LGSDC PA Program
"The work of today is the history of tomorrow and we are its makers"
- Juliette Gordon Low
What Do PAs Do?
Become Leaders
We pride ourselves on being a leadership development program before anything else. We train Girl Scouts to become incredible leaders.
Learn Outdoor Skills
We teach our campers and PAs outdoor skills from starting a fire and cooking over it to canoeing to compassing to making shelters.
Teach
We have incredibly talented teachers as our adult volunteers and throughout the course of the program our PAs become incredible teachers.
Leadership Development
We teach many leadership development skills, including but not limited to;
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Public speaking
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Dealing with difficult situations
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Working with teams
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Time management
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Giving and receiving constructive criticism/feedback
Outdoor Skills
We teach many outdoor skills, including but not limited to;
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Knots and lashing
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Knife safety and carving
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Fire safety, building, and cooking
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Shelter building
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First aid
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Compassing and orienteering
Teaching
We teach many different aspects of teaching, including but not limited to;
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The EDGE teaching method
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Working with different age groups
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Working with neurodivergent kids
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Creating teaching aids and materials
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Lesson preparation
PA Expectations
As our Program Aids move through this program we ask them to take on more and more responsibility.
Jr. PAs
These are our first year PAs, they have just finished their PAT year at camp and have never been at camp as a PA. The role of a Jr. PA is to learn and assist. They will work directly with campers, facilitate daily activities, and lead songs and games.
Program Aid
These are PAs between their 2nd and 6th years who have not been promoted. The role of a PA is to develop and lead. They need to understand age-level characteristics, their unit's crafts/activities, and their unit's outdoor skills. They will teach activities, lead songs and games, and complete any tasks assigned by their Senior and Mentor PAs.
Senior PA
These are PAs between their 3rd and 6th years who have been promoted to Senior PA. The role of a Senior PA is to lead and teach. These PAs demonstrate strong leadership and outdoor skills, that is why they are promoted. They need to be capable of running a patrol without direct supervision, proactive, a problem solver, and know what to do in an emergency. They are responsible for teaching activities and skills. They are expected to participate in PA leadership and general meetings.
Mentor PA
These are PAs between their 4th and 6th years who have been promoted to Senior PA and then to Mentor PA. The role of a Mentor PA is to lead and mentor. These PAs are promoted due to having a strong desire to coach PAs. They need to be able to recognize the potential in people and work with the PA to develop that potential. At this point these PAs have mastered the leadership and program skills we teach.