Why must girls complete Journeys before earning Girl Scout Bronze,
Silver, and Gold Awards?
Earning one of Girl Scouts’
highest awards challenges girls to be their best. By first completing
a “regular” Journey, girls learn what it takes to successfully
complete a Take Action project—so they’re better prepared to develop,
plan, and implement the more involved Take Action project for their
Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award.
What do you mean when you say a girl’s Journey is
"completed"?
We say a Journey is “completed” when
a girl has earned the Journey awards, which include creating and
carrying out a Take Action project.
Are the guidelines for the highest awards the same as those for
Journeys?
As you might expect, there are some
differences. Take Action projects for a Journey have predetermined
themes. To earn a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award, girls are required to
come up with their own Take Action project theme.
How many hours should it take to earn each of the highest
awards?
No two projects are alike, so the time to plan,
share, and complete a project will vary depending on the scope of the
project, team, and community support. Thequality of the project
should be emphasized over the quantity of hours necessary to
complete it. However, after fulfilling the required Journey, the
suggested minimum number of hours is:
- Bronze Award: 20 hours
- Silver Award: 50 hours
- Gold Award: 80 hours
Can girls, or even an entire troop, work together on an
award?
That depends on the award level. Girls are required
to work as a team to earn the Bronze Award. Girls working toward their
Silver Award may work individually or in small groups. Because the
Gold Award is the highest achievement in Girl Scouts, girls must earn
the award as individuals. Accordingly, different leadership skills are
developed at each award level.
Can girls get a head-start and begin working on their award
projects right after they bridge (transition) to the next
level?
Absolutely. Once a girl bridges to the next level,
she can begin working on her award; this includes the summer months.
Is it possible to choose Girl Scouting itself as the focus of a
Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award?
The Girl Scout movement
can be the focus of a Take Action project for the Bronze Award, but
not for the Silver and Gold Awards. Take Action projects for the
Silver and Gold Awards must into the community to "make the world
a better place."
Younger girls earning their Bronze Award
are allowed to develop their planning and leadership skills within the
comfort of a smaller group. Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors are
ready to spread their wings, work more independently, and develop
projects with—and for—a larger community.
What happens when a girl moves to a new city, state, or country
while she’s in the middle of her award project? Can she still earn
her award?
Yes, but she may need to seek special
permission. We advise a girl in this situation to work with her new
council and/or Overseas Committee to complete the project. And we
encourage councils and Overseas Committees to be flexible and serve
girls’ best interests.
Are adult guides just for council staff and volunteers? Or can
parents use them too?
Even though the guides are designed
for volunteers working directly with girls achieving their awards, any
adult is welcome to use them.
What about girls with disabilities? Is there a different set of
requirements for them?
No. Because Bronze, Silver, and
Gold Award work is to be done to the best of a girl’s ability, there
really is no need for special requirements for girls with
disabilities. We encourage advisors to be flexible and to work with
the girl individually as she earns her award.
How do you define “sustainable” when it comes to the highest
awards?Simply put, a sustainable project lives on in the community
after a girl’s involvement ends.
How do girls achieve that? They
might focus on education and raising awareness. Or they might develop
workshops and hands-on learning sessions that inspire others to keep
the project going. Working with local government, community groups,
nonprofit agencies, civic associations, and/or religious organizations
can also help ensure the project lasts beyond the girl’s involvement.
Does “sustainability” mean something different for different grade
levels?
It’s more the degree of sustainability that
differs from level to level. We give girls tools to help them explore
issues they may want to address so that they can develop sustainable
projects, as well as measure impact on their community, target
audience, and themselves.
Like many aspects of earning the
highest awards, it becomes more challenging as girls progress to the
higher levels. Girl Scout Juniors working on their Bronze Awards might
think about how their projects could become ongoing. But Cadettes
working on their awards actually plan for sustainability. Seniors and
Ambassadors are required to make sustainability an essential component
of their projects in order to meet Gold Award standards of excellence.
Do you have any advice on how to generate higher-quality
projects?
A good first step is to make sure girls and
their advisors understand the difference between a one-time community
service project and a highest award Take Action project that serves an
entire community for an extended period of time. The troop/group
volunteer, council staff member, or Gold Award committee (for Gold
Award only) should also work closely with girls to ensure that every
project meets the quality requirements of the award.
How can we accurately measure the impact of a highest award
project?
Check the award guidelines. We provide tools to
help girls identify project goals for their community, target
audience, and themselves using a “success indicator” matrix.
Can a girl complete her project after turning 18 and graduating?
What about after she starts college?
A girl has until she
turns 18 or until the end of the Girl Scout membership year (September
30) when she is a senior in high school to complete her project.
What if a girl graduates and is 18, but doesn’t have her project
completed?
In this case the girl would have until
September 30 of the year she graduates.
