Kaleidoscope, a camporee for Junior, Cadette, Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts (grades 4 – 12), returned for a weekend full of tent camping, skill challenges, workshops, SWAPs, songs, games, a Cook-off, Saturday evening program, and an All-camp Service Project. Occurring every other year, approximately 1,300 girls and adults gathered in Santa Barbara County this past weekend for fun-filled times with their sister Girl Scouts. This year’s theme was, “Mission: I’m Possible.”
Leading up to this highly anticipated weekend, troops plan and practice their outdoor skills for months in preparation. Girl Scouts brought SWAPs, or small keepsakes for exchanging with new friends, in order to trade with one another and decorate their hats, lanyards, and vests. In addition to traditional Girl Scout camp activities such as Flag Ceremonies and SWAPs, girls participated in skills challenges and workshops including fire-building, lashing, knot-tying, orienteering, and Dutch Oven one-pot cooking.
The girls arrived Friday afternoon, in their cars packed with camping equipment, to set up in one of six villages and check in with Village Hosts. Once settled in, they enjoyed an outdoor movie before lights out.
Girls were able to form “patrols” in order to participate in various skills challenges. These included Camping, Compass and Map Reading, Fire Building, First Aid, Flag Ceremony, Kim’s Game, Knots, Lashing, Mega-Challenge (backpacking), Survival, and a Take Action Project display, each of which earned patrols points towards a goal. They also took part in “just for fun” competitions within villages against other teams or troops, where there was one winner in each category. These competitions awarded troops for best banners, campsite decorations, and creative hats.
Workshops were also offered as a large part of Saturday’s activities, which included crafts, skills, cooking, songs, and games. As the girls picked up their dinners and found their seats, they donned their glow necklaces as the Saturday evening program began which was full of songs and skits performed by fellow Girl Scouts. They participated in evening star gazing before heading off to bed.
Sunday morning from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., a Cook-off competition ensued where girls were able to show off their camp cooking skills (without the help of any adults!). Judges observed as girls prepared the food and built their fires, cooked their dishes, presented them to the tasting judges, doused the fires and cleaned up their stations. Teams were evaluated based on their teamwork, sanitation skills, and ability to work safely. The final food products were then ranked by taste appearance, for which the top three teams were awarded in each category.
Cook-Off categories were broken up into various methods of camp cooking, including the Dutch Oven, foil pouch, box oven, and camp stove. Girls were able to create complete meals with a protein, a starch, and a vegetable, desserts, and baked goods.
After a weekend full of fun, Girl Scouts cleaned up their respective camp villages before heading back home.
This event wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our phenomenal volunteers that dedicated their time as Village Hosts, Skills Challenge and Just for Fun Judges, Workshop Leaders, Security, First Aid Providers, Food Prep Assistants, and our Set-Up/Take-Down Crew!
For the full Kaleidoscope itinerary and a break-down of the skills challenges and workshops that were offered, visit our website!
GSCCC Blog 