This post is sponsored by Girl Scouts of the USA.
I have always loved the Girl Scouts but just learned about something amazing for high school girls: The Girl Scout Gold Award! The Gold Award is the most highly regarded award in the world for girls and can open girls up to scholarships, preferred admission for college and career opportunities. Read on to learn more about my Girl Scout love and Gold Award!
I always wanted to be a Girl Scout as they understand the vital connection between young girls’ development and their future success, and offers a one-of-a-kind, proven leadership development program that prepares them to take the lead from age 5 to 18, and into adulthood. Girl Scouts teaches girls things such as science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); entrepreneurship; life skills; financial literacy; and outdoor experiences—in the safe, all-girl environment of a Girl Scout troop, where they can try new things, develop a range of skills, take on leadership roles, and feel comfortable failing, dusting themselves off, and trying again!
As an adult, I had the opportunity to experience the greatness of Girls Scouts…
In 2009, I had the opportunity to host a tea party for young Girl Scouts. When I tell you I had so much fun with these little leaders! I had a blast sharing with them how to appropriately dine during a tea party and helping them make their tea hats!
Shortly after, I shared with a group of Girl Scouts how to be a leader in the community. As an educator and advocate for girls, this was important to me and a special moment. I met other teen girls, who spoke alongside me, who also gained leadership through Girl Scouts.
And in my quest to continue empowering girls, I had the opportunity to walk the “green carpet” at a local fundraiser for Girl Scouts and I earned my own badge for my contributions. What an honor to witness the research over the years: Girl Scouts are more likely than non–Girl Scouts to achieve academic excellence, and overachieve when it comes to team work, hands-on learning and reflection, and decision making.
In 2013, I invited the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland into my middle school classroom while teaching 6th grade literacy at Booker T. Washington Middle School in Baltimore, MD. My young female scholars enjoyed programming that meets state and national curriculum standards while I had the opportunity to look up how badges and journey series correlate to in-classroom learning.
Now, in 2019, I learned that Gold Award is the most highly regarded award in the world for girls. It’s the mark of the truly remarkable—proof that a girl can not only make a difference, but she already has. It’s a distinction that can open a girl’s world to scholarships, preferred admission tracks for college, and amazing career opportunities. To earn this unique award, Girl Scouts tackle issues dear to them and drive lasting change in their communities and beyond.
I am so excited for the 10 National Gold Award Girl Scouts who were selected from a large application pool for scholarships and recognition. Currently, as a high school educator, it is important to share that any high school Girl Scout can earn their Gold Award. And, a girl may join Girl Scouting in High School for the first time and still be eligible to become Gold Award Girl Scouts, making them ideal candidates for college scholarships and admissions.
Fellow teachers, please share the great opportunities that Gold Award can provide for female students! Here are a few links for more info:
Gold Award Main Page
Gold Award Educator Page
The Power of the Girl Scout Award: Excellence in Leadership and in Life – a report
#MrsHallScholars 