The Girl Scout Gold Award
The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest achievement that can be attained by a Girl Scout, and is equivalent to The Eagle Scout Award in Boy Scouts. Of all eligible Girl Scouts, an average of only 5.4% will ever achieve the Gold Award, as it is not a simple award to earn. In order to attain this award, a Girl Scout must identify an issue within today’s world and complete a "Take Action" project that addresses it. In addition to merely completing a single project, this project must be sustainable and have a global aspect to it.
In order to begin earning her Gold Award, a girl must be either a Senior or Ambassador Girl Scout. The first step in beginning this process is to complete two journeys. Journeys are books which guide girls through what they will need to do as they work to earn this award. The skills gained while working on journeys help to develop, plan and implement a Gold Award "Take Action" Project. If a Girl Scout has completed her Silver Award prior to "Going for the Gold," she must only complete one journey. It is after a Girl Scout has completed a journey that she will advance forward and determine exactly what her "Take Action" project will entail.
After personally selecting the issue that she would like to address, as well as the project that she would like to complete, a Girl Scout must submit a proposal form to the Girl Scout Council for their review. The Girl Scout Gold Award proposal requires the Girl Scout to investigate the issue that she wishes to address, build a team to assist her, and create a detailed plan for her entire project. Following this, she is required to meet with members of the council and formally present her project proposal to them. During this discussion, all aspects of her project will be discussed. If the "Take Action" project proposal is approved, the Girl Scout will then be assigned a mentor. This mentor is a member of the Girl Scout Council who will be there along the way for the Girl Scout to reach out to regarding her project. Additionally, at this point, the Girl Scout will be asked to keep a binder containing all information pertinent to her Gold Award. Pertinent information includes, but is not limited to, her proposal, a time log, and a budget sheet.
It is then that a Girl Scout can finally begin her "Take Action" project. In the months ahead she will lead the team that she built and execute her plan. This is the most extensive portion of the Gold Award. Oftentimes it requires the Girl Scout to work with many other individuals and carry out arduous tasks. With the assistance of her team members along the way, the Girl Scout will slowly see her project come to fruition.
The majority of "Take Action" projects will require the Girl Scout to do some sort of fundraising. Not only will fundraising help to finance a "Take Action" project, but it will also help to educate others about the issue that she is working so diligently to address. In addition to fundraising, it is now that a Girl Scout would work to not only complete her project, but also to keep it sustainable and create a global aspect to it.
The Gold Award typically takes a Girl Scout between one and two years to achieve, as it requires that she put a minimum of eighty hours of work into her "Take Action" project alone. After the Girl Scout has completed her "Take Action" project (with the suggested minimum of eighty hours), she must then schedule her exit interview with the Girl Scout Council. At her exit interview, the Girl Scout must explain all aspects of everything that she did in order to complete her project. At this point, the Girl Scout Council members in attendance will also review the Girl Scout's time log and ensure that she has completed the proper number of hours to receive this award. A certain portion of the hours completed must fall under the category of leadership hours. Leadership hours refer to time that the Girl Scout spent leading others or teaching something to other individuals.
If the members in attendance approve of the Girl Scout's project, she will then be finished and receive her Gold Award. If for any reason the Girl Scout Council feels that the "Take Action" project is not complete, the Girl Scout will have to make adjustments to her project and reschedule a second exit interview at a later date. At this second exit interview, the same protocol will be followed. Following the official completion of the Gold Award "Take Action" project, the Girl Scout will be recognized as a Gold Award Recipient at a formal ceremony along with other recipients.
In order to begin earning her Gold Award, a girl must be either a Senior or Ambassador Girl Scout. The first step in beginning this process is to complete two journeys. Journeys are books which guide girls through what they will need to do as they work to earn this award. The skills gained while working on journeys help to develop, plan and implement a Gold Award "Take Action" Project. If a Girl Scout has completed her Silver Award prior to "Going for the Gold," she must only complete one journey. It is after a Girl Scout has completed a journey that she will advance forward and determine exactly what her "Take Action" project will entail.
After personally selecting the issue that she would like to address, as well as the project that she would like to complete, a Girl Scout must submit a proposal form to the Girl Scout Council for their review. The Girl Scout Gold Award proposal requires the Girl Scout to investigate the issue that she wishes to address, build a team to assist her, and create a detailed plan for her entire project. Following this, she is required to meet with members of the council and formally present her project proposal to them. During this discussion, all aspects of her project will be discussed. If the "Take Action" project proposal is approved, the Girl Scout will then be assigned a mentor. This mentor is a member of the Girl Scout Council who will be there along the way for the Girl Scout to reach out to regarding her project. Additionally, at this point, the Girl Scout will be asked to keep a binder containing all information pertinent to her Gold Award. Pertinent information includes, but is not limited to, her proposal, a time log, and a budget sheet.
It is then that a Girl Scout can finally begin her "Take Action" project. In the months ahead she will lead the team that she built and execute her plan. This is the most extensive portion of the Gold Award. Oftentimes it requires the Girl Scout to work with many other individuals and carry out arduous tasks. With the assistance of her team members along the way, the Girl Scout will slowly see her project come to fruition.
The majority of "Take Action" projects will require the Girl Scout to do some sort of fundraising. Not only will fundraising help to finance a "Take Action" project, but it will also help to educate others about the issue that she is working so diligently to address. In addition to fundraising, it is now that a Girl Scout would work to not only complete her project, but also to keep it sustainable and create a global aspect to it.
The Gold Award typically takes a Girl Scout between one and two years to achieve, as it requires that she put a minimum of eighty hours of work into her "Take Action" project alone. After the Girl Scout has completed her "Take Action" project (with the suggested minimum of eighty hours), she must then schedule her exit interview with the Girl Scout Council. At her exit interview, the Girl Scout must explain all aspects of everything that she did in order to complete her project. At this point, the Girl Scout Council members in attendance will also review the Girl Scout's time log and ensure that she has completed the proper number of hours to receive this award. A certain portion of the hours completed must fall under the category of leadership hours. Leadership hours refer to time that the Girl Scout spent leading others or teaching something to other individuals.
If the members in attendance approve of the Girl Scout's project, she will then be finished and receive her Gold Award. If for any reason the Girl Scout Council feels that the "Take Action" project is not complete, the Girl Scout will have to make adjustments to her project and reschedule a second exit interview at a later date. At this second exit interview, the same protocol will be followed. Following the official completion of the Gold Award "Take Action" project, the Girl Scout will be recognized as a Gold Award Recipient at a formal ceremony along with other recipients.