The Girl Scout Silver Award is the highest award you can earn as a Girl Scout Cadette. To attain this award, a young woman works to complete a series of leadership challenges and an extensive service project in her community.

Do you have a project in mind but don't know where to start? Make sure you are registered for a GSCI Silver Award Workshop.

Silver Award Overview

• Complete a Cadette Journey- (Journey 1 or 2 – working through the 10 sessions, each session is approximately 60-90 minutes of program development activities)
• Work as an individual or in a small group where girls take the lead
• Leadership Award training is required. (Provided by the council) Attendance of training becomes a girl’s Intent to complete a project.
• Take action on a community issue that the girls care about
• Help and guidance provided by Volunteer(s)

Project Hours

In addition to these requirements, the suggested minimum hours to complete the steps to the Girl Scout Silver Award are 50 hours for each Cadette on the team.

These suggested hours are a guide, not a rule. Not all projects will require the same length of time to complete, from planning to sharing and celebration. The time it takes to earn the award will depend on the nature of the project, the size of the team (no more than 3-4 girls max), and the support of the community. Quality projects should be emphasized over quantity of hours.

Take Action Project

• Individual or group Take Action Project that makes the local neighborhood or community better.
• Puts the Promise and Law into action

Proposals

Girls must get approval from their Troop/Group Advisor. Troop/Group Advisor is required to attend a GSCI Silver Award Workshop in order to approve.

Sustainable

Girls demonstrate an understanding of sustainability in the project plan and implementation. 

Global 

Girls connect with new friends outside their immediate community, learn how others have solved similar problems, and determine if the ideas of others can help with their plan.

Silver Award Deadline

The deadline for the 2012-2013 GSCI Gold and Silver Award Ceremony is April 1, 2013. All final paperwork received after the April 1st deadline will be awarded at the following year’s ceremony.

Girl Scout Silver Award Resources

Are you ready to start on your Silver Award Project? GREAT! Below are all the forms you will need to get going and complete your project. Your Troop Group Advisor must attend a Silver Award Workshop in order to approve your Silver Award.

Silver Award Troop/Group Advisor Guide
Silver Award Girl Guidelines and Toolkit
Silver Award Final Report
 

Benefits of Earning the Girl Silver Award

• The Girl Scout Silver Award is recognized as the second highest award in Girl Scouting. It is a national award with national standards, awarded by your council on behalf of Girl Scouts of the USA.
• You are recognized as a future community leader if you have earned the Girl Scout Silver Award as an individual or as part of a group.
• Although you don't have to do the Girl Scout Silver Award before going for the Girl Scout Gold Award, going for the Girl Scout Silver Award develops skills that will allow you to stretch in going for the Girl Scout Gold Award.
• You'll find yourself supported by the community while on your quest for leadership in many ways. Being a Girl Scout will open many doors.
• Having your family members pitch in to help with your project can be fun! It can be a positive time spent working together.
• Believe it or not, younger girls will look up to you when you earn that award. Are you prepared to help mentor someone?
• Learning to work closely with a group to accomplish your goal for the community can be a lesson in cooperation, leadership, and compromise. Teamwork is a skill that goes beyond the sports field.
• Working on a Girl Scout Silver Award is a safe way to build your leadership skills while acting on a community issue you really care about.
• You will build skills and expand your knowledge. Who knows what you can accomplish before you set the goal and go for it!
• You will create change in the world around you.
• Working on the project with friends can be a lot of fun!
   

For further information about the Silver Award, or for assistance, contact Billie Waddell at (309) 662-5384, ext. 1105 or bwaddell@girlscouts-gsci.org.