Silver Award

The Highest Award for Girls 11-14

The Girl Scout Silver Award 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.

The first four requirements of the Girl Scout Silver Award help girls build skills, explore careers, gain leadership skills, and make a commitment to self-improvement. The Girl Scout Silver Award Project can be undertaken when the first four requirements are completed. It can be done as an individual or with a group. If done with a group, a girl must be responsible for a specific part of the project and evaluate her contribution to the project and the group.

Requirements for the Girl Scout Silver Award

A girl must be 11 or going into the sixth grade to begin work on STEPS 1-4 of her Girl Scout Silver Award. She must be 12 or going into the seventh grade to start work on STEPS 5 and 6 of the Girl Scout Silver Award Project. She must complete STEPS 5 and 6 by age 14 or before the start of the 10th grade.

STEP 1: GET READY

• Read Go for It! The Girl Scout Silver Award. The insert contains all the information you will need to earn your Silver Award.
• Meet with advisor and develop a timeline for STEPS 2-4.
• Make an agreement with your adult advisor.

STEP 2: GIRL SCOUT SILVER LEADERSHIP AWARD (charm)

• Earn three Interest Project Awards found in Interest Projects for Girls 11-17 related to parts of the Girl Scout Promise and Law.
• Earn the STUDIO 2B Focus: uniquely me! The Real Deal charm.
• Put leadership into action: spend 15 hours in a leadership role.
• Use the Go for It! The Girl Scout Silver Award insert to keep records and a journal for discussion with advisor.

STEP 3: THE GIRL SCOUT SILVER CAREER AWARD CHARM

• What's Out There?
• Who's Out There?
• Be Your Own Boss—Earn "Your Own Business" Interest Project Award
• Use Go for It! The Girl Scout Silver Award insert to "journal it" for discussion with advisor.

STEP 4: THE GIRL SCOUT SILVER 4Bs CHALLENGE CHARM

• Become: Set goals for self-improvement.
• Belong: Earn the charm from the STUDIO 2B Focus book: Looking in, Reaching Out.
• Believe: Identify an issue in school or community that you feel strongly about. Find out more about it. Use your voice to address it. 
• Build: Focus on coming up with a solution to address a problem.

Note: planning hours for the Silver 4Bs Challenge may be applied to the Girl Scout Silver Award hours in STEP 5.

STEP 5: THE GIRL SCOUT SILVER AWARD PROJECT

• Plan It
• Know More About It
• Choose It
• Map It
• Adjust plans if necessary
• Do It! The project should:
• Take at least 40 hours to complete (40 hours may include planning time)
• Provide community service, but can be done inside or outside of Girl Scouting
• Be approved by your leader or advisor.

Note: Permission for any money-earning related to project must be obtained from Girl Scout council.

STEP 6: THINK ABOUT IT

• After reading Go for It! The Girl Scout Silver Award insert, evaluate your project with your advisor.

STEP 7: SILVER AWARD APPROVAL

• Submit the Girl Scout Silver Award Final Report (Word), hour log (verifying your 40 hours) and budget (if applicable) to GSWW for approval:
  

  Girl Scouts of Western Washington
  ATTN: Teen Program Manager
  PO Box 900961
  Seattle, WA 98109

  Silver Award Report Forms are accepted all year, but GSWW approves Silver Awards on a quarterly basis (November 1, February 1, May 1 and August 1) and notification of approval is sent via e-mail to girls and advisors 1-2 weeks after approval. Please ensure the e-mail address submitted on your Silver Award Report Form is current.

Additional resources:

• Silver Award Final Report (Word)
• Sample Timeline and Budget Forms (Rich Text/Word)
• Silver Award Workshops
  Discover how to earn the second highest award in Girl Scouting. These workshops are for Cadette Girl Scouts, advisors, and other adults interested in learning more about the requirements of the Silver Award and the project development process.
• Resources for Parents and Advisors to support girls working on their Silver Award (PDF)
• Visit the GSUSA website for project "do’s and don’ts", project ideas, and more!

If you have additional questions, please contact Amy Bierman-Rydel, Teen Program Manager, at (800) 767-6845 x221.