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.
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.
And you won't do any of this alone. Gold Award Girl Scouts are LEADERS, so you'll put together a team of at least five other people, including community partners, who will help you make your vision real. You will create a project proposal for preapproval from the Highest Awards Review Committee. Then you'll spend at least 80 hours working on your project, changing the world. Once you've finished your project (it will keep going, but your initial plan is complete) you'll fill out a final report to let us know exactly what you accomplished! When your final report is approved by GSOH's Highest Awards Review Committee, you've earned the highest award in Girl Scouting!
Please Note:
Your project should make a difference and have a lasting impact! The following projects will no longer be approved:
- Little Free Libraries
- Blessing Boxes or other projects that ONLY focus on donation drives and the collection of items
- Pollinator gardens (Education projects about conservation topics are encouraged but creating a garden or habitat without education or sustainability will not be approved)
- Fundraising projects for other organizations
- Buddy Benches (collection of materials and construction of benches)
- Projects that take place on council or camp properties
- Badge and patch programs for scouting audiences
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
Resources
Training 
Documents
Deadlines
Gold Award Support Team
How to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award
Find an issue in your community or the world that you care about.
Learn everything you can about that issue through research and trusted sources.
Form a team by identifying experts and people in your community who could help you.
Think about the root cause of an issue, then make a plan of how you could tackle it.
Submit your project proposal for approval.
Lead your team and carry out your plan.
Reflect on the change you’ve created in your community and the world, share your story, and inspire others to make a difference, too.
Resources
Highest Award Prerequisites
Hey, grownups!
When you support Girl Scouts earning their Gold Award, you’ll help them see their own power and be by their side as they make a lasting change in their community. Download a guide to get started today.
Congratulations to our 2026 Gold Award Class!
