Girl Scout Highest Awards - Everything You Need to Know About Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards
Bronze. Silver. Gold. These represent the highest honors a Girl Scout can earn. All three awards give girls the chance to do big things while working on an issue that’s captured their interests in a big way!
Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa has a simple progression plan through the Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards, designed to help volunteers support girls through their awards.
There is no better place than Girl Scouts for a girl to develop her leadership skills and achieve awards! Girl Scouts connects girls with award opportunities at all levels, starting with our youngest leaders – Girl Scout Daisies in kindergarten, all the way through high school seniors – Girl Scout Ambassadors. Be sure to check out all of the awards for Girl Scouts in grades K-12.
Bronze Award
The Girl Scout Bronze Award is for Juniors (grades 4-5). The Bronze Award is often completed by a troop or group working together, but individual girls can also complete a project.
To get started on the Bronze award, check out the Bronze Award Checklist.
Troops or girls working on the Bronze Award will fill out a Bronze Award Project Plan, and will have an opportunity to ask questions along the way.
When the project is completed, let us know by submitting the Bronze Award Final Report. Be sure to celebrate the girls’ success!
Silver Award
The Girl Scout Silver Award is for Cadettes (grades 6-8). The Silver Award should be completed by a small group (3-4 girls) working together, or by individual girls.
To get started on the Silver award, check out the Silver Award Checklist.
Troops or girls working on the Silver Award will fill out a Silver Award Project Proposal, which will be approved or returned with suggested revisions within 4 weeks.
When the project is completed, let us know by submitting the Silver Award Final Report. Be sure to celebrate the girls’ success!
Gold Award
The Girl Scout Gold Award is for Seniors (grades 9-12), and is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. Once achieved, it shows colleges, employers, and communities that girls are out there changing the world. By the time a girl put the final touches on her project, she’ll have solved a community problem—not only in the short term, but for years into the future—and she’ll be eligible for college scholarships.
To get started, check out the Gold Award Checklist.
Girl Scouts, along with their adult leader/advisor, should schedule a Gold Award training session by emailing info@gsiowa.org, and use the Go Gold app or website to track their project from proposal through final report
Both the Gold Award Project Proposal and the Gold Award Final Report require approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can a girl work on a Silver Award if she has not earned a Bronze? Or a Gold Award if she has not earned a Silver?
A: Yes, absolutely! Earning the previous level’s award is not a requirement. However, if you are pursuing your Gold Award without first earning a Silver Award, you will have to complete two Girl Scout Journeys instead of one.
Q: What if the project requires earning money? What are the guidelines?
A: Troops or girls working on their highest awards should complete the Money Earning Project Application as applicable.
Q: Is there training for the highest awards?
A: For the Bronze and Silver Awards, troop leaders, advisers, family, and friends guiding Girl Scouts through the awards should review the Girl Guidelines and Adult Guidelines, in lieu of a formal training session (found on the Bronze and Silver Award webpages). Your Troop Support team is available to provide feedback and answer questions throughout the project.
For the Gold Award, Girl Scouts and their leader/advisor are required to attend Gold Award training. Email info@gsiowa.org to schedule a training.
Q: Is there an approval process for the highest awards?
A: For the Bronze Award, troops/girls submit a notification that they are starting a project, through the Bronze Award Project Plan. This is a notification, not an approval. When the project is complete, let us know by filling out the Bronze Award Final Report.
For the Silver Award, troops/girls must have their projects approved before starting the project by filling out the Silver Award Project Proposal. Approvals or revisions will be received within 4 weeks of submission. When the project is complete, let us know by filling out the Silver Award Final Report.
For the Gold Award, projects are reviewed by the Highest Awards committee twice. Before beginning a project, girls submit the Gold Award Project Proposal, which will be reviewed within 4 weeks. When the project is complete, the Final Report will be reviewed for approval within 4 weeks. All work is submitted via the Go Gold App or website. Gold Awards must be completed, including final review, by September 30 of the year that a girl graduates high school, so please allow approval time accordingly.
Q: Can my project directly support Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa?
A: Bronze Award projects may be used to support Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa, including our camp properties. A change has been made in the requirements for the Girl Scout Silver Award and the Girl Scout Gold Award. Girls may now do Silver and Gold Award projects as well that benefit the Girl Scout community.
Note: troops and girls who have started their highest awards under previously-posted steps for highest awards should complete the projects as previously approved. If you have any questions, contact us at info@gsiowa.org!