Gold Award (Girl Scouts of the USA)
The Gold Award is the highest achievement within the Girl Scouts of the USA, and is considered comparable to the Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts. It replaced the First Class Award, which was the highest recognition from 1963-1980.
Requirements
Senior Girl Scouts aged 14-17 are eligible to earn the award. The requirements were updated in 2004 and include:
- The Girl Scout Gold Leadership Award, which requires girls to complete 30 hours of leadership work, as well as earn three Interest Projects and one Focus Book.
- The Girl Scout Gold Career Award, which requires girls to complete 40 hours of career exploration.
- The Girl Scout Gold 4Bs Challenge, which requires girls to assess their community and its needs, and develop a vision for change.
Once these steps have been met, girls use their vision for change to complete a service project that reaches beyond the Girl Scout organization and provides lasting benefit to the girl's larger community. It requires a minimum of 65 hours of work. Plans must be developed with the aid of an advisor, and a project proposal and final report must be submitted to the girl's local council before and after the project's completion.
Les than 6% of eligible Girl Scouts successfully earn the prestigious Gold Award. Awardees are honored at councilwide ceremonies, and may also be named Young Women of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of America. By demonstrating their capacity for leadership, organization, and commitment to community, Gold Award recipients are expected to become lifelong citizens and leaders.
Gold Award recipients who join the US military may receive advanced rank upon enlistment.
The Gold Award emblem is presented as a pin resembling an eight-pointed gold star.
See Also
External links
- Girl Scout Central's Guide to Earning the Gold Award
- Girl Scout Gold Award Young Women of Distinction - the ten best Gold Awards of 2004
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