Girl Scout Gold Award

Highest Award for Girls Grades 9-12

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award that a Girl Scout in grades 9-12 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.

All of the requirements for the Gold Award must be met before leaving the Girl Scout Ambassador level.

Guidelines for Girl Scout Gold Award

As part of a movement of 10 million girls worldwide, you are in an exceptional position to take action in your community to make the world a better place. By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award—the highest award a Girl Scout Senior or Girl Scout Ambassador can earn—you will be joining the ranks of generations of young women who have made a difference in their communities both locally and globally.

8 Straightforward Steps to the Girl Scout Gold Award

Complete two Senior or Ambassador journeys or having earned the Silver Award and complete one Senior (GIRLtopia: Toward an Ideal World for Girls, or Sow What? (land and food) or Ambassador journey (Your Voice, Your World: The Power of Advocacy or Justice (environmental justice).
Choose an issue: Use your values and skills to identify a community issue you care about.
Investigate: Research everything you can about the issue.
Get help: Invite others to support and take action with you.
Create a plan: Create a project plan that achieves sustainable and measurable impact.
Present your plan and get feedback: Sum up your project plan for your Girl Scout Gold Award Advisor and Overseas Committee Chair.
Take action: Take the lead to carry out your plan.
Educate and inspire: Share what you have experienced with others.

Congratulations! Believe it or not it is that stress-free!

Gold Award Requirements, Guidelines and Report Forms

Girl Guidelines GS Gold Award (GSUSA)

Proposal Form GS Gold Award (GSUSA)

Final report Form GS Gold Award (GSUSA)

icon Award Requirements Bronze Silver Gold at a Glance

icon Girl Scout Highest Awards FAQ's

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 something that a girl can be passionate about—in thought, deed, and action. The project is something that fulfills a need within a girl's community (whether local or global), creates change, and hopefully, is something that becomes ongoing. If it is an event, the event should be something that people will want to continue for the next year; if it is a service, it should be something that creates change or action with long-term possibilities, empowering others besides just the girl; if it is something tangible, it should come with a plan for use and maintenance within the community. 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.

Do's and Don'ts

DO

Use the Go for It! The Girl Scout Gold Award insert for planning and documenting your activities.
Attend a council orientation on "Going for the Girl Scout Gold Award" if possible.
Read the Gold Award FAQs and other resources on this page.
Get council approval before starting on your Girl Scout Gold Award project.
Find out if your council has a schedule for submission of reports for award ceremonies and plan accordingly.
Follow all national and council guidelines for money-earning and safety.
Work with a Gold Award project advisor.
Be realistic about planning a budget for your project.

DON'T

Be afraid to do an individual project based on your own interests that meets a need in your community.
Start a project until you have had your project plan approved by your Girl Scout overseas committee.
Lose your vision and leadership in the course of the project—you are the one in charge, even when facilitating the work of others.
Don't ask for money or donations yourself. Work with an adult who has to do "the ask" after getting council permission.
Get locked into earning the Gold Award—it is a personal choice.

Paperwork and Completion

The Girl Scout Gold Award Project Proposal form must be submitted to your overseas committee at least eight weeks prior to the start of your project. This application includes a timeline and plan for the project. Individuals at the council (usually a special Gold Award committee) 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 must be filled in and submitted to your council. Many councils will set a date for this to be completed by so that Gold Awardees may be honored at a special council-wide ceremony. Ceremonies can also be planned by individuals, groups, or service units to honor girls upon completion of their project.

Inspiration Corner

Need inspiration? Here are some sample projects to get you thinking:

Start a bat education program for nature centers and schools, including a travel box and talk, as well as helping the community set up neighborhood bat boxes.
Create a program for educating parents on the dangers of lead poisoning and present it at community events.
Create a pedestrian safety campaign in your community; present the need for a stoplight in your community at a busy intersection to your local city council based upon your research.
Develop a breast cancer awareness program in your community for mothers and teens through local women's church groups.
Organize a chapter of SADD and plan a campaign for safe graduation parties in your community with representatives from the different high schools.
Develop an anti-bullying program for children that includes a drama component and peer counselors.
Plan and host a student art show as part of a community event.
Set up a cybercafe in a retirement home and train volunteers to help new users connect with information and their lovedones.
Start a community clothes closet for homeless or low-income teens
Present a movement class using music and art at local senior centers.
Train a guide dog for the blind and educate others about the project.
Write, cast, and direct a play to promote community conflict resolution.