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GSHNJ Astronomy Club toggle arrow

Are you a Junior, Cadette, Senior, or Ambassador Girl Scout who loves science? Are you curious about stars, space, and astronomy? Are you looking for service and research opportunities that also help you explore what excites you?

We invite you to join our Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey Astronomy Club. You will:

Meet Girl Scouts who share your interests.
Expand your knowledge of the cosmos with the latest news from NASA, hands-on time with our awesome club telescope, special speakers, citizen science projects, and fun hands-on space activities
Learn to lead. High school Girl Scouts are eligible to apply for leadership positions in our Girl Scout-led club; all club members will have the opportunity to help lead activities for other Girl Scouts.
Club details:
- Meet formally every other month to enjoy learning about cool cosmic topics. Meetings can consist of special guest speakers from the field of astronomy, hands on STEM activities, and much more.
- Club meetings are generally Sunday afternoons.
- In addition to regular club meetings, members can attend sky observation nights, and optional astronomy related council events. These events are typically held on Friday or Saturday evenings to allow for sky observation. These events will be posted on the general GSHNJ Event Calendar.

Learn how you can become a yearly Astronomy Club Member here! Check out our Event Calendar for August and September meeting dates or join our “Astronomy Club, GSHNJ” on Rallyhood for updates on special events like field trips!

Questions about this program? Contact programs@gshnj.org.

a volunteer and two young girls on bridge

Family Ramblers toggle arrow

Does your family love to hike and spend time outdoors together? Family Ramblers might be for you!

Membership in this GSHNJ special interest group is open to any Girl Scout family who is looking to connect with other outdoor-loving families, swapping trail ideas, tips, and resources in our private invitation-only forum while also incentivizing family members to “GET OUTSIDE” and hit the trails together. Family Ramblers received a club patch with each year’s club membership and have the option to earn “boot prints” patches to commemorate their hiking adventures. Each club year runs from June 1^st through May 31^st and is newable annually.

2024-2025 Family Ramblers Hiking Club Registration (registration period is June 1-Oct. 31; after Oct. 31^st).

Overview of the ’24-25 Family Ramblers Guidelines

Recorded Family Ramblers Info Session

Hiking Adventure Guide for Girls By Girls

Questions about this program? Contact programs@gshnj.org.

a group of five girls sitting on couch chatting

HNJGIRL Advisory Board toggle arrow

HNJGIRL Advisory Board (accordion)

The HNJGIRL Advisory Board gives Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors the opportunity to serve as the voice for all girls in Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey by providing input to the Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors, and leadership team. This board is a cooperative learning team and is a safe place where girls can share their thoughts about what girls need and want, as well as their ideas on how Girl Scouts can be the program of choice for girls today. By lending their thoughts and opinions to a movement that wants, needs, and values girl-led contributions, these young leaders will play a significant role in shaping the ongoing work of Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey.

This select group, comprised of up to seven girl members representing Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey’s seven counties, will work as a team to help determine the council’s priorities. Their work will be in the areas of programs, girl activities, girl engagement, training, social trends, and other topics as determined by the CEO. Members will also be exposed to governance opportunities and will be present at various activities and events throughout the year. Advisory board members will make their voices heard to the staff of GSHNJ, as well as learn to share their Girl Scout story with their greater community.

Qualifications and Commitment:

Interested applicants must be:
Currently enrolled in 6th-12th grade
Currently registered as a Girl Scout
Genuinely interested in taking on a leadership role at GSHNJ
Able to communicate with peers and with adults
Able to work well independently and on a team
Committed to using technology as a platform for research and communication
Available for a one-year commitment, running from October 1- September 30. Girls can serve up to two consecutive one-year terms with the term of high school senior ending on September 30 of the year after graduation.

Responsibilities:

HNJGIRL Advisory Board members will be expected to:

Attend orientation, quarterly meetings with the CEO, at least one Board of Directors meeting, the annual Board of Directors Retreat, and other meetings as determined by the CEO. The meeting dates and times of the quarterly CEO meetings will be established based on the availability of the majority of girl members.
Consistently contribute feedback on various digital platforms.
Actively participate in all scheduled meetings.
Work in groups and independently to complete and present research and tasks.

Questions about this program? Contact sperez@gshnj.org.

an older girl scout operating a video camera

Media Girl toggle arrow

The Media Girl is Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey’s all-Girl Scout media team, representing GSHNJ in various media opportunities throughout the year!

