Emblems and Patches
In addition to the leadership awards tied to the Journeys and the National Proficiency badges, girls can
show they belong by adding emblems to the front of their vests or sashes and participation patches on
the back.
● Emblems show membership in Girl Scouts, a particular council, a particular troop, or in some
other Girl Scout group. These can be worn on the front of a sash or vest. (See the diagram in the
handbook section of The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting to see where these are placed.)
●
Participation patches represent activities girls have tried and are fun ways for girls to
remember special events they’ve attended. Since these patches and pins aren’t tied to skill-
building activities, they are worn on the back of a girl’s sash or vest.
You can purchase emblems and patches—along with badges and leadership awards—at the GSWPA Girl
Scout shop or by visiting www.girlscoutshop.com/WESTERN-PENNSYLVANIA-COUNCIL or simply clicking
the Shop link at www.gswpa.org. There, you’ll find a cool list of the earned awards for each grade level
and a link that shows you exactly where girls can place their emblems, awards, badges, pins, and
patches on their vests and sashes.
Girl Scout Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards
The Girl Scout Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards are Girl Scouting’s highest awards. These awards offer
girls relevant, grade-level-appropriate challenges related to teamwork, goal setting, and community
networking and leadership. They also engage girls in building networks that not only support them in
their award projects, but in new educational and career opportunities.
Like everything girls do in Girl Scouting, the steps to earning these awards are rooted in the GSLE. This is
why, to earn each of these awards, girls first complete a grade-level Journey (two Journeys for the Gold
Award or a Silver Award and one Journey). With Journeys, girls experience the keys to leadership and
learn to identify community needs, work in partnership with their communities, and carry out Take
Action projects that make a lasting difference. They can then use the skills they developed during a
Journey to develop and execute projects for their Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards. Girl Scouts
has just introduced a web app that takes girls step-by-step through the Gold Award requirements.
A list of requirements, steps, FAQs and guidelines for all 3 awards are available at
http://www.gswpa.org/en/about-girl-scouts/our-program/highest-awards.html. Girl Scouts just
introduced a web app that walks Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors through the 7 Steps & Standards
of Excellence, and give then girls the opportunity to submit their proposals digitally. Visit
https://www.girlscouts.org/gogoldonline/ to take a peek.
Did you know that a Girl Scout who has earned her Gold Award immediately rises one rank in all four
branches of the U.S. Military? A number of college-scholarship opportunities also await Gold Award
designees. A girl does not, however, have to earn a Bronze or Silver Award before earning the Girl Scout
Gold Award. She is eligible to earn any recognition at the grade level in which she is registered.
As a Girl Scout volunteer, encourage girls to go for it by earning these awards at the Junior through
Ambassador levels. Check out some of the award projects girls across the country are achieving at
http://forgirls.girlscouts.org/wp-content/themes/theMap.html. You’ll be inspired when you see and hear
what girls can accomplish as leaders—and by the confidence, values, and team-building expertise they
gain while doing so. And imagine the impact girls have on their communities, country, and even the
world as they identify problems they care about, team with others, and act to make change happen!