1. Gold Award Orientation
Girl Scouts of Western Washington
Gold Award Orientation

2. Agenda Genesys Overview Introductions and Group Agreement
Overview of the Award
Understanding Discover, Connect, Take Action
How do I get started?
What are my responsibilities?
When should I start?
Where do I go from here?
Questions and wrap up

3. Using Genesys
online_orientation_Gold

4. Introductions Julia Ricciardi Share: What grade are you in?
Where do you live?
Why are you joining us for orientation?
What do you hope to get out of this?
Julia Ricciardi
Program Manager for Highest Awards

5. Can we all agree to…
Give our full attention to the presentation and discussions?
Participate with active listening and contribute our ideas/questions?
Find a quiet place in our homes or use the mute function if background noise gets loud?
Utilize the emoticons to ask questions and share ideas?
Anything else should we agree on?

6. Where did it come from?
The Gold Award has its roots in early Girl Scout history—with the Golden Eaglet of Merit that was created in The highest award in Girl Scouts has always focused on leadership and service. When you earn this award, you are joining a long tradition of acclaimed women.

7. What is it?
It’s the highest and most prestigious award a girl can earn.
It challenges you to change the world—or at least your corner of it—beyond Girl Scouts.
This award recognizes girls who follow the Take Action process, developing leadership and project management skills to make our world a better place.
It’s more about your process, less about your number of hours.

8. It’s about the process! Celebrate! Complete your Prerequisites
Attend the Gold Award Workshop (optional)
Research, write and submit your Gold Award Proposal
Receive feedback at your pre-project interview
Revise your Proposal and resubmit
Once your Proposal is approved, Take Action!
Reflect on your experiences and measure your progress
Write and submit your Final Report for review
Congratulations, you’ve earned your Gold Award!
Celebrate and share your story
Complete prerequisites
Attend Workshop
Background research and prep work
Write and submit GSWW proposal form
Receive feedback
Phone or Skype interview
Revise proposal
Take Action!
Reflect on project
Write and submit GSWW final report form
Receive final approval
Celebrate!

9. Why would I want to earn it?
Your voice matters
Inspire others to Take Action
Explore your passions
Be a role model
Gain skills and access to resources
Become a leader in your community

10. Who will notice?
Recognition from Girl Scouts of Western Washington and our CEO
Recognition from your troop, service unit and other girls in your region
Recognition from elected officials— including the President of the United States!
Gold Award Gala

11. Understanding: Take Action
Sustainable over time
Measurable using numbers
Targets the root of a problem

12. Understanding: Sustainable
Creates an innovative solution to a problem
Establishes long term change
Allows other people to continue benefiting for years to come
Creates opportunities for other people to be involved in working towards the solution (even when you are “done” with your project)

13. Understanding: Sustainable
Have you ever heard of “Pay it Forward”?
Have you heard of a video “going viral” on the internet?
Have you heard about chain letters, chain s or phone trees?
With all of these examples, one person or a few people get the ball rolling, but very soon there are lots of people all over the world who are involved!

14. Understanding: Sustainable
Think of yourself as the person who starts the snowball at the very top of the hill…

15. Understanding: Sustainable
Think about helpful organizations and events in your community…
How were these organizations or activities started?
What makes them successful overtime?
How can you set up your project to continue for many years?

16. Understanding: Measurable
When your plan is measurable, it means that you can use numbers, facts and figures to demonstrate your success.
What are some aspects of a project you could measure?
Number of people or animals who directly received your support or who attended your event
Number of volunteers who joined your efforts
Geographic diversity of your participants
Opinions about your project via a survey
Amount of money/resources your project saved others

17. Understanding: Root of the Problem
Think about the root of the problem—what is causing the problem to continue happening over and over?
If someone has a deep wound that won’t stop bleeding, what is the root of the problem? Can the underlying problem be fixed with a Band-Aid?
If too many unwanted animals end up in shelters, what is creating all of the unwanted animals? Can the underlying problem be fixed by donating toys to the animal shelter?
If there is too much litter at a local park, why does that keep happening? Can the underlying problem be fixed by picking up the trash?

18. Understand Take Action?
Take Action projects pass a 3-step check:
Will this project keep helping people/animals/the environment even after I submit my final report?
Will I be able to use numbers, facts and figures to describe my success?
Is my solution going deeper than a Band- Aid?
Take the quiz:
TMLooZ

19. How do I get started?
Before you start your Gold Award, you must complete the prerequisites.
Earn your Silver Award and one Senior/Ambassador Journey
Earn two Senior/Ambassador Journeys or

20. How do I get started?
Assess your community to learn about needs and resources that exist near you:
Before you come up with any ideas, you need to research issues in your community—look in newspapers, listen to the radio, talk to neighbors, meet with local officials to learn what your community needs and what resources it has already.
Once you have researched your community, then consider your own passions, interests, skills and talents.

21. How do I get started?
If you think you’ve found your cause, try asking yourself these questions:
Is this something I care a lot about?
Is this something I get excited about?
Is this something I will want to work on for many months or years?
Will supporting this cause make my world a better place?
If I focus on this, will I be able to learn new things and grow in unexpected ways?

22. Girl-Led Gold Awards I should: My leader(s) and family should:
Be the leader, call the shots
Regularly communicate with my team members, including Girl Scout staff
Communicate in a professional manner
Identify volunteers with special skills and delegate tasks
Decide on a project that is important to me
Try new things and step outside my comfort zone
Read and follow the guidelines from GSWW
Ask for help when I do not understand or need support
Live by the Girl Scout Promise and Law
My leader(s) and family should:
Encourage me to take on leadership roles
Ask open ended questions
Help with proofreading
Provide moral support and encouragement
Celebrate my accomplishments
Help with money earning and donations
Help me follow safety guidelines

23. Interacting with Others
Expect Girl Scout staff to:
Support all girls in achieving success with the best project
Respond to s and calls promptly
Communicate in a friendly, approachable and professional way
Provide feedback and suggestions that will help improve projects
Hold everyone accountable to guidelines and standards set by GSUSA
Expect your project advisor to:
Have knowledge or expertise about your issue/cause
Help with brainstorming
Help with project management
Help with proofreading

24. Interacting with Others
Expect Highest Awards Facilitators to:
Lead Gold Award Online Orientations—like this one right now!
Lead in-person Gold Award Workshops
Provide accurate information about the Gold Award process within Girl Scouts of Western Washington
Help girls and adults find additional resources or connect with staff who can answer more specific questions
Expect Highest Awards Review Committee to:
Care about your project, your passions and your goals
Provide you constructive feedback to help you grow
Provide you constructive feedback to help you meet all Gold Award guidelines
Be supportive and approachable during interviews, etc.

25. When should I start? As soon as possible!
The most successful Gold Award projects take at least one full year to earn.
Make time for your prerequisites
Consider your other time commitments— sports teams, school clubs, work, family commitments, prom, etc.
Your final report must be approved before September 30 of the calendar year you graduate (before you start college) NO EXCEPTIONS

26. Where do I go from here? Complete prerequisites
Attend a Gold Award Workshop (in-person opportunity to get started on your project)
Visit our website for resources (
Ask questions
ext. 1233

27. YOU Up for a challenge? have a voice that matters. have confidence.
have other girls looking up to you.
have important goals to achieve.
are a leader.
can make our world a better place.
YOU

28. Questions?