Silver Award

Congratulations to our 2026 Silver Award Girl Scouts

Click here to see the awardees toggle arrow

Check out photos from this year's award ceremony!

You have the power to improve your community through action

Ready to help your community and earn one of the highest awards in Girl Scouting? Cadettes can team up with a small group of fellow Girl Scouts or work on their own. To earn the Silver Award, you will research an issue you care about, make a plan to address it, and then take action to improve your community.

The Girl Scout Silver Award is the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can achieve. It gives you the chance to show that you are a leader who is organized, determined, and dedicated to improving your community. If you’re a registered Girl Scout in grades 6-8, and you’ve completed one Cadette Journey, you’re ready to get started!

Silver Award Training sessions are mandatory workshops for those interested in pursuing a Silver Award. Starting in January 2026, Silver Award Training is mandatory before a Silver Award proposal can be approved.

You can become a Silver Award Girl Scout if you:

Are in sixth, seventh, or eighth grade
Are a registered Girl Scout Cadette
Have completed the Bronze Award, a Cadette Leadership Award, or a Cadette Journey
Have attended a Silver Award training

To get started, attend a Silver Award training! toggle arrow

Silver Award Training sessions are mandatory workshops for those interested in pursuing a Silver Award. Starting in January 2026, Silver Award Training is mandatory before a Silver Award proposal can be approved. Training is offered virtually, in-person at one of our locations, or we can come to you!

***If you attended training more than a year ago and are just beginning your Silver Award project, please consider attending our updated class. There have been some important changes, and we want to make sure you have the most up-to-date information to set you up for success!***

Explore the ins and outs of the Silver Award project, review project requirements and paperwork, and learn how to build your project timeline and budget. Discover how an idea can turn into a Take Action Project that will leave a positive impact on your community.

Virtual Options:
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 Training:

Register on gsEvents starting in August!

10/5/26 at Camp Shelly Ridge
11/15/26 at Valley Forge Service Center (includes Award in a Day True North!)
12/12/26 at Deep Run Presbyterian Church
1/11/27 at Camp Laughing Waters
3/14/27 at Camp Shelly Ridge (includes Award in a Day True North!)

On Location Training:
We can bring Silver 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

How to earn the Girl Scout Silver Award

Attend a training. Silver Award training is mandatory as of January 2026.

Find an issue you care about.
Build your Girl Scout Silver Award team or decide to go solo.
Explore your community and think of how that issue affects your community.

Choose a Silver Award project that can lead to lasting change.
Develop your project.
Make a plan and put it into motion.
Reflect, share your story, and celebrate.

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 Silver Award: either the Bronze Award, a Cadette Leadership Award, or a Cadette 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!

Submitting Your Proposal toggle arrow

All proposals and final reports will be accepted through SmarterSelect only, using the links below. Any forms submitted via email will NOT be processed.

Going Solo? Start your SOLO proposal here.
Working in a small team?
- Start your INDIVIDUAL SMALL TEAM proposal here. Each team member of the small team must complete their own proposal to show how they are leading their portion of the project. Each To-Do list must be different from each other AND
- Start your SMALL TEAM proposal here. Each team must also submit ONE small team proposal for the whole group.

Submitting Your Final Report toggle arrow

After completing your Silver Award Take Action Project, complete and submit your Silver Award Final Report in SmarterSelect and Project Visual Aid.

Solo Final Report

Individual Cadette must complete this application.

Team Final Report

Team works together to complete one application. Do this first.

Each team member must complete their own application.

The Team Project Final Report Application and all Individual Team Member Final Details must be submitted before the committee reviews.

Deadlines

The Silver Award is a meaningful leadership milestone for Girl Scout Cadettes. To help Girl Scouts stay on track and complete the award successfully before moving on to high school, please be aware of the following deadlines and processing timelines

Deadline for 8th grade Cadettes (2026-2027 school year)

Silver Award Project Proposal: Must be submitted by May 1, 2027
Silver Award Project Reflection and Visual Aid: Must be submitted by September 30, 2027

Projects must be both proposed and completed before 8th grade Girl Scouts reach high school.

Deadline for 6-7th grade Cadettes

Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis
To be included in the spring 2027 ceremony, Project Reflections are due December 31, 2026

Typical Turnaround Time

Submissions are reviewed once per week, every week by the Highest Awards team.
You can expect to receive feedback within 3-4weeks of submission.

We encourage Girl Scouts to submit early whenever possible. Submitting ahead of the deadline allows time to make any necessary revisions and ensures a smoother, less stressful path to earning the award. Starting early also helps Girl Scouts stay eligible and sets them up for a strong foundation should they pursue the Gold Award in the future!

Helpful Documents toggle arrow

Handbook and Checklist

Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award
Silver Award Proposal Checklist (these are the criteria that will be used to evaluate your proposal)

Word document versions of the proposal forms you will find in SmarterSelect.

You must submit the proposal in SmarterSelect, but these templates are great for drafting your ideas and getting feedback from your troop leader or other adult helpers!

Have questions? Join our open office hours! toggle arrow

Whether you're just starting or in the final stages of your award, 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

Hey, grownups!

When you support Girl Scouts earning their Silver Award, you’ll help them see their own power and be by their side as they make a lasting change in their community. Download this guide to get started today.

The Silver 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 Silver Award.

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 Silver 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 Silver Award.

Council Finder