
A Girl Scout patch is a supplementary insignia that girls receive for participating in a special event or activity. They are worn on the back of their uniform.
Girl Scouts of Western Ohio has several patch programs that girls can participate in by completing the requirements below!
Look up to the sky: it’s a bird, a plane… no, it’s a BAT! Bats are one of the most misunderstood creatures in the world. Find out more about these interesting and unique animals by completing the steps for your age level with your troop.
Girl Scouts can explore the outdoors, where girls can be messy, make
noise, and be active. Outdoor adventures have been an important part
of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience since 1912. Through the Camp
Champ patch program, girls will spend time outdoors, learn to think
creatively, and make their discoveries.
The Be a Camp Champ Patch Program is for girls of all levels and is designed to get your group excited about the outdoors, with the main patch to be completed before you go to a camp and the extensions for you to complete by staying at Girl Scouts of Western Ohio camp properties.
Ready to get started? Download the activity sheet »
Activity Requirements
Patch activities are listed based on
previous outdoor experiences. Choose the activities that best match
your troop's interests and/or skill level:
To earn your Girl Scouts of Western Ohio Be a Camp Champ patch, complete steps 1-5 (based on your skill level) to earn the main patch and purchase it in one of our shops. Complete steps 6 and 7 at each camp property to purchase the Camp Extension patches.
Note: you must make a camp reservation to explore GSWO camp properties. Reserve a spot at camp »
Camp Extension Patch Activity Sheets
Complete at least six of the activities below and post a photo or video of you and your family engaged in an activity to social media (tag with #GirlScoutsFamilyAdventure).
Patches are available for purchase at council stores.
Girl Scouts will be prepared to lead the change in their town, state, and the country as part of our ongoing mission to make the world a better place! How? Start by earning the Democracy badge for your age level. Through these badges, you will understand how local, state, and federal government works. Then continue to build the knowledge and skills you’ll need to be a good citizen by earning your Future Voter patch.
Through this patch program, girls will explore our nation’s political systems, learn about voting rights, and be inspired to be active citizens who promote the vote in their communities.
To earn your Future Voter patch, complete the required steps for your age level and purchase your patch in one of our shops.
Ready to get started? Download the activity sheet »
Activity Requirements
Activity requirements per grade level include:
Connect with your community to spread awareness about climate change! Made possible by Johnson & Johnson Foundation, the Girl Scout Climate Challenge invites both Girl Scouts and non-Girl Scouts to learn about climate science, connect with their communities, and share hope to create change.
Ready to get started?
Activity guide for Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors »
Activity guide for CSA Girl Scouts »
Activity requirements per grade level:
In partnership with the Elliott Wildlife Values Project, American Forests, and Johnson & Johnson Foundation, GSUSA has launched a bold tree planting and conservation initiative. Girl Scouts across the country are setting out to plant five million trees in five years and to protect and honor new and existing trees. Not only is this great for wildlife, but it will also help ease the effects of climate change.
Girl Scouts have planted thousands of trees in all 50 states and globally. Let’s keep going!
Ready to take the Girl Scout Tree Promise? Download the activity guide »
Find more resources, an online tree tracker, and instructions for unlocking your patch!
Summer is the perfect time to get outside and have some fun under the sun! There are so many ways to put yourself out there, whether it's from your window, at the playground, near a campsite, or on an open trail.
From June 1 to September 10, head outside and take the outdoor challenge. Enjoy fun activities that will help you feel happier, relaxed, and in touch with nature. Be sure to check how many you should do based on your grade level. Share your adventures and encourage others to get outside by using #gsoutdoors. Happy trails!
If you choose to accept the Hiker Challenge, you'll have the opportunity to explore and enjoy GSWO camp properties! If you're new to hiking, starting on our camp trails will help you feel more confident when you're ready for bigger trail adventures.
Each time you hike a trail at one of our camps, you're one step closer to earning that camp's unique hiking medallion. What's a medallion? You can attach a small, metal "patch" to a hiking stick. Work toward medallions for Camp Butterworth, Camp Rolling Hills, Camp Libbey, Camp Whip Poor Will, Camp Stonybrook, and Camp Woodhaven!
Ready for an even bigger challenge? Complete the trails at all six camps to earn the ultimate reward—the GSWO Hiker Challenge Medallion!
Download the Hiker Challenge Guide to get started.
Note: you must make a camp reservation to hike the trails at GSWO camp properties. Reserve a spot at camp »
The “I Am a Girl Scout!” fun patch is designed to provide Girl Scouts and volunteers of all backgrounds with an opportunity to learn more about different communities' cultures, histories, and traditions. This is a multi-component patch with the Girl Scout Trefoil in the center and five rocker patches to sew around it to represent participation in Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month activities. Discover how to earn your rocker patches below!
In February and beyond, we invite you to explore the cultures of the
Black and African American communities in your state and across the
country as we honor Black History Month.
