American Heritage Girls
The American Heritage Girls is a Christian Scouting group modeled after young women's organizations such as the Girl Scouts of the USA. They were formed in 1995 by a group of parents from West Chester, Ohio who were unhappy that the Girl Scouts accepted lesbians as troop leaders, allowed girls to substitute another word more applicable to their belief for "God" in the promise, and allegedly banned prayer at meetings.[1]. The group currently has troops in many states of the continental United States. Membership as of 2006 is about 5,000.[citation needed]
Oath
I promise to love God,
Cherish my family,
Honor my country,
and Serve in my community.
Creed
As an American Heritage Girl, I promise to be:
- Compassionate - Understanding others in fellowship, empathy, kindness, and caring. Respect others' opinions and emotions.
- Helpful - Willingly serve others.
- Honest - Always tell the truth and keep my promise.
- Loyal - True to God, family, friends, community and country.
- Perseverant - Continue to strive toward a goal despite obstacles.
- Pure - Keep my mind and body pure.
- Resourceful - Wisely use my time, materials and talents.
- Respectful - Honor my country, be obedient to those in authority and courteous to all.
- Responsible - Accountable for my own actions. Reliable in all situations.
- Reverent - Faithful and honoring to God. Respectful of the beliefs of others.
Statements
The Mission statement is:
Building women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country.
The Vision statement is
American Heritage Girls is the premier scouting organization for young women that provides a program which embraces time honored moral standards while encouraging each member to grow in their faith in God, personal integrity, family values, citizenship and community service.
Adult members Statement of Faith
Adult members subscribe to a Statement of Faith:
We believe that there is One Triune God - Father, Jesus Christ His one and only Son, and the Holy Spirit - Creator of the universe and eternally existent. We believe the Holy Scriptures (Old/New Testament) to be the inspired and authoritative Word of God. We believe each person is created in His image for the purpose of communing with and worshipping God. We believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit who enables us to live a Godly life. We believe that each individual is called to love the Lord their God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength; and to love their neighbors as themselves. We believe that each individual is called to live a life of purity, service, stewardship and integrity.
Clarity is further provided to the following terms:
- Purity - An AHG member is called to live a life of holiness, being pure of heart, mind, word and deed, reserving sexual activity for the sanctity of marriage; marriage being a lifelong commitment before God between a man and a woman.
- Service - An AHG member is called to become a responsible member of their community and the world through selfless acts, which contribute to the welfare of others.
- Stewardship - An AHG member is called to use their God given time, talents and money wisely.
- Integrity - An AHG member is called to live a moral life, demonstrating the inward motivation to do what is right, regardless of the cost.
Level divisions
The American Heritage Girls program is divided into several levels based primarily on age. Certain requirements must be met to proceed to the next level, usually requiring a certain amount of service and badges. The order of levels goes Pathfinder (kindergarten/5 years old), Tenderfoot (1-3rd grade/6 years old), Explorer (4-6th grade/9 years old), Pioneer (7-8th grade/12 years old), and Patriot (9-12th grade/14 years old).
Highest rank
Girls can proceed through various ranks until they achieve the Stars and Stripes Award. This is the highest honor achievable and is comparable to the Eagle Scout rank in the Boy Scouts.
See also
External links
- American Heritage Girls official web site.
- "Some unhappy with Girl Scouts form new group", by Angela K. Brown, Associated Press Writer
- "Girl Scouts face religious rebellion", Associated Press story, MSNBC
- Godly Girl Group, by Candi Cushman, Jan 2006, Focus on the Family.