Gold Award

Congratulations to our 2026 Gold Award Girl Scouts

Click here to see the awardees toggle arrow

Lily A.

Loving the Lending Library the Love

Akshara A.

The Meadow Boardwalk Project

Hannah B.

Faith, Fellowship, and Fun!

Sabrina B.

Project EmpowerHER

Sarah B.

Public Art in Easttown

Shea B.

Remember Paoli!

Brianna C.

Pollinator Garden

Siana C.

Reducing Invasive Species in Eastern Pennsylvania

Eden C.

Knitting for the Community

Nina E.

ASL Signing with Scouts

Margot F.

Saying "So Long" to Stress!

MaryTheresa F.

Sewing Hope for Children

Hope F.

Dance Outreach and Education

Allison G.

Leading Philadelphia to an Eco Friendly Digital Waste Footprint

Gwen H.

French Creek Orienteering Campground Course

Lauren H.

Storytime Kits To-Go: Early Literacy Development

Olivia H.

The Importance of Spay/Neutering and Fostering of Cats

Rachita J.

Healthy Kids Program

Hayden J.

Birthday Bags: The Importance of Food Access and Equity

Maria J.

Teddy Bear Clinic

Ava J.

Teaching and Advocating Healthy Relationship and Coping Mechanisms to Adolescents

Evangeline K.

AI-luminate the Future: Free Machine Learning Lessons for Young Minds

Lexi K.

Storytime in the Sun

Maya K.

Helping Homeless One Bag at a Time

Korpo K.

Coming to America

Juliet L.

Books Changing the World

Mackenzie L.

Palmerton Youth Field Hockey Clinic

Megan M.

Creating Community Spaces for Sharing Resources

Maggie M.

Yoga for Mental Health lesson at Mariposa

Ella M.

Sewing Enrichment

Chloe M.

Resilient Readers

Alea N.

Bringin Bird Knowledge to the World

Kate O.

Blankets for the Homeless

Victoria P.

Helping Animals in Need

Cadence P.

One Step Ahead

Emma P.

Blankets to Support NICU Families

Dayonna P.

Straighten Up and Fly Right

Jade R.

Theatre for All

Alexandra R.

Camp Linden Outdoor Learning Center

Cece R.

Empowering Youth Through Literature and Media

Skye S.

ACT (A Caring Transition)

Roberta S.

Theatre Organization

Aarna S.

Native Flora Garden

Mya S.

A Ground for Play - Childhood Development Through Play in Guatemala

Gillian S.

Closing the Music Education Gap

Abigail S.

Animal Adventures: Enhancing Zoo Enrichment

Diahna S.

Water Works

Ellodie T.

Revitalizing and Creating Outdoor Science Education

Alexia T.

Marking Local Trails

Morgan W.

Outdoor Chapel for Connecting with Yourself and Nature

Alexa W.

Preserving Natural Artifacts for Education

Delia W.

Crocheting a Better World

Willow W.

Period Literacy Project

Check out photos from this year's award ceremony!

Change the world, Girl Scout

Gold Award Girl Scouts are rock stars, role models, and real-life heroes. How do they do it? By using everything they’ve learned as a Girl Scout to solve a problem in their community or make a lasting change in their world.

Seniors and Ambassadors who want to go for the Gold Award build a team of trusted adults, peers, and leaders in their community to guide them through challenges and support their success.

Plus, nothing beats that feeling of seeing real, lasting, and sustainable change and knowing it was you who made it happen. It changes the way you see your place in the world—and how the world sees you.

You can become a Gold Award Girl Scout if you:

Are in ninth, tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade
Are a registered Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador
Have completed the Silver Award, a Senior/Ambassador Leadership Award, or a Senior/Ambassador Journey
Have attended a Gold Award training

Have questions? Join our open office hours! toggle arrow

Whether you're just starting or in the final stages, this is your chance to get guidance, feedback, or brainstorm ideas with the committee. No appointments needed— simply click this link and let's chat! All office hours are from 7-8pm.

You must have an adult join the Zoom with you (or email us at girlawards@gsep.org if that’s not possible)

9/10/26
10/7/26
11/17/26
12/1/26
1/5/27
2/2/27
3/3/27
4/5/27
5/6/27

Gold Award

Get the guidelines.

Highest Award Prerequisites

Leadership Awards

Celebrate all the ways you lead–yourself, your team, and your community–with new & updated leadership awards.

Journeys

Journeys encourage Girl Scouts of all ages to think critically, boost their problem-solving skills, and make an impact.

Highest Awards FAQs

Going for your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award? Get answers to the most common questions to get started.

Great news! Girl Scouts now only need to complete one prerequisite before starting their Gold Award: either the Silver Award, a Senior/Ambassador Leadership Award, or a Senior/Ambassador Journey (including its Take Action project). Journeys will be retired in October 2026, but if you complete one before then, it will still count toward your Gold Award. See the chart below!

The Gold Award and Inclusion

Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP) is committed to ensuring that all youth members, regardless of ability, have the opportunity to achieve the Gold Award—Girl Scouts’ highest honor.

When a Girl Scout requests accommodations, GSEP staff will work with the family to understand the specific needs and determine reasonable accommodations. The Council will then communicate directly with the Gold Award Committee to share these accommodations and ensure committee members feel prepared to support the Girl Scout effectively.

Our goal is to treat every Girl Scout with the attention, respect, and support they deserve as they pursue the Gold Award.

Attend a Training to Get Started! toggle arrow

Training is the first step in your Gold Award Journey! Get ready to take the next step on your Gold Award journey.

