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Be a Gold Award Girl Scout

A Gold Award Girl Scout is a dreamer and doer who takes “make the world a better place” to the next level. She’s driven, passionate, and optimistic. She’s the leader of tomorrow today. Essentially? She’s you!

How Can You Become a Gold Award Girl Scout?

To earn this unique award, Seniors and Ambassadors tackle issues dear to them and drive lasting change in their communities and beyond.

First, complete the Girl Scout Gold Award pre-requisites by earning the Girl Scout Silver Award and one Senior/Ambassador Girl Scout Journey OR by earning two Senior/Ambassador Girl Scout Journey Awards.

Then start thinking about how you would like to lead a team in making the world a better place. When you are ready to become a Gold Award Girl Scout, contact GSCCC's Gold Award Committee to ask questions and receive more information.

Get Started

Here's what you need to do to earn the Gold Award:

  • Identify an issue.
    Use your values and skills to choose a community issue that you care about.
  • Investigate it thoroughly.
    Use your sleuthing skills to learn everything you can about the issue you've identified.
  • Get help and build your team.
    Form a team to support your efforts and help you take action.
  • Create a plan.
    Identify the root cause of an issue, and then create a plan to tackle it.
  • Present your plan and gather feedback.
    Submit your Project Proposal Form to your Girl Scout council for approval.

  • Ask your Project Advisor (the person who serves as your Community Partner contact) and your Girl Scout Troop Leader (or your Service Unit Juliette contact) to review your Project Proposal Form.

  • Complete your Gold Award Proposal using the GoGold Online App, sending it to the GSCCC Gold Award Committee for review.
    The committee will contact you about the Gold Award Proposal review process and tell you how to schedule an interview.
  • Take action.
    Lead your team and carry out your plan.

  • Prepare your Community Partner(s) to sustain your efforts.
  • Educate and inspire.
    Tell your story and share your results.
Finish Strong

When you have completed your Gold Award project:

  • Prepare a Gold Award Project Portfolio.

  • Consult with your Gold Award Project Advisor.

  • Write and submit your Gold Award Project Final Report via the Go Gold Online App.

  • Hand deliver your Gold Award Project Portfolio with signed copies and supporting documents (including a photo journal or tri-fold board with photos, anything you created, cirriculum, brochures, handouts, pamphlets, powerpoints, advertisment materials, links to websites, Youtube vidoes, and social media) to Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast at our Chespeake or Newport News office locations.  Label each item with your name, Gold Award Project title, and your contact information.
Gold Award Resources
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The Five Elements of a Successful Girl Scout Gold Award

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Go Gold Online Application

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Learn about National Gold Award Girl Scouts who have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award.

 

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Learn about the Helen Kattwinkel Tribute Fund that supports lifetime memberships for Gold Award alumnae.

 

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Hear from Gold Award Girl Scout Lea Bonner, National Young Women of Distinction, 2017

 

Gold Award Proposal Deadlines
2019–2020 Girl Scout Gold Award Proposal Deadlines and Interview Dates
Deadline Interview Location
Sept 12, 2019 Oct 3, 2019
6 p.m.		 Peninsula Service Center, Newport News
Oct 11, 2019 Nov 2, 2019
9 a.m.		 Wycliffe Presbyterian Church, Virginia Beach 
Nov 14, 2019 Dec 5, 2019
6 p.m.
 A Place for Girls, Chesapeake
Dec 13, 2019 Jan 4, 2020
9 a.m.		 Peninsula Service Center, Newport News
Jan 16, 2020 Feb 6, 2020
6 p.m.		 Wycliffe Presbyterian Church, Virginia Beach
Feb 14, 2020 Mar 7, 2020
9 a.m.		 A Place for Girls, Chesapeake
Mar 12, 2020 Apr 2, 2020
6 p.m.		 Peninsula Service Center, Newport News
Apr 10, 2020 May 2, 2020
9 a.m.		 Wycliffe Presbyterian Church, Virginia Beach
May 14, 2020 June 4, 2020
6 p.m.		 A Place for Girls, Chesapeake
June 11, 2020 July 2, 2020
9 a.m.		 Peninsula Service Center, Newport News
July 16, 2020 Aug 6, 2020
6 p.m.
 Wycliffe Presbyterian Church, Virginia Beach
Aug 14, 2020 Sept 5, 2020
9 a.m.		 A Place for Girls, Chesapeake
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Scholarship Opportunity

