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As a Girl Scout, you have a multitude of opportunities to develop your leadership skills and achieve awards! You can earn awards at all levels, starting with our youngest leaders—Girl Scout Daisies in kindergarten, all the way through high school seniors—Girl Scout Ambassadors. Learn more below.
Awards for all Girl Scout Grade Levels
Journey Summit Award (Retiring October 2026) 
This award is earned by completing three Journeys for your Girl Scout level. Chose from It’s Your World—Change it!, It’s Your Planet—Love it!, It’s Your Story—Tell It!, Think Like an Engineer, Think Like A Programmer, Think Like a Citizen Scientist, and Outdoor.
Safety Award
Each Girl Scout Level has its own set of requirements to teach you how to stay safe at home, school, and in your community.
DAISY SAFETY AWARD
Learn how to stay safe on your Daisy adventures! When you do, you’ll earn this important award.
Complete these three steps to earn the award:
- Understand what to do if you get lost. Know your phone number, address, and who it’s safe to ask for help (police officer, teacher, person in charge).
- Suggested Activity
- Role play approaching someone to ask for help. Memorize a second phone number for an emergency contact (parent, grandparent, trusted adult).
- Resource
- Suggested Activity
- Find out what you should do if you or a friend is choking.
- Suggested Activity
- Practice calling 911 on a locked cell phone, practice what you’d say on the phone.
- Suggested Activity
- Learn how to do “Stop, Drop, and Roll” if your clothing catches on fire.
- Resource
BROWNIE SAFETY AWARD
**Before starting this award, you might want to review the Safety Award for previous levels to make sure they are familiar with the other safety activities as these build on one another over the different Girl Scout levels**
It’s important to stay safe in your daily life and when you go on Brownie adventures!
Complete these five steps to earn the award:
- Talk to a teacher, parent, or another adult about how to stay safe at school. Make a list of the three most important rules for playground safety or safety on the school bus.
- Suggested Activity
- Make a list or poster of the three most important rules for playground safety or safety in the car. Share with family members to promote safety in your community.
- Resources
- Suggested Activity
- Get a map of your neighborhood or town and mark where the police station, fire station, and other important points are located.
- Suggested Activities
- Look online or get a map of your neighborhood or town and mark where the police station, fire station and other important points are located.
- Make a list of emergency numbers and post it in your home so you can easily find them when you need them.
- Resources
- Suggested Activities
- Find out how a smoke alarm works. Test the one at your home so you know what it sounds like and make sure it’s working.
- Suggested Activities
- Test the smoke alarm at your home so you know what it sounds like (you may want to warn everybody at home that it’ll be loud!) and make sure it is working. Mark your calendars to change the battery twice each year. Daylight savings are great days to use to remember to do this!
- Develop an escape route and meeting place for your family in case of fire.
- Resources
- Red Cross
- Reach out to your local firefighters for fire safety tips, plans, and additional local resources.
- Suggested Activities
- Choose an upcoming trip you plan to take – to a carnival, amusement park, the mall, the playground, or even just the grocery store—and make a safety plan with an adult.
- Suggested Activity
- Make a safety plan with an adult. Find out what to do if a stranger approaches you in a public place.
- Suggested Activity
- Find out what natural disasters are most common in your area (earthquakes, blizzards, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods) and discuss with your family or another adult what to do when they happen.
JUNIOR SAFETY AWARD
**Before starting this award, you might want to review the Safety Award for previous levels to make sure they are familiar with the other safety activities as these build on one another over the different Girl Scout levels**
Know how you and your friends can stay safe on your Junior adventures!
Complete these five steps to earn this award:
- Find out what the most common injuries are for kids your age. Make a list of how to prevent them. Then do a home safety audit to check for dangers around the house.
- Suggested Activities
- Make a list of common injuries that could happen in your house
- Do a home safety audit to check for dangers around the house. Find three dangers and discuss with your family how to avoid them. Make a plan to fix the hazards.
