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8/27/16
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Choose a Project Advisor with expertise related to your chosen issue
Registered Girl Scout in 9-12th grade and
earned the Girl Scout Silver Award?
Register/Complete two Journeys for your level
Complete one Journey for your level
Create your account
using Go Gold Online
Submit your Gold Award
Project Proposal
Identify a Troop/Group Volunteer
Attend a Project Proposal
Support Meeting
Gold Award Interview
Approved Project Pending Returned for Further Development
Address missing components identified during the interview and update and re-submit your
Project Proposal using Go Gold Online
Communicate with Gold Award Liaison
Complete Gold Award Project
Submit Gold Award Final Report for review/final approval
GOLD AWARD COMPLETE
Reserve Gold Award Picture
Day Appointment
Request Nomination for National
Young Women of Distinction
Complete NYWOD Application Recognition Ceremony Gold Award Reception
Complete Gold Award Profile
Receive Gold Award
Materials: Pin,
Regalia, Notebook
All steps are
required unless
there is a dotted line
connecting them to
this flow chart.
Submit Gold Award Pin
Regalia Notebook
Request Order Form(s)
8/27/16
Yes No
Complete Gold Award Training
Create a timeline using
GSOC Dates to Remember
Complete activities
in blue boxes on this
flow chart using Go
Gold Online.
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Girl Scouts of Orange County (GSOC) Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors in grade 9-12 and
the Troop/Group Volunteer adults who support them in their effort to make the world a better
place and earn the Girl Scout Gold Award use the national Gold Award Girl Guidelines and Gold
Award Adult Guide resources and this GSOC Girl Scout Gold Award Process Guide which
describes the process to “go gold” in OC using Go Gold Online.
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Girl Scout Gold Award Steps and Standards of Excellence are found in the Girl Scout Gold Award Girl Guidelines available online and in The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting for Seniors/ Ambassadors. Related coaching tips for adults are found in the Gold Award Adult Guide. After a girl completes the Journey(s), there are seven steps girls use to plan and implement a Girl Scout Gold Award Take Action project:
1. Identify an issue – Use your values and skills to identify a community issue
you care about.
2. Investigate it thoroughly – Research everything you
can about the issue.
3. Get help and build your team – Invite others to
support and take action with you.
4. Create a plan – Create a project plan that achieves
sustainable and measurable impact.
5. Present your plan and gather feedback – Sum up
your project plan for your council.
6. Take action – Take the lead to carry out your plan.
7. Educate and inspire – Share what you have experienced with others.
The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn and is an individual recognition. Troop/Group Volunteers and Project Advisors help to guide, support and partner with girls to earn this prestigious award. Girls take the lead; adults are mentors, advocates, helpers.
In Girl Scouts, girls develop a sense of self, positive values, healthy relationships, challenge seeking, and community problem solving. The Girl Scout Gold Award helps girls to achieve these outcomes, with emphasis on community problem solving: Girls desire to contribute to the world in purposeful and meaningful ways, learn how to identify problems in the community, and create “action plans” to solve them.
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1) Register: A girl must be a registered Girl Scout Senior in 9-10th grade or Girl
Scout Ambassador in 11-12th grade to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award.
2) Complete Journey(s): Girls have three Leadership Journeys to choose from.
To earn the Gold Award, complete one or more Girl Scout Leadership Journeys:
Complete two Senior or Ambassador Journeys and
earn the Journey awards
OR
Have earned the Girl Scout Silver Award and
complete one Senior or Ambassador Journey and earn the Journey award
Note: Journey awards earned as Girl Scout Cadettes in 6th to 8th grade do not fulfill the steps toward earning the Girl Scout Gold Award. Girl Scout Senior/Ambassador Journey(s) must be complete before the girl submits her Project Proposal and participates in the interview.
