American Heritage Girls

The American Heritage Girls was founded in 1995 by Patti Garibay and other parents from West Chester, Ohio to form a Christian alternative to the Girl Scouts of the USA after the Girl Scouts allowed individual Scouts and Scouters to use wording appropriate to their own beliefs for the word "God" in the promise and supposedly banned prayer at meetings. The organization started with 100 girls. In May 2013, the AHG dissolved its relationship with the BSA in reaction to the BSA's new policy on gay youth, which removed the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation. Also that month, American Heritage Girls joined the Faith Based Boys Coalition. The Faith Based Boys joined with other groups to form an alternative Boy Scout program. A leadership meeting was held in Louisville, Kentucky on June 29, 2013, to discuss forming a new boys group. The AHG cofounder Patti Garibay was invited to the Kentucky meeting as an advisor. It was revealed in September that American Heritage Girls would be partnering with Trail Life USA, a boys' Scout-like group which was modeled on AHG. ==Program==

The American Heritage Girls program is divided into several levels based primarily on age. Girls participate in troop activities and work toward earning 80 badges, learn leadership skills, social and spiritual development: • Pathfinder— 5–6 years old: The Pathfinder Level is intended to give a girl a chance to try out the AHG Program and learn more about it. A Pathfinder girl earns necklace beads for attendance, participation and Bible verse memorization while learning the four parts of the AHG Oath. She may earn the Fanny Crosby Award upon completion of this Level. • Tenderheart— 6–9 years old: A Tenderheart earns Badges and Sports Pins in any of the six Frontiers of Skill and receives activity patches for participating in Troop activities or special events. She may earn the Sacagawea Award for achieving the highest level of skill and service at this Level. Blue Service Stars are awarded for every five hours of community service. • Explorer— 9–12 years old: An Explorer earns Badges and Sports Pins in any of the six Frontiers of Skill and receives activity patches for participating in Troop activities or special events. She may earn the Ida Scudder (previously Lewis and Clark) Award for achieving the highest level of skill and service at this Level. Red Service Stars are awarded for every 10 hours of community service. Explorers are allowed to participate in overnight camping events • Pioneer— 12–14 years old: A Pioneer continues to earn Badges, Sports Pins, Service Stars and activity patches. She may earn the Harriet Tubman Award for achieving the highest level of skill and service at this Level. Silver Service Stars are awarded for every 15 hours of community service. A Pioneer is also eligible for the roles of Camp or Event Aide. The Pioneer Level is where girls really begin to show leadership skills by assisting their leaders with planning, organizing and staffing special events for AHG in the community or within their Troop. • Patriot— 14–18 years old: Patriot is the highest Program Level in AHG. A Patriot still earns Badges, Sports Pins, Service Stars and activity patches. She may earn the Abigail Adams Award (previously the Dolly Madison award) for achieving the highest level of skill and service at this Level. Gold Service Stars are awarded for every 20 hours of community service. Patriot girls plan and carry out activities with Unit Leaders who function as “facilitators”, allowing girls to make decisions on a regular basis. Girls proceed through various ranks as they get older, each year girls moving to an older unit will bridge over to the new unit. Members can earn a religious award, such as the PRAY award or the REAL religious award. ==See also==