- Resource
- Suggested Activities
- Conduct an emergency evacuation drill of your home or the place your Girl Scout group meets. In the case of fire, know where your main exit is located, and plan an alternative way to get out if the first exit is blocked.
- Suggested Activity
- Draw a map of your house. Mark all the exits with a bright, colored crayon, pencil, or marker. Share this with your family. Work with your family and plan alternate ways to get out if an exit is blocked.
- Plan and execute two different fire drills with your family based on the previous activity. Time how long it takes to execute each plan.
- Resource
- Suggested Activity
- Find out how to read weather signs so you know when to head indoors and get to safety.
- Suggested Activity
- Go to the Farmer’s Almanac and learn about ways farmers would try to predict the weather before we had radar to tell us what was happening. Look up the signals that bad weather is coming and write what each means:
- Halo around the moon
- Dark, low clouds
- Red sky at sunrise
- Thunder
- Go to the Farmer’s Almanac and learn about ways farmers would try to predict the weather before we had radar to tell us what was happening. Look up the signals that bad weather is coming and write what each means:
- Resources
- Suggested Activity
- Learn about bicycle safety. Research why biking helmets are important and how to check if a helmet fits you properly
- Suggested Activities
- Research why bike helmets are important and make a safety poster that will teach others the basics. If you have a helmet, try it on and have an adult help make sure it is adjusted correctly
- Practice hand signals for riding a bike. Demonstrate them to an adult.
- Resources
- Suggested Activities
- Go on a hazard-identification walk along a local hiking trail, bike trail, or horse trail.
- Suggested Activity
- Go on a hike and record the following.
- I did this walk on:
- The trail was located at:
- Hazards I found:
- Go on a hike and record the following.
- Resources
- Suggested Activity
CADETTE SAFETY AWARD
**Before starting this award, you might want to review the Safety Award for previous levels to make sure they are familiar with the other safety activities as these build on one another over the different Girl Scout levels**
Know how you and your friends can stay safe on your Cadette adventures.
Complete these five steps to earn this award:
- Learn how to make a room safe for a young child.
- Suggested Activities
- Research and find a baby-proofing checklist.
- Pick one room in your house and follow the list. What needs to be done to make it safe?
- Now go from room to room. What is different depending on the room? Try doing a bedroom and a bathroom or kitchen.
- Resource
- Suggested Activities
- Find out about water safety and learn to perform a reaching assist from a dock or the side of a pool to help someone out of the water.
- Resources
- Teach a Daisy or Brownie what to do if she gets lost and why she shouldn’t talk to strangers.
- Suggested Activity
- Assist a younger troop in earning their safety award: Attend a troop meeting or build an activity or make a worksheet, poster, or video that could help a Daisy or Brownie leader teach her troop these skills.
- Suggested Activity
- With your family, make sure you have enough food, water, and medication supplies on hand to last at least three days in case of a natural disaster. (Remember to plan for pets!) It’s important to have someone outside the area whom everyone in your family can contact in case you are separated. Learn who your family contact is or help your family choose a contact.
- Suggested Activities
- Research what is needed to create an emergency tub/kit for a flood, thunderstorm, or tornado. Go through the house and see what you can collect. Make a list of what is still needed. Along with your family, create a safety plan for a fire, a tornado, and any other disaster you might think of.
- The Red Cross has great activities to help you prepare for a natural disaster like a flood, thunderstorm, or tornado. Check out the different links listed below under resources for these activities.
- Resources
- Suggested Activities
- Discuss bullying with your Girl Scout group, friends, or family. Write and sign a personal responsibility statement that covers how you’ll behave at school, at home, and online.
- Suggested Activities
- Research forms of bullying and create a list of behaviors you may have witnessed that hurt others.
- Decide how you want to be treated and interview family members and friends about how they want to be treated. Use the information you gathered and create a personal or troop pledge. Decorate it and hang it in your room as a reminder of how you can influence others with your positive treatment of others.
- Resources:
- Suggested Activities
SENIOR SAFETY AWARD
**Before starting this award, you might want to review the Safety Award for previous levels to make sure they are familiar with the other safety activities as these build on one another over the different Girl Scout levels**
Know how you and your friends can stay safe on your Senior adventures.
