Good Morning,
I have good news to share! This Wednesday I start a new job at an organization in KC called The Whole Person (there's a website if you'd like to learn more). My official title is Mental Health Advocate and I will be working with people with both physical and mental disabilities providing professional counseling and as necessary advocacy and peer support. I will also be earning licensing hours toward my LPC (licensed professional counselor).
So, in my first item of official Monday Morning News advocacy business...I've decided to knock on the Girl Scout organizations door to redefine a section in the GS Handbook. As you may know from last week, I did some zip-lining. My party was lead by a very zealous Scout Leader and attended by several young girls in Hello Kitty outfits...
After my ride, it occurred to me that not all the RULES apply to every participant seeking the distinction of a merit badge or medal. With reasonable changes and thinking, every hard working girl should be able to become what she wants to achieve! In short, there needs to be a little tinkering with the proficiency test for Girl Scout ATHLETE.
I've taken the requirements from the "Scouting for Girls, Official Handbook of the Girl Scouts" (est. 1920) and below added my advocacy thoughts, recommended changes and suggestions.
(Please note...this is early stage research. My reference is from the 1920's and responses a warm-up exercise. It's too early to get fired! : )
ATHLETE
To qualify for this a Girl Scout must be at least fourteen and must hold the badge for personal health, the “Health Winner.”
1. State briefly the value and effect of exercise.
Exercise is good for your body so you don’t get flabby.
2. Demonstrate habitual good posture sitting and standing.
Be able to tell an instructor your wheelchair seat width and position for optimal posture and positioning in an adapted water ski.
3. Demonstrate (a) marching steps, quick and double time, and Scout’s Pace. (b) Setting up exercises (as shown in Handbook).
Do a couple deep knee bends put on some marching band music then using your peppiest pace march up a standard workman’s ladder until you can touch the top. The object here is to step from rung to rung lifting the leg with high knee NOT cheating and using a hand or an arm to pull, pick-up and assist.
4. Present statement from troop Captain of a hike of at least 5 miles.
Walk a mile then find a nice Girl Scout Captain who lies.
5. Demonstrate with basketball 5 goals out of 7 trials standing at least 5 feet from basket OR demonstrate with basketball distance throw of 40 feet.
Here’s my suggestion for this one…
http://vimeo.com/25667380
It’s okay to use an altered goal. Distance and height can be determined by how far you can throw a standard basketball both horizontally and vertically while seated.
6. Demonstrate with indoor baseball accurate pitching for distance of forty feet.
This also can be done while seated or standing. Distance adjusted to 1/2 the length of the average of 3 trials of longest throw.
7. Write brief description of rules for five popular games.
**Please do not use cricket or Australian Rules Futbol…the only rules...there are no rules???
8. Play well and be able to coach in any three of the following games: Basketball, Battleball, Bowling, Captain Ball, Dodge Ball, Long Ball, Punch Ball, Indoor Baseball, Hockey—field or ice, Prisoners’ Base, Soccer, Tennis, Golf, Volleyball Newcomb.
Provide a middle school transcript that shows a satisfactory grade in gym class.
9. Hold swimming badge or bring statement of ability to demonstrate three strokes, swim 100 yards, float and dive. For alternate to swimming requirement see First Class Test, question 7. (...in Handbook)
question 7. Be able to swim fifty yards, or in case of inaccessibility to water, be able to shin up ten feet of rope, or in case of physical disability, earn any merit badge selected that involves out-of-door activity.
The GS of the 1920's actually had this one covered : ) Thumbs up!
10. Demonstrate three folk dances using any nationality OR be a qualified member of a school or society athletic team, playing one summer or one winter sport, OR be able to qualify for entry in a regular competition in some sport such as Tennis, Skating, Skiing, Running, Pitching Quoits, etc.
Enter as a participant or coach in at least one adapted sport tournament or event in your area OR send in a video of yourself learning to dance : )
Happy Monday,
Amanda
