Overnight Trips

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Overnight Trips

• Day Field Trips to Trips of 1 or 2 nights

• Learning Objectives
• This course will prepare troops/groups to hold
  activities
• beyond the regular troop meeting to two
  overnight.
• At the completing of this course, participants
  will be able to
• understand and apply the concept of
  progression in the context of
• planning overnight trips
• evaluate and improve the readiness of the
  troop/group for activities
• beyond the regular troop meeting
• demonstrate familiarity with Safety Activity
  Checkpoints, Volunteer
• Essentials (Chapter Four and Appendix For
  Travel Volunteers) and
• emergency procedures
• identify planning steps for a troop activity
  beyond the regular troop
• meeting
• locate and complete paperwork required for a
  troop/group trip
• list at least three ways to involve everyone
  in planning activities
• describe three trips that are appropriate to
  the grade level of the
• troop/group.

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Table of Contents

• Evaluation
• Celebrating Success
• Appendix A Forms
• Appendix B Sample Troop Progression
• Appendix C CO Child Restraint Laws
• Appendix D Insurance Information

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Evaluation
Page 1 of 4
Evaluation provides the troop with valuable
information to use in setting goals or choosing
activities for the future. Everyone should
participate in assessing the process and the
outcomes of the activity/project. This is an
opportunity for the girls in the troop to
brainstorm questions that will help them appraise
the success of their goals. Questions to ask
might include Was the activity fun? Did it
accomplish what we set out to do? Could we have
done it differently? Would the troop/group want
to do it again? It is important that the girls
be honest in their evaluation, without being
destructive. Evaluate along the way and adjust
goals as necessary. Discuss the lessons learned
from mistakes. The final step in any event is
the evaluation. Actually putting the girls
comments down in writing will help you when
youre planning for the next trip. Below is a
sample evaluation. If the event planners provide
an evaluation form, it goes back to the event
planners and the troop adults wont see it. At
the next troop meeting, make sure to take the
time to talk about the event, the fun as well as
what might not have gone right. Share your
experiences and photos on the GSCO blog.
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Evaluation example 1
Page 2 of 4
Trip Evaluation What was the best thing about
this field trip or overnight event? Is there
some part of the event we would like to do over
again? If yes, what? What could have done
better? What would we leave out? Were we
prepared for this event? Other comments
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Evaluation example 2For younger girls
Page 3 of 4

• Girl Evaluation
• What we did _____________________________________
  __________________
• Draw a circle around the picture that shows how
  you liked what we did.
• KEY
• YES NO
• Did you enjoy what we did? 2. Do you want to do
  it again?
• 3. What did you like best? _______________________
  _______________________
• 4. Would you change anything? ____________________
  _______________________
• If yes, what? ___________________________________
  __________________
• 5. What would you like to do next time?
  ____________________________________
• __________________________________________________
  _________________

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Evaluation example 3For older girls
Page 4 of 4
Troop Trip Evaluation 20122013 Troop Trips 1.
On a scale of 1 (one of the worst experiences of
my life!) to 5 (Awesome! Super! Stupendous!),
please rate the following

• OVERALL TROOP TRIP EVALUATION
• Did you learn anything new on this trip? (Give
  an example, please.)
• What was your favorite part of this trip?
• What would you have changed to improve this trip?
• Ideas/Suggestions for our next Troop Trip.
• Any other comments youd like to share
• Your name (optional)

Awful Mediocre Mediocre Mediocre Awesome Awesome
Government Tour Government Tour 1 2 3 4 5
Museum 1 2 3 4 5
Other   1 2 3 4 5
Dinner at   1 2 3 4 5
Hotel Overnight Hotel Overnight 1 2 3 4 5
Zoo 1 2 3 4 5
Other   1 2 3 4 5
Dinner at   1 2 3 4 5
Overnight at GS property Overnight at GS property 1 2 3 4 5
Theater 1 2 3 4 5
Dinner at   1 2 3 4 5
Other   1 2 3 4 5
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Celebrating Success
Page 1 of 1
Websters definition of celebrate is to observe
(a day or event) with ceremonies of respect,
rejoicing, festivity or simply to praise. It
does not define the magnitude of the day or
event, so we should not either. Celebrating the
troops success along the way to reaching the
girls goals will only enhance the reward of
achieving the goal. So celebrate even the
littlest accomplishments as well as the grand end
results. Establish milestones to their goals and
use these milestones for measuring their success
and celebrating. Are all permission slips in on
time? CELEBRATE! Did girls who did not
participate last year, participate this year?
CELEBRATE! Did each girl reach her personal goal
? CELEBRATE! Did the troop reach its money
earning goal? CELEBRATE! All of these are
successes to be proud of and celebrated. The
celebrations dont have to be elaborate. For
example, keep some Hershey Kisses on hand and
give each girl a Kiss when all permission slips
are turned in!
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Appendix AForms/Permission/Paperwork
Page 1 of 4

