Explore What's Next

Girl Scouts are always exploring what’s next—and so are we.

We're entering the next chapter by building on what your Girl Scout already loves! Guided by actual experiences of Girl Scouts, families, and volunteers, as well as ongoing research, we've created more opportunities for your Girl Scout to explore and discover—while making it easier than ever for volunteers to guide the adventure. It's still the same Girl Scouts you know, growing right alongside your Girl Scout.

Volunteers, you're invited.

Get an early look at what's next for the Girl Scout experience. Register to attend one of our special virtual previews where you'll learn:

How feedback from girls, families, and volunteers is helping shape what's next
What's changing and the exciting things coming in the months ahead
New tools, resources, and experiences designed to help you and your Girl Scouts thrive

Choose the session that works best for you:

Tuesday, October 27
8:00 PM ET

Saturday, November 7
1:00 PM ET

Space is limited for the live session. If you're unable to attend live or the session reaches capacity, all registrants will receive a recording after the event.

We can't wait to share what's ahead.

New Ways to Let Curiosity Lead the Way

Our evolution started with Leadership Awards—now we’re introducing new themes to further spark Girl Scouts’ curiosity. Check out our program charts to discover patches, badges, and awards by theme.

EXPLORE NEW THEMES

Here’s What’s Coming Next

The badges, awards, patches, and hands-on adventures Girl Scouts love aren’t going anywhere. Beginning in spring 2027, we’ll launch the first wave of new and updated programs, along with the new Program Library, which will make it easier to discover everything Girl Scouts has to offer for Girl Scouts of all ages!

This is the beginning of a multiyear evolution that blends Girl Scouts’ favorite experiences and activities with exciting new ones. Additional updates are planned for 2028 and beyond!

Have questions?

Find quick answers about what’s changing, why we’re evolving the Girl Scout program, and what it means for Girl Scouts, families, and volunteers.

Why is Girl Scouts evolving its program portfolio? toggle arrow

Because Girl Scouts are always exploring what's next.

As interests, technology, and family needs continue to evolve, we're creating more opportunities for Girl Scouts to try new things, develop leadership skills, and pursue what excites them most.

We're building on what works today while creating new opportunities that keep the Girl Scout experience relevant, engaging, and full of possibilities for the future.

Why is Girl Scouts updating its offerings now? toggle arrow

At Girl Scouts, this isn't new—it's what we've always done.

For generations, we've adapted alongside the young people we serve. Guided by research, feedback, and actual experiences of Girl Scouts, families, and volunteers, we're continuing to evolve to reflect the world Girl Scouts are exploring today while making it easier for volunteers and families to guide the adventure.

Is the Girl Scout program changing? toggle arrow

The heart of the Girl Scout experience is staying the same.

Everything we do continues to be guided by the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE)—our proven framework for helping Girl Scouts build confidence, develop positive values, strengthen relationships, seek challenges, and make a difference in their communities.

Girl Scouts will continue to enjoy earning badges, awards, and patches, and engaging in other fun activities that have them learning by doing through hands-on experiences, teamwork, problem solving, creativity, and real-world adventures. What's changing is how these activities are discovered and accessed, in alignment with new program themes and a new Program Library.

So what is evolving? toggle arrow

We're expanding the ways Girl Scouts can explore, discover, and lead.

The evolution is already underway and includes:

Leadership Awards (available to earn now) that incorporate more choice and flexibility
Journey retirement (effective October 1, 2026)
Eight program themes inspired by what Girl Scouts want to explore
New and updated programs coming in spring 2027, with additional updates planned for 2028 and beyond
A new Program Library that brings experiences and resources together in one digital place

Together, these updates mean more opportunities for Girl Scouts to explore new interests, build leadership skills, and enjoy a range of experiences.

What are Leadership Awards, and why were they updated? toggle arrow

Leadership Awards give Girl Scouts more choice to lead, their way.

Leadership Awards help Girl Scouts build leadership skills, make an impact in their communities, and grow in ways that feel meaningful to them.

The updated awards offer:

Greater choice in how leadership is explored
More flexibility in pursuing individual interests
More opportunities to build real-world skills
The first step toward earning a Highest Award

Released in summer 2025, Leadership Awards are the first step in our program evolution, creating more ways for Girl Scouts to build leadership skills, make an impact, and prepare for Highest Awards.

As the Journey retirement transition concludes on October 1, 2026, Leadership Awards, along with the Bronze and Silver Award, will become the path for Juniors through Ambassadors to begin working toward their Highest Awards.

