Leadership Awards

Practice all the ways you can lead yourself, your team, and your community.

The new Leadership Awards are about building real skills for real impact and having the confidence to turn your ideas into action. Whether you’re figuring out what leadership means to you, working with a team, leading a group, or stepping up to a challenge, these awards are designed to help you explore what leadership means to you—no pressure, just room to grow.

Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors looking for volunteer opportunities in their area or questions about older Girl Scout leadership programs may reach out to our Older Girl Scout Program team at highestawards@gscolorado.org.

Personal Leadership Awards

For Girl Scout Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors

Peer Leadership Awards

For Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors

Teaching Leadership Awards

For Girl Scout Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors

Community Advocacy Awards

For Girl Scout Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors

Personal Leadership Awards toggle arrow

Start with you—build confidence and courage to lead your way.

The brand-new True North award is available for Junior, Cadette, and Senior/Ambassador Girl Scouts.

The True North award is about discovering what matters to you and staying true to yourself. It’s your chance to follow your values and take meaningful action, even when it feels hard or a little scary. Whether you’re finding the courage to speak up for what you believe in, taking on challenges, or advocating for positive change, this award helps you build the confidence and clarity to chart your own course and take courageous steps toward what truly matters to you.

Bonus feature: Earning the True North award for your program level opens the door to the Highest Awards. Once you earn this award, you’ve fulfilled the prerequisite and are ready to start your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award.

Download the Volunteer Guide and Action Plan PDFs:

Junior: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
Cadette: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
Senior & Ambassador: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide

Peer Leadership Awards toggle arrow

Be an awesome teammate while learning how to guide a group.

The Silver Torch award for Cadettes and the Gold Torch award for Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts help you grow as a team leader. You’ll start by learning how to be a great teammate and build up to leading a group of peers within Girl Scouting or the wider community.

Silver Torch award: Learn how to shine on a team at school or within a place of worship, Girl Scouts, or a community organization. Work toward a shared goal, support your teammates, and build confidence as you find out what motivates people and inspires positive change.

Gold Torch award: This award gives you the know-how and skills to lead with purpose and heart, not just be in charge. Whether you’re a team captain, club officer, advisory board member, or a leader at a community organization, you’ll learn how to bring people together, turn ideas into impact, and inspire others.

Bonus feature: Earning the Torch award for your program level opens the door to the Highest Awards. Once you earn this award, you’ve fulfilled the prerequisite and are ready to start your Silver or Gold Award.

Download the Volunteer Guide and Action Plan PDFs:

Cadette: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
Senior & Ambassador: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide

Teaching Leadership Awards toggle arrow

Share your skills and inspire younger kids with hands-on leadership.

The path from helper to role model starts here! Level by level, you’ll grow the confidence and planning skills to lead younger kids through activities, program events, and more.

Junior Aide award (Junior): Discover your leadership style by planning and leading a fun, inclusive activity for younger kids. Build your confidence as you learn what it means to guide and inspire others.

Program Aide award (Cadette): Grow your leadership skills by planning and leading multiple activities—including a full meeting—for younger Girl Scouts. You’ll practice being a role model and engaging different age groups along the way.

Volunteer in Training award (Senior/Ambassador): Take charge by leading two full meetings. Create meaningful experiences that help younger Girl Scouts learn, grow, and feel included while making a lasting impact as a mentor and leader.

Counselor in Training I (Senior/Ambassador): Team up with other teens to learn how to connect with campers, shadow and support camp staff, and take the lead on songs, games, and group activities. You’ll build real leadership skills, make a lasting impact, and become the role model younger campers look up to—all while having a blast at camp.

Counselor in Training II (Ambassador): Take your leadership to the next level by planning and leading fun, meaningful activities, including a hands-on service project, for younger campers. You’ll also get to support camp staff by helping to manage schedules, keep groups on track, and handle real-life challenges like conflict resolution. You’ll grow your skills, make a difference, and keep being the role model others look up to.

For Counselor in Training I and II, reach out to your local Girl Scout council to locate a CIT program at a camp near you.

Bonus feature: Earning one Leadership award for your program level opens the door to the Highest Awards. Once you earn this award, you’ve fulfilled the prerequisite and are ready to start your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award.

Download the Volunteer Guide and Action Plan PDFs:

Junior Aide: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
Program Aide: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
Volunteer in Training: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
For Counselor in Training I and II, reach out to your local Girl Scout council to locate a CIT program at a camp near you.

Community Advocacy Awards toggle arrow

Turn your passions into action by making change locally or globally.

The Take Action award and Global Action award are available to Junior, Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Girl Scouts who want to turn their passion into action! Pick your favorite badge and use it as inspiration to create meaningful impact in your community. Many issues affect your world, both close to home and far away—focus on one that matters most to you.

Take Action award: Team up to identify a local issue, understand what’s behind it and who’s already working on it, and create a lasting solution.

Global Action award: Explore how communities worldwide experience similar issues, then make a global connection by applying what you learn to your project.

Bonus feature: Earning one Community Advocacy award opens the door to the Highest Awards. Once you earn this award, you’ve fulfilled the prerequisite and are ready to start your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award.

Download the Volunteer Guide and Action Plan PDFs:

Junior: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
Cadette: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
Senior & Ambassador: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide

FAQs

Questions about the new Leadership Awards? See the Journey Retirement and New Leadership Awards FAQ.

National Lifesaving Awards

Girl Scouts are eligible to apply for a Lifesaving Award if they have saved or attempted to save human life, with or without risk to their own, and under circumstances that most persons of their age and life experience would not be able to handle. The award includes a medal and a congratulatory letter from GSUSA's CEO.

Instructions for the application process
Narrative statement form
Application

Make it official—Get your award pin!

You show the world your leadership skills when you wear your pin on your Girl Scout uniform.

GSCO SHOP

Council Finder

Leadership Awards and Programs for Older Girl Scouts

Leadership Awards

Practice all the ways you can lead yourself, your team, and your community.

Start with you—build confidence and courage to lead your way.

The brand-new True North award is available for Junior, Cadette, and Senior/Ambassador Girl Scouts.

Be an awesome teammate while learning how to guide a group.

The Silver Torch award for Cadettes and the Gold Torch award for Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts help you grow as a team leader. You’ll start by learning how to be a great teammate and build up to leading a group of peers within Girl Scouting or the wider community.

Share your skills and inspire younger kids with hands-on leadership.

The path from helper to role model starts here! Level by level, you’ll grow the confidence and planning skills to lead younger kids through activities, program events, and more.

Turn your passions into action by making change locally or globally.

National Lifesaving Awards