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Leadership Awards and Programs for Older Girl Scouts

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Leadership Awards and Programs for Older Girl Scouts

Leadership Awards and Programs for Older Girl Scouts

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

Leader in Action (LiA) Award

Achieving your LiA award is a prerequisite to earning the Cadette Program Aide and must be completed before taking a Program Aide training. This award is earned by assisting a group of Brownie Girl Scouts on any of their National Leadership Journeys or badgework.

Check out the steps to earn your LiA here.

Cadette Program Aide (PA) Award

Grow your leadership as a Girl Scout through the Program Aide award!

Grow your leadership skills as a Girl Scout through the Program Aide award! The Cadette Program Aide experience offers Girl Scouts the opportunity to complete a council-designed leadership training and apply their skills by working with younger Girl Scouts. Following an eight-hour hybrid course, girls will complete an internship by working with younger Girl Scouts.

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To earn the Cadette Program Aide award a sixth-, seventh-, or eight-grade girl must:

Register as a member of the Girl Scouts of the USA.
Complete a Leader in Action (LiA) award before taking Program Aide training.
Take Program Aide training prior to assuming their responsibilities.
Complete a Program Aide Internship by working directly with younger girls over six activity sessions. This might be assisting girls with Journey activities, badge activities, or general Girl Scouts activities. They might work with a group at their meetings, day camps, overnight camp, or during special council events.

Completed your training and Program Aide Internship? Upload your activity tracker to be approved! We will send you more information on how to order your pin after council approval.

Cadette Program Aide Completion Form

Want to run your own Program Aide training?
Use the documents below to run your own training with five or more Girl Scout Cadettes!

Cadette Program Aid Training (In-Person Workbook)
Cadette Program Aid Training (Virtual Workbook)
Program Aide Facilitator Guide
Tips Working with Middle Schoolers

Want more information on upcoming trainings?
Check out opportunities on our Events Page or contact us at contact us at highestawards@gscolorado.org

Questions about Day Camp or Resident Camp? Check out GSCO's Camp Leadership page for information on how to become a Program Aide at camp.

Counselor in Training (CiT) Award

Do you have dreams of being a camp counselor one day? Complete your CiT award!

Senior* and Ambassador Girl Scouts can enhance their leadership and camp counseling skills by learning to create lesson plans, developing behavior management and discipline strategies for campers, and improving their camp skills overall. Girls have the option to earn the award at either of our resident camps: Tomahawk or Sky High.

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CiT 1 is for girls who are participating for the first time. This two-week period is when they receive training and complete their internship.

CiT 2 is for girls who have completed their internship and are ready to assist in running programming, entertaining kids, and making camp a magical place!

Space is limited for this opportunity and typically sells out.
*must be entering 10th grade

To earn the Counselor in Training Award a 10th, 11th, or 12th grade girl must:

Register as a member of the Girl Scouts of the USA
Register as a CiT 1 (first year) through CampInTouch when summer camps go on sale.
Attend CiT 1 camp session where she will complete her training and internship.
Attend CiT 2 camp session where she will put her skills learned to use.

Contact us for more information

Volunteer in Training (ViT) Award

Want to mentor younger Girl Scouts in their leadership development? Volunteer in Training (ViT) award is for Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts who want to work with Daisy, Brownie or Junior girls in a troop environment. With assistance of adult members, ViTs take the lead of working with the younger girls to plan troop meetings and activities that guide them through Journeys and badges

To earn the Volunteer in Training (ViT) award:

Find an adult mentor/leader in the area of ViT that you want to work with. They will be your ViT coach.
Complete ViT workshop.
Complete specialty internship for area of focus- troop leadership, event leadership, or day camp leadership.

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

Service Bars and Torch Award

These awards recognize Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors who act as leaders in their communities by making a difference and practicing the values of the Girl Scout Law. It's also a great way to get involved with a particular cause or organization you care about.

Cadette

The Silver Torch Award

Cadettes can earn this award by completing these two steps.

Complete one Cadette Leadership Journey.
Serve for one full term in a leadership position at your school, place of worship, library, town council, community center, after-school club, or a similar organization. For Example, you might serve as a school yearbook editor, on a committee to organize youth events within your faith community, or on an event-planning board at the Girl Scouts. The length of your service will depend on the term specified by the organization or particular role.

Community Service Bar & Service to Girl Scouting Bar

Cadettes can earn these bars by completing the following requirements.

To earn the Community Service bar, first choose an organization you'd like to volunteer with. The organization will need to agree to give you instructions about the work you'll be doing. Once you've chosen your organization, complete at least 20 hours of service to earn the bar.
If you choose to volunteer at least 20 hours to the Girl Scout organization, you can receive the Cadette Service to Girl Scouting bar. For example, you might volunteer your time at a special event for younger girls, be an office assistant for your council or service unit, or help with special projects.

Senior

The Silver and Gold Torch Award

Seniors can earn this award by completing these two steps.

Complete one Senior Leadership Journey.
Serve for one full term in a leadership position at you school, place of worship, library, town council, community center, after-school club, or a similar organization. For example, you might serve on a planning committee for graduation, co-teach a youth class at your place of worship, or serve on a Girl Scout board of directors. The length of your service will depend on the term specified by the organization or the particular position you hold.

Community Service Bar & Service to Girl Scouting Bar

Seniors can earn these bars by completing the following requirements.

To earn a Senior Community Service bar, first choose an organization you'd like to volunteer with. The organization will need to agree to give you instructions about the work you'll be doing. Once you've chosen your organization, complete at least 20 hours of service to earn the bar.
If you choose to volunteer at least 20 hours to the Girl Scout organization, you can receive the Senior Service to Girl Scouting bar. For example, you might volunteer your time at a special event for younger girls, be an office assistant for your council or service unit, or help with special projects.

Ambassador toggle arrow

The Gold Torch Award

Ambassadors can earn this award by completing these two steps.

Complete one Ambassador Leadership Journey.
Serve for one full term in a leadership position at your school, place of worship, library, town council, community center, after-school club, or a similar organization. For example, you might serve on a planning committee for graduation, co-teach a youth class at your place of worship, or serve on a Girl Scout board of directors. The length of your service will depend on the term specified by the organization or particular position you hold.

Community Service Bar & Service to Girl Scouting Bar

Ambassadors can earn these bars by completing the following requirements.

To earn a Ambassador Community Service bar, first choose an organization you'd like to volunteer with. The organization will need to agree to give you instructions about the work you'll be doing. Once you've chosen your organization, complete at least 20 hours of service to earn the bar.
If you choose to volunteer at least 20 hours to the Girl Scout organization, you can receive the Senior Service to Girl Scouting bar. For example, you might volunteer your time at a special event for younger girls, be an office assistant for your council or service unit, or help with special projects.

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