Highest Awards - FAQ | Girl Scouts

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Highest Awards - FAQ

Why are Journeys prerequisites to earning the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards?

How do Girl Scouts know when a Journey is completed?

What makes the guidelines for Girl Scouts’ highest awards different from those for the Journeys?

What are the suggested hours for earning each of the awards?

Can a troop work toward an award together?

Can Girl Scouts begin working toward their awards the summer after they bridge (transition) from one Girl Scout level to the next?

Can Take Action projects for the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards focus on Girl Scouting?

If a Girl Scout starts working on a Take Action project and moves, can they still earn their award?

Who are the adult guides for: council staff, parents, or volunteers?

Do we need a different set of requirements for Girl Scouts with disabilities to earn the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards?

Can a troop or group work toward a Gold Award together?

Is sustainability differentiated at each grade level?

Who can earn the Gold Award?

Can individually registered members, or “Juliettes,” earn the Girl Scout Gold Award?

Does a Senior or Ambassador need to complete the two Journeys in any particular order?

How can local Girl Scout councils, caregivers, volunteers, and advisors make sure Girl Scouts carry out high-quality projects for their highest awards?

What is the difference between a troop/group volunteer and a Girl Scout Gold Award project advisor? Do Girl Scouts need both?

Why can’t a parent be a Girl Scout Gold Award project advisor?

At what point should a Gold Award project advisor be identified?

What is the role of a council’s Gold Award committee?

What does it mean to have a sustainable project?

How does a Girl Scout measure project impact?

What does it mean to identify a national and/or global link?

Can a Girl Scout earn the Gold Award even if they haven't been in Girl Scouts very long?

Are there other considerations a Girl Scout should have in mind as they prepare to start working toward their Gold (or other highest) Award?

What if a Girl Scout is 18 and graduating? Can they complete their Gold Award project when they're in college?

What if a Girl Scout graduates high school, is 18, and doesn't have their project completed?

What if a Girl Scout's project is not completed by the time of their council’s ceremony?

Community service	Take Action
Addresses an immediate need	Addresses a root cause of an issue
One time; short term	Sustainable/ongoing impact
FOR the community (e.g., collecting blankets for a local animal shelter)	WITH the community (e.g., partnering with the animal shelter to create a solution—raising awareness about the importance of spaying/neutering pets; hosting adoption events—to eliminate the need for short-term fixes altogether)
“service project”	“service learning”
Cadette/Senior/Ambassador Community Service Bars	Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards