Gold Award Girl Scouts

Issues of the world, meet your match.

Gold Award Girl Scouts are the dreamers and the doers who take “make the world a better place” to the next level.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable—proof that not only can she make a difference, but that she already has.

Seniors and Ambassadors who earn the Gold Award tackle issues that are dear to them and drive lasting change in their communities and beyond. Think of the Gold Award as a key that can open doors to scholarships, preferred admission tracks for college, and amazing career opportunities.

Download the
Gold Award guidelines

Congratulations Gold Award Class of 2022

On May 21, 2022, our council gathered to celebrate and honor this year's 27 Gold Award Girl Scouts! This year's class completed well over 2,000 collective hours of service to their communities. We also honored six outstanding future leaders with scholarships for their higher education. Our future is in their hands and we know they will accomplish amazing things.

Learn more about this year's projects >>

Check out photos from the event >>

View this blog post featuring last year's Keynote Speaker Jeanine Shraim, Gold Award class of 2015, and Avionics Service Engineer with the Boeing Company!

You can pursue your Girl Scout Gold Award if:

You're in high school (ninth through twelfth grade, or equivalent)

You're registered as a Girl Scout Senior or Girl Scout Ambassador

You have completed two Senior or Ambassador Journeys OR earned the Girl Scout Silver Award and completed a Journey

Girl Scout Gold Award Steps

Identify an issue

Investigate your issue thoroughly

Get help and build your team

Create a plan

Present your plan and gather feedback

Take action

Educate and inspire

College Scholarship Resources

By the time you put the final touches on your seven-step project, you'll have solved a community problem—not only in the short term, but for years into the future—and you’ll be eligible for college scholarships. Remember, earning a Girl Scout Gold Award is an excellent way to give any college or scholarship application that “something extra” to help you stand out from the crowd.

College Scholarships

Girl Scouts of the USA: List of College Scholarship Resources
College Scholarships for Gold and Silver Award Recipients: Additional information can be found at CollegeScholarships.org.
NEW Echo Scholarship - Local Scholarship through GSSEF: Presented by Zaida Alvarez and Juan Carlos Arias, The ECHO Scholarship was designed to support Girl Scouts in Southeast Florida who choose to create a legacy by going above and beyond with their Girl Scout career
and completing a Gold Award project. Once their own daughter Angélica completed her Gold Award in 2021, the Arias-Alvarez family watched as she leveraged her project’s success and all she gained from it, to win the The Miami Herald Silver Knight Award and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Florida’s Scout of the Year Award. Zaida and Juan Carlos were inspired to give an opportunity to other Girl Scouts who echoed
Angélica’s dedication, passion, and determination.

Starting in 2023, this annual scholarship of $3,000 will be provided to a Girl Scout registered with GSSEF, who has earned the Bronze or Silver Award as well as the Gold Award.

Applications are due Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.

Learn more and Apply Today >>
Florida Power & Light Company Scholarship - Local Scholarship through GSSEF: Florida Power & Light Company and Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida know how important it is that the pipeline of female leaders in STEM fields is filled with qualified women. While the national workforce is 50% women, only one-quarter of the STEM jobs are filled by female employees. FPL is committed to assisting girls interested in STEM careers with their educational pursuits. Starting in 2020, FPL is providing an annual $2,500 scholarship to a Girl Scout who is currently pursuing or plans to pursue a career in a STEM field.

Applications are due Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.

Learn more and Apply Today >>

The 2022 Florida Power & Light Company Scholarship recipient Raunak Manchanda.
Paul C. Emmett Scholarship - Local Scholarship through GSSEF: Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida is honored to award the “MVP Champion of the Community ” Scholarship in memory of Paul C. Emmett, a dedicated community service leader, and advocate. The recipient of the Paul C. Emmett MVP Champion of the Community will receive $1,500 toward her studies at the college or university she is attending. This special Scholarship will continue to be awarded annually to a Gold Award Girl Scout (current year recipients will also be considered), who is a senior in high school who has already been accepted into a college or university or is already enrolled in undergraduate classes, and who has exhibited a true commitment to her community through service.

Applications for this year’s scholarship are due Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at 11:59 pm.

Learn More and Apply Today >>

The 2022 Paul C. Emmett Scholarship recipient Raunak Manchanda.
Gina Rose Montalto Scholarship - Local Scholarship through GSSEF: Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida is honored to award the Gina Rose Montalto Scholarship in memory of Gina, an outstanding Girl Scout who was a victim of the mass shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018. The Gina Rose Montalto Memorial Foundation, Inc. is proud to support the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida by awarding a four year scholarship to a public university within the Florida College system. This will be awarded to a deserving Girl Scout in 12^th grade who has earned their Gold Award. Applicants are required to complete the online application, meet scholarship criteria and abide by all required dates provided. This scholarship is awarded annually to one local Girl Scout who has demonstrated a passion for community service and earned the Girl Scout Gold Award.

Applications for this year’s scholarship are due Wednesday, April 2, 2023, at 11:59 pm.

Learn More and Apply Today >>

The 2022 Gina Rose Montalto Scholarship Recipient Julia Yu.
Barbara Ann Turner Scholarship - Local Scholarship through GSSEF: Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida is honored to award the “Service From the Heart” Scholarship in memory of Barbara Ann Turner, a dedicated volunteer. Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida has been extremely pleased that thanks to the generosity of ongoing donations, the scholarship has been increased to $1,500. In this spirit, the “Service From the Heart” Scholarship will continue to be awarded annually to a high school-age Girl Scout, who is currently registered in this Council and has given exceptional service in her community.

Application deadline is Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 11:59 pm.

