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. The quality 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 (no more than 3 girls
to a group unless spoken with Council). 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.