Do you like being in the spotlight and talking about what it’s like to be a Girl Scout? Do you want to be involved with public events, council programs and GSHNJ campaigns? Then you might be a Media Girl.

You already know being in Girl Scouts is awesome and filled with opportunities to discover your inner go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, and leader so help us spread the word! We look for girls to represent Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey through various media opportunities throughout the year. No experience is necessary; you will work with GSHNJ staff and other professionals to build your skills in public speaking, storytelling, creating content, and more!

Depending on your interests and skill set, you might have the opportunity to:

Participate in TV, radio, and newspaper interviews and photoshoots
Create and take part in videos to promote Girl Scout programs and mission
Represent GSHNJ at high-profile events in the community including speaking engagements and appearances
Participate in key council ceremonies throughout the year

The General Application for our Media Girl team is open from through August 20, 2025-Sept. 20th, 2025 for Membership Year 2026. Interested? Apply at the link below. Accepted applicants will be notified by the end of September.

Questions about this program? Contact programs@gshnj.org.

Click here to apply

two girls working on building a robot at a table

GSHNJ Robotics toggle arrow

Is your Girl Scout interested in exploring robotics, technology, and creative problem solving? Making new friends who like the same stuff you do? Working on a team project in a friendly, supportive, and competitive atmosphere? If so, a council robotics team could be for you! We participate in the First Lego League (FLL) which means we design, program, and compete with Lego robots. And no prior experience is necessary!

*All teams are coached by GSHNJ volunteers. Experience is not required. All volunteer coaches are trained and supported by GSHNJ throughout the year. If you would like to learn more about this opportunity, please email the address listed below.

Join Our Teams!

Mini-ettes: Warren & Hunterdon County

SheStormz: GSHNJ Service Center in Westfield

Ctrl+Alt+Defeat: GSHNJ Service Center in Westfield

Coming Soon: Girl Scout Leadership Center Newark!

How long is the season?

Registration opens mid-January. The season runs from February-November.

The season is broken into pre-season & competition season.

· Pre-season (Feb-June): Teams meet 1x per month to work on team building and skills.

· Competition Season (Sept-Nov): Teams meet 2x per week. Regular attendance is required.

What to expect?

Our teams participate in FIRST LEGO League. Over the course of the year, we work on team building, mechanical skills, knowledge about sensors, and coding skills. We work through the engineering design process to design with intention and build robots that can complete a challenge course. Teams also complete an innovation project centered on a contemporary real-world issue related to season’s theme. During competitions we 1) compete against other regional teams in the robotics game where we score points when our robot successfully completes a mission 2) present our innovation project in front of a panel of judges, and 3) celebrate a season of learning and friendship!

Who is eligible?

Girl Scouts ages 10-14yrs old. Must be in Middle School for Fall FLL Competitions.

How does my Girl Scout get involved?

Fill out this interest form and we will reach out to you.

Questions?

Contact Lori LaBorde, Program Manager, llaborde@gshnj.org

GSHNJ’s Girls Who Read, LEAD Book Club toggle arrow

GSHNJ’s Girls Who Read, LEAD Book Club is a special interest group for Girl Scouts in grades 6–12. It is an opportunity to connect with other Girl Scouts outside of your troop, build meaningful friendships, and engage in rich book discussions—while also leading and supporting service projects focused on literacy and civic engagement. Join us to read, lead, and make a difference together!

· Open to ALL Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Girl Scouts.

· Initial registration period is August 21^st - October 31st; Membership year runs October-May.

· Choose between Council-Led Membership or Self-Guided Membership. (See GWRL Guide for full details.)

· New members will receive a free copy of Rising Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones.

· Council-Led Meetings will rotate between in-person and virtual options.

· By joining GWRL Book Club, members will have the opportunity to earn the following awards: Program Aide, Volunteer in Training, Silver or Gold Torch Awards.

*Register by September 30th to receive a Rising Troublemaker Fun Patch!

1. Council-Led GWRL Book Club Registration - $20 – Fee covers cost of pizza dinner for in-person meetings, staff support, a special GWRL Book Club Patch, and any earned badges/awards.

2. Self-Guided GWRL Book Club registration - $15 - Fee covers staff support, a special GWRL Book Club Patch, and any earned badges/awards.

3. GWRL Guide, Meeting Schedule, and Leadership Opportunities

4. 2026-2027 GWRL Booklist Chosen by previous GWRL Book Club members!

5. Register for Virtual Info Session on September 17th @ 7 pm.

Questions about this program? Contact programs@gshnj.org.

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