Do you have Girl Scouts who just finished a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award? Don’t let their hard work go unrecognized! Troop and community celebrations help increase awareness of these projects, celebrate the Girl Scouts’ hard work, and are an excellent complement to the Girl Scouts River Valleys’ annual Highest Award Celebrations for Silver and Gold Award Girl Scouts.
The Awards
The Bronze Award, Silver Award, and Gold Award are the three highest honors in Girl Scouting. Each award gives Girl Scouts the chance to make their communities and the world a better place. Learn more about the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards and how to earn them. We encourage troops and service units to recognize their Girl Scouts who earn the Highest Awards, given the rigor and prestige of these honors. Read on for some ideas, tips, and suggestions for celebrating these great achievements locally!
Celebrate Ceremony Style
Some Girl Scouts want a more formal event where they are awarded their pins and certificates. After a project is complete and the final paperwork is submitted, Bronze Award pins and certificates can be purchased anytime from the Girl Scouts River Valleys shop. Silver Award and Gold Award pins are provided by Girl Scouts River Valleys to Girl Scouts who earn these awards. They are distributed at the council’s Highest Award Celebrations or sent by mail in the summer to Girl Scouts who do not attend these events.
Awarding pins and certificates can be done as part of a Bridging Ceremony, Court of Awards, or something entirely on its own. It can take place anytime during the year. You could invite family members and friends, other troops in your area, and local community members who may have partnered with Girl Scouts on their projects or benefitted from them.
A ceremony might consist of a few different parts:
- Opening: Welcome guests and set the tone for the ceremony (casual or more formal?).
- Main section:
- Explain the purpose of the ceremony to guests and those who may not be familiar with the Highest Awards.
- If they feel comfortable, each Girl Scout being honored can share the title and a little about their project. They could also share their favorite part of the project, something they learned, or something challenging they overcame.
- Award the pins and certificates: Often, the Troop Leader or Juliette Mentor will bestow the pins and certificates to each Girl Scout individually. This can also be done by the Girl Scout’s Project Advisor, project Mentor, or a family member.
- Closing: Thank your guests for attending. You could end the ceremony with a friendship circle and/or refreshments.
Celebrate Open House Style
Instead of a formal ceremony, you could also host a less structured open house celebration. Girl Scouts may bring friends and family to the event and would be encouraged to share about their projects with one another as folks mingle.
Girl Scouts who have photos of their project may want to bring printed copies and/or make a small poster to showcase their work. This is a great option for Girl Scouts who don’t want to speak to an audience.
Inviting other, younger Girl Scout troops and community members can also educate others about the Highest Awards program and inspire others to pursue the Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award in the future. Refreshments could be offered as well.
Girl-led, Girl-centered
The celebration should be planned and designed by Girl Scouts in partnership with adults, so remember to keep it girl-led. Girl Scouts who earn Highest Awards have already demonstrated leadership skills when completing their projects—so encourage them to continue using those skills and advocate for how they want to celebrate meeting their goals! For example, during a ceremony, instead of asking an adult to share a short welcome address, ask the Girl Scouts if anyone (or two or three) would like to do it.
Across cultures, regions, and families, there are many different ways that great achievements are celebrated. Think about ways your Girl Scout’s family or culture celebrates major milestones—such as graduations or rites of passage—and use that as your inspiration. Feel free to honor your Girl Scout(s) in a way that is meaningful to them—and it may not look like either of the two celebration styles outlined above. Know that Girl Scouts may opt for a different celebration, and perhaps participating in a fun or new activity or enjoying their favorite meal are also great ways to reward themselves!
There is no one right away to celebrate Bronze, Silver, & Gold Award Girl Scouts, so let your imagination run wild! Earning any one of these awards is no easy task, and they are worth celebrating.
Sarah Leonard – Sarah is a Program Coordinator for the Highest Awards program at Girl Scouts River Valleys, supporting Girl Scouts working towards their Bronze, Silver, or Gold Awards. She grew up in sunny California, then attended the University of Notre Dame to study Sociology & Anthropology; after, she spent some time in Alaska before settling in Minnesota. Outside of work, Sarah loves biking, hiking, knitting, and playing with her pet bunny.