Ready to get started? Download the activity sheet »
The Girl Scout Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Fun Patch is designed for Girl Scouts of all levels and their leaders to celebrate the cultural richness of all people in the U.S. whose ancestors came from the Pacific Islands or the Asian diaspora and to acknowledge the many contributions of the AAPI community to our nation. Girls and leaders have plenty of activities to choose from to earn this fun patch, and we encourage girls from all ethnic backgrounds to participate.
Ready to get started? Download the activity sheet »
The Girl Scout LGBTQ+ Pride Month Celebration Fun Patch is designed for Girl Scouts of all levels, and their leaders to honor LGBTQ+ history, celebrate the diverse cultures and identities of LGBTQ+ people, and acknowledge the many contributions of the LGBTQ+ community has made and continues to make across our nation. Girls and leaders have plenty of activities to choose from to earn this fun patch, and we encourage girls of all identities to participate.
Ready to get started? Download the activity sheet »
Celebrate the cultural richness of all people in the U.S. whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America, and the many contributions the community has made and continues to make across our nation.
Ready to get started? Download the activity sheet »
Actividades en Español »
Girls Scouts invites you to honor and celebrate the rich and diverse
cultures, traditions, and histories of Native people and
acknowledge the many contributions that the Native American community
has made and continues to make across our nation.
Ready to get started? Download the activity sheet »
On International Day of the Girl (IDG), the global community comes together to celebrate the power of girls and highlight, discuss, and take action to advance the rights and opportunities of girls everywhere.
This year marks the 10th annual International Day of the Girl celebration. While earning your patch, you'll learn about the history of IDG and how it came about, talk with girls about what IDG means for them, and raise your voice to create change in your community.
Ready to get started? Check out the activity guide »
Find more resources, activity ideas, and instructions for unlocking your patch!
Are you having a blast as a Girl Scout? Do you have a friend who would love to join in on the fun? Now she can join, and you can earn an awesome patch!
After you and your friend have completed your membership for the year, fill out the Invite a Friend form, and we will send both of you an Invite a Friend patch!
Please note that both girls must be registered members to receive the patch.
The Marketing and Communications Department at GSWO has created a patch. Girl Scouts across western Ohio can now earn the Media Influencer Patch!
Girls receive the patch when their story is featured in the media or by GSWO. This includes social media channels, the GSWO Blog, the GSWO website, or local media. Stories can be about one independent Girl Scout, or they can be about an entire troop.
Simply submitting a story does not automatically qualify someone for the Media Influencer Patch; it must be featured.
How do I submit my story?
To submit your story, visit gswo.org/share!
What increases my odds of having my story featured?
There are a lot of things that can increase your chances! Here
are some tips:
If you’re still not quite sure, we suggest looking at other stories that have been featured in the past!
Who receives the patch?
The Media Influencer Patch is only for girls; none are given to adults.
If an entire troop participated in the activity, each girl in the troop gets a patch (even if she isn’t in the photo that is featured!). If it is a story about one or a few Girl Scouts that did an activity outside of a troop, only the girls involved receiving a patch.
If we feature the story of something a Girl Scout did, but she is now an adult member, she does not receive a patch.
I submitted my photo for the Program Events Guide. Do I get a patch?
To receive the Media Influencer Patch, you must have your story
featured, not simply your photo. You’re welcome to submit the same
photo(s) in the Share Your Story form, but make sure to include a
captivating story!
Can I receive the patch more than once?
Yes! There is a new patch each year. Only one patch will be
given out per calendar year (2021, 2022, 2023, etc.; not per
membership year), but continue submitting stories each year, and you
may get more!
My story was featured in the news. Why didn’t I get a patch?
The Marketing and Communications Department is always looking
for stories of our girls featured in the news, but we don’t always
catch every story! If you were contacted by the media and don’t think
the Marketing and Communications department was aware of it, email
us the news story!
I was featured in a press release. Do I get a patch?
The press release with your story would need to be picked up by
the media and featured to receive the patch.
Can I buy the patch?
No, the patch is only available as a thank-you gift from the
Marketing and Communications department.
Life isn’t always easy, but dealing with tricky emotions doesn’t have to be hard. Try activities from the Girl Scouts: Resilient. Ready. Strong. program to unlock a patch and strengthen your mental wellness. Nobody can snap their fingers and make the world all sunshine and lollipops, but you can take steps to be ready when things get tough. Go get ‘em, Girl Scout!
Ready to get started? Download the activity guide »
Activity requirements per grade level:
Each February 22, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides across 150 countries celebrate World Thinking Day. It’s a day of international friendship and a time to stand up for causes that could improve the lives of girls around the globe. And while the holiday itself comes in February, the World Thinking Day Award can be earned at any time of year.
World Thinking Day has a different theme each year. In 2023, the theme is “Our World, Our Peaceful Future: The environment, peace, and security.”
Ready to get started? Download the activity guide »
Activity requirements per grade level:
Looking for more World Thinking Day activities? The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts also has an activity pack and badge available for Girl Scouts! Learn more »
St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Citi, and the American Heart Association, Go Red For Women, have partnered with the Girl Scouts to educate young girls about their hearts and the importance of keeping them healthy. The Greater Cincinnati Go Red Girl Scout Patch Program aims to raise awareness of heart disease and stroke and the risks it poses for women. By emphasizing good heart-healthy habits early in life, we hope to help girls begin a lifetime of healthy living and help SPREAD THE RED.
