The National Park Service and Girl Scouts of the USA are commemorating the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment with a limited-edition commemorative patch, activity guide, activity log, certificate and special awards. The Girl Scout Ranger 19th Amendment Patch Program will enhance Girl Scouts’ understanding of the significance of the 19th Amendment which removed the gender restriction to voting and granted many women the right to vote. Celebrate the advances that resulted from the suffrage movement and key historical figures who were involved.
The 19th Amendment was a significant step for women’s civil rights in our country, but there were still many women, including women of color, who were discriminated against and denied access to the ballot. This patch program encourages girls to explore the history of women’s suffrage, the 19th Amendment, and how important it is to participate in our nation’s civic conversations.
- Duration:
- 8 minutes, 48 seconds
Hear about the strong women in our park's history from today's strong women rangers! Get inspired and learn how you can also inspire others by becoming a steward of our national parks while earning a special Girl Scouts 19th Amendment Centennial patch!
How to Earn the Patch
Find a park.
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Visit the Find a Park webpage to find a park in your state or any park of interest.
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Have the girls use the NPS online map to search by their home state—or even surrounding states. If you have older girls ready for a travel adventure, they can search the entire U.S. for a park that sparks their interest! If you’re not located near a national park, consider a visit to your own community’s parks, museums, and historic sites—you may be surprised how many are in your own backyard! If you can’t visit a national park right now, check to see if that park has a “Virtual Tour” for your girls to experience! Check for virtual tours on the park’s website under “Photos and Multimedia.”
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Make a list of all the possible sites to visit, then narrow it down to a few places to research.
Learn about the park.
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Ask your girls to visit and explore the park’s website to learn about its history; the natural, cultural, or historical resources it protects; and the activities that park offers, such as hiking, biking, wildlife watching, and guided interpretive tours. Find activities by exploring the Calendar or Things to Do sections on the website. Girls will find helpful tips about activities and events—plus directions, hours, reservations, where to eat, and where to sleep.
Brainstorm activities.
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Once you’ve learned a little about the park, ask the girls to think about activities that interest them, and download the Girl Scout Ranger 19th Amendment activity booklet for suggestions. Many of the parks describe the interpretive and educational programs they offer to the public and various volunteer opportunities on their website. Think about how these programs can enhance Girl Scout Journeys or meet badge requirements. Record a list of ideas for possible activities.
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Many national parks offer field trips, guided tours, and other fun activities that require reservations. In some cases, there are self-guided tours available at flexible times! Tip: even if the park’s website does not say that reservations are required to attend a program , it’s always a good idea to call ahead, especially if you have a group of 10 or more.
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Ask the girls to think about the badges or Journeys they’re working on this year or want to work on next year. Are there things they can learn at the national park service site that can help them? Here are some examples:
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Daisies and Brownies (recommended for grades K–3):
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Learn about the first leaders of the suffrage movement. Find out more about one key person. Who was she? What was her involvement in the movement? What did she do to inspire others?
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Attend an event or ongoing exhibit sponsored by the National Park Service. Afterward, think about what you learned.
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Juniors/Cadettes/Seniors/Ambassadors (recommended for grade 4–12):
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What opposition did the suffrage movement face? What were some of the major challenges that women overcame? What weren’t they able to overcome?
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Visit the National Park Service’s 19th Amendment Centennial webpages for profiles of women who led the suffrage movement. Name at least one woman you feel had an especially big impact on the suffrage movement or other issues pertaining to women’s rights. Is there anyone you feel a particular connection with?
Contact the park.
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Contact park staff to discuss possible activities. On the park’s website, click on the Contact Us link in the lower left corner and email or call the park. Let them know you’re interested in participating in the Girl Scout Ranger 19th Amendment Centennial Patch Program and would like to contact the person who coordinates the program for the park.
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Be prepared to explain your ideas to the park representative: the number of Girl Scouts, their age range, skill level, and the anticipated time commitment
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Ask the park to give you the inside scoop on existing opportunities you read about, or even additional things the girls didn’t find on the website. This could include volunteer service projects, career programs, special events and programs for youth, or nature conservation activities.
