STUDIO 2B - Frequently Asked Questions

STUDIO 2B: Basic Information

What is STUDIO 2B

STUDIO 2B is Girl Scouts for girls aged 11 to 17. Girl Scouts at these ages are STUDIO 2B members, participating in STUDIO 2B events, meetings, and groups.

STUDIO 2B is a direct result of extensive, nationwide market research conducted by Girl Scouts of the USA. The research revealed that the names Cadette and Senior, which Girl Scouts began using in 1963 (!), do not appeal to girls today. Preteens and teens said, Were not Brownies with longer legs! Concerned about their image and wanting to let go of anything that seems too young, they said that too often Girl Scouts is seen as a kid thing. Indeed, the high dropout rate of girls aged 11 and 12 is a critical message from girls: they need a whole new way of connecting with Girl Scouts as they enter their preteens and teens.

GSUSAs research verified that girls have very different developmental needs as they progress through the stages of adolescence. To better address the interests and programming needs of girls at different developmental stages, STUDIO 2B members are divided into three age groups: 11-13, 13-15, and 15-17.

Are STUDIO 2B members still Girl Scouts?

STUDIO 2B members and volunteers are still Girl Scouts. They will accept the Promise and Law, pay membership dues, and follow Safety-Wise guidelines and standards. They can participate in product sales (such as the Girl Scout Cookie Sale) if they choose to do so, and they will strive to achieve the four program goals as expressed in the Four Bs (see below).

Where did the name STUDIO 2B come from? How do we use it?

Girl Scouts of the USA developed the name STUDIO 2B by field testing hundreds of names with girls around the country. The appeal of STUDIO 2B is that is connotes place and belonging and conveys sophistication and a sense of mystery.

The studio in STUDIO 2B is a limitless space that teens create for themselves a space in which they can explore their interests. The space can be created when a group of teens meet to talk about college applications, when one teen job shadows someone she admires, or when a few friends come together to research and plan their summer vacation.

The four Girl Scout program goalsexpressed for girls aged 11-17 as become, belong, believe, and build (see below)help create the essence of STUDIO 2B: a space where teens have the freedom to explore who they want to be and what they want to do.
STUDIO 2B is filled with elements of whatever a girls interests are from fashion magazines and design sketches to laptops and sophisticated software.

What if girls want to continue using the names Cadette and Senior?

During the STUDIO 2B pilot period (October 2002 to October 2005), girls who identify with these names can continue using them. For example, girls will have the option to register either as STUDIO 2B members or Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts on the new membership registration form.

How do girls and adults register in STUDIO 2B?

Until the current GSUSA membership forms can be updated to reflect the three age groups that comprise STUDIO 2B, girls and adults should continue using the existing forms.

Why is Girl Scouts changing again?

The last major structural change to address the needs of preteens and teens in Girl Scouts was in the early 1960s, based on research conducted in the 50s. Keeping pace with the changing trends in society and preparing girls to do the same has been a cornerstone of the Girl Scout philosophy since Juliette Gordon Low founded the movement in 1912. Girl Scouts is dedicated to meeting the needs of each generation of girls, and that requires us to be courageous and strong in implementing change.

STUDIO 2B: Program and Resources

How are the four Girl Scout Program Goals incorporated into Studio 2B?

Girls both in and out of Girl Scouts have had a hard time articulating what Girl Scouts is all about. Its hard to belong to something that you cant put into words. During focus groups and on surveys, girls explored new ways to express the four program goals that serve as the foundation of Girl Scouting. The following Four Bs are their way of capturing the Girl Scout experience:

Become: Celebrate yourself today and become your best self in the future.
Belong: Be a part of a group where you have fun, relate to others with respect, and develop lasting friendships.
Believe: Develop your ideas and voice whats important to you.
Build: Take action on what you care about and make a difference.

In STUDIO 2B, the Four Bs represent the Girl Scout Program Goals. To demonstrate the clear distinction between STUDIO 2B and the Girl Scout program for younger girls, its important to limit the use of the Four Bs to information, activities, and events designed for girls aged 11 to 17. They are not to be used in reference to the Daisy, Brownie, or Junior Girl Scout program levels.

What is happening with the current Girl Scout resources (books, patches, etc.) for girls aged 11-17 are they being replaced?

Consider the existing Cadette and Senior handbooks, interest projects, and Issues for Girl Scouts booklets, as well as all of the new STUDIO 2B resources as a menu of options. All of them are real Girl Scout materials, and all of them represent equally viable ways for girls to do Girl Scouts. New STUDIO 2B materials include a Guide for Advisors and Focus books for girls.

Volunteers are encouraged to let girls choose how they want to mix and match resources to complement what they want to do in STUDIO 2B groups and events. Over time, those resources that are not used will be phased out.

Why isnt GSUSA just updating the current Girl Scout books for girls 11-17?

Research with girls and volunteers revealed that they are looking for resources that are less school-like, more interactive and current, and that demonstrate a for girls, by girls attitude. Research also showed that only a small percentage of current Girl Scouts aged 11-17 use the existing materials. The STUDIO 2B books are completely based on what girls need and want.

How much do the new books cost? When can I buy them from the council shop?