Complete these five steps to earn this award
- Take a self-defense class or ask a police officer to talk to you or your group about self-defense tips
- Teach younger Girl Scouts about fire and kitchen safety, water safety, or safety on the trail.
- Learn about the dangers of distracted driving, and make a poster or PSA about paying attention at the wheel.
- Help two people to resolve a disagreement peacefully and respectfully.
- Resources
- Discuss the dangers of alcohol and drug use with your Girl Scout group, friends, or family. Write a personal-responsibility statement that covers how you’ll behave.
- Resource
AMBASSADOR SAFETY AWARD
**Before starting this award, you might want to review the Safety Award for previous levels to make sure they are familiar with the other safety activities as these build on one another over the different Girl Scout levels**
Know how you and your friends can stay safe on your Ambassador adventure.
Complete these five steps to earn this award:
- Pick a safety issue important to you, and organize a forum where other teens can discuss the issue.
- Suggested Activity
- Have a discussion within your troop about this issue. If you’d like to take it a step further, find a local organization or gather a group of friends where you can discuss this issue more in-depth.
- Suggested Activity
- Talk to younger Girl Scouts about Internet safety and safe use of social media.
- Resource
- List your duties as a counselor-in-training, volunteer-in-training, or in other leadership roles you hold. Carry the list with you, and use it to make sure you’ve covered all your bases when making a safety plan for trips and events.
- Suggested activity
- Think of your list as a resume—an overview of the skills you have and the responsibilities you have been trusted with. Host a brainstorm session (or turn it into a game) with trusted friends and adults about what types of situations where those skills would be helpful. Build scenarios for each other and brainstorm how you can make the most of the skills you have and are building!
- Suggested activity
- Talk to a counselor, social worker, or someone who works at a local women’s shelter to find out more about how to stay safe while dating.
- Resource
- Pick a sport or outdoor activity you enjoy. Find out how rules, training, and safety equipment are designed to protect players.
My Promise, My Faith
Girl Scouts of all levels can earn one award each year as you explore the connection between Girl Scouts and your faith and learn about additional religious recognitions. Learn more.
Bridging Award
Girls Scouts earn this award by completing two steps: Pass it on—to share what you’ve learned with younger girls, and Look Ahead—to learn from older girls about what great things will be happening in your next level of Girl Scouts.
Outdoor Awards - Juniors through Ambassadors
Do you enjoy camping, boating down a river, or hitting the trail? Can you set up a tent, navigate your way, and care for an injury? If so, the Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania Outdoor Awards program is for you.
Get ready to build your courage, confidence, and character through outdoor adventures and skill-building. This program is open to Girl Scout Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, Ambassadors, and adult volunteers who love to hike or ride the miles, camp the nights, run the rivers or lakes, adventure through nature, do the work to conserve the land, or serve the outdoors!
This program offers a series of seven patches designed to recognize Girl Scouts with exemplary knowledge and experience in performing high-level outdoor activities. Each series is earned individually.
Start by registering for the GSWPA Outdoor Awards to receive the main/center patch.
Upon completion of each award’s requirements, you must report on how the requirements were fulfilled, so record your progress diligently. After you complete an Outdoor Award segment, complete the form for that award:
Award for Camping
Award for Hiking
Award for Aquatics
Award for Riding
Award for Adventure
Award for Conservation
Award for Service to the Outdoors
After you complete the form for your award, you will receive a link to order your award segment patch. Award patches will be mailed to you.
Award Pricing:
- Main/Center Patch - $4
- Segment Award Patch - $2
This program was started in 2019 and revamped in 2024. Girl Scouts who began earning their Girl Scout Outdoor Award between 2019-2024 may transfer their progress to the 2024 requirements.
Girl Scouts may earn each award once per program level.
Presidential Volunteer Service Award
The Presidential Volunteer Service Award is on temporary pause, as decided by AmeriCorps effective May 27, 2025. At this time, orders for the awards are not being accepted.
