Awards

Girl Scout Gold Award

Highest Award for Girls Ages 14-18

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award that a Girl Scout 14-18 may earn. Someone once described the Girl Scout Gold Award as being "what you really want to be remembered for" in Girl Scouting. For many, the leadership skills, organizational skills, and sense of community and commitment that come from "going for the Gold" set the foundation for a lifetime of active citizenship.

The Gold Award Project

The Gold Award project is the culmination of all the work a girl puts into "going for the Gold." It is a project that a girl can be passionate about—in thought, deed, and action. The project fulfills a need within a girl's community (whether local or global), creates change, and should be sustainable. If the project is an event, the event should have an ongoing component beyond the first event; if it is a service, it should create change or action with long-term possibilities, empowering others besides just the girl. The project is more than a good service project—it encompasses organizational, leadership, and networking skills. If a group of girls work on the project together, each girl must be responsible for a specific part of the project and must evaluate her participation as an individual and a member of the group.

Requirements for the Girl Scout Gold Award

The following is an overview of the seven steps in the Girl Scout Gold Award. Girls need to purchase the Go for it! The Girl Scout Gold Award insert for a step-by-step guide and record of their Gold Award progress. These guidelines were introduced in 2004 and are now in place for all girls.

STEP 1: BUILD A FRAMEWORK

• Read the Go for It! The Girl Scout Gold Award insert
• Meet with troop/group advisor or Girl Scout Gold Award project advisor and develop a timeline for steps 2-4
• Sign an agreement with your adult advisor

STEP 2: EARN THE GIRL SCOUT GOLD LEADERSHIP AWARD CHARM

• Earn three Girl Scout Interest Project awards related to parts of the Girl Scout Law.
• Set goals and earn charms for the STUDIO 2B Focus book of your choice.
• Log 30 hours in a leadership role.
• Keep records and journal in Go for It! The Girl Scout Gold Award insert.

STEP 3: EARN THE GIRL SCOUT GOLD CAREER AWARD CHARM

• Do a total of 40 hours related to career exploration.
• Or, Fast Track it with a paying job or your own business.

STEP 4: EARN THE GIRL SCOUT GOLD 4Bs CHALLENGE

• Become: Assessment of skill set and setting and achieving two goals related to self-improvement.
• Belong: Create a community profile to find out more about the community needs and assets.
• Believe: Create a vision for change by focusing on community needs. Come up with an actual vision statement for one's Girl Scout Gold Award project based on challenge focusing.
• Build: Focus on developing a specific network of people who might help with the vision.
• Use page 18 in STUDIO 2B Focus: Write Now on building persuasive skills to help convince others to support your position on this issue.
• Use Go for It! The Girl Scout Gold Award STUDIO 2B insert to keep records and journal for discussion and evaluation with Girl Scout Gold Award project advisor.

Note: Hours spent on the Girl Scout Gold 4Bs Challenge can be applied to the Girl Scout Gold Award project hours.

STEP 5: PLAN YOUR GIRL SCOUT GOLD AWARD PROJECT

• Plan it: Keep record of time and process using Go for It! The Girl Scout Gold Award insert.
• Know more about it—research information on it.
• Choose it—brainstorm ways to solve problem, create a budget. Council must approve any money-earning or gift-in-kind plans related to project.
• Map it—create a timeline of project steps and list of resources needed. Fill out project plan for council.
• Work with Girl Scout Gold Award project advisor.
• Submit plan to Girl Scout council for approval
• Follow council submission guidelines. A girl cannot start on project until go-ahead is received from council.
• Receive feedback from council.
• Make adjustment to plans if necessary.

STEP 6: ACT

• Do it! Put plans into action.
• Adjust plans if necessary
• Carry out project

STEP 7: Reflect

• Evaluate
• Celebrate

A more complete discussion of the Girl Scout Gold Award can be found in the new Go for It! The Girl Scout Gold Award insert or materials available from your Girl Scout council.

Paperwork and Completion

The Girl Scout Gold Award Project Proposal form (Word doc, 266KB) must be submitted to council at least six weeks prior to the start of your project. This application includes a timeline and plan for the project. The Gold Award Committee will review your proposal. If you don't hear from them within three weeks, contact them. They may make suggestions based on safety, timeline, or project standards. You can't start your project without approval from your council.

The Girl Scout Gold Award Final Report (Word doc, 233KB) must be filled in and submitted to council. Ceremonies can be planned by individuals, groups, or service units to honor girls upon completion of their project. GSESC will honor scouts in an annual ceremony.