Virtual Training:
All meetings will take place at 7pm on one of the dates listed below. Click on any of the dates below to register for a virtual training session:

Reminders:

Please register for each zoom in advance, and an email will be sent with the login link. You will receive a reminder email prior to the session.
Log in 5 minutes before the start time.

In Person Gold Training:
Register through gsEvents, starting in August!

11/9/26 at Camp Laughing Waters
11/21/26 in Philadelphia (includes Award in a Day Gold Torch!)
12/12/26 at Deep Run Presbyterian Church
1/31/27 at Camp Laughing Waters
3/21/26 at Camp Shelly Ridge (includes Award in a Day True North!)

On Location Training:
We can bring Gold Training to your Troop or Service Unit! Please reach out to girlawards@gsep.org if interested and you have:

A group of 10 or more Girl Scouts/Adults able to attend
A meeting space with projector capabilities

Recorded Training:

(Click here) Once you have registered, keep an eye on your inbox and check your spam! The training will be accessible on the Girl Scout’s myGS account. Please note, the link does not automatically send and can take 3-5 days to reach your inbox. Girl Scouts will have 24 hours to access the training once the link is sent.

Gold Award Proposal toggle arrow

Once you have completed the prerequisites and created your GoGold account, you can get started!

Create a plan and submit your complete Gold Award Project Proposal through GoGold. Be sure it meets the Gold Award Rubric.
Make sure you notify your Troop Leader and Project Advisor of your submission! They need to verify your proposal before you can send it to GSEP for approval.
Use this GSEP Gold Award Proposal Checklist to make sure you did everything before submitting!
After submission, you will receive an automatic confirm receipt from GoGold. Gold Award Proposals are reviewed by the Gold Award Committee on a rolling basis. Please note that we have an influx of finals at the end of September and influx of proposals at the end of March. We suggest submitting your proposals well before the March and September deadlines. After your proposal has been reviewed, you may receive feedback for revisions before being paired with a Gold Coach who will work with you throughout the entire process.

Take Action! toggle arrow

Now that your Gold Award Coach has approved you to get started on your project, you can being putting your plan into action! Use the following resources to ensure a smooth journey.

Your Guide to Going Gold
Money-Earning Guidelines
Letter for Solicitation of Materials - Use this if you wish to solicit donations of materials/supplies from businesses.
Photo Release for Minors
Photo Release for Adults

Final Report toggle arrow

Review the Final Report Checklist Did you do everything listed?
Submit all final documents in GoGold.
Contact your coach and let them know you submitted your report!
Your coach will review your final report and let you know if any changes or updates are needed.
Once updates are complete, GSEP will contact you to secure a Final Interview date.
Attend your Final Interview
- Come to your meeting in Girl Scout uniform
- Bring copies of all of your documents pertaining to your Gold Award
- Be prepared to tell the coaches all about your project, the impact you made, what you learned, and how your project will be sustained.
Once you receive approval – You’re Officially a Gold Award Girl Scout!

Fill out your Recognition Form after approval.

Deadlines

Deadlines

Deadline for Class of 2027 graduates to submit a Gold Award Proposal: March 30, 2028
Deadline for Class of 2027 graduates to submit a Final Report: September 30, 2028
To be included in the GSEP 2027 Gold Award Ceremony in the spring, girls who have not yet graduated high school must submit their Gold Award Final Report by December 31, 2026.

Typical Turnaround Time

Gold Award Proposals can take up to 3 months to reach approval status. This includes time for feedback and up to 3 rounds of revisions.
Final Reports can take 1–2 months to ensure all required revisions are made to meet Gold Award standards.
According to data from GSUSA, it takes an average of 13.5 months from proposal submission to final interview.

This timeline is especially important for Girl Scouts who plan to apply for the GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship in the future, as timely completion and strong documentation are key to eligibility.

We encourage girls to plan ahead and submit early when possible to ensure you have time to complete revisions and present your final report before any key deadlines. Our goal is to support every Girl Scout on their path to success!

Resources to Support Your Project toggle arrow

GSEP Finance Guidelines
Girls wishing to solicit donations of materials/supplies from businesses must use the Letter for Solicitation of Materials – Gold Award
Use photo release forms throughout your project! The Photo Release for Minors should be collected from those under the age of 18. The Photo Release for Adults should be collected from those over the age of 18.
Gold Award Project Proposal (PDF)
Gold Award Final Report (PDF)
Project Advisor Guide (PDF)
Parent/Caregiver Guide (PDF)
Troop Leader Guide (PDF)
Guide for Leadership Experience (PDF)
Your Guide to Going Gold (PDF)
Rubric (PDF)

Resources for Adults toggle arrow

Resources for Adults

Wondering about your role in a Girl Scout’s Gold Award experience? There’s a guide for that!

NEW Gold Award Media Outreach Toolkit toggle arrow

Whether you've just embarked on your Gold Award journey or recently completed your project and earned the award, this toolkit is for you. You are doing so many impactful things to better your neighborhood and the world. This toolkit will help you share your story with friends, family, and the larger community. You've committed time, energy, and passion into your Gold Award Project, you deserve to show it off and get recognition for your hard work!

The Gold Award Toolkit provides you with templates, resources, and tips to promote your project to local media, engage with community leaders, and share your story on social media.

GSEP can help elevate your Gold Award Project. Email communications@gsep.org with the subject line "My Gold Award Story" and we'll be in touch to help promote your work.

Gold Award Toolkit

Individual Resources