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Frequent ly Asked Quest ionsWhat are the required badges for the Stars & Stripes Award?The Stars & Stripes Award requires a minimum of 16 badges. Included in those 16, the following 9 specific badges are required: Citizenship & Government, Camping, Family Helper, Outdoor Skills, Emergency Preparedness, Home Care & Repair, Our Flag, Money Management and a Fitness-type badge.

Which badges would qual ify as a fi tness-type badge?The following badges would qualify as a fitness-type badge: Canoeing, Climb On!, Cycling, Hiking, Horsemanship, Physical Fitness, Snow Skiing & Snowboarding and Swimming

Do I have to complete al l my badge requirements before I start on my Stars & Stripes Project?No. You may start working on your Stars & Stripes Project Procedure as soon as you have received approval of your Dolley Madison Award. There must be a minimum of 6 months between your Dolley Madison Board of Review and your Stars & Stripes Board of Review.

At what age can I start working on my Stars & Stripes project?To begin your Stars & Stripes Project, you must have completed the Dolley Madison Level Award which requires you to be 15 years old and have completed your second year at Patriot level.

During the Stars & Stripes Procedure, I need to be an act ive member of my Troop. What qual if ies me as an act ive member?An active member of AHG attends Troop meetings and events regularly. You should hold a Leadership Position within the Troop and continue to act as a mentor and role-model for younger girls. You must be active with your Troop for the duration of your Award Process. You are still considered a member of your Patriot Unit. Stars & Stripes Candidates are not a seperate or elite unit.

How should my parents be involved during my Stars & Stripes journey?The role of your parents should be as supporters: giving you encouragement, guidance and prayer to maintain your focus. Although they may participate in workdays, they should not be doing the planning, writing, communicating or leading. You, as a Candidate, are the driver of this Procedure.

How long should I al low for my Project?You should plan a minimum of 9 months to complete the entire Project Procedure. Your actual Project may only require a short time to complete, but the prep work, planning, written work from you and approvals from all the people involved will take time. Additional time will be needed to schedule your Board of Review. Remember everything must be completed before your 18th birthday.

Where can I find an idea for my Project?Begin by reflecting on what you are passionate about. What things in the world or your community really tug at your heart, that you wish you could change? Once you have determined where your heart is, begin talking with others about how you can make an impact. General ideas for Stars & Stripes Projects can come from various sources: community sections of the newspaper, the Internet listing for service project ideas, and Charter Partners. Prayer is key to finding the right project. There may be an organization praying for someone to do something big for them in an area you may have never considered.

Does my Project have to be something permanent? All projects need a development component: meaning you need to identify a problem the organization faces and find a creative way to resolve it. Some projects may involve physical construction, which usually results in

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Total Hours: 24 hours toward 100 hour total

Supervisory Hours: 2 hours toward 10 hour total

something tangible and permanent. Other projects are more humanitarian such as when a program or service is developed and implemented, resulting in a potential change in someone’s life. Such a change would have intangible permanence. Stars & Stripes Projects may not be just a maintenance project such as weeding gardens, painting fences, running an established blood drive or Bible class. Some projects may require a “leave behind” document for maintenance or continuation plan. Do al l service projects qual i ty as a Stars & Stripes Project?No. You may have friends and/or family members who have completed a service project through another youth organization. These projects can be a good place to start as far as coming up with an idea, but please note that the guidelines for a Stars & Stripes do differ from other awards, so be sure that your idea adheres to AHG’s Project requirements. Discuss your idea with your Mentor and Stars & Stripes Project Advisor to make sure it qualifies.

Does my act ual Project have to take 100 hours of work?The 100 hours is not required solely on the physical project. It includes your planning, implementing and paperwork. Be aware that a complete Project may take more than 100 hours. Once commited to a Benefitting Organization you are expected to complete the commitment. What do my supervisory hours include?A minimum of 10 hours must be spent supervising and leading a group of 3 or more youth who are non-family members. The members of the “group” must be present with you.

Can I earn service stars for the hours I spend on the Stars & Stripes Procedure?No. Hours spent on your Project count only toward the earning of the Stars & Stripes Award. Although service stars represent your concern and work for your community, earning the Stars & Stripes Award tells the world that you are willing to set aside your own recognition to give to your community in a way far greater than anything you’ve participated in thus far. How do I calcu late Project hours from my t ime sheets?When calculating your total hours, you calculate that of yourself and your volunteers. Consider the following work day:

Name Youth or Adult Time In Time Out Total Time

Award Candidate Y 9am 1pm 4hrsSusie B A 9am 1pm 4hrsSarah C Y 9am 1pm 4hrsMark D A 9am 1pm 4hrsLaura E Y 9am 1pm 4hrsMary F Y 10am 12pm 2hrsNick G Y 10am 12pm 2hrs

Keep in mind that in order for supervisory hours to count, you need to be supervising 3 or more youth who are not related to you.

