Bridging to Junior Girl Scouts

Last Sunday, Sarah had the opportunity to complete her time in Brownies by doing a "bridging ceremony" at which she would become a Junior Girl Scout.  Unfortunately, thunderstorms threatened, and so we had to move the ceremony into the heavily-unused Landmark Mall, where the girls instead used an escalator to signify their moving from one level to another.

Each girl had a parent offer her words of praise and encouragement before she made the choice to ride the escalator into Juniors.  Mary and I worked on our speech for days in advance, but when the time came, Daddy got a little too choked up to read it all verbatim.  So here, instead, is the long-form version of what we intended to tell her that day.

Many of us have been together watching our sons and brothers at Boy Scout Courts of Honour as they receive awards and promotions. But today, Sarah, it’s our turn to tell you, in the presence of your brother and your family and your sisters in Scouting that you are special. More than that, you are loved: by us, by your brother, by Grammie and Grampa, and everyone here.

Nearly four years ago, a little girl pulled on her Daisy jumper for the first time and started down the road that led to this bridge today. Along that path, that little girl has grown so much in those four years. From Disney princesses to the Suite Life and iCarly; from “read me a story” to “Sarah, it’s 10 o’clock, put the book down and go to sleep”; from a few friends in the neighborhood to the great crowd of friends you’ve made through your four years in Troop 2781—in so many ways, Sarah, you have grown so much in these last four years.

Your time in Brownies has given you more confidence, which we see when you go out to sell your cookies and when you ask to camp out. You’ve taken your generous, gentle nature and allowed it to blossom as you studied nature, the environment, and taken steps to help save your world and think about people around the globe. You’ve learned about other cultures, and from the strong, caring women who guide you in the Troop, you receive a sense of what you can become someday.

That day is coming faster all the time. You have grown so tremendously much since the little kindergartener who walked shyly into her first Daisy meeting, it’s just to amazing to see the beautiful young lady you are turning into. In the midst of your friends, you have been a leader, a source of hugs, a clown; you have shown confidence, and you have built friendships that we hope will last you a lifetime. In your next stage, as a Junior Girl Scout, you will learn more about yourself, and build a firm foundation for the kind of life you want to lead. It’s been a tremendous pleasure watching you explore your world as a Daisy and a Brownie, and we can hardly imagine all the adventures that are waiting for you on the other side of this bridge. God bless your steps, as you cross into Juniors and throughout your time in Girl Scouting.