American Heritage Girls is the premier national character development organization for young women that embraces Christian values and encourages family involvement.”Building women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country.”
Life Skill Enhancement
AHG helps girls acquire skills that will assist them in all areas of life. These skills may include how to use a computer, sew on a button, protect themselves, learn about their ancestors, or what it takes to be an astronaut. The Badge program provides opportunities for girls to interact across age groups, as older girls teach younger girls. Each Badge can be earned at three different levels (Tenderheart, Explorer, and Pioneer/Patriot).
The Badge program is divided into six “Frontiers,” intended to be offered together to create a well-rounded program.
Girl Leadership
AHG wants every girl to share her talents and ideas to make her Troop the best it can be! AHG’s multi-Level Troop structure offers many opportunities for girls to experience different leadership roles. As a girl ages through the program, her leadership opportunities and responsibilities increase accordingly. These lessons carry through to all areas of a girl’s life: in her home, as a citizen of our country, as a member of her church, and even as a student in school!
Spiritual Development
AHG exists to help girls learn more about God, about how to walk in faith, and the need to seek God’s will in our lives. Our hope is that each and every girl will experience the Lord in all parts of AHG — the Oath, friends, Leaders, through service, Religious Recognitions programs, and even Badge work! AHG helps girls to live their lives for God!
Social Development
Girls love having fun with their friends! Many girls say that being with other girls in Troop meetings, field trips, camp-outs and special events is their favorite part of being an American Heritage Girl. Each Troop provides plenty of opportunities throughout the year for every girl to make friends and enjoy spending time with them!
Here’s just a small sampling of what some AHG Troops are doing:
- Camping
- Mother-daughter teas
- Father-daughter formal dances
- Bring-a-friend skate night
- Family bowling nights
- Sleepovers and lock-ins
- Marching in parades
- Trips to museums
- Overnights at the aquarium or zoo
and lots, lots, more!!
Developing Teamwork and Building Confidence
Working as a team is important within a Troop, especially when the girls venture outdoors! Spending Troop time in God’s creation is full of fun and excitement as each girl sees nature bear witness to our huge, infinitely creative God. There are challenging surprises around every tree trunk! Challenges can quickly become victories when teamwork is used to problem-solve. Victories help build confidence. AHG helps girls grow in confidence by learning self-reliance in the outdoors.
Character Development
A girl’s character is made up of the values she uses to make decisions. Helping a girl learn to listen to the Holy Spirit inside of her to determine what is right and wrong, and ultimately gain the ability to make sound, moral decisions, is what American Heritage Girls is all about! A girl can develop character values through her family, church, relationship with God, and life experiences. AHG intentionally offers many character-development opportunities, especially through service and citizenship programs.
American Heritage Girls is a Christian-based alternative to the Girl Scouts of America.