.
Cookie Program: An entrepreneur program for Girl Scouts that takes place annually each February & March with the sale of our iconic Girl Scout Cookies.
Cookie Program Business Skills: These are the 5 skills every girl learns by participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program. It's not just a fundraiser, it's financial empowerment: (1) Goal Setting; (2) Decision Making; (3) Money Management; (4) People Skills; and (5) Business Ethics.
Council: One of Girl Scouts of the USA's local affiliates, with authority over Girl Scouting in a specific section of the country. Currently, there are 112 Girl Scout Councils in the USA.
Counselor in Training (CIT): Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador who has taken a training course to learn camp counselor skills.
Daisy: A Girl Scout Daisy is a Girl Scout in kindergarten and 1st grade. One of six levels of Girl Scouting.
Dakota Dough: Earned rewards for participating in a product program, based on sales activity. Dakota Dough is spent toward Girl Scout merchandise through retail services, for membership fees, and/or for program experiences.
Day Camp: Program conducted within a 12-hour period for a minimum of 2 days. Girls register as individual participants and are placed in temporary units for program activities.
Destinations: Trip or event beyond girls' own troops and councils. Destinations fall into one of five different categories: international, outdoor, science, people, or getaways. All destinations events provide an opportunity for individual members to broaden their perspectives and give Girl Scouting enhanced visibility.
Fall Product Program: An entrepreneur program for Girl Scouts that takes place annually each fall with the sale of nuts, chocolates, and magazine subscriptions.
Founder’s Day: The birthday of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts, October 31.
Friendship Circle: Symbolic gesture in which Girl Scouts form a circle by clasping each others' hands, right arm over the left arm and sing a song. Often used as a closing ceremony.
Girl Led: Girls play an active role in planning activities, while adults provide guidance, ensuring that planning, organization, and set-up are age-appropriate. Evaluation of all activities is done jointly with girls and is integral to a high-quality Girl Scout experience.
Girl Scout: A member of Girl Scouts of the USA or another country's national Girl Scout organization. The U.S. organization grants membership to any girl who has:
- Made the Girl Scout Promise
- Accepted the Girl Scout Law
- Paid the annual dues
- Met applicable grade level requirements
Girl Scout Adult: An adult member of Girl Scouts of the USA. The organization grants membership as a Girl Scout adult to any person who has:
- Accepted its principles and beliefs, as stated in the preamble of its constitution.
- Paid the annual or lifetime dues.
- Met applicable age/education standards. A Girl Scout adult must be 18 or older or have a high school diploma or the equivalent.
Girl Scout Birthday: The official birthday of Girl Scouting is March 12, 1912. This is when the first meeting was held.
Girl Scout Grade Levels: Also known as program age levels.
Daisy (Grades K-1)
Brownie (Grades 2-3)
Junior (Grades 4-5)
Cadette (Grades 6-8)
Senior (Grades 9-10)
Ambassador (Grades 11-12)
Girl Scout Handshake: Formal way of greeting other Girl Scouts by shaking with the left hand, while giving the Girl Scout sign with the right hand.
Girl Scout Leader: A registered Girl Scout adult, background checked and trained volunteer who meets regularly with girls to help them achieve the purposes of Girl Scouting.
Girl Scouts Leader’s Day: A day of appreciation for adult volunteers in Girl Scouting held on April 22 every year.
Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE): The engine for everything girls do in Girl Scouting. The experience identifies all the elements that need to be in place for Girl Scouting to achieve its mission; Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. When Discover, Connect, and Take Action activities are combined with the Girl Scout Processes of Girl-Led, Learning by Doing, and Cooperative Learning, girls achieve the desired and expected short-term leadership outcomes, ultimately resulting in Girl Scouting achieving its mission.
Girl Scout Troop: Basic unit in Girl Scouting consisting of girls, adult leaders, and troop committee members. One of six pathways for girls to participate in Girl Scouting.