3) Identify a Troop/Group Volunteer: A girl must identify a Troop/Group volunteer who will complete training and will enthusiastically support their effort to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award. This is required. This adult will support the girl by understanding the Gold Award steps and process, providing guidance for the girl as she completes her journey(s), and helping her to meet deadlines and develop and complete her Girl Scout Gold Award Take Action project. The Troop/Group volunteer is often involved in helping the girl to celebrate her achievement in meaningful ways once she earns the award.
Girls are encouraged to connect with numerous adults when earning the Girl Scout Gold Award. This means that the Troop/Group Volunteer may be the Troop Advisor or another adult but is not the girl’s parent, and in most cases, the Troop/Group Volunteer should not also serve as the Project Advisor.
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4) Get training: The girl and her Girl Scout Troop/Group Volunteer and Project Advisor participate in training and other activities to understand the process to “go gold” in OC, including the steps to “go gold,” what it means to Take Action, how to identify issues, and where to find resources.
Gold Award Online
Pre-course Training
Gold Award Training
Project Proposal Support Meeting
Interview
Girl Scout Senior/Ambassador
Required Required Optional Required
Girl Scout Troop/Group Volunteer
Required Required Optional Encouraged
Project Advisor
Required NA NA NA
Gold Award Online Pre-course Training is designed for the girl, Troop/Group Volunteer, and Project Advisor. Participants will gain an understanding of how girls can help a girl to make the world a better place by creating lasting change.
o The girl and Troop/Group Volunteer get an overview of the Girl Scout Gold Award Steps and Standards of Excellence she will use to take action.
o The Project Advisor gets a brief introduction to serve as a mentor for a girl as she works to plan and carry out her Gold Award project.
5) Choose an issue and a Project Advisor: A girl must select a Project Advisor based on the issue she has chosen to address who will work with her on her Girl Scout Gold Award Take Action project. This is required. The Project Advisor provides guidance, experience, and expertise related to the girl’s project. Girl Scouts may wish to refer to Organizations That Help as they brainstorm
possible issues and organizations that help to address community needs.
Girls are encouraged to connect with their community when earning the Girl Scout Gold Award. This means the Project Advisor is not the girl’s parent.
6) Choose your deadline and create a timeline: Girls should discuss dates and deadlines with their Troop/Group volunteer and create a timeline to submit their online Project Proposal to “go gold.”
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7) Plan with Dates to Remember: GSOC Dates to Remember available online at www.girlscoutsoc.org under About Girl Scouts, Our Program, Highest Awards, Gold Award, is a tool girls can use when they create their timeline for completing the steps to “go gold” including submitting the Project Proposal and planning to participate in an interview on one of the scheduled interview dates to gain approval for the project plan. This important resource includes GSOC Project Proposal deadlines and corresponding interview dates. Girls will be most successful when they create a project timeline and share their plan with their Troop/Group Volunteer, Project Advisor, and Gold Award Support Team Liaison. Note: See GSOC “Dates to Remember” at www.girlscoutsoc.org for the most current schedule of deadlines and interview dates. Girls should review the dates and their own calendar and plan accordingly. GSOC is unable to accommodate special requests.
8) Refer to the GSOC Road to the Girl Scout Gold Award: This is a visual road map to “go gold” that will help you see your path from start to finish. See it on page 2.
9) Create a Go Gold Online account: Register to create an online account to keep track of your progress as you complete the seven steps to “go gold.” Select Girl Scouts of Orange County as your council. Note: Mozilla is the recommended browser. Avoid Chrome or Internet Explorer.
10) Get support: Talk to your Troop/Group Volunteer and Project Advisor as you work to develop your plan.
Optional: Talk to a GSOC Girl Scout Gold Award Liaison. RSVP to attend a Project Proposal Support Meeting: Project Proposal Support Meetings provide the girl* (and Troop/Group Volunteer) with an opportunity to get informal feedback from a member of the Gold Award Support Team to know if she is on the right track with her project plan. Note: This does not take the place of the required council interview. *Girl is in 9-12th grade, has attended Gold Award Training, created an account using Go Gold Online, and is ready to share her project idea or a draft of her Project Proposal.