The Presidential Volunteer Service Award is a national opportunity to honor outstanding volunteers and recognize the impact they make. While not a Girl Scout award, the Presidential Volunteer Service Award is awarded by age group in three tiers: Bronze, Silver, and Gold.
To be eligible, volunteers must be a United States Citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States, at least five years old, and complete eligible service within a 12 month period (January 16-January 15 each year).
Eligible Service:
- Unpaid acts of volunteer service benefiting others
- Service through National service programs that provide a stipend (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) may count towards the Lifetime Achievement Award*, but not for the annual Bronze, Silver, and Gold
Eligible Service does not include:
- Donating funds
- Political lobbying (Non-partisan voter registration is an eligible activity)
- Religious instruction
- Conducting worship service
- Proselytizing
- Volunteer service performed as part of court-ordered community service
- Serving only family members
Hours required to earn awards in each age group:
These hours ONLY reflect the Presidential Volunteer Service Award tiers. (DO NOT include hours for the Girl Scouts Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards).
Age Group |
Bronze |
Silver |
Gold |
| Kids (5-10 yrs.old) | 26-49 hours |
50-74 hours |
75+ hours |
| Teens (11-15 yrs. old) | 50-74 hours |
75-99 hours |
100+ hours |
Young Adults (16-25 yrs. old) |
100-174 hours |
175-249 hours |
250+ hours |
| Adults (26+) | 100-249 hours |
250-499 hours |
500+ hours |
Please use the Service Award Log to keep track of your hours. Hour logs should be submitted via email to customercare@gswpa.org with the subject line: Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Alternatively, hours can be submitted using the online form. Hour submission must be submitted by January 31.
Service Awards
Community Service Bar
To earn this award, you will choose a community organization to work with, receive instructions, and complete at least 20 hours of service.**
**Hours of service you use to earn these awards must be separate from those counted towards other awards.
Keep track of your hours using the Leadership and Service Award Hour Log.
Once you've completed the requirements for this award, please fill out the Community Service Bar Application.
Service to Girl Scouting Bar
Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors often volunteer to help at service unit or council events with younger girls or volunteer to help with other special Girl Scout projects. Once you complete at least 20 hours of service, you earn this award.**
**Hours of service you use to earn these awards must be separate from those counted towards other awards.
Keep track of your hours using the Leadership and Service Award Hour Log.
Once you've completed the requirements for this award, please fill out the Service to Girl Scouting Bar Application.
Meritorious Service Awards
Bronze Cross
This lifesaving award is given to a Girl Scout who has shown extraordinary heroism or risked her life to save another. Contact Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania to request guidelines and an application.
Medal of Honor
This lifesaving award is given to a Girl Scout who has saved someone’s life in an emergency. Contact Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania to request guidelines and an application.
Leadership Awards
The new leadership awards are about building real skills for real impact and having the confidence to turn your ideas into action. Whether you’re figuring out what leadership means to you, working with a team, leading a group, or stepping up to a challenge, these awards are designed to help you explore what leadership means to you—no pressure, just room to grow.
Personal Leadership Awards
The True North award is about discovering what matters to you and staying true to yourself. It’s your chance to follow your values and take meaningful action, even when it feels hard or a little scary. Whether you’re finding the courage to speak up for what you believe in, taking on challenges, or advocating for positive change, this award helps you build the confidence and clarity to chart your own course and take courageous steps toward what truly matters to you.
Bonus feature: Earning the True North award for your program level opens the door to the Highest Awards. Once you earn this award, you’ve fulfilled the prerequisite and are ready to start your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award.
Download the Volunteer Guide and Action Plan PDFs:
- Junior: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
- Cadette: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
- Senior & Ambassador: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
Peer Leadership Awards
Be an awesome teammate while learning how to guide a group.
The Silver Torch award for Cadettes and the Gold Torch award for Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts help you grow as a team leader. You’ll start by learning how to be a great teammate and build up to leading a group of peers within Girl Scouting or the wider community.
