Girl Awards & Scholarships
Highest Awards
Girls interested in working towards any of the awards listed below, as well as their parents and leaders, are encouraged to attend a Girl Scout Bronze, Silver and Gold Award training which discusses the requirements of each award, step-by-step, and helps girls brainstorm ideas for their project. Training dates are found on the event search (search by theme: girl training).
Each of these awards requires that an award packet be submitted to the Older Girl Award Coordinator, Angela Grunder, at the Dubuque Area Girl Scout Leadership Center, 2644 Pennsylvania Ave., Dubuque, IA 52001. These award packets are available online (click on program forms) or at any Girl Scout Leadership Center. To learn more about these awards, contact Angela Grunder at AngelaG@GSEIWI.org or 563-583-9169 x628.
Girl Scout Bronze Award for Girl Scout Juniors
The Girl Scout Bronze Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout Junior can earn, requires a girl to learn the leadership and planning skills through completing a Girl Scout Journey for Juniors, then Taking Action on a 20 hour project that focuses on something that the girls care about that they would like to improve within their Girl Scout or local community. Working towards this award demonstrates her commitment to helping others, improving her community and the world, and becoming the best she can be. Girls may work on the award individually or in a group. All of the requirements for the Bronze Award must be met before leaving the Girl Scout Junior level. However, earning a Bronze Award is not a prerequisite for the Girl Scout Silver Award.
Girl Scout Silver Award for Girl Scout Cadettes
The Girl Scout Silver Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout Cadette can earn, represents a girl's accomplishments in Girl Scouting and her community as she grows and works to improve her life and the lives of others. A girl begins her Silver Award by completing a Gir Scout Journey for Cadettes. Once this is completed, she Takes Action by completing a 50 hour project that makes the local neighborhood or community better. A girl may complete her Silver Award individually or with a small group of 4 girls or less. All of the requirements for the Silver Award must be met before leaving the Girl Scout Cadette level. However, earning a Silver Award is not a prerequisite for the Girl Scout Gold Award.
Girl Scout Gold Award for Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors
The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award that Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors may earn. The Girl Scout Gold Award Project is the culmination of all the work a girl puts into "going for the Gold." It is something that a girl can be passionate about—in thought, deed, and action.
There are two paths a girl can take to earn her Gold Award. If she has completed her Girl Scout Silver Award, she will then complete one Girl Scout Journey. If she has not, she will complete two Girl Scout Journeys. After she has completed 1 or 2 Girl Scout Journeys, she Takes Action by completing an 80 hour project that makes a lasting difference in the local community, region or beyond.
The Girl Scout Gold Award project is something that fulfills a need within a girl's community (whether local or global), creates change, and is something that carries on even after she is done with her project. If it is an event, the event should be something that people will want to continue for the next year; if it is a service, it should be something that creates change or action with long-term possibilities, empowering others besides just the girl; if it is something tangible, it should come with a plan for use and maintenance within the community. The project is more than a good service project—it encompasses organizational, leadership, and networking skills.
Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award is a great honor and girls who have earned this award can apply for special scholarships that many colleges have designed especially for awardees. A full list of scholarships available to Gold Award recipients is available at http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_central/scholarships/Default.asp.
Girls who have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award often enter the four branches of the United States Armed Services at an advanced level and salary due to the leadership experience they have shown during the time they worked towards the Gold Award.
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Local Girl Scout Scholarships
Doneta Schaeffer Memorial Scholarship
Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois offers a Memorial Scholarship in honor of Doneta Schaeffer. Doneta was a Girl Scout volunteer and council staff member who believed that there was always something new to learn, different things to see, and more fun to experience.
The annual Doneta Schaeffer Memorial Scholarship was established to help all of us—girls and adults— remember and renew this legacy at least once a year. Designed to help the recipient further her education, the $1000 scholarship is given to a Girl Scout who exemplifies the ideals that Doneta held dear.
Criteria for the scholarship:
- Be a registered Girl Scout in the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois council.
- Have at least five years of experience in Girl Scouting, with two of those years as a Girl Scout in grades 10-12.
- Have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award for Girl Scouts.
- Have demonstrated commitment to living by the Girl Scout Promise and Law.
- Be a high school senior, with graduation occurring in the present school year.
- Have at least a 2.5 grade point average (GPA.)
- Have submitted an application to a college or technical school.
- Be able to document recent leadership roles, involvement in community service, and a diversity of activities in her personal life.
The postmark deadline for all paperwork is March 1. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Applicants will be interviewed by a committee of Girl Scout volunteers by April 30.
Applications will be mailed to all eligible Girl Scouts in December. If you have any questions or would like more information about this scholarship, please contact Deb Boyd at DebB@GSEIWI.org or 309-788-0833 x318.
Girls of Courage, Confidence and Character Scholarships
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. There are many Girl Scouts throughout GSEIWI who have shown outstanding character, displayed courage during a difficult time or shown their character in an extraordinary way. These girls deserve to be honored for their roles as Girl Scouts and the positive impact they have on the communities they serve.
Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois provides a monetary scholarship to three girls throughout the council: a Girl of Courage, a Girl of Confidence and a Girl of Character. Anyone can nominate a Girl Scout for these scholarships. There are no requirements for age or grade. If you know a Girl Scout who has gone above and beyond this past year in her role as a Girl Scout, consider nominating her for one of these scholarships.
GSEIWI honored three Girl Scouts with the Girl of Courage, Girl of Confidence and Girl of Character Scholarship at the 2010 Volunteer Appreciation Event in Coralville, Iowa. The $1,000 scholarships were funded by an anonymous donor who believes in the work of GSEIWI and wanted to be able to give something back to the girls. The scholarships will be available for the Girl Scouts to use toward higher education after they complete high school.
- Girl of Courage, Confidence and Character Scholarship Nomination Form
- Letter of Endorsement for Girl of Courage Confidence and Character Nomination
National Girl Scout Scholarships
National Young Women of Distinction (YWOD)
Girl Scouts who receive the YWOD honor receive many benefits including a college scholarship, an invitation to a Girl Scout national meeting where the YWOD are honored, the opportunity to join the National Girl Consultants (NGC), and the opportunity to join the National Young Women of Distinction Alumnae Association.
Applications are open to any Girl Scout who received her Girl Scout Gold Award between January 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010. Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois must complete the verification form attached to the application. Applications are usually due the first week of September. Download the application at www.girlscouts.org.
National Volunteer Awards
President's Volunteer Service Award
The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation (the Council) was established in 2003 to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers are making in our communities and encourage more people to serve. The Council created the President's Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service.
Recognizing and honoring volunteers sets a standard for service, encourages a sustained commitment to civic participation, and inspires others to make service a central part of their lives. The President's Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard — measured by the number of hours of service over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime.
President's Volunteer Service Award Criteria:
- Kids: 5-14 years old
- Young Adults: 15-25 years old
Bronze Level
- Kids: 50 to 74 hours
- Young Adults: 100 to 174 hours
Silver Level
- Kids: 75 to 99 hours
- Young Adults: 175 to 249 hours
Gold Level
- Kids: 100 hours or more
- Young Adults: 250 hours or more
President's Call to Service Award
- All Ages
- 4,000 hours or more of volunteer service (over a lifetime).
As a certifying organization you can record your hours using our information, but not all hours must be done in the name of Girl Scouts. This award is submitted by the individual, to do so log on to http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov to log your hours online.