STUDIO 2B Focus books (written for girls themselves on a range of interest areas) cost $4.95-$5.95 each; STUDIO 2B Collection books for girls 11-13, 13-15, and 15-17 cost $9.95; and the STUDIO 2B Guide for Advisors costs $6.95.

Do STUDIO 2B members participate in product sales?

STUDIO 2B members may participate in product sales (such as the annual cookie sale) when they want to earn funds for the activities and events they are planning. The standards and guidelines in Safety-Wise must be followed.

Do STUDIO 2B members have a uniform?

Just as girls at other program age levels are not required to own or wear a uniform to be Girl Scouts, there is no uniform requirement for STUDIO 2B members. Girls may express their sense of belonging in a variety of ways, a uniform being just one of them. STUDIO 2B members do not have a separate uniform, but GSUSA is looking at designing t-shirts or other symbols of belonging.

Can STUDIO 2B members earn their Girl Scout Silver or Girl Scout Gold awards?

Yes. STUDIO 2B members can earn awards. They should continue to follow the guidelines in the Cadette Girl Scout Handbook and the Senior Girl Scout Resource Book. GSUSA is in the process of developing new resources (based on feedback from girls and volunteers) to help coach STUDIO 2B members through the process of
earning awards. These will be available in 2004 and will be designed to fit inside a STUDIO 2B Basics binder.

Other than Girl Scout Silver and Gold awards, what recognitions can STUDIO 2B members earn?

If they choose to do so, STUDIO 2B members can continue to earn interest project patches from the menu of options now available. They can also earn a variety of charms that can be worn as jewelry, or used on backpacks or key chains, or kept as mementos in a special box its all up to the girls! The charms are official earned recognitions created in response to feedback from girls, who reported wanting fun, new ways to mark their accomplishments. STUDIO 2B members earn and collect charms when they complete the goals they establish for each Focus book. Girls can earn charms individually or in groups.

How much do the charms cost?

Charms range from $3.75 to $4.25 each. A silver-tone link bracelet is also available for $5.00

STUDIO 2B: Volunteers

What does STUDIO 2B mean for volunteer recruitment, training, and support?

In describing their ideal volunteer, the majority of girls aged 11 to 17 identified college-age and young professional women (aged 18 to 29). In a sense, they want volunteers who can offer a glimpse of the near future: Someone closer to your age that you can relate to.

In response to the research findings, Girl Scouts will build on our existing base of committed adult volunteers by infusing it with the younger adults with whom teens want to share some of their time. Recruiting and retaining new, 18 to 29-year old volunteers to work along side our current volunteers will require innovative and flexible approaches to everything from training to volunteer recognition.

What about volunteers who are not 18-29?

Girls still need them! Throughout the GSUSA research, girls made three requests related to the adults who volunteer to help them. The first is that adults practice a more for girls, by girls approach. The STUDIO 2B Guide for Advisors provides insight and exercises to help all adults in Girl Scouting be more teen-savvy. Its important to remember that teen-savvy is an attitude, not an age.

The second request from girls was that they spend some of their time with volunteers aged 18-29. They are eager for a glimpse of their near future, and adults this age are uniquely able to offer this.

The third request from girls is that when they want to pursue a particular passion, such as outdoor adventures, photography, or music, they pursue it with adults who are experts. The STUDIO 2B Guide for Advisors provides ideas about building volunteer teams so that girls can connect with the many different adults of all ages that they need in their lives.

Are 18-29-year-olds responsible enough to volunteer with girls?

Like all volunteers in Girl Scouts, volunteers aged 18-29 need to be screened, trained, and coached based on the position they are filling. It is important to remember that there are many ways that volunteers can contribute. They can support other volunteers, take on short-term opportunities, or provide consultation in areas of expertise.
Will the volunteers who work with STUDIO 2B members still be called leaders?
Girls aged 11 to 17 would like the adults who volunteer with them to see themselves in an advisory role. Reflecting this, in STUDIO 2B, adult volunteers will be known as advisors.

STUDIO 2B: Logistics

When can I tell girls about STUDIO 2B, and what should I tell them?

Staff and volunteers can feel free to start telling girls about Studio 2B immediately! The information provided in this Q and A will be helpful in addressing the questions girls are likely to have. And, since STUDIO 2B books and recognitions will be available in the council shop by mid-January, we encourage you to stop by and read all about it.

When will STUDIO 2B be launched to the general public?

GSUSAs marketing and communications department has asked councils to hold off on launching STUDIO 2B to the general public until October 2003. Over the coming summer, GSUSA will be providing more detailed information to help councils coordinate local publicity efforts. Until the public launch takes place, communications efforts will focus exclusively on educating staff, volunteers, and girls within our council about STUDIO 2B.

Why is GSUSA taking so long to implement STUDIO 2B?

STUDIO 2B represents a major change in the way that the Girl Scout program is delivered to girls aged 11-17. To maximize the potential of this exciting new opportunity, councils and our national organization will need to review and refresh many of our core functions, including program development, volunteer recruitment and retention strategies and supports, and marketing and communications activities. Allowing five years to fully implement STUDIO 2B will help to ensure a successful, well coordinated transition.

Where can I get more information about STUDIO 2B?

Girl Scouts of the USA is working on a new Web site at http://www.studio2b.org/intro_s2b.html