In the above example, the only hours that can count toward the supervisory hours would be the timeframe when 3 or more youth were present. The two hours where the Candidate was only supervising 2 youth, still counts toward her 100 hour total, but not her 10 hours of supervising. Please note that when calculating supervisory hours, these are the Candidate’s hours, not a sum of volunteer hours. The supervisory hour requirement is met when the Candidate has logged at least 10 hours where she was supervising a group of at least 3 youth. This

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requirement is meant to assist girls in learning the important skill of leading a group. of at least 3 youth. This requirement is meant to assist girls in learning the important skill of leading a group.

Who has to approve my Project Idea before I start my wri t ten Project Descrip t ion?You will discuss your Project Idea either verbally or through email with the Benefiting Organization, your Mentor, Troop Leadership and Stars & Stripes Project Advisor; each of them must approve your idea.

What if my mom or another relat ive is a Troop Coordinator? Can she sign for approvals?Your mom or another relative can’t sign nor give approval for your Project; another Leader in your Troop should sign in her place.

Can my Project Descrip t ion just include my general plans for my Project? Why do al l the detai ls have to be on paper?In general, the better an event is planned, the better chance it has for success. Writing down all the details on paper allows you to review and discover something you may have forgotten. It also allows someone else to review your plans and to suggest forgotten details or things to anticipate and to consider. Your Project Description is like the blueprint for your Project.

How detai led does my Project Descrip t ion have to be?Your Project Description should be so well planned and have enough details that if you were suddenly sick the day of your project, you could give your notes to a friend who would substitute for you, and your workday would be successfully accomplished.

What is considered a signif icant change to my Project that would need addi t ional approval?A significant change is one that would seriously affect the results of the project. Changing a paint color or needing an extra workday would not be significant. Deleting half of your Project by making one bookshelf instead of stocking an entire store room, would be significant.

How do I circulate my Project Descrip t ion , Project Summary Report and signat ure sheets for approvals and signat ures when there is distance involved or transportat ion issues?Project Descriptions and Project Summary Reports can be emailed to Leaders, Mentor and the Stars & Stripes Project Advisor. Signature sheets can be personally delivered, faxed, scanned and emailed or mailed. Remember to make a copy if anything is mailed. Electronic signatures are not permitted.

Af ter I send my Project Descrip t ion or Project Summary Report for approval and signat ures, can I proceed wi th carrying ou t my Project or assembl ing my Stars & Stripes binder? How long wi l l i t take?Wait until all signatures and approvals are complete before proceeding to the next step. Approvals often depend on the clarity and accuracy of acceptable Project Descriptions and Project Summary Reports. Even if they are done well and revisions are not needed, it could take as long as two weeks. You are one of many Candidates and you are each at different stages of the Procedure.

How long should my Spir i t ua l Walk essay be?Your Spiritual Walk essay should be a minimum of 250 words.

What do I need to bring for my Board of Review?

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You will need to bring copies of your Stars & Stripes Award Application, Mini-Resume, Project Description, Project Summary Report, and Spiritual Walk Essay for each member of your Board of Review. Your Award Binder may count as 1 copy and copies of photos other than those in the Binder are not necessary. Your reference letters are to be copied and brought by your Unit Leader.

What do I wear to my Board of Review?You should wear your formal AHG uniform, which includes your sash, red polo, and khaki slacks or modest length khaki skirt.

Who makes up my Board of Review? Who may not part ic ipate in my Board of Review? Wil l I know anyone?The Board of Review should include at least three, but no more than six members. Parents, guardians, relatives, Patriot Unit Leaders and Assistant Leaders may not serve on the board. Troop Board Members, Charter Reps, other Unit Leaders, AHG Alumna, Leaders from other AHG Troops, youth pastors and other interested community leaders might participate in your Board of Review. You may ask one adult who knows you well and is not involved with AHG to take part in your Board of Review.

How long should I expect the Board of Review to last?The Board of Review may last 2 hours.

What if I don’t “pass” my Board of Review?Passing your Board of Review should not be a problem providing you haven’t reached your 18th birthday and you have fulfilled all the requirements. However, if there was a problem, you may be able to remedy the problem areas and request another Board of Review.

Do I have to have a Stars & Stripes Ceremony?Yes, you should have a ceremony. It is a time to recognize your hard work and celebrate your accomplishments while in AHG. You have become a young woman of integrity and a ceremony encourages many young girls to follow in your footsteps. Your ceremony can be as formal or informal as you choose. Your Troop should be proud to host a ceremony for you.