This group of girls and adults (minimum of 5 girls and 2 adults) who meet on a regular basis to engage in Girl Scout Program activities. Troops are organized according to “Grade Level” which places girls together with others in the same social/developmental stage.
Girl Scout Week: The week containing March 12, the Girl Scout birthday, the anniversary of the first Girl Scout troop meeting in the United States in 1912. This observance is celebrated each year, starting with the Sunday on or preceding the 12th.
Gold Award: The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest and most prestigious award that Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors can earn. This award recognizes the leadership, efforts, and impact girls have had on their communities. Requires 80 hours of planning and service, as well as one Journey completed. (2 Journeys completed if Girl Scout Silver Award was not previously earned.)
gsLearn: Accessed through myGS (the top right corner of the website), gsLearn is a place for volunteers to find training and courses. It will be pre-populated with items that should be viewed.
GSDH: Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons; your Girl Scout council. Heroes on the Horizon: Purchases made through Girl Scout product programs by customers to be donated to a GSDH-approved partner such as the military, local heroes, or other not-for-profit organizations.
Higher Awards: Consists of the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award. Honored to Girl Scouts who complete a Take Action project in their community.
Individually Registered Girl Scout (IRG): Registered Girl Scouts who are not part of the traditional troop program. These girls still work towards the same badges and activities, they simply do not belong to a troop. They can join other girls at council-wide events and can participate in all Girl Scouts has to offer.
J-R
Journeys: A fun and challenging experience spread over a series of sessions (usually 6-8 but with the potential to last far longer). The journey, which follows a designated theme, has a clear starting point (an invitation to explore and take action) and a definite ending point (opportunities to enjoy closure through reflections, rewards, and celebration). Along the way, girls are following a purposeful trail that allows them to have fun, get wiser, and experience all the joys of being a traveler (meeting new people, exploring new tastes and cultures, gathering keepsakes, making memories) while being able to carry this all in one "suitcase" - their journey book!
Juliette Gordon Low: The founder of the Girl Scout Movement in the United States. Also known as Daisy.
Juliette Gordon Low’s Birthday: Special Girl Scout day celebrating Juliette's birthday on October 31.
Junior: A Girl Scout Junior is a Girl Scout in 4th - 5th grades. One of six levels of Girl Scouting.
Just in Time Guides: Timely guides that contain step-by-step instructions for volunteers to perform certain tasks related to product programs. These guides are available on the website (Cookie Resources For Volunteers) and will be shared by the Product Program Team as appropriate.
Member Services: A team of GSDH employees dedicated to providing volunteers, girls, and parents with excellence in customer service by responding to inquiries on any topic related to Girl Scouting. Member Services is available Monday through Thursday from 8:00am-5:00pm and Fridays 8:00am12:00pm and can be reached by phone at 800-666-4121 or through the Contact Us page on the website.
Membership Year: October 1 through September 30.
National Headquarters: The Girl Scout national organization's center of operations. In July 1992, GSUSA moved its national headquarters to 420 Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Patches: Also known as "fun patches." Supplementary insignia received by girls for simply participating in an event or activity. Girls wear participation patches and pins on the back of their Girl Scout uniform.
Resident Camp: Sessions are generally for at least five days (and four nights) and may be multiple weeks in length. The program is operated and staffed by the camp, and the supervision of campers is a camp responsibility. Campers stay overnight, and camp is responsible for campers 24 hours a day.
S-Z
Senior: A Girl Scout Senior is a Girl Scout in 9th and 10th grades. One of six levels of Girl Scouting.
Service Center: Council facility where staff offices and some council shops are located. GSDH has four service centers located in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Fargo, and Bismarck.
Service Unit: Geographic unit of troops/groups within a region which facilitates delivery of services and the Girl Scout program to girls and adults.
Silver Award: Highest award earned by Girl Scout Cadettes. It recognizes efforts in a wide range of Girl Scout experiences and a commitment to working to better one's life and the lives of others.
Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM): Girl Scouts introduces girls of every age to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) experiences relevant to everyday life. Whether they're discovering how a car's engine runs, how to manage finances, or exploring careers in STEM fields, girls are fast-forwarding into the future.
SWAPS: The tradition of Girl Scouts exchanging keepsakes. Referred to as " Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere."
Tag-Along: Child who is not a registered Girl Scout or a registered Girl Scout not of the grade level for the specific program or event.
Trefoil: International symbol of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting. The trefoil represents the three parts of the Girl Scout promise.
Volunteer Essentials: An online repository (accessed through the website) available to volunteers with valuable resources and important information related to product programs including safety, finances, and product program details.
Volunteer Tool Kit (VTK): Accessed through myGS (the top right corner of the website), VTK is a place for volunteers to customize meeting plans to earn badges related to product program and entrepreneurship.
World Thinking Day: February 22, the birthday of both Lady Baden-Powell, World Chief Guide, and her husband, Lord Baden-Powell, founder of Boy Scouts. First celebrated in 1927, the day was renamed at the 1999 Girl Guide/Girl Scout World Conference. Girl Guides and Girl Scouts all over the world use the day to think of each other and exchange greetings, learn about other countries, and give to the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund.
Participating in the Cookie Program
Benefits of Participating
- Girl Scouts participating in the girl product programs will learn key skills that will help them in business and life. These include goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics.
- Not only do the girls develop skills during these programs, they earn fun rewards and Dakota Dough for themselves and proceeds for the troop. Dakota Dough is Girl Scout money that can be used in our retail services or to pay for events and girl membership.
- Girls set their goals to earn the fun, theme-based rewards such as plush animals, camping gear and the latest technology.
- Proceeds are earned by the troop based on girl participation. These proceeds can be used to purchase memberships, uniforms, badges, troop supplies, camp registrations and so much more! This gives the girls the power to fund their own adventures and decide what is most improtant to them. The more proceeds earned, means less funds needed from the families!
- Based on our packages per girl average, a troop of 10 girls can earn $2,500 per troop.
- For new troops starting after January 9, girls will sell cookies using only our online cookie system, Digital Cookie.
How to Participate
New troops must complete the following steps to participate in the 2026 Cookie Program:
- Complete the 2026 Cookie Program training in gsLearn.
- Email JJamieson@gsdakotahorizons.org letting us know you have finished and you'll receive a free Cookie Rookie Kit.
Cookie Rookie Kits include:
- FAQs
- Just-in-Time Guides with step-by-step instructions
- Table cloth
- Booth signs
- Money box and pouch
- Office supplies and things you might need at your booths (and may not think of)
- Fabric tote
- and more!
- Connect with your local service unit for in-person training, materials, and support.
Please complete training and email before January 14, 2026, to receive your kit before the program starts.
New Leader Cookie Office Hours
New troops will have support from council staff and their local service unit throughout the cookie program. Register and save the dates below for New Leader Cookie Office Hours on Zoom:
November 17 | 7:00 - 8:00 PM CT | Register
November 19 | 10:00 - 11:00 AM CT | Register
Benefits of Cookie Program, Materials & Resources, Responsibilities, Ways to Participate, Cookie Resources, Initial Order, Cookie Booths
December 14 | 4:00 - 5:00 PM CT | Register
December 18 | 10:00 - 11:00 AM CT | Register
Important Dates, Financial Best Practices, eBudde Basics, Digital Cookie Basics
January 13 | 10:00 - 11:00 AM CT | Register
January 14 | 7:00 - 8:00 PM CT | Register
Placing Cupboard Orders, Transferring Cookies in eBudde, Managing Booths
March 7 | 7:00 - 8:00 PM CT
Important dates, Finalizing Sales, Recording Payments, Financial Wrap Up
Find complete cookie resources for volunteers, girls and their caregivers on the Cookie Resources page.