Coordinate and plan with the park.
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Work together with park staff to plan the visit or project. Staff can also suggest ideas for activities and will work with you and the girls to ensure the project will be fun and informative. They’ll help you better understand the national parks and the many natural, cultural, and historical resources they protect!
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There may be opportunities to participate in existing service projects at parks, or possibly even for girls to create a Take Action project with connections to the 19th Amendment! Girl Scouts do both community service and Take Action projects; both are important and help communities in different ways. So what’s the difference?
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Community service projects make the world better for some people “right now.” For example, restoring hiking trails helps people enjoy parks “right now.” Picking up debris helps animals and people enjoy their environment “right now.” These acts of kindness are important ways to help some people—right now.
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Take Action projects, along with projects connected with the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards, address the root cause of an issue and offer sustainable, longer-lasting solutions. With these projects, girls strive to make the world a better place for more people for a much longer period of time. For example, a Girl Scout Brownie troop might help plan and create an accessible trail at a national park, while a Girl Scout Senior might develop curriculum for ongoing educational programs to teach younger children about the history of a national monument.
Sometimes there’s overlap and the two types of projects naturally blend together. Girl Scouts take on both service and Take Action projects to live out the Girl Scout Promise and Law and “make the world a better place” (part of the Girl Scout mission).
Think about some key dates throughout the year!
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Follow the 100th anniversary of the race to ratification in real time!
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Explore other themes and activity days.
Here are some specific dates to note:
February
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February 22: World Thinking Day celebrates the birthdays of Girl Guide/Girl Scout founder Robert, Lord Baden-Powell (1857–1941) and World Chief Guide Olave, Lady Baden-Powell (1889–1977). It is a day of international friendship and an opportunity to speak out on issues that affect us.
March
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March 12: Girl Scouts’ birthday commemorates the day in 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the organization's first 18 girl members in Savannah, Georgia.
April
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April 18–26: National Park Week
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April 22: 50th anniversary of Earth Day
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April 22: Girl Scout Leader's Day honors all of the Girl Scout volunteers who serve as leaders and mentors in partnership with girls. On this day, girls and their families and communities find special ways to thank their adult Girl Scout volunteers.
June
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Great Outdoors Month
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June 6: National Trails Day
August
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August 18: 100th anniversary of ratification by Tennessee, the 36th and final state needed to add the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
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August 25: National Park Service’s 105th birthday
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August 26: On this day 100 years ago, the U.S. secretary of state certified the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, making it the law of the land.
September
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September 26: National Public Lands Day
Have fun!
Once all the logistics are handled, go and have fun with the Girl Scout Ranger 19th Amendment Centennial Patch Program!
Earn the patch.
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National Park Service staff will award the limited-edition Girl Scout Ranger 19th Amendment Centennial patch to girls on completion of program requirements. Talk to your contact at the park if you need more information.
Tell NPS and GSUSA what you did!
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Encourage girls to share their experience at NPS sites and email us at npsyouth@nps.gov. Include "Girl Scout Rangers" in the subject line. Follow us on social media and share your photos by tagging us @npsyouth and using #npsyouth!
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Post photos of your park experiences on Girl Scouts’ national website by using #gsoutdoors and #FindYourPark in your Facebook and Twitter posts!
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Girls should also submit any Take Action projects completed at NPS sites to GSUSA’s sites to develop Take Action projects back in their communities. This is an especially great option when visiting smaller parks that don’t have need for girls’ projects onsite or parks that are far from girls’ hometowns. For some inspiration, check out the Take Action projects Girl Scouts are doing around the country.
Interested in opportunities for youth to learn more about women’s history? Visit the NPS Women’s History for Kids page!
Find an Event
Search for 19th Amendment Girl Scouts events hosted by national parks across the country.Related Topics
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Youth Programs
Find opportunities to get engaged as a steward of your public lands with a variety of programs for youth of all ages.
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Girl Scout Ranger Program
Check out chances for Girl Scouts to get involved with national parks and earn special badges and patches!
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19th Amendment
Commemorate the centennial of the 19th Amendment, which legally empowered women's right to vote.