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11) Complete the Project Proposal (Steps 1-5) using Go Gold Online: Girls should review their Project Proposal with their Troop/Group Volunteer.
Create a draft: To prepare for online submission, you may choose to create a
draft of your responses to the questions on the Girl Scout Gold Award Project
Proposal that you can cut and paste into Go Gold Online. This is recommended.
Get signatures: Girls should give their Troop/Group Volunteer and Project Advisor adequate time to review their project plan, provide input and make recommendations, and sign a hard copy of the signature page before they submit their Project Proposal using Go Gold Online by the deadline. Adults do not sign online. Girls should bring a hard copy of the signature page only to the interview.
Include a detailed project plan: Girls should describe the steps involved in putting their plan into action (see Project Proposal). The detailed project plan should include a project hours log that lists a description of activities throughout the project and the estimated time spent on each. Similar activities should be grouped together as there is a limited number of lines available to record hours through Go Gold Online. There is an 80 hour minimum guideline* for the Gold Award Take Action project. Project hours begin upon project approval. A project hours log will help a girl to remember all of the steps she took to earn the Gold Award and it can be helpful to reflect on success, share the project with others, and complete Steps 6 & 7 (the Final Report). *The time it takes to earn the Gold Award will depend on the nature of the project, the size of the team, and the support of the community. Quality projects, that have a positive impact on the community, should be emphasized over quantity of hours.
12) Submit the Project Proposal: Girls submit their Project Proposal to GSOC electronically using Go Gold Online according to Project Proposal deadlines (and corresponding interview dates) outlined on the GSOC Dates to Remember.
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13) Save the date for your interview: Appointment times for interviews are assigned based on when the girl submits her Project Proposal. Interview dates are outlined on the GSOC Dates to Remember. Interview times are emailed to the girl approximately two weeks after the Project Proposal deadline. At the interview, the girl will be required to describe her project plan and be prepared to answer questions about her Project Proposal. The interview will include a question period that should last about 30 minutes. If everything is in order, the girl will receive approval at the time of the interview to begin the project.
14) Prepare for the interview: Girls often ask how they can prepare for the interview.
The following are some of the questions a girl might be asked during the interview:
What is the issue your project will address?
What is the root cause of the issue you are addressing?
How will you demonstrate leadership?
How will you educate and inspire others to act?
Who is your team?
How will the project continue beyond your involvement in it? How is it sustainable?
What is the global component to your project?
What do you think will be the hardest part of the project?
How will you measure your success?
How will you share your project with others?
Note: The girl meets and interviews with a Gold Award Support Team Liaison, a Girl Scout adult volunteer who is committed to helping the girl be successful. The girl may prepare and bring a short presentation to describe the project, however, this is not required. The girl should be prepared to discuss their project plan and answer questions. The girl may wear her Girl Scout uniform, however, this is not required.
15) Participate in the interview: A girl must participate in an interview with the Girl Scouts of Orange County Girl Scout Gold Award Support Team. This is required before a girl begins work on her project. Interview dates are set annually in July.
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16) Get approval: The Project Proposal must be approved before the girl begins the project. At the interview, the girl will meet with a member of the Gold Award Support Team. This Gold Award Liaison will determine the status of a girl’s Project Proposal using the following categories:
– The Project Proposal meets the national guidelines and the girl Approvedmay begin upon verbal and written notification by the Gold Award Support Team Liaison. Some projects may be “approved with caution” when one or more comments or reminders are given to ensure a successful project.
– The Project Proposal is sound, but is missing some information Pendingwhich must be addressed to meet the national guidelines before the project is approved. The project will remain “pending” until the girl communicates with the Gold Award Support Team Liaison to provide the requested information and address any areas of concern discussed during the interview. Some projects can be updated from “pending” to “approved” by email and/or phone following the interview; in most cases, the girl needs to update and resubmit her Project Proposal through Go Gold Online but does not need to participate in a second interview to obtain approval for her updated project plan.