Gold Award Girl Scouts may enter a Veterans of Foreign Wars sponsored competition – Scout of the Year Award -  and possibly receive a $5,000 scholarship!  Those girls who have earned the award and are in high school are eligible. Deadline for entry to VFW Post is March 1. You may get details on the scholarship and find the VFW Post to submit to by clicking here.

 

Some of our Council's very own Gold Award Girl Scouts!
 
Kaylee Keegan - "Break the Stigma" (2019)

Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast National Young Women of Distinction Gold Award Girl Scout Nominee, 2019 Community of Excellence Award, Grassfield High School, Chesapeake, VA, Scout of the Year Award, VFW Post #4809, Norfolk, VA.

Learning that each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with mental illness, Kaylee Keegan decided to raise awareness of mental health concerns and fight the stigma related to mental health by providing support, educating the pubic and advocating for policies that support people with mental illness and their families. In partnership with National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Kaylee established mental health resource centers in Chesapeake high school libraries where students can find literature, including library books to borrow, and informational pamphlets that she designed in partnership with NAMI. Students use the materials to learn how to start a conversation with family and friends to encourage them to "Break the Stigma!" and talk about their concerns. Kaylee's project has blossomed to include "Break the Stigma!" resource centers at regional Boys and Girls Clubs and at https://gsbreakthestigma.wixsite.com/website/home.

Savannah Bowers - "Abuzz for Honey Bees" (2019)
Ariel Hofman - "Sheltering Native Bees" (2019)
Julie Averbach-Adventures from My World (2016)

National Gold Award Girl Scout 2016, Julie Averbach, Girl Scouts of the Heart of New Jersey, wrote and illustrated Adventures from My World, a comic book that reaches out to people who may feel lost or overlooked, letting them know that they are not alone in the highs and lows that they experience as siblings of people with special needs. With more than 10,000 copies in print, Adventures from My World is embraced by special needs sibling support groups, hospitals, libraries, schools, and private psychology practices in nineteen USA states and Canada, Brazil, England, and Australia. It has been translated and published in Spanish and Portuguese. Girl Scout Alum, Julie is a student at Yale University where, in 2018 she launched Yale Campus Girl Scouts as an official Yale student organization, Girl Scouts of Connecticut Council. She is the co-leader of New Haven, Connecticut Girl Scout Troop 60630. For more information about her project, visit http://www.adventuresfrommyworld.com/about.html

    

Gold Award Girl Scouts: Issues of the world, meet your match.

Going Gold Pays Off


A Gold Award Girl Scout’s achievements prime her for the fast track when it comes to college admissions, and make her an outstanding candidate for academic scholarships and other financial awards. 

The Gold Award Advantage from GirlScoutsUSA on Vimeo.

2019 Gold Award Celebration

On Saturday, May 4, 2019, GSCCC honored 27 girls who earned their Gold Award during the 2019 membership year.

View the 2019 Gold Award Keepsake Booklet >>

Read about the celebration on our blog >>

Share Your Story

Have you already earned your Gold Award? Let us know so we can share your story with the rest of the Council!

By Any Other Name

Are you a Girl Scout Alum who earned the highest award in Girl Scouting when it went by another name? 

If you earned the First Class, the Curved Bar, or the Golden Eaglet, we want to welcome you into the Gold Award Girl Scout family. See Girl Scouts USA's page to see how to receive your recognition.