In addition, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Citi, and the American Heart Association will host a free Go Red Girl Scout Patch Workshop at least once per year that will allow Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes to earn their patch on one Saturday morning. (Seniors & Ambassadors would also need to take a CPR class to complete their badge).
An interactive workshop is upcoming in Spring 2023 for Juniors and CSA Girl Scouts. Learn more »
Activity Requirements
Activity requirements per grade level:
Service to others has always been integral to being a Girl Scout. A Girl Scout tries to help people at all times, being friendly, helpful, considerate, and caring while making the world a better place. Service is sometimes part of a badge, patch, or other awards requirement. Still, service is the giving of one’s time and energy without expecting anything in return.
Girl Scouts can log hours to earn Buckeye Trail patches in the spirit of service. The first patch represents the first five hours of service, and subsequent patches each represent five, ten, or twenty hours of community service. Girl Scouts should understand that they do not do service to earn buckeye segments; rather, the segments will show how much service they have given.
Learn more about the types of service you can do or place an order for Buckeye Trail patches »
Contact Lara Cordeiro for more information.
Donate Life America has a free patch and Quick Start Guide for Girl Scout troops! Girls of any age can learn about organ, tissue, and eye donation, educate their community about the facts, or even do a service learning project to raise awareness about the need for donors.
For materials and patch requirements, contact Brett Milam.
The Dragonfly Foundation helps pediatric cancer patients and their families find strength, courage, and joy. Since 2010, Dragonfly has supported thousands of kids and adults by providing emotional, relational, and practical support before, during, and beyond treatments. Dragonfly’s Student and Girl Scout Programs invite kids of all ages to use their friendships, time, and talents to help make the world a kinder, more compassionate place, especially for our Dragonfly families.
Girl Scouts can earn the Dragonfly patch while learning about and demonstrating the following characteristics: empathy, gratitude, kindness, respect, teamwork, and leadership.
Girl Scouts can earn the Dragonfly Patch independently, but working together is more fun! Many of the patch requirements will also help the girls to work towards earning Daisy Petals and other badges for Brownies and Juniors!
Dragonfly patches will be awarded to Girl Scouts who:
Ready to get started? Download the activity sheet »
If you have questions about the patch program, please get in touch with The Dragonfly Foundation by email.
Love animals? Looking to make a difference? With the Fighting Chance Rescue patch program, you'll make discoveries and form new connections as you learn how to identify horses in need, how horses come to the rescue, how they are cared for, and more!
Spend a day at the rescue center - take action by helping with a task on your visit, or bring some wish list items from your local feed store! Examples of wish list items include: horse feed (adult/geriatric), fly spray, wound spray, large bathing sponges, horse shampoo, and bags of bedding or shaving.
Contact Fighting Chance Rescue by email to schedule your patch program. The cost is $15 per Girl Scout or sibling, and adults can attend for free.
Dress to get dirty! Closed-toed shoes are required.
Girl Coders is a nonprofit organization that combats the gender gap by offering entry-level coding workshops to encourage young girls in K–12 to experience STEM in positive, empowering ways. Get inspired to take the first step on your STEM journey with the Girl Coders program - no coding experience necessary!
Each workshop is a one-time, two-hour event that could be easily hosted during a regular troop meeting. After completing a workshop, all girls receive a free embroidered patch as a physical reminder of their accomplishment in completing a coding education program.
Visit girlcoders.net or contact Girl Coders by email to learn more!
Beech Acres Parenting Center has partnered with Girl Scouts of Western Ohio to bring a patch program that helps change the world through KINDNESS!
Make an intentional commitment to put kindness first with your family. Sign the pledge to commit to being more kind to yourself, within your family, in your community, and to the world. Whoa… pretty big undertaking? It’s ok! We could all use a little more kindness in our lives. And while it’s nice when kind acts enter our lives at seemingly random moments, what if everyone approached being kind intentionally?
Kindness, above all your strengths, has the ability to change the world. Being kind makes you feel better physically and emotionally. Kindness improves your relationships with your family. Being kind increases your sense of community and brings you closer to those important persons in your life. Kindness can help shape and improve your worldview.
When your troop completes the patch requirements, email Beech Acres and purchase your patches.
Ready to get started? Download the activity sheet »
Activity Requirements
Activity requirements per grade level include:
Teaching girls to be supportive of one another is a lifelong skill that girls can develop at an early age to make friends, support one another, end comparison and competition, and combat bullying.
The National Stand Beside Her Project strives for a world in which all girls can be appreciated for their talents, strengths, and uniqueness. They've created activities for each Girl Scout Grade Level that highlight a part of the Girl Scout Law, teaching girls to “Stand Beside Her” and make the world a better place!
Ready to get started? Download the activity sheet »
Once you've completed the required number of activities, you can request Stand Beside Her patches for your troop!
Questions? Please contact the Stand Beside Her Movement by email.
Activity requirements per grade level: