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California Gold Award Girl Scouts Press Release
June 26, 2024
400+ California Girl Scouts Earn the Prestigious Gold Award in 2024
Gold Award Girl Scouts from California spent more than 33,000 collective hours making a positive, lasting impact in their communities.
California — Eight Girl Scout councils from the Golden State are proud to introduce 415 Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors, girls in grades nine through twelve, as the class of 2024 Gold Award Girl Scouts. Collectively, these remarkable teenagers spent more than 33,000 hours completing the Gold Award—the highest achievement in Girl Scouting.
To earn the Gold Award, each Girl Scout identifies an issue they care about, innovates an actionable solution, and dedicates a minimum of 80 service hours toward the project. A unique requirement of this prestigious award is the element of sustainability, as each Gold Award project must create a measurable, long-term impact that lasts after the project reaches completion.
Since its introduction in 1980, the Girl Scout Gold Award has been recognized across industries and sectors. This highly regarded and notable feat unlocks new opportunities for Girl Scouts who earn it, like standing out in the college admissions process, receiving scholarships, or enlisting in the military at a higher pay grade. The Gold Award is the mark of an inspiring leader.
The state of California is comprised of the following eight councils: Girl Scouts Heart of Central California, Girl Scouts of California's Central Coast, Girl Scouts of Central California South, Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, Girl Scouts of Northern California, Girl Scouts of Orange County, Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio, and Girl Scouts San Diego. Collectively, the nonprofits serve 123,010 girls and 78,882 adult members in California.
This year, Gold Award Girl Scouts from California made their mark with Take Action projects that addressed critical topics*:
- 16.9% focused on mental health
- 33.0% focused on civic engagement and advocacy issues
- 5.10% focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, racial justice issues (DEIRJ)
- 14.2% focused on environment and sustainability
*topic themes overlap
“Giving back and making the world a better place are foundational pillars of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience,” said Dr. Vikki Shepp, Girl Scouts of Orange County’s CEO, along with seven CA Girl Scout CEOs. “By laying the building blocks of community service at an early age, Girl Scouts begin Take Action projects as young as five years old. Each year, we see our girls grow in leadership and further establish a sense of well-being and identity as they continue making bigger waves in their communities through service projects and the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards. We are so proud of their accomplishments and are eager to see who they will become in the future. This is only the beginning for our Gold Award Girl Scouts.”
To learn more about the Gold Award, visit girlscouts.org/goldaward. For more information about Girl Scouts of Orange County and its highest awards programs, visit GSOC Gold Award.
Download the California Gold Award Girl Scout Fact Sheet here.
About Girl Scouts of Orange County
We are 25,000 strong – nearly 15,000 girls and 10,000 volunteers and adult members who bring girls’ dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs reaching girls in every zip code in Orange County, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and thousands of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and take action to affect the issues most important to them. To join, volunteer, or support Girl Scouts of Orange County, visit www.girlscoutsoc.org.
About Girl Scouts of the USA
We Are Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscouts.org.
Media Contact:
MARIA SOLIS, Communications Director
Girl Scouts of Orange County
msolis@girlscoutsoc.org | 949-461-8826