– The Project Proposal may have Returned for further developmentpotential but it does not meet (or must be developed more fully to meet) the national guidelines for earning the Girl Scout Gold Award.
The project is “returned for further development” because it is missing one or more key elements (leadership, measurable, sustainable, and global) or there may be questions about the focus (root cause) or the benefit to the community outside of Girl Scouting. Girls should communicate with the Gold Award Liaison for suggestions on how to further develop the project plan and/or address areas of concern. The project could be restructured or the girl may develop a different plan/issue; the girl may be required to participate in a second interview to obtain approval for her updated/new project plan. Note: While providing community service is an important part of Girl Scouting, most service projects do not meet the national guidelines for earning the Girl Scout Gold Award. The Gold Award requires girls to take action to create sustainable change. Therefore, service projects such as hosting a blood drive, gathering equipment, toys, or books, making or collecting blankets, scarves, hats, wheelchair bags, greeting cards, chemo caps, building, planting, or painting projects, or other donation, collection, or construction projects or plans to contribute to existing service projects will be returned for further development.
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17) Take Action: A girl completes her Girl Scout Gold Award Take Action project. She should take steps to demonstrate her achievement and share what she has learned. This could include taking pictures that show her in action, creating a video, or sharing her efforts through social media.
Girls should communicate regularly with their Troop/Group volunteer to ensure they meet the national guidelines and to carry out their timeline for completing the project.
Girls should keep in close contact with the selected Project Advisor. She/he is a key resource as a girl completes the research, design and implementation of the Girl Scout Gold Award project.
Girls should share updates with the Gold Award Liaison.
18) Submit the Final Report (Complete Steps 6 & 7) using Go Gold Online: Final Reports are accepted on a rolling basis. A girl is considered a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient and may include this recognition on college applications when the Final Report is approved. Girls should keep a copy of their Final Report for their records and allow time for review and final approval by their Gold Award Liaison (allow 2-3 weeks).
Final report deadlines are found on the GSOC Dates to Remember. Girls planning to participate in a May-June ceremony should use the March deadline to allow time for council staff to obtain letters and certificates prior to the ceremony.
A Girl Scout has until September 30th of the year she graduates from high school to complete the Girl Scout Gold Award project. A girl who completes an accelerated high school program and begins college but is still within the age definition of the membership standard may complete the Gold Award during her first year of college. A girl with a developmental disability may be granted permission to complete the Gold Award by age 21.
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As part of the Final Report submission, GSOC encourages girls to upload additional documents through Go Gold Online including a project hours log, a letter from the organization they partnered with, and action photos of them doing their project. Girls create a zip file to upload these documents as part of the Final Report (Steps 6 & 7):
Girls are encouraged to upload a detailed project hours log that describes the activities they did and the time they took to complete their project.
Girls are encouraged to upload a letter from the Project Advisor or a representative of the organization or agency that observed or benefited from the project and attesting to the contribution that the girl made through her effort to take action to make the world a better place.
Girls are encouraged to upload their best photos taken during the project implementation. Action shots that illustrate the girl taking action to make the world a better place are preferred.
19) Get final approval: A Girl Scout has earned the Gold Award and is COMPLETE
after the Final Report is received and final approval is granted (allow a minimum
of 2-3 weeks for review and final approval).
Note: Once the Final Report is approved, a congratulatory letter will be emailed
to the girl and council staff will prepare a personalized notebook and request
certificates and letters from public officials.
20) Complete Girl Scout Gold Award Recipient Profile: Girls Scout Seniors and
Ambassadors who have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award submit a short project
description, official Gold Award Picture, project photos, and a personal quote. A
link to the Recipient Profile will be sent by email directly to girls.
21) Receive Gold Award materials: Once a girl is COMPLETE and has submitted
the Girl Scout Gold Award Recipient Profile, she is ready to celebrate her
achievement.