Silver Torch award: Learn how to shine on a team at school or within a place of worship, Girl Scouts, or a community organization. Work toward a shared goal, support your teammates, and build confidence as you find out what motivates people and inspires positive change.
Gold Torch award: This award gives you the know-how and skills to lead with purpose and heart, not just be in charge. Whether you’re a team captain, club officer, advisory board member, or a leader at a community organization, you’ll learn how to bring people together, turn ideas into impact, and inspire others.
Bonus feature: Earning the Torch award for your program level opens the door to the Highest Awards. Once you earn this award, you’ve fulfilled the prerequisite and are ready to start your Silver or Gold Award.
Download the Volunteer Guide and Action Plan PDFs:
- Cadette: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
- Senior & Ambassador: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
Teaching Leadership Awards
Share your skills and inspire younger kids with hands-on leadership.
The path from helper to role model starts here! Level by level, you’ll grow the confidence and planning skills to lead younger kids through activities, program events, and more.
Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania offers a virtual Teaching Leadership Training for Girl Scouts to learn age-level development, how to work with adult troop leaders, and how to prep and lead activities. This course is highly recommended! Find a list of upcoming trainings here.
Junior Aide award (Junior): Discover your leadership style by planning and leading a fun, inclusive activity for younger kids. Build your confidence as you learn what it means to guide and inspire others.
Program Aide award (Cadette): Grow your leadership skills by planning and leading multiple activities, including a full meeting—for younger Girl Scouts. You’ll practice being a role model and engaging different age groups along the way.
Volunteer in Training award (Senior/Ambassador): Take charge by leading two full meetings. Create meaningful experiences that help younger Girl Scouts learn, grow, and feel included while making a lasting impact as a mentor and leader.
Counselor in Training I (Senior/Ambassador): Team up with other teens to learn how to connect with campers, shadow and support camp staff, and take the lead on songs, games, and group activities. You’ll build real leadership skills, make a lasting impact, and become the role model younger campers look up to—all while having a blast at camp.
Counselor in Training II (Ambassador): Take your leadership to the next level by planning and leading fun, meaningful activities, including a hands-on service project, for younger campers. You’ll also get to support camp staff by helping to manage schedules, keep groups on track, and handle real-life challenges like conflict resolution. You’ll grow your skills, make a difference, and keep being the role model others look up to.
For Counselor in Training (CIT) I and II, Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania offers CIT programs at our camps during the summer.
Bonus feature: Earning one Leadership award for your program level opens the door to the Highest Awards. Once you earn this award, you’ve fulfilled the prerequisite and are ready to start your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award.
Download the Volunteer Guide and Action Plan PDFs:
- Junior Aide: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
- Program Aide: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
- Volunteer in Training: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
- For Counselor in Training (CIT) I and II, Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania offers CIT programs at our camps during the summer.
Coming soon: Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania Camp Aide
Community Advocacy Awards
Turn your passions into action by making change locally or globally.
The Take Action award and Global Action award are available to Junior, Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Girl Scouts who want to turn their passion into action! Pick your favorite badge and use it as inspiration to create meaningful impact in your community. Many issues affect your world, both close to home and far away—focus on one that matters most to you.
Take Action award: Team up to identify a local issue, understand what’s behind it and who’s already working on it, and create a lasting solution.
Global Action award: Explore how communities worldwide experience similar issues, then make a global connection by applying what you learn to your project.
Bonus feature: Earning one Community Advocacy award opens the door to the Highest Awards. Once you earn this award, you’ve fulfilled the prerequisite and are ready to start your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award.
Download the Volunteer Guide and Action Plan PDFs:
- Junior: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
- Cadette: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
- Senior & Ambassador: Action Plan | Volunteer Guide
Special Opportunity Awards
Cookie Activity Pin
You can earn this award every year when you participate in the cookie program. For age-level, qualifying activities click HERE.
World Thinking Day Award
Girl Scouts take part in activities to honor and celebrate our global sisterhood around the world. Check out the age-level activities to earn this award HERE.
