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Girl Scouts of Western WashingtonGold Award Orientation
Agenda
• Genesys Overview
• Introductions and Group Agreement
• Overview of the Award
• Understanding Discover, Connect, Take Action
• How do I get started?
• What are my responsibilities?
• When should I start?
• Where do I go from here?
• Questions and wrap up
Using Genesys
Share:
• What grade are you in?
• Where do you live?
• Why are you joining us for orientation?
• What do you hope to get out of this?
Introductions
Julia RicciardiProgram Manager for
Highest Awards
Can we all agree to…
• Give our full attention to the presentation and discussions?
• Participate with active listening and contribute our ideas/questions?
• Find a quiet place in our homes or use the mute function if background noise gets loud?
• Utilize the emoticons to ask questions and share ideas?
• Anything else should we agree on?
Where did it come from?
The Gold Award has its roots in early Girl Scout history—with the Golden Eaglet of Merit that was created in 1916. The highest award in Girl Scouts has always focused on leadership and service. When you earn this award, you are joining a long tradition of acclaimed women.
What is it?
• It’s the highest and most prestigious award a girl can earn.
• It challenges you to change the world—or at least your corner of it—beyond Girl Scouts.
• This award recognizes girls who follow the Take Action process, developing leadership and project management skills to make our world a better place.
• It’s more about your process, less about your number of hours.
It’s about the process!Complete your Prerequisites
Attend the Gold Award Workshop (optional)
Research, write and submit your Gold Award Proposal
Receive feedback at your pre-project interview
Revise your Proposal and resubmit
Once your Proposal is approved, Take Action!
Reflect on your experiences and measure your progress
Congratulations, you’ve earned your Gold Award!
Write and submit your Final Report for review
Celebrate and share your story
Why would I want to earn it?• Your voice matters
• Inspire others to Take Action
• Explore your passions
• Be a role model
• Gain skills and access to resources
• Become a leader in your community
Who will notice?• Recognition from Girl Scouts of Western
Washington and our CEO
• Recognition from your troop, service unit and other girls in your region
• Recognition from elected officials—including the President of the United States!
Gold Award Gala
Understanding: Take Action
• Sustainable over time
• Measurable using numbers
• Targets the root of a problem
Understanding: Sustainable
• Creates an innovative solution to a problem
• Establishes long term change
• Allows other people to continue benefiting for years to come
• Creates opportunities for other people to be involved in working towards the solution (even when you are “done” with your project)
Understanding: Sustainable
• Have you ever heard of “Pay it Forward”?
• Have you heard of a video “going viral” on the internet?
• Have you heard about chain letters, chain emails or phone trees?
With all of these examples, one person or a few people get the ball rolling, but very soon there are lots of people all over the world who are involved!
Understanding: Sustainable
Think of yourself as the person who starts the snowball at the very top of the hill…
Understanding: Sustainable
Think about helpful organizations and events in your community…
• How were these organizations or activities started?
• What makes them successful overtime?
• How can you set up your project to continue for many years?
Understanding: Measurable
When your plan is measurable, it means that you can use numbers, facts and figures to demonstrate your success.What are some aspects of a project you could measure?
• Number of people or animals who directly received your support or who attended your event
• Number of volunteers who joined your efforts
• Geographic diversity of your participants
• Opinions about your project via a survey
• Amount of money/resources your project saved others
Understanding: Root of the ProblemThink about the root of the problem—what is causing the problem to continue happening over and over?• If someone has a deep wound that won’t stop
bleeding, what is the root of the problem? Can the underlying problem be fixed with a Band-Aid?
• If too many unwanted animals end up in shelters, what is creating all of the unwanted animals? Can the underlying problem be fixed by donating toys to the animal shelter?
• If there is too much litter at a local park, why does that keep happening? Can the underlying problem be fixed by picking up the trash?
Understand Take Action?
Take Action projects pass a 3-step check:
• Will this project keep helping people/animals/the environment even after I submit my final report?
• Will I be able to use numbers, facts and figures to describe my success?
• Is my solution going deeper than a Band-Aid?Take the quiz:
https://girlscouts.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0DmSMwf8sTMLooZ
How do I get started?
Before you start your Gold Award, you must complete the prerequisites.• Earn your Silver Award and one
Senior/Ambassador Journey
• Earn two Senior/Ambassador Journeys
or
How do I get started?
1. Assess your community to learn about needs and resources that exist near you:• Before you come up with any ideas, you need
to research issues in your community—look in newspapers, listen to the radio, talk to neighbors, meet with local officials to learn what your community needs and what resources it has already.
• Once you have researched your community, then consider your own passions, interests, skills and talents.
How do I get started?
If you think you’ve found your cause, try asking yourself these questions:
• Is this something I care a lot about?
• Is this something I get excited about?
• Is this something I will want to work on for many
months or years?
• Will supporting this cause make my world a
better place?
• If I focus on this, will I be able to learn new
things and grow in unexpected ways?
Girl-Led Gold AwardsMy leader(s) and family should:• Encourage me to
take on leadership roles
• Ask open ended questions
• Help with proofreading
• Provide moral support and encouragement
• Celebrate my accomplishments
• Help with money earning and donations
• Help me follow safety guidelines
I should:• Be the leader, call the shots
• Regularly communicate with my team members, including Girl Scout staff
• Communicate in a professional manner
• Identify volunteers with special skills and delegate tasks
• Decide on a project that is important to me
• Try new things and step outside my comfort zone
• Read and follow the guidelines from GSWW
• Ask for help when I do not understand or need support
• Live by the Girl Scout Promise and Law
Interacting with OthersExpect your project advisor to:• Have knowledge
or expertise about your issue/cause
• Help with brainstorming
• Help with project management
• Help with proofreading
Expect Girl Scout staff to:• Support all girls in achieving
success with the best project
• Respond to emails and calls promptly
• Communicate in a friendly, approachable and professional way
• Provide feedback and suggestions that will help improve projects
• Hold everyone accountable to guidelines and standards set by GSUSA
Interacting with OthersExpect Highest Awards Facilitators to:• Lead Gold Award Online
Orientations—like this one right now!
• Lead in-person Gold Award Workshops
• Provide accurate information about the Gold Award process within Girl Scouts of Western Washington
• Help girls and adults find additional resources or connect with staff who can answer more specific questions
Expect Highest Awards Review Committee to:• Care about your project,
your passions and your goals
• Provide you constructive feedback to help you grow
• Provide you constructive feedback to help you meet all Gold Award guidelines
• Be supportive and approachable during interviews, etc.
When should I start?
As soon as possible!• The most successful Gold Award projects take at
least one full year to earn.
• Make time for your prerequisites
• Consider your other time commitments—sports teams, school clubs, work, family commitments, prom, etc.
• Your final report must be approved before September 30 of the calendar year you graduate (before you start college) NO EXCEPTIONS
Where do I go from here?• Complete prerequisites
• Attend a Gold Award Workshop (in-person opportunity to get started on your project)
• Visit our website for resources (www.GirlScoutsWW.org)
• Ask questions
800-767-6845 ext. 1233
Up for a challenge?
YOUhave a voice that matters.have confidence.have other girls looking up to you.have important goals to achieve.are a leader.can make our world a better place.
Questions?
