Patch Programs
Explore new frontiers, interests, and topics with patch programs.
Many patch programs are unique and go beyond traditional badge work.
They give troops and individual girls the chance to examine a wide range of subjects, cultivate new ideas, expand knowledge, and learn essential skills.
Certain patch programs have level-specific requirements and may satisfy some badge prerequisites.
Outdoor Patch Programs
Beekeeper 
To earn the Beekeeper patch, Girl Scouts need to complete a three-part process. They'll Discover, Explore/Connect, and then Take Action.
Belle Isle
We're incredibly lucky to have the largest city-owned island park in the United States in our backyard!
Belle Isle has so much to offer to everyone who visits, including a rich history. Whether it's your first time, or you frequent the park, make the most of your Belle Isle Adventure by following along in this activity booklet. You'll walk away learning more than you ever knew before.
Great Lakes
Living in this council means that you get the opportunity to live near the Great Lakes!
While completing this patch program, you will engage in fun activities that allow you to learn more and gain a new perspective for these bodies of water.
Healing in Nature
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month.
Observed since 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month gives us the chance to emphasize the importance of mental health, attempt to de-stigmatize it, and raise awareness—and help—those in need of treatment.
Because mental health affects how we feel, think, and act, it's important to nurture our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Studies have shown that being outdoors increases our brain's serotonin and dopamine levels, which are "feel-good" hormones. When they're boosted, our anxiety and depression decrease.
During this patch program, Girl Scouts will get a good dose of "feel-good" hormones by going outdoors and exploring nature. They're encouraged to complete 10 activities to earn the patch.
Junior Hawkwatcher
The Junior Hawkwatcher patch is a collaboration between GSSEM and the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA).
Girls will learn about raptor identification, behavior, and how to make migration observations.
Booklets:
- Younger Girls - Daisies, Brownies, Juniors
- Older Girls - Cadettes, Seniors, Ambassadors
Metroparks Explorer
Connect with the Huron-Clinton Metroparks!
Girl Scouts will be introduced to different activities in which they may participate within the organization.
Outdoor Skills
The Outdoor Skills patch program makes it easy for girls to get outdoors and have adventures while learning a variety of important skills.
Once a Girl Scout learns and practices a particular skill, she earns the corresponding Outdoor Skills mini patch—which she can then add to the round base patch attached to her sash or vest. Mini patches may be earned by attending Outdoor Skills Days, Outdoor Adventure Days, Outdoor Round-Ups, and other events!
Check the event list for upcoming Outdoor Skills programs and events.
Outdoor Skills Days
Outdoor Skills 1
Enjoy a fun day of outdoor games! Girls will learn how to always be prepared, understand water conservation, and how to leave our world a better place with Leave No Trace.
Outdoor Skills 2
Continue to develop amazing
skills and up your outdoor game with team-building games! This level
will cover packing for a day hike and navigating the trails with
basic orienteering skills.
Outdoor Skills 3
Get prepared for a basic camping
trip at a campground or in your backyard! Learn about setting up a
campsite, basic knots to get you through the night, and how to build
a fire for warmth and cooking.
Outdoor Skills 4
This is the ultimate day to get
outdoors! Eat your way through the day while learning to cook a meal
using a stick, foil pack, and dutch oven techniques and enjoy the
fruits (Starbursts) of your labors. Build a mini First Aid kit to
have in your back pocket before a basic lesson on backpack fitting,
packing, and trip prep.
Outdoor Adventure Days
Discover hidden gems in your community at Outdoor Adventure Days! Earn mini patches for the Outdoor Skills Patch at these themed events that offer the opportunity to learn and practice new skills in the outdoors.
Offerings include canoeing at a state park, horseback riding workshops, fly fishing, archery, snow-shoeing, and bicycle tour events. There are different Outdoor Adventure Days for each Girl Scout level!
Outdoor Round-Ups
Experience council-wide events that offer a variety of outdoor adventures with sister Girl Scouts.
If you have any questions, please email outdooreducation@gssem.org.
Pheno-Fun: Citizen Science
Pheno-Fun is a four-part patch program for all Girl Scout levels!
Phenology (fee·naa·luh·jee) is the observation and measurement of events over time. While earning all four patches, girls will become citizen scientists and uncover the mysteries of Michigan's seasons.
Each season, girls may earn a patch by:
- Attending a virtual event -AND-
- Doing an on-your-own activity -OR-
Attending a GSSEM-sponsored activity.
Individual Program Sections:
All four, season-specific patches are sold as a set and available for purchase at www.gssem.org/curbside.
Other Patch Programs
Automotive History
Our area has an extensive automotive history that's important for everyone to know about!
The auto industry has had a great impact on our community. Long recognized as the historic heart of the American automotive industry, Detroit took on the nickname "Motor City."
In the late 1800s, Flint was home to a booming carriage-making industry for horse-drawn buggies—which some say was the biggest in the entire world. Hence, Flint became known as "Vehicle City."
Henry Ford pioneered the use of the assembly line in manufacturing automobiles and provided the model for mass production that other industries later adopted.
Detroit People Mover
Earn this patch by riding the People Mover in Detroit!
The Detroit People Mover (DPM) is a fully automated light rail system that operates on an elevated single-track loop in Detroit's central business district.
Launched in 1987, the system's 13 stations provide quick connections between districts. Service is frequent and unencumbered by vehicle or pedestrian traffic—and at just 75 cents per ride (as of 2019)—it's the best bargain in town!
Discover Detroit
Detroit is the largest city in the state of Michigan and the largest American city on the United States/Canadian border—and there are so many things to see and do there!
Detroit is a major port located on the Detroit River, one of the four major straits that connect the Great Lakes system to the Saint Lawrence Seaway. It has a diverse population and culture. New hotels, scenic and social parks, public transit, bike lanes, and the walkable riverfront are redefining Detroit.
GSSEM History
Much of the history of GSSEM and all Girl Scouts exists in the memories of our elders or lies hidden between the pages of family albums, historical documents, museums, and diaries.
By exploring these buried treasures, girls can gain a greater appreciation and understanding of our history and take these lessons to connect the past with the present through shared experiences. Our sisterhood is full of traditions!