• These are the links to finding forms you will
  need in order to take a troop/group on a trip
• All forms are available in the Forms section of
  GS of Colorado Guide for Volunteers or download
  them from www.gscolorado.org/forms
• Getaways
• http//www.gscolorado.org/troop-travel
• http//www.gscolorado.org/volunteer/travel
• GSUSA http//www.girlscouts.org/who_we_are/global
  /travel_toolkit.asp
• GSCO property reservation form this is a
  fillable form for troops to request a reservation
  at any of the GSCO properties around the state.
  http//www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/properties

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Appendix AForms/Permission/Paperwork
Page 2 of 4

• Travel and High Risk Activity Applications
  submit to your Membership Manager at least four
  weeks prior to the trip http//www.girlscoutsofco
  lorado.org/travel-forms
• Parent Permission for Girl Scout Activity
  (fillable and bilingual) needs to be filled out
  by the parent/guardian of every girl in your
  troop each time you plan a trip with your
  troop/group for more than six hours including one
  and two night trips http//www.girlscoutsofcolorad
  o.org/forms
• How to Bank and Redeem Cookie Credits this
  gives details on how to use cookie credits
  http//www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/forms
• Money Earning Application http//www.girlscoutsofc
  olorado.org/forms with Troop Leader Forms

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Appendix AForms/Permission/Paperwork
Page 3 of 4

• Health Forms
• Girl Health History Form (fillable and bilingual)
  should be filled out by parents/guardians and
  updated with their initials and returned to the
  troop leader to be kept on file with registration
  forms. Copies of these forms will travel with
  the troop whenever they plan an even that takes
  them away from regular meeting time and/or place.
  Updates to Health History may be provided on
  Parent Permission form as needed. Note space for
  this purpose on permission form.
  http//www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/forms
• Adult Heath History (fillable and bilingual) to
  be filled out by ALL adult participants who are
  actively involved with Girl Scouts including
  parents who are helping with girls
  http//www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/forms
• Parent Emergency Information form for listing
  the girls emergency contacts and phone numbers
  http//www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/forms
• Medication Permission Form this form is needed
  for any over-the-counter medications or
  prescriptions for all persons on the trip.
  Bug-spray, sunscreen, Tylenol, etc., all need to
  be listed on this form for the first-aider
  http//www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/forms
• First Aid Log
• Accident/Illness/Injury Report
• Emergency Plan for Girl Scout Groups Cards a
  card that should be kept by every adult member
  going on the trip. It contains the procedures to
  be applied in the event of serious accident,
  emergency or fatality. Ask membership Manager
  for them.

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Appendix AForms/Permission/Paperwork
Page 4 of 4

• Other Forms
• Driver Information Record this is an optional
  form for Trip Advisors to use a s a resource if
  drivers are needed for the trip
• Insurance Form along with a pamphlet explaining
  procedures for its use, this form is provided to
  each troop leader when he/she gets her troop
  packet. If you are planning a trip of 3 nights
  or more you must obtain additional insurance
  through the council. More on this in Extended
  Trips training. http//www.girlscoutsofcolorado
  .org/forms

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Appendix BThe Buzz (News) A Good Example of
Progression in Travel
Page 1 of 1
The Girl Scout Cadettes in Troop 507 from Mead
have enjoyed a close-kit friendship through Girl
Scouting for many years. The July 15-22 trip to
Maui, Hawaii, was part of a progression of travel
that began in the first grade. From simple
overnights, Mother-Daughter overnights to camping
and a road trip to South Dakota, the girls moved
steadily toward their goal of seeing some place
special. The girls researched different
destinations and voted on Maui. Their next big
challenge would be raising the money. They
strategized ideas for money-earning projects and
planned an average of one FUN-d raiser each
month. Over the course of about a year, the
girls in Troop 507 identified activities they
wanted to do while in Hawaii. With the help of a
former University of Colorado at Boulder student
and marine biologist who works for the Pacific
whale Foundation in Maui, they planned a fabulous
and financially feasible itinerary that met all
Safety-Wise requirements. During their time in
Maui, the troop did a community service project
in Haleakala National Park, pulling down and
cutting a non-endemic species of pine tree that
is crowing out other plants. They also took
surfing lessons, went on a tide pool hike, went
snorkeling in the small sunken ocean crater of
Molokini, went on the Atlantis Submarine to view
the Lahaina harbor from 125 feet below the sea,
took a zipline through the West Maui rain forest,
and, of course, spent a little time relaxing and
playing on the beach.
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Appendix CColorados Child Restraint Law
Page 1 of 1