What’s happening to Journeys? toggle arrow

Journeys will officially be retired on October 1, 2026.

As part of our program evolution, Leadership Awards, along with the Bronze and Silver Award, will become the path for Juniors through Ambassadors to begin their Highest Award. Any Journey previously completed at the Girl Scout’s program level will count toward Highest Award prerequisites, even after Journeys are retired. Visit the Journey Awards page for more details.

What are the program themes, and why were they introduced? toggle arrow

The themes expand on our former program pillars and create more opportunities for exploration.

For many years, Girl Scout experiences were organized around four pillars: Outdoors, STEM, Entrepreneurship, and Life Skills.

Today, experiences are organized around eight themes that match Girl Scouts’ interests:

Animals and Nature
Art and Imagination
Balanced Living
Leadership and Your Future
Outdoor Adventure
Sports and Recreation
Technology and Innovation
Your World Near and Far

Think of themes as an evolution of the pillars—opening the door to even more possibilities for discovery. Visit the Badge, Journeys, and Awards page to see programs and activities organized by themes.

What updates are coming to the Girl Scout experience? toggle arrow

New and updated programs will begin rolling out in spring 2027.

Next spring will bring the first release of new and updated programs, for Girl Scouts of all ages (K-12), aligned with Girl Scouts’ new themes. The first set will include a variety of badges and awards, with some of these programs previewed at Girl Scouts Unite. This release marks the start of a multiyear evolution of the Girl Scout program. Many programs will continue, some will be new, and some will evolve through a phased rollout, with additional updates planned for 2028 and beyond.

Programs already completed will always remain an important part of a Girl Scout’s achievements. Each one represents skills learned, adventures shared, and accomplishments worth celebrating.

Are there any other updates on the horizon? toggle arrow

Yes. A new badge experience for Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors is coming in spring 2027.

Based on feedback from Girl Scouts and volunteers, we created then piloted a new badge experience designed to:

Give older Girl Scouts more freedom to choose the activities and experiences that interest them most
Put more decision-making in the hands of girls, empowering them to shape experiences around their passions and goals
Encourage Girl Scouts’ creativity, independence, and personalized experiences
Offer more flexible ways to participate—whether with a troop, a group of friends, or on a girl’s own

Create more opportunities for Girl Scouts to explore real-world interests, build confidence, and grow as leaders

What is the new Program Library? toggle arrow

The Program Library is a new online experience that makes it easier to discover, plan, and participate in Girl Scout adventures.

It will help Girl Scouts, families, and volunteers:

Explore badges, awards, patches, and activities across all eight program themes, to support the planning of meaningful experiences
Access flexible volunteer tools and resources
Search by interest or topic
Find experiences for different Girl Scout levels and various ways to participate

Beginning in spring 2027, new and updated experiences will launch through the Program Library. Existing activities not yet updated will remain available in the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) during the transition. Log in to myGS to access the Volunteer Toolkit.

What’s happening to the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK)? toggle arrow

We’re starting to slowly transition from the Volunteer Toolkit to the new Program Library.

The VTK launched in 2012 to help volunteers plan and deliver Girl Scout experiences. While we've continued to improve it over the years, it was built for a different era of technology. To create a more modern and flexible experience, we're introducing a new Program Library rather than redesigning the VTK.

Here's what to expect:

Beginning in spring 2027, new and updated program experiences will launch in the Program Library.
The VTK will continue to provide access to experiences that haven’t yet been modernized—housing existing badges, awards, and patches. As more experiences are updated over time, all Girl Scout activities will gradually move from the VTK to the Program Library. During this transition, volunteers and families may use both platforms to access Girl Scout programs and resources.
Additional resources, such as badge booklets, will continue to be available through council shops.

What does this mean for families and volunteers? toggle arrow

More support. More flexibility. More time for what matters most.

Families and volunteers can look forward to:

Easier access to activities and resources
Greater visibility of available experiences
More flexibility to support participation and exploration

The goal is simple: less time searching for resources and more time creating great experiences with Girl Scouts.

What should I do right now? toggle arrow

Keep exploring, earning, and enjoying all that Girl Scouts has to offer.

For now, we encourage you to:

Explore the updated Leadership Awards
Get familiar with the eight program themes included in Girl Scout Program Charts.
Visit girlscoutshop.com to earn today's programs before some of them evolve
Keep the October 1, 2026, Journey retirement milestone in mind
Stay tuned for updates on program modernization and the Program Library

No immediate action is needed. We'll continue sharing tools and resources to keep you informed every step of the way.

Be sure to check back often, for the latest information and resources as new experiences are introduced.