Gold Award
The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest achievement a Girl Scout 14 to 18 can earn. It represents the work and dedication a girl has shown to Girl Scouting and her community as well as her commitment towards making the world a better place. Earning the Gold Award requires hard work and a willingness to take on significant responsibility. It will involve decision making and the ability to follow a plan set by each girl. 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.
All Girl Scout Gold Award projects need approval prior to beginning the project.
Girl Scout Gold Award paperwork will be reviewed by the Girl Scout Gold Award Committee of volunteers on a quarterly basis. All project proposals and final reports are due by February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1. The Gold Award Committee will meet to review the paperwork, and then call to schedule an informal phone or face-to-face interview. There are times the committee will email you regarding concerns or questions.
For questions in regards to the Girl Scout Gold Award please contact your Regional Director.
View Girl Scouts of the USA page on The Girl Scout Gold Award
Requirements
The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest and most prestigious award that Girl Scout Seniors (grades 9-10) and Girl Scout Ambassadors (grades 11-12) can earn. Fulfilling the requirements for the Girl Scout Gold Award starts with completing two Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador Journeys, or having earned the Silver Award and completing one Senior or Ambassador journey. Each Journey you complete gives you the skills you need to plan and implement your Take Action project.
After you have fulfilled the Journey(s) requirement, 80 hours is the suggested minimum hours for the steps: identifying an issue, investigating it thoroughly, getting help and building a team, creating a plan, presenting your plan, gathering feedback, taking action, and educating and inspiring others. The suggested minimum hours are not a rule; they are a guide for you to plan your time in achieving your goal.
Age Requirements:
- Girl Scout Seniors (grades 9-10) or Girl Scout Ambassadors (grades 11-12)
- All paperwork must be completed and submitted by the end of your last membership year of Ambassador, by September 30th following your high school graduation
Steps to earning the Girl Scout Gold Award:
- Complete two Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador Journeys or Complete Girl Scout Silver Award and one Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador Journey
- Compete the Standards of Excellence Tracking Sheet
- Choose an issue
- Investigate
- Get Help
- Create a Plan
- Present your plan and get feedback
- Fill out a Girl Scout Gold Award Proposal and submit to the Appleton Service Center, 4693 N Lynndale Drive, Appleton, WI 54913
- Take Action
- Educate and inspire
- Complete Girl Scout Gold Award Final Report and submit to the Appleton Service Center, 4693 N Lynndale Drive, Appleton, WI 54913. Keeping a journal or scrapbook, or taking digital pictures and putting them on a CD, are examples of ways to share projects with Council staff and the GSGA Committee.
- Celebrate earning the Girl Scout Gold Award.
- Your Service Area may hold a ceremony for you at their end-of-year banquet. You will also be recognized for your accomplishments at GSNWGL’s Annual Meeting. To be recognized for these events all final reports need to mailed to GSNWGL by February 1.
