Gold Award Girl Scouts

Issues of the world, meet your match.

Gold Award Girl Scouts are the dreamers and the doers who take “make the world a better place” to the next level.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable—proof that not only can she make a difference, but that she already has.

Seniors and Ambassadors who earn the Gold Award tackle issues that are dear to them and drive lasting change in their communities and beyond. Think of the Gold Award as a key that can open doors to scholarships, preferred admission tracks for college, and amazing career opportunities.

Download the
Gold Award guidelines

Gold Award Guide

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You're in high school (ninth through twelfth grade, or equivalent)

You're registered as a Girl Scout Senior or Girl Scout Ambassador

You have completed two Senior or Ambassador Journeys OR earned the Girl Scout Silver Award and completed a Journey

Girl Resources and Information

You can pursue your Girl Scout Gold Award if:

You're in high school (ninth through twelfth grade, or equivalent)

You're registered as a Girl Scout Senior or Girl Scout Ambassador

You have completed two Senior or Ambassador Journeys OR earned the Girl Scout Silver Award and completed a Journey

Gold Award Training

Completion of a Gold Award Training is required before submitting a Gold Award Project Proposal. There is an online training just for girls, which can be completed at your own pace.

Please note that girls should complete at least one Senior or Ambassador Journey before taking the Gold Award training.

Resources

Gold Award Steps
GSME Gold Award Process
GoGold Online Portal - After girls have participated in a GSME Gold Award Training and are ready to begin their Gold Award, they should set up their profile in the Go Gold Portal - your online connection for working on your Gold Award where you will complete your Gold Award proposal and final report.
Go for the Gold - Tips from Gold Award Girl Scouts
Gold Award Guide
Gold Award Rubric
Gold Award Project Proposal Preview
Gold Award Project Final Report Preview
Tips for Submitting Your Project Proposal
Present your Plan – link coming soon!

Benefits of Going Gold

Scholarships - Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award is an achievement recognized by many institutions. Here are a few options to look for scholarships available to Gold Award Girl Scouts:
- Check out GSUSA's searchable scholarship database.
- Contact the admissions offices at your college/ university to discuss your Gold Award and how it may link to their leadership and/or community action scholarships.
- GSME awards approximately $10,000 in scholarships to graduating Ambassador Girl Scouts. The application is available beginning in January of each year and the deadline to apply is March 1. You can find the scholarship application when it is available here.
National Gold Award Girl Scout - The National Gold Award Girl Scout is an honor given yearly to ten Senior and Ambassador Girl Scout Gold Award recipients nationally whose final projects demonstrated extraordinary leadership, had a measurable and sustainable impact, and addressed a local challenge that related to a national and/or global issue.
- National Gold Award Girl Scout Process - Girl Scouts who would like their councils to consider nominating them as a National Gold Award Girl Scout must submit an application using GoGold online. Councils then select their top three Gold Award recipients which are reviewed three to five times by GSUSA staff and partners before 10 girls are selected for this honor.
- Building Your Professional Profile as a Girl Scout

Ways to Celebrate

Locally - Troops or Service Units may hold local pinning ceremonies. Girls and their families are encouraged to invite mentors, volunteers, community partners, local dignitaries and many others to celebrate in the successful completion of their project and the ways in which it helped a community. This can happen any time after the Girl Scout successfully completes her Gold Award. Please email ehelton@gsmaine.org at least 8 weeks prior to your ceremony.
Council Wide – To recognize all the Gold Award Girl Scouts, GSME hosts a G.I.R.L Statewide Award Celebration. This celebration is typically held on the second Saturday in May in the Central Maine area. More information about past G.I.R.L celebrations can be found here.
- To buy Gold Award memorabilia, visit our shop. (The Gold Award pin is given to the girl by the Girl Scouts of Maine. You may purchase other mementos from the shop.)

Take Your Project Above and Beyond

Once a girl becomes a Gold Award Girl Scout, she can take additional steps to amplify the power of her project:

Troop Leader, Parent, and Project Advisor Resources and Information

Gold Award Guides

Gold Award Process

Take Action

Gold Award Committee

Gold Award Committee members are Girl Scout volunteers who are dedicated to helping every girl pursuing her Gold Award to reach her goal. Committee members review and approve proposals and final reports, conduct interviews, and support girls throughout the Gold Award process. If you're interested in joining the committee, send an email to ehelton@gsmaine.org and we'll provide a position description and application. The Gold Award committees meets monthly via zoom.
Gold Award Committee Position Description