• REMINDER As of August 1, 2010, Colorado state
  law requires every child under age 8, regardless
  of weight, to use a child restraint system during
  transportation.
• Infants must ride in a rear-facing car seat
  until they are at least 1 year old and at least
  20 lbs. Safety advocates recommend that infants
  continue rear-facing as long as possible for the
  best protection in a crash. Many larger
  convertible type carseats will allow children
  to ride rear-facing up to 30 lbs.
• Children aged 1 to 4 years who weigh 10 40
  lbs. must be restrained in a forward-facing car
  seat. Safety advocates recommend restraining
  your child in a 5-point harness system until
  they are at least 40 lbs. This harness provides
  the best protection for your child. Use upper
  tether straps where applicable (refer to your car
  seat and vehicles owner manual for more
  information).
• Children over 40 lbs. who are less than 6 years
  old must continue to ride in a child restraint
  (unless 55 (4 7) tall) typically, this is a
  booster seat. While Colorado Law requires older
  children to be restrained in booster seats until
  they are 6 years old or 55 tall, safety
  advocates recommend keeping children in booster
  seats until they are about 57 tall. A childs
  height is the best predictor of proper seat belt
  fit.
• Children between 6 and 16 years old must be
  restrained with a seat belt. Everyone in a car
  should always be properly buckled up, either with
  appropriate car seats, booster seats, or vehicle
  seat belts. Proper seat belt fit is achieved
  when (1) The child can sit all the way back
  against the seat back with their knees bent
  naturally at the edge of the seat (2) The
  shoulder belt fits comfortably crossing the
  shoulder between the neck and the arm (3) The
  lap belt sits low on their hips, touching their
  thighs. This is usually achieved when the child
  is 57 tall, regardless of age or weight.
• Safety advocates include the American Academy of
  Pediatrics, the National
• Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the
  National SAFE KIDS Campaign.
• Children who are not registered Girl Scouts are
  not covered by Girl Scout insurance and thus
  create a risk of liability for the volunteer,
  Girl Scouts of Colorado and its members if these
  children attend Girl Scout meetings or
  activities. If a Girl Scout activity involves
  the invitation of families or other
  non-registered participants, troops should
  purchase additional insurance.

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Appendix DInsurance
Page 1 of 2
Basic Coverage Every registered girl and adult
member is automatically covered by the Basic
coverage, which provides supplemental coverage
when their Girl Scout registration arrives at a
Girl Scouts of Colorado service center. Other
plans may be purchased when needed. Information
on the Girl Scout Activity Accident Insurance
Supplemental Basic Coverage including how to file
a claim, is provided in a brochure available at a
service center. Claim forms and order forms for
the other plans are also available. Insurance
does not cover siblings, tagalongs or adults who
are not chaperones or designated helpers. The
familys own insurance should cover these
individuals. Additional Insurance Several forms
of insurance are available that provide limited
coverage to help pay the medical expenses arising
from accidents occurring during approved,
supervised Girl Scouts activities. This
insurance coverage supplements health and
accident insurance carried by the family. For
all but Plan 3P, there is a non-duplication
provision that coordinates payment for medical
and dental benefits with the family insurer.
Trip approval is required to purchase any
additional insurance. Contact your nearest
service center for information and forms. See
the table on the next slide. General Liability
Girl Scouts of Colorado carries liability
insurance to protect itself and persons acting on
its behalf. Those protected include troop
leaders and all other registered volunteers.
This policy provides coverage for liability
claims only.
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Appendix DInsurance
Page 2 of 2
Insurance Plan No More Than 2 Nights More Than 3 Nights Registered Girls and Adults Non-Registered Participants Adds Sickness Coverage Non-Duplicating Cost person/day
Basic Coverage X   X     X Contact Marlene Bruno
Plan 2   X X X   X For the most
Plan 3E   X X X X X Current information
Plan 3P   X X X X   On costs call
Plan 3Pl   X X X X   303.778.8774
Three nights if one is a federal
holiday Registered/non members of Girl Scouts
of the U.S.A. Used for international travel
only