American Heritage Girls
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| American Heritage Girls | |
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| Headquarters | Cincinnati, OH |
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| Country | United States |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Membership | 6,000 (2007) |
| Website http://www.ahgonline.org/ |
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The American Heritage Girls is a Christian Scouting group modeled after young women's organizations such as the Girl Scouts of the USA. The organization was 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] (see also Girl Scouts of the USA Controversies). The organization claims that membership as of 2007 is about 6,000 from 33 states.[2]
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[edit] Ideals
The AHG mission statement is:
Building women of integrity
through service to God, family,
community and country.
The vision statement reflects similar values:
American Heritage Girls is the premier national scouting organization for young women that embraces Christian values and encourages family involvement.
The AHG's Christian beliefs are explicit in the 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.
The organization's official oath and creed are:
I promise to love God,
Cherish my family,
Honor my country,
and Serve in my community.
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 — Continuing 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 to the beliefs of others.
[edit] 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.
- 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)
- Patriot (9-12th grade/14 years old)
Girls can proceed through various ranks until they achieve the Stars and Stripes Award. This is the highest honor achievable in the program.[2]
[edit] Partnerships
In Spring 2009 American Heritage Girls went into partnership with Trinity Broadcasting Network's iShine Live to produce a program called “iShine KNECT” and an iShine live concert show aimed at tweens in the faith-based industry.[3]
In June 2009, the AHG formed a partnership with the Boy Scouts of America.[4] The memorandum of mutual support recognizes the common values and goals of both organizations and establishes a relationship, especially with the BSA co-ed Venturing membership division.[5]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- "Girl Scouts face religious rebellion", Associated Press story, MSNBC
- Godly Girl Group, by Candi Cushman, Jan 2006, Focus on the Family.
- FIRST-PERSON: Not Your Mom's Girl Scouts, by Penna Dexter, Baptist Press, Apr 26, 2007.
[edit] References
- ^ Angela K. Brown, Associated Press, "Some unhappy with Girl Scouts form new group"
- ^ a b AHG website
- ^ http://kriselen.com/d.php?contentID=457
- ^ Hilty, Lindsey (2009-06-30). "American Heritage Girls gain momentum". JournalNews. http://www.journal-news.com/news/hamilton-news/american-heritage-girls-gain-momentum-184027.html. Retrieved on 2009-07-06.
- ^ "Memorandum of Mutual Support". Boy Scouts of America. http://www.scoutingnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/mou_bsa_ahg_bw.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-07-06.
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