Basic Investiture/Rededication Ceremony

This is a generic, basic ceremony that you can adapt to give your girls their pin and "invest" them into Girl Scouting. Check with the experienced leaders in the Service Unit for other ideas and variations.

An investiture is a ceremony to officially welcome a NEW girl or adult into Girl Scouting. The new member recites the Girl Scout Promise and receives her Girl Scout pin. Daisy Girl Scouts receive the Daisy Girl Scout pin, Brownie Girl Scouts receive the Brownie Girl Scout pin and Junior Girl Scouts, Girls 11-17 and adults receive the Girl Scout pin (contemporary or traditional).

Rededication is done each year by all members of the Girl Scouts. At this ceremony, everyone reaffirms his or her commitment to Girl Scouting. The investiture and rededication ceremonies may be done separately or together. Usually, when a new girl is invested into a troop/group, everyone is present for the ceremony. This is, therefore, a good time for the entire troop/group to rededicate themselves.

Before and/or after the investiture/rededication portion of the ceremony a troop/group may choose to have a flag ceremony, sing a song, etc. However, the investiture/rededication should be the main part of the ceremony.

Items Needed: 14 candles (3 for Promise, 10 for Law, and 1 to light all other candles from). The troop/group stands in a horseshoe formation around a table with ceremonial candles. Open end of the horseshoe should be towards the audience. Candles with holders are available at the Marguerite Ring Torrence Service Center. Please call to reserve.

The leader, or one of the girls, begins the ceremony by explaining the meaning of "investiture" and/or rededication and the symbolism of the three candles for the Promise and the ten candles for the Law. The participating girls and/or adults begin to light the candles. One candle is lit for each part of the Girl Scout Promise and the ten parts of the Girl Scout Law. The number of participants will determine how many candles each girl lights. If you need more "parts", consider having one girl speak and one girl light the candle.

Part 1 - The Girl Scout Promise: On my honor, I will try (this is the candle used to light all others)
Part 2 - To serve God and my country
Part 3 - To help people at all times
Part 4 - And to live by the Girl Scout Law
Part 5 - The Girl Scout Law: I will do my best to be (no candle lit)
Part 6 - honest and fair,
Part 7 - friendly and helpful,
Part 8 - considerate and caring,
Part 9 - courageous and strong, and
Part 10 - responsible for what I say and do, and to
Part 11 - respect myself and others,
Part 12 - respect authority,
Part 13 - use resources wisely,
Part 14 - make the world a better place, and
Part 15 - be a sister to every Girl Scout.

Leader: "At this time the girls of Troop/Group # _____ will rededicate themselves to the service of Girl Scouting."

All returning members are called forward. They repeat the Girl Scout Promise and are welcomed back to the troop/group by an adult member with the Girl Scout handshake. They then return to the horseshoe.

Leader: "Now our new members will be invested into Girl Scouting."

Leader, or one of the rededicated girls, calls each new girl and adult forward. Each new member then repeats the Girl Scout Promise, individually, or as a group. The new members are welcomed into Girl Scouting. They receive the appropriate Girl Scout pin, give the Girl Scout handshake, and return to the horseshoe formation.

There are many variations of this Candlelight Ceremony. If your girls are too young to light candles, or if candles are not allowed where you meet, small flashlights can be substituted.