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22) Plan a ceremony to celebrate your achievement: Girls should choose how they would like to celebrate their accomplishment. A girl may like to plan a ceremony with her troop/group or celebrate with a special family dinner. While there is no council-wide Gold Award ceremony, girls may choose to participate in a regional or service unit ceremony. Contact your local service unit or Volunteer Specialist to find out what is being planned in your community.
23) Request the Girl Scout Gold Award Pin, Regalia, and Notebook: Girls MUST have completed the Girl Scout Gold Award prior to planning to participate in a Girl Scout Gold Award ceremony or high school graduation ceremony. It is the responsibility of the girl to make arrangements with council staff to receive the Girl Scout Gold Award pin, Regalia, and personalized notebook prior to a planned troop, community, or regional ceremony/presentation of the pin using the Girl Scout Gold Award Pin, Regalia, and Notebook Request Order Form. If no request is made, the pin, Regalia, and notebook (containing certificates and letters from public officials) will be mailed to the recipient’s home address.
OPTIONAL: Girls request a special Miniature Girl Scout Gold Award Parent Pin to thank and honor significant adults who helped them complete their project.
24) Make an appointment for your Girl Scout Gold Award Picture: Girls are encouraged to take a picture for the Girl Scout Gold Award Honor Wall, located in the main lobby of the Council Headquarters. Refer to Girl Scout Gold Award Picture Day for information about the annual council hosted Gold Award Picture Day or visit www.liveshoot1.com to make an appointment for any scheduled date.
25) Share your project: Girls are encouraged to share their project using GSUSA’s Map It! and to create a tri-fold project display that illustrates the issue they chose to address, how they used their leadership skills, and what they did for their project.
26) Plan to attend the Girl Scout Gold Award Reception: GSOC encourages girls to prepare a project display board to share and save the date for the annual GSOC Gold Award Reception, preceeding the annual Recognition Event in June.
27) Plan to be a part of the annual GSOC Gold Award Group Picture: Each year, the group picture is taken at the GSOC Gold Award Reception in June.
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28) Apply for scholarships: Girl Scout Gold Award recipients are eligible for special awards and scholarships.
Check www.girlscoutsoc.org for a current list of links to available awards and scholarships under “About Girl Scouts,” Our Program,” “Girl Recognition.”
Visit the national GSUSA website at www.girlscouts.org to view Scholarships for Girl Scouts.
29) Apply for awards: Girl Scout Gold Award recipients may be excellent candidates for the following awards:
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
President’s Volunteer Service Awards
30) Request a nomination for National Young Women of Distinction (NYWOD): Each year Girl Scouts of the USA awards ten Girl Scout Gold Award recipients the honor of National Young Women of Distinction. National Young Woman of Distinction is the designation, and a special honor, conferred by Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) on ten Girl Scout Gold Award recipients whose final projects demonstrated extraordinary leadership, had a measurable and sustainable impact, and addressed a local challenge that related to a national and/or global issue. Interested girls should email [email protected] to request a GSOC nomination. The council deadline to request a nomination is March 1 annually.
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The adult mentors that a girl selects to work with as her Troop/Group Volunteer and Project Advisor are important resources from the start to finish of the process to “go gold.” Girls should plan to communicate regularly with these adults:
Troop/Group Volunteer
Project Advisor
The Girl Scout Gold Award Support Team is a group of volunteers who conduct girl interviews and grant final approval. Girls will be assigned a Gold Award Liaison at the interview and should communicate with this adult if they have questions or to provide updates about their Project Proposal or Final Report (Steps 6 & 7): Gold Award Liaison
In addition, girls and adults may direct questions to:
Karin Carlson, Chair, Gold Award Support Team [email protected] Candice Bui, Program Administrative Assistant [email protected] or (949) 461-8878 Lesley Finch, Program Specialist [email protected] or (949) 461-8861
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