American Heritage Girls...Part 2!

AHG's Mission:

"Building women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country."

As you all probably know, I love being an American Heritage Girl! I have earned badges while learning new skills and taking up new hobbies. I get to participate in service projects, skits, games, and fun campouts with my troop, family, and friends!

Stamp collecting is my newest hobby I got into while trying to complete the Special Delivery badge.  My personal favorite badge is Cake Decorating. (I bet you can guess why.)
Twice a year we have something called a COA, Court of Awards, and it's a party that you attend to celebrate all the badges that you and your troop have earned. You also can earn service hour stars to sew on your vest or sash at COAs.

American Heritage Girls is kind of like Girl Scouts, only we're Christian-based.
We participate in service projects, such as Feed My Starving Children, help out at food banks, go caroling, and help in our communities.  Here is the AHG Oath:

The AHG Oath:

I promise to love God, 

cherish my family,

honor my country, 

and serve in my community.

When you become an American Heritage Girl, you get an AHG handbook which tells you all about the badges, what you need to do to earn them, what to expect in AHG, and songs that you can learn.

In AHG you don't just earn badges. You can also receive sport pins. If you like to compete in sports and play games, that's great! There are several pins you can earn to go on your vest or sash such as: basketball, ice skating, tennis, bowling pin (I know, ironic right?), soccer, competitive swimming, gymnastics, martial arts, running, softball, and volleyball.

There are several skits that we perform in AHG and one of my favorite skits and it is called: The Invisible Chair.

In AHG, it is important to memorize "The Pledge of Allegiance", The AHG Creed, and the AHG Oath.

The AHG 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 - 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.

There are five Program Levels:

• Pathfinder

The Pathfinder unit is from 5-6 years old. They wear a blue AHG shirt and since they aren't quite old enough to earn badges, they earn beads to add to a necklace they wear during a meeting. When leveling up out of this category, you may earn the Fanny Crosby Award.

• Tenderheart

6-9 year olds are in the Tenderheart unit. They wear a white collar shirt with a red vest, blue handkerchief to go around your neck, and blue or khaki skirt, shorts or jeans. The badges that you earn have to be blue edged. When leveling up out of this category, you may earn the Sacagawea Award.                              

• Explorer

The Explorer unit is from ages 9-12. They also wear a white collar shirt, blue vest, and with a red handkerchief to go around your neck, and blue or khaki skirt, shorts or jeans. The badges that you earn have to be red edged. When leveling up out of this category, you may earn the Lewis and Clark Award.

• Pioneer 

The Pioneer unit is from 12-14 year old. They wear a white collar shirt also, blue sash, blue or khaki skirt, shorts or jeans. The badges and stars that you earn have to be silver or gold edged. When leveling up out of this category, you may earn the Harriet Tubman Award.

• Patriot

And last, but not least.... the fifth unit is the Patriot level for 14-18 year olds. They wear a red collar shirt, blue sash, blue or khaki skirt, shorts or jeans. The badges and stars that you earn have to be silver or gold edged. When you  graduate from AHG, you may earn the Dolley Madison Award.

If you want to go to the American Heritage Girls website click here
If you want to find an American Heritage Girls troop near you, click here
If you want to see my first AHG blog post click here

Book Review: Serafina and the Black Cloak

I have another book review to share with you! Serafina and the Black Cloak is a creative mystery in a series of three entitled: Serafina and the Black Cloak, Serafina and the Twisted Staff and Serafina and the Splitntered Heart. All were written by Robert Beatty. He has also made the newest book: Willa of the Wood, that isn't based on Serafina, but takes place in the same world. (I will write a review on each book in the future.) I honestly can't make up my mind which one I like best because they're all really good.

Serafina and the Black Cloak is about a strange, but smart girl who lives in the basement of Biltmore Estates, completely unknown to the outside world. She discovers more about who she is when she's accidentally seen from the house master's nephew, Breaden. She knows almost everybody in the mansion has a job and her job is the C.R.C. (Chief Rat Catcher). I know it doesn't sound like the best job ever, but having a weird job isn't the strangest thing about her. Her adoptive father tells her nothing about his or her past, until she starts asking questions. Her father always told her "Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there, and they will ensnare your soul."

She suspects a servant of Biltmore Estates is behind a sinister plan, as children are disappearing in the night. Even though it can be a little scary, I think it's a very inventive story. It even kinda spooked me a little bit, but I haven't had any nightmares at all. There have been trailers for these books too, but you should read the book, as I don't feel they give important details as the book.

You can find this book at your local library or book store.