Learn More and Apply Today >>

The 2022 Barbara Ann Turner Scholarship Recipient Gabriella Hidalgo.
Doreen A. Scott Scholarship - Local Scholarship through GSSEF: Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida is honored to award the “Forever Green Girl Scout” Scholarship in memory of Doreen A. Scott, a lover of the outdoors who had a passion for nature that was second only to the love for her daughters and their Girl Scout experience. In 2021, Doreen passed away unexpectedly, and her family wanted to discover meaningful ways her passions and values could live on to inspire others. To that end, her sister Geri and daughters created the Doreen A. Scott Forever Green Girl Scout Scholarship for Girl Scouts who share her connection and commitment to the great outdoors. Beginning in 2022, one recipient will receive $1,500.00 toward her secondary college/university education.

Application deadline is Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 11:59 pm.

Learn More and Apply Today >>

The 2022 Doreen A. Scott Scholarship recipient Sophia Revis.
Corinne Jeannine Schillings Foundation Scholarship: The Corinne Jeannine Schillings Foundation is dedicated to preserving the memory of Corinne Schillings, a 26-year-old woman who lost her life in the Baltimore Water Taxi accident on March 6, 2004.

Scholarship: The foundation will award scholarships to deserving young women who have earned the Girl Scout Gold or Silver Award and who plan to or are currently pursuing a college major or minor in foreign language. This scholarship is renewable.

Grant: The foundation will provide an airfare stipend for a Silver or Gold Award Girl Scout who plans to study abroad, regardless of her major/minor. It is not necessary to be a scholarship recipient to apply for this one-time grant; nor are scholarship recipients excluded from applying. This grant is not renewable.

See additional information here.
Society of Women Engineers: The SWE Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to women studying baccalaureate or graduate programs, in preparation for careers in engineering, engineering technology and computer science. See additional information here.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Scout of the Year Scholarship: Annually, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States awards three individuals who are: Eagle Scouts, Girl Scout Gold Award recipients, Venture Summit Award recipients and/or Sea Scout Quartermasters who have risen above their peers in exemplifying the qualities of that rank. Girl Scouts who are currently registered and have earned the Gold Award are eligible to apply.

The Scholarship Awards are as follows:

• $5,000 1st place National scholarship

• $3,000 2nd place National scholarship

• $1,000 3rd place National scholarship

Girl Scouts should download and submit a completed VFW Scouting Scholarship form, resume of high school activities, scouting record, community service record and letters of recommendation to a local VFW Post; a local VFW Post can be identified by zip code at www.vfw.org

Learn more about the Scout of the Year Award
Hiram College Scholarships: Hiram College, in conjunction with Girl Scouts of the USA, is excited to announce new scholarships that recognize personal motivation, service to others, and high achievement. As part of the agreement, exemplary Girl Scouts who have earned a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Award; been referred to Hiram by their troop leader as a strong match for Hiram College; and have been admitted to the College will be awarded a substantial Hiram College Scholarship. See additional information here.
Sweet Briar College Scholarships: Sweet Briar offers the perfect opportunity to expand on the projects and passions pursued by Girl Scouts. With multiple scholarships available for Gold Award Girl Scouts, Sweet Briar is here to support them as they become women of consequence. See additional information here.
Martin County Fair Scholarship: If you completed your Gold Award Project over the last year, we want you to enter it in the Martin County Fair! The public will vote on their favorite and you could win a $250 scholarship check courtesy of Ildiko Insurance Advisors in Stuart.

Applications will reopen Winter 2024
Gloria Barron Prize: The Gloria Barron Prize annually awards 25 outstanding young leaders ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and the environment.

Girl Scouts can apply online by April 15, 2022 for a chance to receive $10,000 to support their service work or higher education!

Learn more and apply today: https://barronprize.org
Alliance of Women Executives Scholarship: We are pleased to announce AWE's 2022 Scholarship Applications are now open! If you are interested in applying, please use the link below for instructions and important information. AWE proudly offers scholarships to young women graduating from a Palm Beach County high school who choose to continue their college education at Florida Atlantic University, Lynn University, Palm Beach Atlantic University, or Palm Beach
State College. This scholarship will be awarded in the amount of $1,500.

The application deadline is Monday, April 4, 2022 at 11:59 pm.

Learn more: Additional information and the 2022 Alliance of Women Executives Application

100 Years of Extraordinary Projects from Extraordinary Girls

As a Gold Award recipient, you're part of an elite group of women.

Starting in 1916, the best and brightest undertook projects that improved their communities—and the world. The Golden Eaglet insignia, the highest award in Girl Scouting from 1916 to 1939, marked the beginning of a long tradition of recognizing the extraordinary efforts of extraordinary girls. From 1940 to 1963, the Curved Bar Award was the highest honor in Girl Scouting. From 1963 to 1980, the highest award was called First Class. And since 1980, the Gold Award has inspired girls to find the greatness inside themselves and share their ideas and passions with their communities.

See all the benefits to becoming a Gold Award Girl Scout.

Prior Highest Awards Join Gold Award Family

Are you a Girl Scout Alumn that earned your Highest Award before it was was the Gold Award? Starting in January 2019, you are now welcomed as a part of the Gold Award family and can apply for your digital badge and Gold Award Pin.

GSSEF requires that all girls attend a Council-sponsored Gold Award Workshop before submitting a proposal. Visit our Activities Calendar to find an upcoming Gold Award Workshop.

Have you already attended one of our Gold Award Workshops? Click the banner above to get started on your Gold Award Proposal!

For more information about National High Awards, such as The Gold Award, Silver Award and Bronze Award, email us at customercare@gssef.org